Awards
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Megan Thee Stallion kicked off the 2024 BET Awards Sunday night (June 30) with a fiery medley of cuts from her latest album, Megan. She hatched from an egg — an ode to her album cover and overarching snake motif — before she set it ablaze with her seething Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 diss […]
The 2024 BET Awards have arrived, taking over the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 30). Hosted by Taraji P. Henson for the third year, the BET Awards feature performances from Childish Gambino, Chlöe, Coco Jones, Keke Palmer, Marsha Ambrosius, Summer Walker, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Latto, Ms. Lauryn Hill & YG Marley, Megan […]
If you want to be among the first to know about the 2024 Primetime Emmy nominations, tune in to Emmys.com/nominations on Wednesday, July 17, at 8:30 a.m. PT/11:30 a.m. ET to hear the nominations in key categories announced live. The Television Academy announced today that the nominations for the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards will be […]
Between a world-stopping Super Bowl performance, an upcoming arena tour, and a very special honor from ASCAP, Usher just keeps finding ways to make 2024 “Good Good.”
On Thursday (June 27) at The London West Hollywood in Beverly Hills, Billboard 200 and Hot 100 chart-topper Usher, decked out in an all-black ensemble and shades, received the Voice of the Culture Award in front of an adoring crowd of peers and press. Victoria Monét, who took home the best new artist Grammy at the top of the year, accepted the prestigious Vanguard Award in a stunning midriff-baring blue dress.
The Voice of the Culture Award is presented to ASCAP members who have had a major influence on music and culture, recognizing their success as creators and changemakers. Past recipients of the award include Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, D-Nice and T.I.
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The Vanguard Award is presented in recognition of ASCAP members whose innovative work is helping to shape the future of music. Janelle Monáe, Kendrick Lamar, The Strokes, and Billie Eilish are past recipients.
The night kicked off with a red carpet on the hotel’s rooftop, which included appearances from Erica Campbell, T.I., Omarion, Ernest Isley, Alex Isley, Deputy, Nascent, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Johntá Austin, The Avila Brothers, and more. Several stars took a moment to speak with Billboard, including Campbell, who revealed her favorite gospel song from a songwriting standpoint. “What comes to my mind first is ‘Trust In God’ by The Winans,” she said. “The way the song is crafted, the emotions in the song, the lyrics — it’s hopeful but it’s God-centered. Even if it’s a gospel song, it still needs to be well-written and that song is a perfect example.”
Acclaimed father-daughter unit Ernie and Alex Isley also posed for pictures together, with Alex revealing her “holy grail” of R&B songwriting — which included her father, Mariah Carey, Dianne Warren, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones — and Ernie reflected on working with Lamar on 2015’s To Pimp a Butterfly in light of his recent beef with Drake. “They’re both great,” he said. “It was fun working with [Kendrick,] and I imagine we’re gonna do some more stuff with him not too long from now.”
In that vein, T.I. also reflected on his own diss track legacy, reacting to his No. 15 (“What Up, What’s Haapnin’”) on Billboard’s 15 Most Scathing Hip-Hop Diss Songs of All Time list. “This is a spectator sport, that’s what the spectators said! As a contributor to the culture, I’m just happy to be on people’s minds,” he said, before naming Tupac’s “Hit ‘Em Up,” Nas’ “Ether,” Jay-Z’s “Takeover,” Dr. Dre’s “F–k Wit Dre Day” and Ice Cube’s “No Vaseline” as his picks for the best-written diss tracks in hip-hop history.
Lil Baby — whose “Forever,” “Freestyle,” “Heyy” and “Hurricane” were all cited as winning songs — received the first honor of the night, taking home songwriter of the year for a third non-consecutive year. He previously won in 2021 and 2022. In a speech that lasted under 30 seconds, the chart-topping rapper thanked his team and the ASCAP organization.
Monét offered a lengthier — and notably melodic — acceptance speech when she received her Vanguard Award. After recounting how she looked up the meaning of “vanguard” once her team notified her of the honor, Monét said, “Although I do view myself as a leader… my brilliant team stands right beside me, never behind me. We all have been on the very frontlines together on this road to success meticulously, converting every non-believer into a believer with hard work and consistency. We shoot, not eye level, but for the stars — and it truly takes a strong team to go from underdog to vanguard.”
The Vanguard Award is just the latest in a string of recent honors for Monét. She won three Grammys on Feb. 4 – best new artist, best R&B album for Jaguar II and best engineered album, non-classical, for that same LP. “On My Mama,” a Grammy nominee for record of the year, hit No. 33 on the Hot 100, marking her highest-ranking unaccompanied entry on the chart. On March 6, Monét received the rising star award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards. The “Alright” signer capped off her acceptance speech by promising her daughter (and fellow Grammy nominee) Hazel that she would continue to show up as her best self every day.
Parenthood also served as a key talking point for Usher, who delivered a rousing twelve-minute speech to accept his Voice of the Culture Award. After a pair of touching introductions from ASCAP president Paul Williams and Dupri — who’s currently cooking up new music with Ari Lennox and Young Dylan — Usher took the stage, doling out infinite thanks to the many friends, family members, team members, and mentors who have helped him navigate his groundbreaking 30-year career. “I have a lot of people that I want to thank, but I did want to say something that I felt would be meaningful, and that is the importance of collaboration,” he said. “No one man is an island. We have to work with each other. Sometimes, the vision that we have can be carried all the way across to its full potential if you’re able to share.”
In addition to shouting out his fellow honorees and paying tribute to key players such as L.A. Reid and Mark Pitts, Usher dedicated half of his speech to his two eldest sons, Usher “Cinco” V and Naviyd Ely. Shortly after the “Burn” singer revealed that one of his sons is “really adamant” about being an artist, he reflected on his own experience having an absentee father in the context of helping his son achieve his dreams.
“While we can stand on these stages and say, ‘Mom, I made it,’ it’s not often that we get the opportunity to say ‘Look, dad! I did it!” That s— was hard,” Usher said. “You don’t understand how hard it was to say because the reality is, I was saying it to a father who wasn’t there…. I’m very happy to say to you, continue to love on your kids. Continue to take the time to listen to them, encourage them, and make them a part — if you listen to them, they have very valuable things to say.”
With the Past Present Future Tour fast approaching (Aug. 14) and new music possibly on the horizon — “We got new s— that we makin’ too!” he quipped — Usher’s banner year is showing no signs of slowing down.
The ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most-performed songs of the past year based on Luminate data for terrestrial and satellite radio and streaming services, as specified by ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards rules.
Lil Baby was named songwriter of the year at the 2024 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards. The rapper accepted his award on Thursday (June 27) at an invitation-only event in Los Angeles.
Three songs that Lil Baby (credited as Dominque “Lil Baby” Jones) co-wrote were among ASCAP’s most performed songs of the year – “Forever” and “Heyy,” both from his third studio album It’s Only Me – and “Freestyle,” from his 2017 mixtape Too Hard.
It’s Only Me reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts.
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“Snooze,” performed by SZA, was named ASCAP’s R&B/hip-hop and rap song of the year. Co-written by Leon Thomas and published by Eclectic Collective Publishing and Sony Music Publishing, the song topped Billboard’s R&B Songs chart for 32 weeks. “Snooze” also reached No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts and won a Grammy for best R&B song.
Warner Chappell Music was named ASCAP Rhythm & Soul publisher of the year for songs including “Calm Down” (Rema & Selena Gomez), “Fukumean” (Gunna), “Good Good” (Usher), “Hotel Lobby” (Quavo & Takeoff), “Rich Baby Daddy” (Drake), “Spin Bout U” and “Rich Flex” (21 Savage & Drake), “What It Is” (Doechii featuring Kodak Black) and “Praise God” (Kanye West, Travis Scott & Baby Keem).
Additional 2024 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul award-winning songwriters include 21 Savage (“Good Good,” “Spin Bout U,” “Peaches & Eggplants,” “Rich Flex”), Lil Uzi Vert (“Just Wanna Rock”), Summer Walker (“Good Good,” “Karma”), Coco Jones (“ICU”), Smokie Norful (“I Still Have You”) and Tye Tribbett (“New”).
ASCAP gospel song of the year went to “Goodness of God” (CeCe Winans), co-written by Brian Mark Johnson and Jennifer Louise Johnson and published by Bethel Music Publishing. The song was a fixture on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart for 78 weeks, longer than any of Winans’ other hits, peaking at No. 2.
The ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most-performed songs of the past year based on Luminate data for terrestrial and satellite radio and streaming services, as specified by ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards rules.
As previously announced, Usher received the ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award for his influence on music and culture. Jermaine Dupri, who received three Grammy nominations for his songwriting and production work with Usher, presented the award. (Usher also received most performed song awards for “Glu” and “Good Good.”)
Victoria Monét received the ASCAP Vanguard Award for her “innovative work that is helping to shape the future of music.” ASCAP chairman of the board and president Paul Williams and ASCAP SVP of membership Nicole George-Middleton presented the award. Monét also received a most-performed song award for “On My Mama,” which was a 2024 Grammy nominee for record of the year.
A full list of 2024 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award winners is available at https://www.ascap.com/rsawards24.
SESAC Latina celebrated its 30th anniversary with the annual SESAC Latina Music Awards, which took place on Wednesday (June 26) at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles.
The ceremony — which included heartfelt speeches and a special performance by tejano/norteño group Intocable — awarded siblings Julián and Manuel Turizo songwriter of the year, pop/Latin rhythm. Meanwhile, for the first time ever, Salvador Aponte received the songwriter of the year, regional Mexican award.
Julián and Manuel were recognized for their smash hit “El Merengue,” which won song of the year, pop/Latin rhythm. On the Billboard Latin Airplay chart, the song peaked at No. 1 last year. As for Aponte, he was honored for música mexicana songs he wrote like “La Patrona,” “Se Buscan Borrachos” and “1500 Pedas” — all of which were recognized with performance awards.
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The SESAC Latina Award for song of the year, regional Mexican went to “Frágil”, written by Yahritza Martínez and recorded by Yahritza y Su Esencia and Grupo Frontera. On the Latin Airplay chart, the song peaked at No. 2 last summer.
Mexican singer-songwriter Luciano Luna was honored with the Legacy Award. He has been previously recognized four times as SESAC Latina Songwriter of the Year for his many hits performed by a variety of acts, such as Banda El Recodo (“La Mejor de Todas”), Calibre 50 (“Tus Latidos”), Julión Álvarez (“Te Hubieras Ido Antes”), Grupo Firme (“El Reemplazo”) and Banda Los Recoditos (“Me Sobrabas Tú”).
See the main winners list below:
Songwriter of the Year – Pop/Latin Rhythm
Manuel Turizo
Julián Turizo
Publisher of the Year – Pop/Latin Rhythm
Sony Music Publishing
Song of the Year Pop/Latin Rhythm, “El Merengue“
Written by: Manuel Turizo, Julián Turizo
Published by: MTZ Publishing, Jutuza Publishing, La Industria Music Publishing, Sony Sounds
Recorded by: Marshmello & Manuel Turizo
Songwriter of the Year – Regional Mexican
Salvador Aponte
Publisher of the Year – Regional Mexican
Universal Music Publishing
Song of the Year – Regional Mexican, “Frágil“
Written by: Yahritza Martínez
Published by: Yahritza Martínez Publishing, Universal Musica Latina
Recorded by: Yahritza y Su Esencia & Grupo Frontera
Legacy Award
Luciano Luna
Country Music Hall of Fame member Alan Jackson and writer-producer Buddy Cannon are among those to be feted at the upcoming seventh annual Nashville Songwriter Awards, which will return to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 24.
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The celebration will honor the peer-voted “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written,” as well as NSAI’s song, songwriter and songwriter-artist of the year honorees, as well as individuals who have had considerable influence in the world of songwriting.
Jackson will be honored with the Kris Kristofferson lifetime achievement award. Jackson has earned 26 Billboard No. 1 Country Airplay hits during his career as a performer, but also a songwriter on hits including “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “Gone Country,” “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” and “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).” He’s been lauded by the Grammys, the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association, and has earned stars on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Music City Walk of Fame. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011 and the all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.
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“When the NSAI Board of Directors chose Alan Jackson as this year’s recipient of the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, I knew they had made a fantastic choice,” Jennifer Turnbow, NSAI Chief Operating Officer, said in a statement. “I was eager to craft a segment of our annual awards show around his work as a songwriter. But it wasn’t until I really studied his body of work and recalled decades of his songs that I realized just how deserving he was of this recognition. Alan’s songs, many of which he wrote by himself, have marked significant moments in time and are etched into the memories of multiple generations. Choosing only a handful of his many hits to highlight in a celebration of his career will be incredibly challenging … that I’m looking forward to!”
“City National Bank has supported the music industry from the first day we opened our doors in 1954 and we are especially proud of our work in the beloved country music and local Nashville communities,” Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, co-managers of City National Entertainment in Nashville, offered via a statement. “On behalf of City National, we congratulate the incomparable Alan Jackson for his Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award. For decades, Alan, as both an artist and a songwriter, has delivered the most inspirational, motivational and uplifting music and we applaud the recognition of his eloquent songwriting artistry.”
Cannon will be recognized with the NSAI president’s keystone award, honoring his contributions to the industry, including his work with artists Kenny Chesney and Willie Nelson. Cannon launched his career by playing bass for Bob Luman and Mel Tillis, and later gained acclaim as a songwriter for co-writing hits including Vern Gosdin’s “Set ‘Em Up Joe,” as well as George Strait’s “I’ve Come to Expect It From You” and “Give It Away.” His work as an A&R executive has included signing and developing artists including Shania Twain and Billy Ray Cyrus, while he’s also helmed projects for artists including Alison Krauss, George Jones and Reba McEntire. Cannon has won three Grammy Awards for his work with Nelson and in 2006 was named the ACM’s producer of the year. He was also a 2021 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. Cannon and Chesney just celebrated their latest No. 1 hit with “Take Her Home.”
“Buddy Cannon has spent decades as an elite member of our Music Row community,” NSAI president Lee Thomas Miller said in a statement. “He has written songs for some of country music’s most legendary superstars, has ridden buses playing in their bands and he is one of the most important record producers of the last 30 years. It is impossible to calculate the impact Buddy Cannon has had on the songwriters in this town. He is famous for being tough on songs and helping build multi decade careers, like Kenny Chesney’s, is an example of how incredible his barometer is for a hit song. I’m proud to present Buddy Cannon with the 2024 NSAI President’s Award.”
Starting this year, NSAI introduces a new accolade, the legendary song honor, which will fete one tune chosen by NSAI’s professional songwriting members as the legendary song of its time, starting with tracks from 1967 to 1983. The NSAI board of directors selected 10 impactful songs in the given range and the pro membership anonymously voted to determine the winning song. The inaugural legendary song award recipient will be revealed and performed during the show.
Performer and ticket information for the Nashville Songwriter Awards will be announced soon, with the onsale date set for July 26. The Nashville Songwriter Awards is supported by City National Bank, Composers Wing, SoundExchange, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters and The Mechanical Licensing Collective.
The 2024 BET Awards are quickly becoming more star-studded by the day. On Wednesday (June 26), it was announced that Megan Thee Stallion will join the list of A-list performers slated to hit the stage this Sunday night (June 30), as she’ll be kicking off what BET touts as “culture’s biggest night” in Los Angeles.
With her forthcoming studio album, Megan, dropping this Friday (June 28), the Houston Hottie will be only two days removed from her highly anticipated release. The album boasts features from UGK, GloRilla, Victoria Monet and more. The 18-track effort will include previously released singles such as “Cobra,” “Boa” and her Hot 100 chart-topper “Hiss.”
Currently, Megan is embarking on her worldwide trek for the Hot Girl Summer Tour. Initially expected to wrap this week on the domestic side, Megan added two more dates to the U.S. leg of the tour, including stops at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on July 2 and PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, N.C., on July 3. Tickets for the newly added shows will be available locally via the rapper’s website at noon.
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As for the 2024 BET Awards, with Megan’s entry on the performance side, viewers can now expect a starry event. This week, it was announced that Will Smith would also hit the stage to perform a new original song after landing the No. 1 movie in America with Bad Boys: Ride or Die earlier this month.
“From his start as a rapper to The Fresh Prince to being a box office king as one of the Bad Boys, Will Smith is truly a global icon, and we are honored to welcome him back to grace the BET Awards stage,” Connie Orlando, EVP specials, music programming and music strategy at BET, said in a statement this week. “We look forward to Will adding to yet another defining night for the culture that is not to be missed.”
Along with Megan and Smith, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Latto, Ms. Lauryn Hill with YG Marley, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, Tyla and Victoria Monét will perform that night as well.
The 2024 BET Awards will broadcast from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles this Sunday, June 30, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The show will air live on BET, and streams on BET.com as well as various streaming services that offer the network.
The Recording Academy has extended membership invitations to more than 3,900 music professionals spanning diverse backgrounds, genres and disciplines, underscoring the academy’s commitment to inclusivity and representation. This year’s 2024 class of invitees is 45% women, 57% people of color and 47% under the age of 40.
“There’s no better way to kick off Grammy season than by inviting thousands of diverse and talented music creators and professionals to join our Recording Academy family,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “Our members are the heart of the Academy, driving our mission to make lasting, positive impacts on the music community and shape music history. We are hopeful that all 3,900+ invitees join us in serving, celebrating and championing the voices of music creators year-round.”
Among this year’s invitees are Teddy Swims, whose first Hot 100 single, “Lose Control,” reached No. 1 in March; Tanner Adell, who is featured on Beyoncé’s Billboard 200-topping Cowboy Carter; as well as Ashnikko, Grupo Frontera, 310babii, Flavour, Flyana Boss, GAWD, girl in red, Jay Wheeler, Kaash Paige, Raja Kumari, Charm La’Donna, Al Sherrod, Xavier Omär, Sech, Leon Thomas and two group members: Ronnie Winter of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Frank Iero of L.S. Dunes and My Chemical Romance. (Here’s a link to a page of quotes, supplied by the Recording Academy, from these invitees.)
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Invitations must be formally accepted by July 31 for recipients to become Recording Academy members and participate in the online entry process for the upcoming Grammy Awards.
The academy has invited thousands of new voting members in recent years in a bid to diversify its membership. Last year, it invited 2,800 new voting members. In 2022, it invited more than 2,000 new voting members – as well as more than 600 professional, non-voting members.
The academy announced its invitations for the new member class one day after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced its own invited class of 487 individuals. That means the Recording Academy invited slightly more than eight times as many people to join its ranks as the film academy did.
A comprehensive report on the Recording Academy’s 2024 new member class, along with a detailed breakdown of the overall membership demographics and crafts, will be released later this year following the deadline for 2024 invitees to join the academy.
Last year’s breakdown of the 2023 new member class was released on Nov. 30, 2023. A record-breaking 2,400-plus diverse music creators were part of last year’s class, with the academy reporting that 50% of the new class were people of color, 46% were under the age of 40 and 37% were women.
The Recording Academy’s membership model is community-driven and peer-reviewed to create a more diverse and engaged membership base.
The academy also revealed on Nov. 30 that, since implementing the new member model in 2019, membership among people of color has jumped significantly, from 24% to 38%, and that the percentage of women members has also increased, albeit at a slower rate, from 26% to 30%. The academy further noted that it was 98% of the way to reaching its goal of adding 2,500 women voting members by 2025 and is set to achieve that milestone a year ahead of schedule, in 2024.
The Recording Academy offers three types of membership: voting membership for music creators, professional membership for music business professionals and GRAMMY U for those aspiring to a career in the music industry. (GRAMMY U follows a distinct application process.)
Each year, interested musicians and professionals must apply for membership by March 1. Their submissions are reviewed in the spring by a peer review panel comprised of existing Recording Academy members active in the music industry. If approved, candidates are invited to join the Recording Academy.
Recording Academy voting members — artists, songwriters, producers, engineers and others active in the music industry — are eligible to vote for the annual Grammy Awards. In addition, members can submit product for Grammy Awards consideration, propose amendments to Grammy Awards rules, run for a Recording Academy board position or committee, vote in chapter elections, support fellow musicians through advocacy efforts and MusiCares, and engage with the academy’s Producers & Engineers Wing, Songwriters & Composers Wing, Black Music Collective and more.
The first-round voting period for the 67th Grammy Awards opens on Oct. 4 and closes on Oct. 15. The telecast is set for Feb. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Sabrina Carpenter has a lot to look forward to in the coming months – the release of her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, on Aug. 23, and the announcement of the Grammy nominations on Nov. 8. Carpenter could be nominated in each of the Big Four categories – album, record and song of the year plus best new artist.
How, you might ask, can an artist be nominated for best new artist when they’re on their sixth album? The Recording Academy bases eligibility on when an artist “achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness,” not on the number of releases they have had.
The rules and guidelines booklet for the upcoming 67th Grammy Awards notes: “While there will be no specified maximum number of releases, the Screening Committee will be charged with determining whether the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence prior to the eligibility year. Such a determination would result in disqualification.”
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The eligibility year for the upcoming Grammys began on Sept. 16, 2023. At that point, Carpenter had reached the Billboard Hot 100 with two singles – “Skin,” which debuted and peaked at No. 48 in February 2021, and “Nonsense,” which peaked at No. 56 in February 2023.
While Carpenter had never climbed above a so-so No. 48 on the Hot 100 prior to this eligibility year, she has been on fire in recent months, with her current single, “Please Please Please,” debuting at No. 2 last week and moving up to No. 1 this week.
As of that same date – the start date for this Grammy eligibility year – Carpenter had cracked the Billboard 200 with five albums or EPs, three of which made the top half of the chart – Eyes Wide Open, which debuted and peaked at No. 43 in May 2015; Evolution, which debuted and peaked at No. 28 in November 2016; and Emails I Can’t Send, which debuted and peaked at No. 23 in July 2022. None of these titles had been certified gold by the RIAA by Sept. 16, 2023. Emails went gold on March 1, 2024, amid her current breakthrough.
It’s always been hard to come up with hard-and-fast rules governing best new artist, which is probably why the description of the category in the rules and guidelines booklet is easily twice as long as the descriptions of album, record and song of the year, combined.
Carpenter has not been previously nominated for a Grammy, which generally results in disqualification from best new artist. And she has not been entered in the best new artist competition three times, which is an automatic disqualifier. Tate McRae has been entered three times (the last three years), so she is not eligible to be entered again. Carpenter has been entered twice – in 2017 and 2024, so she does not run afoul of that rule.
It will be up to the aforementioned Screening Committee to weigh all these factors and decide if Carpenter should be allowed to compete for best new artist. The key criteria: “This category recognizes an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.”
The Academy can’t confirm what will or won’t be on the ballot until the screening process is completed. They don’t want to box themselves into a position, when it’s really the prerogative of the screening committee to make those decisions.
But that committee does generally seem to look for ways to include, rather than exclude artists in this category. They seem to recognize that new artists develop and break through at their own pace.
Shelby Lynne won the award in 2001 on the strength of her sixth album, I Am Shelby Lynne.
British singer-songwriter David Gray was on his fifth album when he was nominated the following year. Meghan Trainor had three self-released albums prior to her first studio album for Epic, for which she won in 2016. Maren Morris had released three albums for smaller labels prior to her Columbia Nashville debut, for which she was nominated in 2017.
Rapper Tobe Nwigwe, Brazilian singer Anitta, bluegrass artist Molly Tuttle, country/Americana duo The War and Treaty and country sensation Jelly Roll had also all released numerous projects prior to the breakthrough sets that brought them Grammy nods for best new artist.
The Academy was not always so welcoming to artists who took awhile to break though. There was a time in the 1980s when the Academy’s committee was too strict and disqualified some new artists who would have been worthy nominees or winners. Whitney Houston was disqualified from the new artist category because she had released a pair of duets with Teddy Pendergrass and Kashif prior to the release of her blockbuster 1985 debut. Richard Marx was disqualified because he had recorded a song (“Burning of the Heart”) on the soundtrack to the Tom Hanks/Jackie Gleason film Nothing in Common prior to his 1987 debut album. Today, such relatively minor pre-debut activities would probably not result in disqualification.
In other years, the Academy erred in being too lenient. Lauryn Hill won best new artist in 1999 even though she had won two Grammys as a member of Fugees two years previously. The trio had even performed a song from their album of the year nominee The Score on the 1997 Grammy telecast. (The rules have since been tightened up so such a thing could not occur again. From the rulebook: “Not eligible: Any artist with a previous Grammy nomination as a performer, including a nomination as an established member of a nominated group.”)
If the screening committee does accept Carpenter, they may be more apt to also allow two other “borderline” cases, Megan Moroney and Chappell Roan.
Moroney, 26, was passed over for a best new artist nod two years ago, when “Tennessee Orange” became a top 30 hit on the Hot 100. But she has continued to build. Her sophomore album, Am I Okay?, is due July 12. Moroney was nominated for the CMA Awards’ new artist of the year prize last year and won the ACM’s new female artist of the year prize (on her second try) in May.
Roan, also 26, was dropped by Atlantic Records following the release of a 2017 EP, School Nights. Her smash debut album was released through Island Records.
Other likely best new artist nominees include Benson Boone, Reneé Rapp, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey and Teddy Swims.
Other artists hoping for nominations should any of these presumed front-runners falter (or be ruled ineligible) include The Beaches, Dasha, Djo, Knox, October London, Tommy Richman, Nate Smith and Tigirlily Gold.