The 2025 Grammys are just around the corner. On February 2, music lovers and audiophiles can watch their favorite artists receive the highest recognitions for their hard work. With 2024 being a year of such innovative and objectively good music, it should be exciting to see who wins Best New Artist (the list is stacked — give us Sabrina or Chappell!) or what song will snatch up Record of the Year. Truly, we are in for a treat.
Because 2024’s music was full of food references, this year’s Grammys are the perfect opportunity to host a themed watch party. From apples to espresso, there are some culinary essentials to serve. Here are the foods and drinks you’ll need to throw the ultimate Grammys watch party — curated through song titles and puns.
Candied Apples
If there’s one word that defines last year’s music industry, it’s “brat.” With its iconic neon green album cover and sans-serif font, Charli XCX’s album Brat took the world over by storm through its commercial success and pop culture popularity. Its third single, “Apple,” is notorious for its accompanying TikTok-viral dance. So, what better way to honor Charli XCX through food than to eat candied apples? The caramelized shell will hopefully keep the apple inside from being “rotten right to the core.” Oh, and bonus points if the apple is Granny Smith.
(Me) Espresso
Take a shot every time Sabrina Carpenter is mentioned during the Grammys telecast. No, not that kind, silly. Despite being a former Disney Channel star with multiple albums already in her discography, Sabrina finally made her breakthrough into the mainstream music scene with her hit song “Espresso.” With its cheeky lyrics and groovy production, the 80’s-inspired song truly became the soundtrack of the summer. Pay homage to Sabrina by serving some variation of this caffeinated drink: install a Nespresso machine, organize a latte bar, or buy a pack of Starbucks bottled frappucinos.
Sweet Tea & Pie
2024 was the year of country music’s comeback. With artists like Beyonce and Post Malone taking a dive into the genre and songs such as Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” rising to the top of the charts, country music has become more mainstream than ever before. Celebrate this genre’s return with Southern foods often mentioned in country songs: sweet tea and pie. These two sugary and decadent items are sure to appease those with a sweet tooth. If need be, pour a “double-shot of whiskey” to combat the sugar overload.
Steak
If there’s one thing to take away from last year’s rap scene, it’s beef. Drake and Kendrick Lamar were at each other’s throats for much of the year, dropping diss track after diss track. Songs like Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” and “Meet the Grahams” became iconic, notorious for their biting and scathing lyrics. The Kendrick and Drake beef became one of the biggest music events of the year. Grilling up a nice medium-rare steak is perhaps the best way to commemorate this beef. Baste it in butter with garlic and rosemary, if you’re feeling fancy. This dish will surely please a crowd.