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beyonce accepting record of the year at the 2025 grammy awards
beyonce accepting record of the year at the 2025 grammy awards
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Stanford | Culture > Entertainment

Award Shows Have Turned Meaningless

Annika Kaval Student Contributor, Stanford
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Stanford chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

For decades, major award shows like the Oscars or Grammys have been seen as the ultimate validation in the entertainment industry. Winning one of these golden trophies meant that industry experts believed you to be the best of the best. But in 2025, does anyone care what these so-called industry experts say? With constant backlash over snubs and social media redefining success, award shows start to feel out of touch.  

One of the biggest problems with these award shows is that they do not reflect public opinion or artistic ingenuity. The winners of award shows are decided by a small, exclusive group that is more concerned with industry politics rather than the actual art. The beauty behind judging films is finding the cultural relevance, political undertones, and real-life application hidden within videography, music, and impeccable acting. Unfortunately, the industry has reached a point where raw talent and popular opinion are disregarded.  

Take the Grammys, for example. Beyoncé consistently wins awards despite having very tough competition with artists who have more listeners and higher streams. Artists who dominate the streaming charts, like Taylor Swift or Billie Eilish, frequently get snubbed. If the point of these awards is to recognize talent and success in the industry, why does the voting body seem so detached from the actual statistical facts behind what people are listening to and enjoying?  

This problem does not just pertain to music, but also to Hollywood. The Oscars are known for favoring traditional dramas, rather than movies that challenge the status quo in alternate genres, like horror or international films, that audiences really enjoy. Once in a blue moon, we might see a breakthrough, where the Academy finally recognizes a new type of film for its creativity and perception, but this is the exception, not the pattern. For example, this year, Wicked was nominated for ten Oscars. Wicked is the highest-grossing Hollywood musical and has a widely supportive fan base, yet it was consistently snubbed at the Oscars by lesser-known films. In this case, we see that the Academy is not consistent with public perception and holds less influence because of it. 

In the past, award shows had the power to define success. Now that power is in the hands of social media and fan culture. Viral videos, podcasts, and fan engagement now determine an artist’s impact far more than a trophy ever could. These days, getting a Grammy is not indicative of the number of streams you will get, but having a viral song on TikTok very well could. I can not count the number of songs I have added to my playlist from TikTok. Similarly, winning an Oscar is not the same as having a major conversation sparked around your film on social media. Social media feels like the real judge and source for different forms of art to get the recognition they truly deserve. When the Grammys refused to acknowledge Bad Bunny, his fans still made him the most-streamed artist in the world. When Barbie wasn’t nominated for Best Director at the Oscars, the public outcry on social media proved that Greta Gerwig’s influence didn’t need validation from an outdated institution. Overall, people do not need award shows to tell them what is good anymore, and artists do not need award shows to get the recognition they deserve, ultimately making them pointless and futile.  

Annika Kaval

Stanford '27

Annika Kaval is a pre-med student at Stanford who’s endlessly curious about the human brain and loves finding creative ways to tell stories. She works in a neuropsychiatry lab studying neurodegenerative disorders and hopes to one day blend science with compassionate care. Whether she’s running experiments or volunteering in the community, Annika shows up with empathy, purpose, and a genuine desire to help people.

When she’s not in class or at the lab, you’ll probably find Annika chasing live music, trying a new restaurant, or road tripping with friends. She’s all about spontaneous adventures and making the most of every moment. She also loves being outside, hiking the Dish, catching sunsets, and taking weekend trips to the beach.

Annika is passionate about digital storytelling and uses social media to express herself and uplift voices that deserve to be heard. Through Her Campus at Stanford, she’s excited to write about the things that matter most to her, like mental health, identity, ambition, and the beautiful chaos of college life. She can’t wait to share her world and connect with readers along the way.