The Beatles spark fierce Grammys 2025 row as viewers divided over ‘unfair’ awards win: ‘Don’t agree with this!’
The Beatles have secured their 14th Grammy Award, winning Best Rock Performance for their AI-assisted track Now and Then at the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
The legendary band triumphed in a hotly contested category at the ceremony, held at the Crypto.com Arena on February 2.
The win marks another milestone in the group’s illustrious Grammy history, which now includes 30 total trophies when counting special honours and Grammy Hall of Fame awards.
Only six of these awards were earned during the band’s active years as a quartet featuring Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
Now and Then began as a demo recording made by John Lennon in 1977, shortly before his death.
The track was later given to the surviving Beatles members by Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono.
The band first attempted to record the song in 1995 as a trio, alongside other Anthology project tracks Free As A Bird and Real Love.
However, technical limitations at the time meant the surviving Beatles were unable to bring the recording up to an acceptable standard.
Decades later, advancements in technology finally enabled Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to complete what would become known as “the last Beatles song”, bringing all four members together for a final collaboration.
The use of AI technology to complete Now and Then has sparked controversy within the music industry.
The track relied on AI-assisted technology to restore John Lennon’s original vocals from the 1977 demo recording.
The song’s Grammy nomination has divided opinion, with some praising it as an innovative use of new technology in art while others have expressed concern that it could set a dangerous precedent for the creative industry.
Reacting to a post on X announcing the news of The Beatles’ victory, one social media user shared their angst towards the award win: “I dont know. Not agree with this. I think its unfair.”
“Yeah no were not about to normalize this in the music industry,” a second hit out before a third warned: “The beginning of a new era the AI assisted songs will only grow from this moment forward.”
However, others jumped to the band’s defence, with one fan hitting back: “The amount of people in these comments that dont understand that its not an ai song and was in fact written and sang by the beatles.”
And a second praised: “The beatles, a band that has been broken up for 55 years, won a grammy in 2025. if that doesnt serve to the testament of them being the greatest band of all time, i dont know what does.” (sic)
The debate reflects broader tensions about AI’s role in music, at a time when the technology is seen as both an opportunity and a threat to artistic creation.
McCartney has recently addressed the broader implications of AI in music during a BBC interview.
The Beatles legend expressed particular concern about potential changes to AI copyright law that could bypass standard copyright policies.
“When we were kids in Liverpool, we found a job that we loved, but it also paid the bills,” McCartney told the BBC.
He warned that proposed changes could remove incentives for artists, leading to a “loss of creativity.”
The Beatles faced strong competition in the Best Rock Performance category at this year’s ceremony.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Taylor Swift pays hidden nod to Travis Kelce with striking Grammys dress as she attends soloSquid Game actress dies aged 81 just three months after stomach cancer diagnosisKanye West’s wife Bianca Censori sparks fury with ‘disturbing’ naked look on Grammys 2025 red carpet
‘Now and Then’ by The Beatles is the first AI-assisted song to win a #GRAMMYs award, being used to isolate John Lennon’s vocals from an old demo. pic.twitter.com/jscWP3qXCA
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 2, 2025
Their winning track Now and Then triumphed over Beautiful People (Stay High) by The Black Keys.
Other nominees included Green Day’s The American Dream Is Killing Me and IDLES’ Gift Horse.
Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter and St. Vincent’s Broken Man rounded out the category’s nominations.
The victory came during a successful night for rock veterans at the 67th Grammy Awards, which also saw The Rolling Stones claim Best Rock Album for Hackney Diamonds.
St. Vincent emerged as another major winner, taking home multiple awards including Best Rock Song for Broken Man.