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The Recording Academy announced the first three performers set for the 2024 Grammy Awards: Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo. The announcement was made during the fourth quarter of the AFC wild-card game on Monday (Jan. 15), in which the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Buffalo Bills. The game was broadcast on CBS, which has […]
Final-round voting for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards begins today (Dec. 14) at 9:00 a.m. PT and continues through Jan. 4 at 6:00 p.m. PT. So, while you’re enjoying the holidays with friends and family, voting members of the Recording Academy will be hunkering down with their digital ballots, thoughtfully weighing their choices and catching […]
It’s a perennial question that dominates the discourse every year when the Recording Academy votes to recognize musical excellence. In a world where success can be measured with streaming figures, tour tickets sold, social media followers — and, yes, Billboard chart placements — what significance do those classic golden trophies still have?
For these 18 past winners, all nominated again in 2024, plenty, from keeping the music community vibrant to facilitating future hits to simply boosting morale.
Jon Batiste
Past wins: Album of the year (We Are), best score soundtrack for visual media (Soul), best music video (“Freedom”), best American roots song (“Cry”), best American roots performance (“Cry”) (all in 2022).
Nominated this year: Album of the year (World Music Radio), record of the year (“Worship”), song of the year (“Butterfly”), best pop duo/group performance (“Candy Necklace”), best jazz performance (“Movement 18’ (Heroes)”), best American roots performance (“Butterfly”).
Jon Batiste
Douglas Mason/Getty Images
Why does democracy matter? Why does recognition matter? Why does acknowledgment matter? Why does the idea that someone who exists in a narrow corridor of humanity, creating music and songs and videos and performances — why does the acknowledgment of that matter, in a democratic process through peer recognition and achievement? If we throw all that out — if that doesn’t matter — there are greater questions of what matters and doesn’t that we need to address.
It’s important for us as a community to acknowledge each other and our achievements, even if we don’t all agree on what they are or what the metrics of that should be. Ultimately, I encourage communities of artists who disagree. It’s important. There’s room for us to have debate about what deserves recognition and [how that’s measured]. But at the end of the day, we need a democracy, and we need to back the achievements of folks. That’s a ritual that goes back millennia, and that’s part of how we continue to build and understand what’s important and signify to future generations what we deem important. —AS TOLD TO REBECCA MILZOFF
Dan Wilson
Past wins: Song of the year (“Not Ready To Make Nice,” 2007), album of the year (21, 2012).
Nominated this year: Song of the year (“Butterfly”), best country song (“White Horse”).
Dan Wilson
Shervin Lainez
The Grammys are a great way to put the music-making community front and center. They are a good reminder of how a great pop song can create a shared experience for people of widely diverging backgrounds and beliefs. The show’s performances are often pretty inspiring and powerful. I also like the fact that the final voting is done by the musicians and artists themselves.
My first Grammy win, for “Not Ready To Make Nice” by The Chicks, did make a big difference, mostly in ways that I appreciate. That win was a vindication of a kind for the band — in the aftermath of all The Chicks’ political troubles, the Recording Academy voters sent them a strong message of support. That felt really good. Secondly, that record was loved by the songwriters and artists. I think that made artists, in particular, more comfortable with the idea of working with me. I think Adele, for example, would’ve been far less likely to do the “Someone Like You” sessions with me if I hadn’t worked with The Chicks and helped them make that body of work. Adele loved that album, and I think it gave her confidence that she and I could do something great together.
I’ve been at this music thing for a long time, and to be nominated in four different decades is a very rare honor. I think whether or not I’m a good songwriter has been determined by now, and the Grammys don’t affect that. Mostly, what these nominations signal to me is that I’m a very fortunate person. I’m very grateful for that. —AS TOLD TO LYNDSEY HAVENS
Mark Ronson
Past wins: Producer of the year, non-classical (2008), best pop vocal album (Back to Black, 2008), record of the year (“Rehab,” 2008), best pop duo/group performance (“Uptown Funk!,” 2016), record of the year (“Uptown Funk!,” 2016), best dance recording (“Electricity,” 2019), best song written for visual media (“Shallow,” 2019).
Nominated this year: Song of the year (“Dance the Night [From Barbie: The Album]”), best compilation soundtrack for visual media (Barbie: The Album), best song written for visual media (“I’m Just Ken [From Barbie: The Album]”), best song written for visual media (“Dance the Night [From Barbie: The Album]”), best score soundtrack for visual media (Barbie).
Mark Ronson
Justin Shin/Getty Images
The first Grammys [I attended] in 2008 was so incredible… I was actually with my mother — like a good Jewish boy on Grammy night. And then [in] 2013 we were nominated for “Locked Out of Heaven,” and we lost to some French robots who very much deserved it. Then a few years later, being back with Bruno [Mars] for “Uptown Funk!,” that was another fantastic year. There’s Kendrick [Lamar] in front of you and George Clinton and all these people that you love and respect so much, and you love their work and everybody’s there together… [The Grammys] are these wonderful nights, whether you win or lose, where you’re there with the people that you came up with.
A win on Grammy night is always incredibly rewarding. It’s the top honor in the field that we all work so hard in. I’ve already gotten so much further than I ever thought I would and much more than I ever could have really dreamed of… I used to probably be a little more competitive about it. Now it really is, without sounding cliché, just nice to be recognized. A win would certainly be the icing on the cake — but I’m just happy to be at the party. —AS TOLD TO L.H.
Lauren Daigle
Past wins: Best contemporary Christian music album (Look Up Child), best contemporary Christian music performance/song (“You Say”) (both in 2019).
Nominated this year: Best contemporary Christian music album (Lauren Daigle), best contemporary Christian music performance/song (“Thank God I Do”).
Lauren Daigle
Jeremy Cowart
Time has passed since I got my [first] Grammys, but the rooms that I am now able to sit in, with some of the most incredible writers, producers and performers on the planet, is truly the greatest gift of all. I’m very grateful for the types of doors that have opened for me.
When I was told about the nominations this time, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy. Other incredible artists and peers in the business reaching into my world and saying my music matters is something that humbles me. Another win would be like adding oil to the lantern… It would give me a chance to honor all of the amazing people who made this record with me [and] would hopefully give them a chance to have their dreams take flight, too. —AS TOLD TO L.H.
Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter
Past wins: Best rap performance by a duo or group (“You Got Me,” 2000), best musical theater album (Hamilton, 2016).
Nominated this year: Best rap performance (“Love Letter”).
Tarik “Black Thought” Trotter
Joshua Kissi
I remember when we [The Roots] won our first Grammy. We were sitting in the audience. I was kicking it with Lenny Kravitz and Zoë [Kravitz]. Zoë was like 11 or 12, and I remember sitting there being like, “Yo, that’s so dope that he brought his daughter. When my daughter is old enough, I’m going to bring her to the Grammys.”
I remember being lost in that moment. There was no doubt in my mind that we were just nominated and weren’t going to win. We were up against the titans, and it was everybody with all of the joints that year. So for us to win, it just felt surreal. I felt like we arrived. It was definitely a validation within that moment. That was really for Philly. Once you’re stamped, once you have that credential, it’s a different certification. It definitely holds weight. It makes a huge difference. When you’re recognized by any academy, it’s a huge stamp as far as branding, businesswise, achievementwise and in every regard.
What the Grammy means to people, fans and artists is ever-evolving. The earlier Grammys [win] was more monumental because it was my first and did represent that arrival. Winning a Grammy in recent years, it’s a different sort of validation. It speaks to the decades of hard work that I’ve put in. It’s a different certification and gives you a certain boost of confidence to continue in your creative journey. —AS TOLD TO CARL LAMARRE
Carlos Vives
Past wins: Best traditional tropical Latin album (Déjame Entrar, 2002), best tropical Latin album (Más + Corazón Profundo, 2015).
Nominated this year: Best tropical Latin album (Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así).
Carlos Vives
Del Vecchio
I never dreamed that something like this could happen to me in the Latin world, much less did I think that I could ever be honored by the American Recording Academy. Winning my first Grammy is unforgettable because it left me with that taste of hope that I’ve connected with others. When the academy values the work of a Latino who sings in Spanish, it is a special and important sign for me.
Winning a Grammy still matters today. It’s a dream, actually. It has become an aspiration of a musician who wants to make an impact in the industry. A musician aspires to a Grammy, and for the academy to look at that musician and say, “This is original, this is authentic, this deserves a Grammy” — that’s everything. It matters today because when the academy nominates a body of work, [like it did] this year [with] Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, it validates the local musicians who identify with vallenato. There’s a strong message there to all young musicians who want to make a living from music. —AS TOLD TO GRISELDA FLORES
Lecrae
Past wins: Best gospel album (Gravity, 2013), best contemporary Christian music performance/song (“Messengers,” 2015).
Nominated this year: Best contemporary Christian music album (Church Clothes 4), best contemporary Christian music performance/song (“Your Power”).
Lecrae
Artimio Black
Unlike winning an NBA or NFL championship or something along those lines, there’s not a direct correlation between the work you put in and the reward or award. But there is a sense of appreciation from your respected peers who validate the hard work and effort that you put into your art. So it’s really like the highest compliment you can receive for your art from your peers, whether you’re being nominated or being voted for to win. If you’re Michelangelo and have Picasso saying, “Man, that looks amazing…,” that’s a very high form of praise. And that’s what I appreciate the most. —AS TOLD TO GAIL MITCHELL
Rhiannon Giddens
Past wins: Best traditional folk album (Genuine Negro Jig, 2011), best folk album (They’re Calling Me Home, 2022).
Nominated this year: Best Americana album (You’re the One), best American roots performance (“You Louisiana Man”).
Rhiannon Giddens
Ebru Yildiz
Winning is amazing because, for the rest of your career, you’re like, “I have a Grammy, and I’m grateful to have won.” I am always holding a banner for what I’m representing, so if you win, it’s like, “We get another chance to talk about [fiddler] Joe Thompson’s music.”
Awards for art are very complicated, and I know I’m not the only one that has complicated feelings about them. On one hand, how do you give awards for something that’s so subjective? [Singer-songwriter] Allison Russell, she’s always clear-minded about the idea of what the Recording Academy is: Ideally, it’s a group of your peers. The Recording Academy has been aggressive in making internal changes that mean more of the diversity that has already existed in our country for a long time is represented in the Grammys. I see all the good work that’s being done while also acknowledging that the whole system is problematic. But it’s the system we have, and people are trying to make it as fair as possible. Saying all of that, it feels good to be regarded by your peers as someone worthy of notice. They are saying, “We see what you’re doing, and we want you to keep doing it.”
It’s hard to say if [my Grammy wins and nominations directly created opportunities for me]. There hasn’t been any kind of “I saw you were nominated or won a Grammy and we’ll give you this.” That almost never happens. I think it’s more of an accumulative effect. In [the] folk and Americana categories, it’s still more back to the basics of who’s coming to see you — not the song that they heard on TikTok. —AS TOLD TO JESSICA NICHOLSON
Alex Lacamoire
Past wins: Best musical show album (In the Heights, 2009), best musical theater album (Hamilton, 2016; Dear Evan Hansen, 2018), best compilation soundtrack for visual media (The Greatest Showman, 2019).
Nominated this year: Best musical theater album (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street).
Alex Lacamoire
Bruce Glikas/Getty Images
I remember being conscious of the Grammys when I was working on Wicked. I played piano on the original cast album, and I remember the Grammy win and being proud, but it was a different thing when Heights was nominated and we eventually won. That show was scrappy in the best way, and here was some shine on it — like, “Oh, wow! People know about us!”
Cast albums in general are vital, particularly because that’s how a lot of people learn about musicals. When you do the math and you take a Broadway house that fits somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 people per performance, there’s only a certain degree of reach you’re going to have. When you record a cast album, suddenly everyone across the world can learn about what you’ve been up to. Most people become familiar with the album before they see the show — case in point was Hamilton. [When] the album came out, the number of people that had seen the show was in the tens of thousands — and then we suddenly make the jump to millions of streams.
The fact that the Grammys acknowledge our medium, it gives more clout to what we do. It says what we do has a place. It makes us feel like we have a home in the community of artists and musicians. What I love about the Grammys is that it’s community-based: It’s voted on by peers, it’s nominated by peers, and that group keeps growing. And working to make the voting base more diverse brings more diversity to the kind of records nominated. Being Cuban-American, working on the things I’ve worked on, that helps put light on things that may not have gotten it before.
Those of us who work in musical theater, we always talk about how we’re a bunch of misfits, we’re laughed at. But we’re strong, we’re resilient, and we’re passionate about what we do. To be welcomed in categories alongside people who are so well known, it gives us a little pep in our step. —AS TOLD TO R.M.
Andrew Watt
Past wins: Producer of the year, non-classical (2021), best rock album (Patient Number 9, 2023).
Nominated this year: Best rock song (“Angry”).
Andrew Watt
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
I won the producer of the year Grammy during COVID-19, and I was in my own house when I found out. I was just sitting on my couch with a couple of friends, and it was like, “Holy f–king sh-t!” I’m a behind-the-scenes guy, and I’m doing 12- to 15-hour days sometimes, and to be recognized by your peers is just a beautiful thing. It’s not why you do it, but when it happens, it makes your heart full. I don’t care who you are — people say, “I don’t give a f–k about the Grammys,” and that’s OK. But when you win one, it’s the greatest feeling ever.
I woke up this year [after nominations were announced], and it said, “Best rock song: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Andrew Watt.” Like, are you f–king kidding me? Mick and Keith were so excited and happy, too. It’s the coolest thing ever, just to be nominated. Of course you want to win, but it’s great to feel like people took notice of the stuff that you worked so hard on. You don’t make music for people to not hear it! —AS TOLD TO JASON LIPSHUTZ
PJ Morton
Past wins: Best traditional R&B performance (“How Deep Is Your Love,” 2019), best R&B song (“Say So,” 2020), best gospel album (Gospel According to PJ, 2021), album of the year (We Are, 2022).
Nominated this year: Best traditional R&B performance (“Good Morning”).
PJ Morton
Richard Bord/Getty Images
Years ago, as an independent, I would’ve never been mentioned alongside the names of major artists at the Grammys. But around 2017, with my Gumbo album, the playing field started to even [out]. Now it’s amazing to see more independent artists being nominated. I see Emily King [a current best R&B album nominee] and my friend Kenyon Dixon [also a best traditional R&B performance nominee] — true independents that I’ve watched fight this fight with me. It says a lot about where we are today musically and the efforts the Grammys has made to prioritize craft over sales and radio.
A Grammy still matters because you can’t take sales or the number of hits with you. What stands as a legacy is the art that you made. I got into music for the sake of my friends and girls. (Laughs.) And I think [musicians] are still that adult version of wanting to make things that our friends think are cool. It’s different when your peers vote for you. It’s a beautiful thing; an indicator that you’re at least on the right track.
When Gumbo was nominated [for best R&B album], I was up against Bruno Mars. I had an idea that I might lose. (Laughs.) But the nomination was a gift in disguise. Just my name being mentioned next to Bruno made people [curious] to see who I was. The Grammy thing is still real as far as having an impact on how people view you — and then, in turn, on what you’re able to do as a result of that. —AS TOLD TO G.M.
Juanes
Past wins: Best Latin pop album (La Vida…Es un Ratico, 2009; MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition, 2013), best Latin rock or alternative album (Origen, 2022).
Nominated this year: Best Latin rock or alternative album (Vida Cotidiana).
Juanes
Andrés Sierra
When I won my first Grammy, I was in disbelief. Overwhelmed with joy and gratitude toward the academy, I found myself reminiscing about the long journey to that moment. It was an incredibly beautiful and memorable time. The Grammys not only open doors but also serve as a crucial catalyst in garnering recognition for artists within the industry and among the public. Winning a Grammy has a significant importance because it acknowledges not just an individual, but an entire team whose collaborative efforts bring to life music that resonates with and captivates the audience. It’s more than just songwriting; it involves talented engineers, musicians and many others. The recognition of the collective artistry in an album has become even more vital than in the past. —AS TOLD TO G.F.
Hit-Boy
Past wins: Best rap song (“N—s in Paris,” 2013), best rap performance (“Racks in the Middle,” 2020), best rap album (King’s Disease, 2021).
Nominated this year: Producer of the year, non-classical, best rap album (King’s Disease III).
Hit-Boy
@warrengee
Winning my first Grammy with Jay-Z and Kanye [West] was something you could only dream about. Listening and studying them before I could even make music myself and [ending] up making a song that impacted all the artists on that level was like, “Damn. You got it. Just keep going.”
“N—s in Paris” was cool, but winning best rap album in 2021 was a different level. That was dope because I made the beats on Nas’ album. King’s Disease was like, “Man, I put a lot more man hours into this than ‘N—s in Paris.’ ” I took it to that next level, but [those wins] all are equally important.
I didn’t expect the producer of the year nomination this year. This year, I did two of my albums, put out a project with my dad, put Nas’ albums [out] and did a couple of one-off joints, but my main primary focus was stuff I could control. The Musiq Soulchild album came out under my imprint. Everything I was doing was everything I owned, put my heart and soul into and invested money in to make these things come to reality. Sometimes, you might be like, “Damn, I’m not on top of Rap Caviar every day; I’m not the top streamer. But I’m still making something that’s having an impact.”
Everybody that’s the top people in music, they’re the ones getting nominated. To be in that conversation alone is ill. —AS TOLD TO C.L.
Tobias Forge (Of Ghost)
Past wins: Best metal performance (“Cirice,” 2016).
Nominated this year: Best metal performance (“Phantom of the Opera”).
Tobias Forge (of Ghost)
Jordi Vidal/WireImage
When you’re working with art, you normally do not have a whole lot of the sort of moments that you have within sports. In sports, the win is very momentary: Either you win or you lose. Whereas an artistic career is usually over the course of time. Even if you’re somewhat successful as an artist, it’s very, very rarely happening overnight. When you’re nominated for awards, that’s the closest you can get [as an artist] to that “One second ago, I didn’t have it, and now I have it.” [Winning a Grammy] is one of the few moments I’ve had throughout my professional career where I really felt [how things] could have felt very different had I not achieved what happened 10 seconds ago. The rings on the water meant a lot of things professionally in terms of quote-unquote “being taken seriously.”
Radio, promoters — if you for some reason might be looking for a new label — all of a sudden, when you’re nominated, it’s a stamp of approval that will automatically make potential collaborators, partners, what have you, give you more chances. That is not to say that you can come in and be a dick. You just automatically get a bit more of a gravitas in maneuvering within the different aspects of your career in a way that you might not have, had you not had the stamp of approval of getting a Grammy nomination — or, even better, winning it. But as with most things, what you’re getting is a bag of tools. And you can choose not to use them. Over the course of many, many decades of artists getting awards, there are many that have gotten an accolade and then just faded into nothingness. Because it’s all about momentum. You should see it as a steppingstone. It’s part of your journey, not the end of it. —AS TOLD TO ERIC RENNER BROWN
Dan Nigro
Past wins: Best pop vocal album (Sour, 2022).
Nominated this year: Producer of the year, non-classical; album of the year (Guts), record of the year (“vampire”), song of the year (“vampire”), best rock song (“ballad of a homeschooled girl”).
Dan Nigro
Shervin Lainez
When I was playing in a band, and in the beginning of my songwriting-production career, winning a Grammy seemed like such an unattainable thing. So it didn’t necessarily hold importance [to me], mainly because I never thought I would be nominated for one, let alone win one! But in 2014, my friend Ariel [Rechtshaid] was nominated for producer of the year, and I remember being so excited that someone I worked so closely with was nominated. I think it was in that moment that I realized that a Grammy was something I could actually have a shot at being nominated for.
[Winning] holds a great amount of significance mainly because it’s based on voting by my peers in the music community and not simply on stats alone, which a lot of awards nowadays are. That’s a critical element [of] these awards that others don’t have [that] helps make it feel even more special. —AS TOLD TO R.M.
Arooj Aftab
Past wins: Best global music performance (“Mohabbat,” 2022).
Nominated this year: Best global music performance (“Shadow Forces”), best alternative jazz album (Love in Exile).
Arooj Aftab
Ebru Yildiz
[Musicians] work hard, and we’re really sensitive people. It’s really difficult to translate the state of the world and the current human condition into this thing that is music that holds so much of people’s emotions together. The Grammys are important because they give you this giant accolade for that. It’s a really special thing to be there among all your peers, to be nominated among incredible albums, to even submit among everybody and then to perhaps win. It’s a beautiful thing.
Since I won, when somebody’s introducing me before a performance or if it’s on a prospectus or any type of thing, it now says, “Grammy Award-winning artist Arooj Aftab.” Whether it’s a performing arts center programmer or it’s a festival programmer or it’s grant organizations or just the audience as a whole, and even musician peers, it has had a very significant impact. There has been an undeniable shift since I won. What that means? I’m not sure. (Laughs.) But what I can say is that it definitely does something — something positive.
It opens you up to an audience that may not have otherwise found your record. I always watch the [Academy Award]-nominated animated shorts because I don’t really know about that [area of film] that much. There are people who like music in that way and are like, “OK, I’m going to check out all the Grammy-nominated albums in this new jazz category that I like.”
It’s thrilling; it’s the highest accolade of music. At the end of the day, it’s awesome to win a Grammy — it really just is. —AS TOLD TO E.R.B.
Michael Romanowski
Past wins: Best immersive audio album (Soundtrack of the American Soldier, 2021; Alicia, 2022), best engineered album, classical (Chanticleer Sings Christmas, 2022; Bates: Philharmonia Fantastique – The Making of the Orchestra, 2023).
Nominated this year: Best immersive audio album (multiple category nominations): God of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack), The Diary of Alicia Keys, Blue Clear Sky, Act 3 (Immersive Edition).
Michael Romanowski
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
The Grammys are the only peer award in music. They are voted on only by people who are currently active in the music community, and I think that’s huge. It meant the world to me to be nominated and feel like a peer in a very overwhelming industry…
I’ll be honest: [Since winning] my business hasn’t really changed, more or less. I’m busy. I’m a workaholic. I keep doing records. I love the people I’m working with, and I get to work with some amazing folks and heroes. The fact that I get to continue to do that work is all that matters to me. I didn’t change my rates, and I didn’t farm out the work to somebody else… I still believe very, very much in handcrafted-ness and doing it myself. That’s my reputation and my name, so [winning a Grammy] hasn’t changed my business in a time or dollar sense. What it has changed is my perception. The perception of me being a peer. The perception of me being an authority figure or someone that makes a difference in this world and is known. It is very powerful and moving. —AS TOLD TO KRISTIN ROBINSON
Jason Isbell
Past wins: Best Americana album (Something More Than Free, 2016; The Nashville Sound, 2018), best American roots song (“24 Frames,” 2016; “If We Were Vampires,” 2018).
Nominated this year: Best Americana album (Weathervanes), best American roots song (“Cast Iron Skillet”), best Americana performance (“King of Oklahoma”).
Jason Isbell
Erika Goldring/Getty Images
I was certainly honored and very much surprised [when I won my first Grammy]. When I was a kid, I dreamed of winning a Grammy, but as I got older, I started to see the music I made as more of a boutique style. For a while there, I truly didn’t believe it would be possible for an artist like me to have mainstream appeal. The first Grammy wins gave me some hope that there might be more space for my kind of music than I had previously thought.
There’s certainly some sense of validation that comes with winning Grammy awards, and I have no doubt it’s caused my audience to grow. Also, it gives you something to say to the person sitting next to you on a plane when they ask, “Have I ever heard any of your songs?” More importantly though, it gave me more confidence to continue down the path of independence and make the music I want to make. It’s really nice when you do it your way and it pays off.
To be honest with you, I think the Grammys do a better job of being inclusive and open-minded than the other major award shows. The playing field still isn’t level by any means, but when it comes time to make nominations and give out the trophies, I prefer the Recording Academy’s methods and decisions over those of similar organizations. —AS TOLD TO E.R.B.
This story will appear in the Dec. 16, 2023, issue of Billboard.
After Harvey Mason Jr. embarked on a series of trips to Africa in 2022 that were “guided by curiosity,” the Recording Academy CEO and the organization at large were determined to become an “effective collaborator” for the creative communities across the continent. The first step arrived this year, when the category of best African music performance was unveiled. “Artists throughout the U.S., Africa and worldwide see this as a pivotal acknowledgment by the academy that African music has achieved extraordinary impact [and] influence throughout the globe,” chief awards and industry officer Ruby Marchand says. The academy’s African music genre manager, Shawn Thwaites, agrees, noting that the addition not only reflects the current music landscape but also “Africa’s profound influence on music history.” As Mason says, it is “the beginning of our journey to serve global music creators even more ambitiously.”
Here, each of the nominees discuss the historic new category — and what it means for African music’s future.
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How did you feel when you heard about the new best African music performance category?
Asake: I felt excited and grateful at the same time because African music and traditions have been a direct influence on the world for far too long to not have its own category. It is a great moment to be a part of.
What was your reaction to your collaboration, “Amapiano,” being nominated?
Olamide: Watching all the hard work pay off after our team has dominated the African continent and the world over the years is a blessing and a huge win already.
What do you think of this first class of nominees?
Asake: It is a brilliant, diverse and very necessary first class of nominees. Thank you to the team at the Recording Academy for coming up with this and giving us the reach we deserve.
How do you think this first year of the category will positively affect the industry?
Asake: Every young artist coming up out there can now relate to the fact that their dreams are valid and can now be showcased on the biggest stage in music.
Olamide: The category will greatly impact the industry. African music has exploded globally over the years and will now be exposed on a large scale to the rest of the world.
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How did you feel when you heard about the new best African music performance category?
It’s a significant milestone, not only for me, but for the entire African music industry. It’s a testament to the global recognition and appreciation of the diverse and rich musical traditions coming out of Africa, which I am a part of. This category symbolizes a bridge connecting the world to our continent. [It is] something I have believed in and pushed for, so I couldn’t be prouder to see it come to fruition.
What is it like to be nominated in the category’s historic first class?
It’s an immense honor. It’s like being part of history in the making. This category represents a platform for the incredible diversity and talent within the landscape of African music. It’s a moment of celebration for every African artist who has contributed to our vibrant music scene.
How do you think this first year of the category will positively affect the industry?
[It] is a game-changer for African musicians. It opens up a new world of opportunities for African artists to gain global recognition and reach wider audiences. It will also encourage more collaborations and cultural exchanges within the music industry. This category not only celebrates African talent but also fosters a sense of pride and achievement within the community. It certainly makes the Grammys more accessible to African artists.
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How did you react to “Unavailable,” which features Musa Keys, being nominated?
I was so happy. I feel like this moment was a long time coming for me, and I’m extremely grateful.
How does it feel to not only be nominated but be included in the category’s historic first class?
It feels like further breaking the glass ceiling into the mainstream. Step by step, African influences and artists are getting more shine within the industry, and this feels like another win toward being acknowledged. To be a part of this historic moment is an honor.
What do you think of this first class of nominees?
I think it’s a well-curated group. Obviously, there’s so much talent in the African music community and definitely some other names I’d include, but I look forward to seeing future nominees in this category. And hopefully, more categories specifically for African music will be created in the future, too. This first year will definitely set the tone.
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How did you feel when you heard about the new best African music performance category?
I was quite elated because it shows inclusivity. Beyond being African artists, this category shows that the world is watching and seeing the effort we put in and does not mind giving us our flowers to smell.
How does it feel to not only be nominated for “Rush” but be represented in this category’s historic first class?
It feels iconic. To be doing this at 21? Whew! [It’s so] mind-blowing for me that I sometimes have to pinch myself that it’s all real and I’m not dreaming.
What do you think of this first class of nominees?
I think everyone in this category is badass, and I can only imagine the amount of tough work it took to put together these incredible artists in a category, all truly amazing artists I look up to and I’m proud to be nominated alongside.
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How did you feel when you heard about the new best African music performance category?
Hearing about the new category was very exciting because growing up, I watched the Grammys every year and watched all my favorite artists get awarded and nominated. It was something that I always imagined, and now that there’s a whole category dedicated to African artists, it means so much. I feel like it’s going to open so many more doors for us African artists and introduce our sound and artists to the world.
What is it like to not only be nominated but be included in this category’s first class?
Being nominated for a Grammy is such an honor, but the fact that I’m nominated for the first time in a category that’s an African category [in the year it has] been introduced, I couldn’t have asked for a better moment. I just feel super blessed, happy and excited to attend and enjoy the evening no matter what the outcome is. It’s such a huge moment for Africa, and I’m so happy I get to be a part of it.
Whom will you bring to the Grammys?
You know me. If I could, I would bring all of South Africa — but I’m sure my mama and papa will be there.
This story will appear in the Dec. 16, 2023, issue of Billboard.
When the Recording Academy announced the new songwriter of the year category in 2022, the move was widely praised — and considered a rare win for the songwriting community, which has faced major economic challenges in the streaming and TikTok era.
“With the visibility brought by this award comes power,” says Justin Tranter, one of the five nominees for the honor this year. “The more that people know we exist, the more we can make sure the next generation is taken care of.”
Along with the new category, the academy created a new Songwriters & Composers Wing, helmed by hit-maker and Seeker Music CEO Evan Bogart, to continue expanding its outreach to the songwriter community. “The underpinning of what we do as an academy is built on songs,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., said when announcing the new award and wing. “I started out as a songwriter myself, so the idea of honoring someone who is truly a professional songwriter and craftsperson is special.”
Though producers and artists often play a role in the songwriting process, the songwriter of the year award has specific rules to ensure that it honors the career songwriters who spend their days working primarily on melodies and lyrics, making it the rare space that formally honors the craft.
“As a songwriter, your job is to serve the artist,” the honor’s inaugural winner, Tobias Jesso Jr., told Grammy.com after his victory. “To have this symbol of ‘Hey, you can be creative as a songwriter and just be a songwriter who doesn’t sing and doesn’t produce, and you can get this prestigious symbol of your gifts that the world will now recognize’ — I think that’s a wonderful thing.”
When Billboard convenes this year’s nominees — a remarkably diverse sampling of today’s foremost hit-makers comprising Tranter, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shane McAnally, Edgar Barrera and Theron Thomas — the five songwriters express similar sentiments to Jesso’s and have an immediate camaraderie in conversation stemming from their shared vocation. “Songwriting is the most important part of a song,” Barrera says, “and it always will be.”
Every Billboard Hot 100 hit starts with the work of songwriters and producers. Though there has been a producer of the year, non-classical award at the Grammys since 1975, songwriters didn’t have their own category until last year. Why is it important that there’s a separate category to specifically honor songwriters?
Edgar Barrera: I do a lot of production, but I start my songs on guitar, and I produce after I have the song. Having a songwriter of the year award is super important because songwriting is the most important thing. Without a song there’s no touring, there’s no production, there’s no artists. There’s nothing.
Theron Thomas: I’ve never seen anybody sing along to a beat. I’m sorry. They don’t. They sing the words. Those lyrics touch people.
Justin Tranter: People say [of] awards that “Oh, it’s just an honor to be nominated.” Sometimes I think that’s bullsh-t, but with these four other nominees, I mean it. These are some of my favorite songwriters, period. To be in this company? Holy f–k!
Justin Tranter, 43. Nominated for: “Gemini Moon” (Reneé Rapp), “Honey! (Are U Coming?)” (Måneskin), “I Want More” (Marisa Davila and the Cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies), “Jersey” (Baby Tate), “A Little Bit Happy” (TALK), “Pretty Girls” (Reneé Rapp), “River” (Miley Cyrus)
Jenna Peffley
Have you all followed your fellow nominees’ work over the years? If so, is there anything you particularly admire?
Barrera: I’ve actually worked with Theron a lot. He’s the only one I’ve worked with from here. I wish I could work with everyone soon. I’ve been a fan of everyone here. Justin has been a huge inspiration to me, just hearing him talk about songwriters’ rights and everything. Hats off to you, Justin. You’re standing up for all of us. I wish we could all hang out. We all need to get together during Grammy week.
Thomas: Oh, we 100% have to. We got to write a song together.
Shane McAnally: That would be so amazing.
Barrera: That would be pretty interesting, having all the Grammy nominees write together. All different genres.
What moment made you feel like you had made it as a songwriter? Was this songwriter of the year nomination one of those career-defining moments?
McAnally: I don’t think I’ve had that “made it” moment. (Laughs.) I’m kidding. When I was 33, almost 20 years in at that point, I lost my house, lost my car. I was really done. Finally, I had a song recorded by Lee Ann Womack [2008’s “Last Call”], and it gave me this moment of like, “OK, I have a thread to hang on to.” But for me, I really exhaled for the first time when I won a Grammy with Kacey Musgraves [best country album and best country song for 2013’s Same Trailer Different Park and its single “Merry Go ’Round,” respectively]. I remember thinking, “How did this happen? It has fallen apart so many times.” I rode on that wave for a while, but this nomination? I mean, this is really special. This is a moment for me.
I feel so outside of things. Country music is dominating right now, but it’s the artists I don’t work with — Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Zach Bryan — so for this nomination to come now is a big deal. There’s a gap in political views for me, with Morgan specifically, and they’re just from a different group. I don’t want to stereotype or lump everyone together, but sometimes you just feel outside while other people are killing it, and to be acknowledged this year, when [my work] wasn’t maybe as commercially obvious as some of my past years, feels amazing. I also feel really good about the integrity of this group of [nominees]. I think I’m really good at this, and I’ve worked my ass off, but it feels really nice to be acknowledged right now.
Tranter: I’m beautifully delusional, and at 15, I was like, “I am the best,” even though that didn’t mean my songs were good; at 15, they were actually quite unlistenable. (Laughs.) But I’ve always been delusionally positive.
There was a moment when my band [Semi Precious Weapons] was ending, and I was considering going back to work in retail. I was with Tricky Stewart, the legendary producer, and he was like, “You’re a really good songwriter. I don’t think you should give up on music just yet.” I was 33, and if you’re in the music business at 33 without any success, it’s starting to look like maybe it is time to pack it up. Having someone like Tricky say that to me was a turning point. I’ll never forget when my first hit, “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy, went No. 2 on iTunes in 2014. I was like, “That’s it. I’ve made it. If this is my life and this is all the success there was, then I am OK with that.”
This year, it has been really special because I intentionally worked on newer artists and wanted to push myself and work on projects where I could really shine lyrically, which is my favorite part of songs. To see that the bulk of my submissions for songwriter of the year are very new artists that the general population is not aware of yet is special.
Jessie Jo Dillon: My dad [Dean Dillon] is a songwriter. He’s in the Country Music Hall of Fame, so I always had a huge complex about him. I was massively insecure. In my first publishing deal, I wrote with Mark Nesler, who wrote many songs I grew up loving. We were leaving the write and he said, “Hey, I just want to tell you something. You’re supposed to be doing this. You just have to trust yourself and keep doing it.” I’ll never forget him saying that. Shane is also one of the first people that told me I was any good, too, and I loved so much of his writing. It has all been other writers that made me feel like I was going to make it.
Jessie Jo Dillon, 36. Nominated for: “Buried” (Brandy Clark), “Girl in the Mirror” (Megan Moroney), “Halfway to Hell” (Jelly Roll), “I Just Killed a Man” (Catie Offerman), “Memory Lane” (Old Dominion), “Neon Cowgirl” (Dan + Shay), “screen” (HARDY), “The Town in Your Heart” (Lori McKenna), “Up Above the Clouds (Cecilia’s Song)” (Brandy Clark)
Noah Needleman
Jessie Jo, your father came up in a very different time in the music business than you. Have you ever talked about the differences in being a songwriter from his generation to yours?
Dillon: I honestly don’t know how to give advice to newer songwriters. It used to be that you’d show up to a publisher and say, “Hey, I’ve been writing these songs. What do you think?” It feels like such a different game to break into now. I worry all the time that true, blue-collar songwriters who are writing every day in Nashville are going away. My dad says the money was much better in, say, the ’90s. Now because of streaming and everything, it’s hard to make ends meet. Maybe I’m being dramatic…
Tranter: No, I think you’re completely right. For me, fighting for songwriters’ rights is so easy because it’s not about me. I’ve had songs that have hit the top five at pop radio, which means my life is fantastic. Because I’m the lucky one, I need to fight for the next generation of songwriters.
I know a few young songwriters who are so talented. Their catalogs have a couple billion streams cumulatively, but one of them is still driving Uber. One is doing OnlyFans. They are doing whatever it takes to survive. If a song doesn’t go to radio, you don’t have much of anything. I think it’s very fair to say that the middle class of songwriters is going to be decimated — and it already is.
Barrera: It is looking really bad. In Latin, there are managers who get songwriting credits [despite not contributing to the songwriting] like it’s normal. It’s disrespectful to us because we write songs as our only source of income, but managers have a lot of other sources. I know a lot of big writers are still struggling. I feel bad for the next generation. I’m 33 years old, and I’ve been looking at all of this transition. Getting a radio single is really one of the only ways to make real money.
Dillon: It makes me sad to think about the next Diane Warren or Bernie Taupin, moving to Los Angeles or Nashville or Miami or New York or wherever, and that they maybe wouldn’t even get a publishing deal or be able to sustain themselves. Sometimes it takes a writer years of development to reach their full potential.
Barrera: There should be a songwriter fee, like there is for a producer. It’s not fair that the producer is the only one to make money from day one.
Thomas: Us talking like we are right now and standing up for each other is so important. I do have some producer friends who stand up for me, too, which I appreciate. They are like, “Yo, make sure you take care of Theron.” Communicating with each other, sticking up for the next generation and setting the standard high for ourselves can make things better. I think [fear of missing out] on a big record is the reason why a lot of executives get away with giving songwriters almost nothing. A lot of us fear missing out on being in the writing room on a big song because we speak up.
Theron Thomas, 41. Nominated for: “All My Life” (Lil Durk featuring J. Cole), “I’ve Been Thinking” (Tyla), “Cheat- back” (Chlöe and Future), “How We Roll” (Ci- ara and Chris Brown), “Make Up Your Mind” (Cordae), “Pretty Girls Walk” (Big Boss Vette), “Seven” (Jung Kook and Latto), “Told Ya” (Chlöe and Missy Elliott), “You and I” (Sekou)
Christopher Ayme
Edgar, what moment made you feel like you had made it as a songwriter?
Barrera: Getting nominated for this Grammy. For me, that’s huge coming from the Latin market. Just getting to make it with Spanish songs. I was like, “What’s going on?” That’s when I realized that music almost has no language, no barriers. We’re a minority part of the music business, and we are changing the game for the Latin community. That’s why it was such an important moment.
Regional Mexican music had an especially big year in 2023, and you played a role in propelling its success. What is it like to be nominated during this pivotal year for the genre in particular, Edgar?
Barrera: I’ve worked with a lot of big names in Latin music, and this year was different because I decided to go back to my hometown [of McAllen, Texas] and support a local act, Grupo Frontera. We grew up together. Where we are from, on the border of Mexico and the U.S., being a songwriter and producer is not even a thing to be in life, you know? Getting the opportunity to support local acts and having them on a song with Bad Bunny, it just doesn’t happen every day. They’re so humble and for me, that’s what I enjoyed the most.
Before this, [Grupo Frontera’s] singer was making fences in McAllen, Texas. The accordion player was selling cows. The percussion player was selling cars. I met all those guys when they performed at a local tire shop for 20 people. Nobody was paying attention to them. They said, “We love what you write. Can you help us out?” And I said, “Of course, why not?” It has been life-changing. This is what is truly important — being part of a movement for regional Mexican with people I grew up with. It’s so full circle.
Edgar Barrera, 33. Nominated for: “Cuestion de Tiempo” (Don Omar), “Falsa Alar- ma (En Vivo)” (Grupo Firme), “Gucci los Paños” (Karol G), “La Despedida” (Christian Nodal), “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” (Karol G), “Que Vuelvas” (Carín León and Grupo Frontera), “Un Cum- bión Dolido” (Christian Nodal), “un x100to” (Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny), “yo pr1mero” (Rels B)
Natalia Aguilera
Theron, what moment made you feel like you had made it as a songwriter?
Thomas: I moved here with $35 from St. Thomas [in the U.S. Virgin Islands]. I went to Miami, slept on the floor, moved to Atlanta. I [have] never felt like I made it because I always feel like I’m one hit away from having to tell my wife and kids, “It’s over. We’re going back to our first apartment with three kids and two bedrooms.” I am doing really well and money is no issue, but you know what I mean? I don’t want to lie and make something up. I don’t know if I’ve necessarily had [that moment]. I’m just minding my business and continuously working every day.
A couple of you mentioned what an honor it is to be nominated based on true passion projects. How do you balance taking on sessions with big names with great chances at commercial success — but that may not be as creatively fulfilling — and sessions with smaller artists that bring you creativity and joy but likely won’t result in a commercial hit?
McAnally: I’ve done the years of trying to get in every commercial room, and now I really like going with something I’m passionate about. Nobody has any idea what’s going to happen with songs nowadays. New artists can go viral in seconds. Old songs can, too. You just never know.
I have always had the most fun and the most success with things that I saw through from the beginning. I was there right when Kacey Musgraves came to Nashville. I was there when Sam Hunt came to Nashville. I was so enamored with what we were making because it was new, and we didn’t know if they were ever going to have success. I’m trying to get back to that.
Tranter: I was just looking at the Instagram account @indiesleaze, which is all photos from the era my band came up in. It was punk as f–k and gay as f–k. And I thought to myself, “25-year-old me would be so embarrassed [by] half of my catalog,” but hey, I got to make music the whole world has heard and my parents got to retire. I could not be more grateful for the songs that 25-year-old me would be talking sh-t about.
I am in a place now where I want to get back to “Do I f–king love this song?” And listen, I have my hits that I am so proud of, but now I want every single song that comes out from here on out to be something 43-year-old me is proud of and 25-year-old me is proud of, too.
Barrera: I’ve always been involved with artists that are up and coming. Working with big names is enjoyable, too, but for me, giving another song to a big-name artist is not that life-changing. I try to be involved from the beginning. For example, I met Maluma way before he was famous. We started off together. I helped him mold his music. I’ve done that with Christian Nodal and Camilo. I’ve always been involved from the very beginning because I feel like I can experiment a lot more with up-and-coming artists.
Shane McAnally, 49. Nominated for: “Come Back to Me” (Brandy Clark), “Good With Me” (Walker Hayes), “He’s Never Gunna Change” (Lauren Daigle), “I Should Have Married You” (Old Dominion), “Independently Owned” (Alex Newell and Original Broadway Cast of Shucked), “Never Grow Up” (Niall Horan), “Start Somewhere” (Sam Hunt), “Walmart” (Sam Hunt), “We Don’t Fight Anymore” (Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton)
Robby Klein
You’re an extremely diverse group, hailing from different genres, nationalities, races, genders and sexual orientations. Why is writers’ room diversity important?
Tranter: I just think it’s the right thing to do for humanity, but the way to really understand how important diversity in the writers’ room is [is] to show that it’s great for business. We are trying to make music that the whole world loves. The more diverse your writing room is, the more diverse the audience is going to be that enjoys that music.
I have a rule that I don’t write songs for women without a woman writer in the room. This is not because I’m trying to be a great person; it’s because I know it’s going to be a better song when a woman is writing, capturing her real lived experiences in the world.
How will you be celebrating on Grammy night?
Barrera: I’m going, and I want to see all these guys there. It is not a matter of winning or not. That night, for me, is to meet Shane, Justin, Jessie Jo and hang out with Theron. I’m just here for fun. I think we all deserve a night of fun… or a week, maybe. (Laughs.)
McAnally: I’ll be there this year to celebrate. I bought a suit for the Tonys that wasn’t ready in time, and now I have the perfect place to wear it.
Tranter: I am going for sure. We worked so hard to get nominated. I will be there with my mom and dad. I will look unbelievable. I’m going to have a f–king blast.
Thomas: I’m definitely going. Last year, I won record of the year with Lizzo for “About Damn Time,” [but] they [had] put me in the nosebleeds. I couldn’t go up onstage. When we won, I just cried. Not because I couldn’t go up there, but because I wanted to win so badly. I was so happy, but this year? We’re going to have better seats in that thing! Don’t tell on me, but I might need to sneak a little drink in there, too.
McAnally: I mean, I hope they get us better seats.
Thomas: Honestly, I’m just looking forward to meeting everyone. Last year was the first year they had this award, and I remember saying to myself that I wanted to be in the songwriter of the year category someday. Here I am this year — I’m in it, and I’m in it with you guys. Words can’t really express how this moment feels as a songwriter. To be celebrated on one of the most important nights in music, chosen by our peers. I’m excited about that, period.
This story will appear in the Dec. 16, 2023, issue of Billboard.
Trevor Noah will host the 2024 Grammy Awards, which are set for Feb. 4. The comedian made the announcement on his Spotify podcast What Now? With Trevor Noah early on Thursday (Dec. 14). “I’m hosting the Grammys. I’m excited about that, yeah,” he said on the podcast. “It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy the […]
With final-round Grammy voting set to open on Thursday (Dec. 14), Jack Antonoff is vying for his third consecutive win as producer of the year, non-classical. Should he be declared the winner at the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, he would be only the second producer in history to win three years running. The first was Babyface, who clinched the award from 1996-98.
Final-round continues through Jan. 4. The awards will be presented at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Antonoff is competing for producer of the year, non-classical with Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, who is nominated for the second year in row; Hit-Boy, who is nominated for the second time in three years; and two first-time nominees: Metro Boomin and Daniel Nigro.
Antonoff and Nigro appear to be the front-runners. They are also nominated for album, record and song of the year. D’Mile is also nominated for record of the year.
Antonoff co-produced two of this year’s nominees for album of the year: Taylor Swift’s Midnights and Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. He co-produced one nominee for record of the year, Swift’s “Anti-Hero.” And he co-wrote two song of the year nominees: Swift’s “Anti-Hero” and Del Rey’s “A&W.”
Nigro produced Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts, which is nominated for album of the year. He also produced and co-wrote her smash “Vampire,” which is nominated for both record and song of the year.
D’Mile is nominated for record of the year for co-producing Victoria Monét’s “On My Mama.”
While Babyface is the only producer who has won three years in a row (so far), these four producers came close.
Quincy Jones: The Chicago native won the award in 1982 and 1984 (in tandem with Michael Jackson that second time). He was nominated in the middle year, 1983, but lost to Toto, who were the second group to win (after the Bee Gees).
Jones lost three times in the category before he won. When he finally did hear his name called, he good-naturedly told the audience at the Shrine Auditorium, “Man, when I started waiting for this award I had long flowing hair and a thin waistline like James Ingram.”
David Foster: The Canadian studio savant won the award in 1992 and 1994, but he wasn’t nominated in the middle year, 1993.
Rick Rubin: The native New Yorker won the award in 2007 and 2009, but he wasn’t nominated in the middle year, 2008.
Greg Kurstin: The L.A. native won the award in 2017 and 2018, but wasn’t nominated in the year immediately before or after his win streak.
A record-breaking 2,400 people have joined the Recording Academy as part of the organization’s 2023 new member class. Fully half of the new class is composed of people of color, while 46% are under the age of 40 and 37% are women. The Academy calls these statistics “a demonstration of the Academy’s commitment to remaking its overall membership.”
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The Academy further said that the 2,400 new members includes 1,700 new voting members and 700 new professional members (people who work in the industry but aren’t involved in the creation of recordings). This brings the total current membership to about 14,000 – 11,000 voting members and nearly 3,000 professional members.
The Recording Academy’s membership model is community-driven and peer-reviewed to create a more diverse and engaged membership base. Since implementing this new membership model in 2019, people of color have gone from comprising 24% of the Academy’s total membership to 38%. The percentage of Academy members who are women has also increased in that time frame, albeit at a more modest rate, from 26% to 30%.
“I’m proud as our organization continues to evolve and build a membership body that reflects the diverse talents and backgrounds that make up our music community,” Harvey Mason, jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “Our commitment to diversity and inclusivity, however, is an ongoing effort. While we celebrate our progress, we also acknowledge that there’s still more work that must be done. Our members play a crucial role in everything we do, so representation is integral to our mission of supporting and uplifting music makers.”
The Recording Academy reports that the new member class is 50% people of color, 37% white or Caucasian and 13% unknown. The 50% people of color statistic breaks down like this: Black or African American, 28%; Hispanic or Latin, 10%; Asian or Pacific Islander, 5%; South Asian, 2%; Middle Eastern or North African, 1%; and Indigenous or Alaskan native, less than 1%. Four percent replied that they prefer to self-describe.
In terms of gender, 54% of the new member class is male, 37% is female, 8% is unknown and 1% is non-binary. Less than 1% replied that they prefer to self-describe.
In terms of age, 46% of the new class is under 40, 40% is over 40 and 14% is unknown.
All of these numbers refer to total members — which encompasses both voting members and professional members.
The Recording Academy also specifically asked voting members in the new member class to indicate which genres they are most aligned with. (They could choose more than one genre, so the totals exceed 100%.) Pop leads, as expected, with 41%, followed by R&B (29%), rock (23%), rap (22%), jazz (21%), alternative (21%), global music (17%), classical (15%), dance/electronic (15%), contemporary instrumental (13%), American roots music (12%), gospel/Christian (12%), Latin (12%), country (11%), visual media (10%) and seven other genres that each had less than 10%.
Jazz and classical rank higher than their market share would indicate. Latin and country, two of the hottest genres of recent years, rank lower than their market share would indicate; notably, the Grammy nominations that were announced on Nov. 10 were light on Latin and country representation in the Big Four categories. Latin was shut out completely in those marquee categories, while country was represented by just a pair of best new artist nominees: Jelly Roll and The War & Treaty (and that husband-and-wife duo is primarily associated with Americana). This brought criticism from people in the Latin and country fields.
Full statistics surrounding the demographics of the new class can be found here.
The Recording Academy reports that it’s 98% of the way toward its goal of adding 2,500 women voting members by 2025. It expects to achieve this milestone next year, a year ahead of schedule.
The final round of voting for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards extends from Dec. 14 until Jan. 4, 2024. All voting members, including those welcomed in the 2023 new class, are eligible to vote.
In addition to voting in the Grammy Awards process, members can submit product for Grammy consideration, propose amendments to Grammy rules, run for a Recording Academy board position or committee, vote in chapter elections and more.
For more information on the Recording Academy’s membership process and requirements, visit here.
11/14/2023
We’ll find out on Feb. 4, 2024.
11/14/2023
In addition to being Grammy-nominated for album of the year for her own album Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Lana Del Rey is featured on two albums that are competing with her album in that category – Taylor Swift’s Midnights and Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio.
Likewise, in addition to being nominated as a member of boygenius for the record, Phoebe Bridgers is featured on SZA’s SOS.
In all but a few years since 2006, this would have meant that Del Rey and Bridgers would have multiple album of the year nods this year. But this year, the Recording Academy added a baseline for receiving an album of the year nomination. Participants must contribute to 20% of an album’s playing time. This applies to featured artists as well as songwriters, producers, engineers, mixers and mastering engineers.
Six of this year’s eight album of the year nominees have featured artists, but none of the featured artists met that 20% requirement. So, these featured artists won’t be in line to win a Grammy even if the album wins, but they will get a certificate and might get a shout-out in the winner’s acceptance speech.
(Nigerian musician Sean Kuti, the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, is featured on two of the 14 tracks on Janelle Monáe’s The Age of Pleasure, but that didn’t quite meet the standard.)
This year’s two other two album of the year nominees – boygenius’ The Record and Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts – had no featured artists.
Here’s how the Grammy rules in this category have changed over the years. From 2006-16, all credited featured artists on the winning album won Grammys. From 2017-20, the baseline requirement was 33% of an album’s playing time, which some thought was too restrictive. From 2021-22, all featured artists were again eligible to win. This year, a baseline was re-added, but one that was more liberal than the previous one – 20%.
During the years when there was no baseline requirement, the featured artists on Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters, Swift’s Fearless, Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories and Batiste’s We Are all won Grammys.
Here are the featured artists on this year’s six album of the year nominees that had featured artists.
Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio