In 2025, the music industry lost several pivotal musicians across genres, from soul to rock and jazz. Of these devastating losses, one that seemed to fly under the radar was the loss of musical giant Sly Stone.
Stone’s multiracial band, genre-blending sound and socially conscious music transformed the music landscape. “Sly & The Family Stone’s” music and image inspired artists like Prince, Michael Jackson, George Clinton, Chuck D. of Public Enemy and many more.
Songs like “Everyday People,” “Family Affair,” “Stand!” and ”There’s A Riot Goin’ on” served as the musical backdrop to a politically tense 1960s and '70s that were navigating the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, the end of segregation and many other pertinent and still relevant issues. Especially given the recent political climate, Stone’s music is still used in protests today.
Given the impact of Stone’s career, the careers he’s influenced, the musicians that revere him and the political nature of his music, the 68th Grammy Awards, an organization dedicated to honoring music and musicianship, should have acknowledged the importance of having a full tribute to Stone. This is especially disappointing; it, of all organizations, didn’t rise to the occasion of further acknowledging the impact of Stone.
With such a great impact on music and pop culture, a tribute to the late musical pioneer should have been a top priority for the Recording Academy. Instead, Stone only received a spoken word in memorial from funk legend and singer-songwriter Chaka Khan. While being acknowledged by Khan is no low-brow honor, the gravity of Stone’s influence demanded more than that.
Right before the short memorial, Lauryn Hill and a star-studded cast of musicians like Bilal, Anthony Hamilton, Lalah Hathaway, Jon Batiste, Chaka Khan and more tributed D’Angelo and then Roberta Flack. Music lovers know D’Angelo’s deep appreciation for Stone and the influence he had on him. D’Angelo even spoke in a 2025 documentary on Stone’s musical career.
It's even more disappointing since the Recording Academy itself published a remembrance article after his death outlining his expansive impact on music and pop culture. They delve into his large impact across multiple genres, his challenging of racial barriers and his musical genius. Despite this, he still wasn’t major enough for them to prioritize a musical tribute.
The exclusion of Stone represents a substantial misunderstanding and minimization of his career and influence. Though his career didn’t pan out the way other geniuses like Stevie Wonder and Miles Davis’ did due to personal struggles, the Grammys should have the historical and musical prowess to acknowledge Stone’s contributions and understand that he was bigger than a spoken-word memoriam.
Not fleshing out a true commemoration of Stone’s career almost feels like a minimization of a major force from musical history.
Younger audiences may not be familiar with Stone’s career, and that's OK. Tributes serve the purpose of commemorating and celebrating the careers and works of legends and pioneers. Even if the general public doesn’t have a full understanding of Stone's impact, tributes help preserve and introduce people to the legacies of those who laid the blueprint.
Dawnelle Blake is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Dawnelle about their column? Email them at db948724@ohio.edu.
