Adele performs her song "Hello" at the start of the Grammy Awards show on Sunday, February 12. It won song of the year, record of the year and best solo pop performance. Adele also won album of the year for "25."
Even Adele thinks Beyoncé should have won the album of the year Grammy over her.
When the British pop star tearfully accepted the ceremony's top award Sunday night, she shined a spotlight on the woman she said she has loved since she was 11 years old.
"The artist of my life is Beyoncé, and this album to me, the 'Lemonade' album, was just so monumental," Adele said.
Certainly for her diehard fan base known as the Beyhive -- and for many music critics -- Beyoncé's "Lemonade" was a creative masterpiece.
But with its racial themes and imagery, some are questioning if the project was "just too black" for Grammy voters.
Kevin Powell, author of the memoir "The Education of Kevin Powell" and a forthcoming biography on rapper Tupac Shakur, thinks so.
He told CNN "Beyonce's 'Lemonade' made a lot of people uncomfortable, because it is so political, so spiritual, so unapologetically black, and so brutally honest about love, self-love, trust, betrayal."
"We are still a nation that does not want to deal so directly with truth," said Powell, who has written about music and race for various publications, including Vibe magazine. "Adele's album is strong, but it is just songs about love. It is safe and uncontroversial; it breaks no new ground. And neither do Grammy voters, generally speaking, when it comes to picking winners of this particular award."
Adele and Beyoncé were both nominated for song of the year, record of the year and album of the year.
Grammys 2017: Adele and Beyoncé's big moments
He told CNN "Beyonce's 'Lemonade' made a lot of people uncomfortable, because it is so political, so spiritual, so unapologetically black, and so brutally honest about love, self-love, trust, betrayal."
"We are still a nation that does not want to deal so directly with truth," said Powell, who has written about music and race for various publications, including Vibe magazine. "Adele's album is strong, but it is just songs about love. It is safe and uncontroversial; it breaks no new ground. And neither do Grammy voters, generally speaking, when it comes to picking winners of this particular award."
Adele and Beyoncé were both nominated for song of the year, record of the year and album of the year.
Grammys 2017: Adele and Beyoncé's big moments
Adele swept all three.
Beyoncé's "Lemonade" won for best urban contemporary album. Her hit "Formation" won for best music video.
#GrammysSoWhite became a thing on Twitter Sunday night. One user noted -- incorrectly -- that a person of color "hasn't won [album of the year] in almost 20 years!"
For those of you that's about to say it, it's not just about Beyoncé, A POC HASN'T WON AOTY IN ALMOST 20 YEARS??? REALLY?? #GRAMMYsSoWhite
— Come To Brazil ✨ (@djjacks1025) February 12, 2017
#Beyonce not winning #AlbumOfTheYear is everything that is wrong about the #GRAMMYs. Mainstream over creativity. Oh, and #Grammyssowhite
— Mia Baudry (@MiaBaudry) February 13, 2017
Beyoncé's "Lemonade" won for best urban contemporary album. Her hit "Formation" won for best music video.
#GrammysSoWhite became a thing on Twitter Sunday night. One user noted -- incorrectly -- that a person of color "hasn't won [album of the year] in almost 20 years!"
For those of you that's about to say it, it's not just about Beyoncé, A POC HASN'T WON AOTY IN ALMOST 20 YEARS??? REALLY?? #GRAMMYsSoWhite
— Come To Brazil ✨ (@djjacks1025) February 12, 2017
#Beyonce not winning #AlbumOfTheYear is everything that is wrong about the #GRAMMYs. Mainstream over creativity. Oh, and #Grammyssowhite
— Mia Baudry (@MiaBaudry) February 13, 2017
There have actually been a few artists of color who have won album of the year during that time period: Lauryn Hill won for "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" in 1999; Carlo Santana's "Supernatural won the following year; "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" by Outkast took home the Grammy in 2004 and Ray Charles won posthumously in 2005 for "Genius Love Company."
In 2008 African American jazz artist Herbie Hancock stirred controversy and disbelief when his album of Joni Mitchell interpretations, "River: The Joni Letters" took album of the year over Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black."
In 2008 African American jazz artist Herbie Hancock stirred controversy and disbelief when his album of Joni Mitchell interpretations, "River: The Joni Letters" took album of the year over Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black."
It was just one of the moments that has convinced some viewers that the Grammy Awards are out of step with what resonates with music lovers.
And "Lemonade" certainly resonated.
And "Lemonade" certainly resonated.
Since its release in April 2016, the album has been hailed by women of color for reflecting their experience.
"The video album writes black women back into national, regional and diasporic histories by making them the progenitors and rightful inheritors of the Southern gothic tradition," Zandria F. Robinson wrote for Rolling Stone. "Beyond 'strong' and 'magic,' 'Lemonade' asserts that black women are alchemists and metaphysicians who are at once of the past, present and future, changing and healing the physical, chemical and spiritual world around them."
"The video album writes black women back into national, regional and diasporic histories by making them the progenitors and rightful inheritors of the Southern gothic tradition," Zandria F. Robinson wrote for Rolling Stone. "Beyond 'strong' and 'magic,' 'Lemonade' asserts that black women are alchemists and metaphysicians who are at once of the past, present and future, changing and healing the physical, chemical and spiritual world around them."
Adele acknowledged that power in her acceptance speech.
"You are our light," Adele said from the stage, as Beyoncé cried in the audience. "And the way you make me and my friends feel -- the way you make my black friends feel -- is empowering and you make them stand up for themselves."
"You are our light," Adele said from the stage, as Beyoncé cried in the audience. "And the way you make me and my friends feel -- the way you make my black friends feel -- is empowering and you make them stand up for themselves."
Adele's 'black friends' Grammy comment stirs debate
Beyoncé joins a long list of acclaimed black artists whose album of the year losses have been decried -- and it's not the first time for Bey.
Rapper Kanye West crashed the Grammy stage in protest in 2015 when Beck's "Morning Phase" eclipsed Beyoncé's self-titled album for the award.
Beyoncé joins a long list of acclaimed black artists whose album of the year losses have been decried -- and it's not the first time for Bey.
Rapper Kanye West crashed the Grammy stage in protest in 2015 when Beck's "Morning Phase" eclipsed Beyoncé's self-titled album for the award.
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