State Champ Radio Grammys
Page: 46
“OK — now Ghostwriter is ready for us.”
For almost three hours, I have been driving an airport rental car to an undisclosed location — accompanied by an artist manager whose name I only know in confidence — outside the U.S. city we both just flew into. I came here because, after weeks of back-and-forth email negotiations, the manager has promised that I can meet his client, whom I’ve interviewed once off-camera over Zoom, in person. In good traffic, the town we’re headed toward is about an hour from the airport, but it’s Friday rush hour, so we watch as my Google Maps ETA gets later and later with each passing minute. To fill the time, we chat about TikTok trends, our respective careers and the future of artificial intelligence.
AI is, after all, the reason we’re in this car in the first place. The mysterious man I’ve come to meet is a “well-known” professional songwriter-producer, his manager says — at least when he’s using his real name. But under his pseudonym, Ghostwriter, he is best known for creating “Heart on My Sleeve,” a song that employed AI voice filters to imitate Drake and The Weeknd’s voices with shocking precision — and without their consent. When it was posted to TikTok in the spring, it became one of the biggest music stories of the year, as well as one of the most controversial.
At the time of its release, many listeners believed that Ghost’s use of AI to make the song meant that a computer also generated the beat, lyrics or melodies, but as Ghost later explains to me, “It is definitely my songwriting, my production and my voice.” Still, “Heart on My Sleeve” posed pressing ethical questions: For one, how could an artist maintain control over their vocal likeness in this new age of AI? But as Ghost and his manager see it, AI poses a new opportunity for artists to license their voices for additional income and marketing reach, as well as for songwriters like Ghost to share their skills, improve their pitches to artists and even earn extra income.
As we finally pull into the sleepy town where we’re already late to meet with Ghost, his manager asks if I can stall. “Ghost isn’t quite ready,” he says, which I assume means he’s not yet wearing the disguise he dons in all his TikTok videos: a white bedsheet and black sunglasses. (Both the manager and Ghost agreed to this meeting under condition of total anonymity.) As I weave the car through residential streets at random, passing a few front yards already adorned in Halloween decor, I laugh to myself — it feels like an apropos precursor to our meeting.
But fifteen minutes later, when we enter Ghost’s “friend’s house,” I find him sitting at the back of an open-concept living space, at a dining room table, dressed head to toe in black: black hoodie, black sweatpants, black ski mask, black gloves and ski goggles. Not an inch of skin is visible, apart from short glimpses of the peach-colored nape of his neck when he turns his head a certain way.
Though he appears a little nervous to be talking to a reporter for the first time, Ghost is friendly, standing up from his chair to give me a hug and to greet his manager. When I decide to address the elephant in the room — “I know this is weird for all of us” — everyone laughs, maybe a little too hard.
Over the course of our first virtual conversation and, now, this face-to-masked-face one, Ghost and his manager openly discuss their last six months for the first time, from their decision to release “Heart on My Sleeve” to more recent events. Just weeks ago, Ghost returned with a second single, “Whiplash,” posted to TikTok using the voices of 21 Savage and Travis Scott — and with the ambition to get his music on the Grammy Awards ballot.
In a Sept. 5 New York Times story, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said “Heart on My Sleeve” was “absolutely [Grammy-]eligible because it was written by a human,” making it the first song employing AI voices to be permitted on the ballot. Three days later, however, he appeared to walk back his comments in a video posted to his personal social media, saying, “This version of ‘Heart on My Sleeve’ using the AI voice modeling that sounds like Drake and The Weeknd, it’s not eligible for Grammy consideration.”
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In conversation, Ghost and his manager maintain (and a Recording Academy representative later confirms) that “Heart on My Sleeve” will, in fact, be on the ballot because they quietly uploaded a new version of the song (without any AI voice filters) to streaming services on Sept. 8, just days before Grammy eligibility cutoff and the same day as Mason’s statement.
When the interview concludes, Ghost’s manager asks if we will stay for the takeout barbecue the owner of the house ordered for everyone before the manager and I arrived. At this, Ghost stands up, saying his outfit is too hot and that he ate earlier anyway — or maybe he just realizes that eating would require taking his ski mask off in front of me.
When did Ghostwriter first approach you with this idea, and what were your initial thoughts?
Manager: We first discussed this not long before the first song dropped. He had just started getting into AI. We wanted to do something that could spark much needed conversation and prep us so that we can start moving toward building an environment where this can exist in an ethical and equitable way. What better way to move culture forward around AI than to create some examples of how it can be used and show how the demand and interest is there?
As the person in charge of Ghostwriter’s business affairs, what hurdles did you see to executing his idea?
Manager: When anything new happens, people don’t know how to react. I see a lot of parallels between this moment and the advent of sampling. There was an outcry [about] thievery in 1989 when De La Soul was sued for an uncleared sample. Fast-forward to now, and artist estates are jumping at the opportunity to be sampled and interpolated in the next big hit. All it took was for the industry to define an equitable arrangement for all stakeholders in order for people to see the value in that new form of creativity. I think we agreed that we had an opportunity to show people the value in AI and music here.
Ghostwriter’s songs weren’t created with the consent of Drake, The Weeknd, Travis Scott or 21 Savage. How do you justify using artists’ voices without their consent?
Manager: I like to say that everything starts somewhere, like Spotify wouldn’t exist without Napster. Nothing is perfect in the beginning. That’s just the reality of things. Hopefully, people will see all the value that lies here.
How did you get in touch with the Recording Academy?
Manager: Harvey reached out to Ghostwriter over DM. He was just curious and interested. It’s his job to keep the industry moving forward and to understand what new things are happening. I think he’s still wrapping his head around it, but I thought it was really cool that he put together an industry roundtable with some of the brightest minds — including people in the Copyright Office, legal departments at labels, Spotify, Ghostwriter. We had an open conversation.
I don’t know if Harvey has the answers — and I don’t want to put words in his mouth — but I think he sees that this is a cool tool to help people create great music. [Ultimately,] we just have to figure out the business model so that all stakeholders feel like they have control and are being taken care of.
I think in the near future, we’re going to have infrastructure that allows artists to not only license their voice, but do so with permissions. Like, say I’m artist X. I want to license my voice out, but I want to take 50% of the revenue that’s generated. Plus users can’t use my voice for hate speech or politics. It is possible to create tech that can have permissions like that. I think that’s where we are headed.
“Heart on My Sleeve” is Grammy-eligible after all, but only the version without AI voice filters. Why was it so important to keep trying for Grammy eligibility?
Manager: Our thought process was, it’s a dope record, and it resonated with people. It was a human creator who created this piece of art that made the entire music industry stop and pay attention. We aren’t worried about whether we win or not — this is about planting the seed, the idea that this is a creative tool for songwriters.
Do you still think it pushes the envelope in the same way, given that what is eligible now doesn’t have any AI filter on it?
Manager: Absolutely, because we’re just trying to highlight the fact that this song was created by a human. AI voice filters were just a tool. We haven’t changed the moment around the song that it had. I think it’s still as impactful because all of this is part of the story, the vision we are casting.
Tell me a little about yourself, Ghostwriter. What’s your background?
Ghostwriter: I’ve always been a songwriter-producer. Over time, I started to realize — as I started to get into different rooms and connect with different artists — that the business of songwriting was off. Songwriters get paid close to nothing. It caused me to think: “What can I do as a songwriter who just loves creating to maybe create another revenue stream? How do I get my voice heard as a songwriter?” That was the seed that later grew into becoming Ghostwriter.
I’ve been thinking about it for two years, honestly. The idea at first was to create music that feels like other artists and release it as Ghostwriter. Then when the AI tech came out, things just clicked. I realized, “Wait — people wouldn’t have to guess who this song was meant to sound like anymore,” now that we have this.
I did write and produce “Heart on My Sleeve” thinking that maybe this would be the one where I tried AI to add in voice filters, but the overall idea for Ghostwriter has been a piece of me for some time.
Why did you decide to take “Heart on My Sleeve” from just a fun experiment to a formal rollout?
Ghost: Up until this point, all of the AI voice stuff was jokes. Like, what if SpongeBob [SquarePants] sang this? I think it was exciting for me to try using this as a tool for actual songwriters.
When “Heart on My Sleeve” went viral, it became one of the biggest news stories at the time. Did you anticipate that?
Ghost: There was a piece of me that knew it was really special, but you just can’t predict what happens. I tried to stay realistic. When working in music, you have to remind yourself that even though you think you wrote an incredible song, there’s still a good chance the song is not going to come out or it won’t do well.
Do you think that age played a factor in how people responded to this song?
Manager: For sure. I think the older generations are more purists; it’s a tougher pill for them to swallow. I think younger generations obviously have grown up in an environment where tech moves quickly. They are more open to change and progression. I would absolutely attribute the good response on TikTok to that.
Are you still writing for other people now under your real name while you work on the Ghostwriter project, or are you solely focused on Ghostwriter right now?
Ghost: I am, but I have been placing a large amount of focus [on] Ghostwriter. For me, it’s a place that is so refreshing. Like, I love seeing that an artist is looking for pitch records and I have to figure out how to fit their sound. It’s a beautiful challenge.
This is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about Ghostwriter. There are so many talented songwriters that are able to chameleon themselves in the studio to fit the artist they are writing for. Even their vocal delivery, their timbre, where the artist is in their life story. That skill is what I get to showcase with Ghostwriter.
You’ve said songwriters aren’t treated fairly in today’s music industry. Was there a moment when you had this revelation?
Ghost: It was more of a progression…
Manager: I think the fact that Ghost’s songs feel so much like the real thing and resonate so much with those fan bases, despite the artists not actually being involved, proves how important songwriters are to the success of artists’ projects. We’re in no way trying to diminish the hard work and deserving nature of the artists and the labels that support them. We’re just trying to shine a light on the value that songwriters bring and that their compensation currently doesn’t match that contribution. We owe it to songwriters to find solutions for the new reality. Maybe this is the solution.
Ghost: How many incredible songs are sitting on songwriters and producers’ desktops that will never be heard by the world? It almost hurts me to think about that. The Ghostwriter project — if people will hopefully support it — is about not throwing art in the trash. I think there’s a way for artists to help provide that beauty to the world without having to put in work themselves. They just have to license their voices.
The counterpoint to that, though, is that artists want to curate their discographies. They make a lot of songs, but they might toss some of them so that they can present a singular vision — and many would say songs using AI to replicate an artist’s voice would confuse that vision. What do you say to that?
Ghost: I think this may be a simple solution, but the songs could be labeled as clearly separate from the artist.
Manager: That’s something we have done since the beginning. We have always clearly labeled everything as AI.
Ideally, where should these AI songs live? Do they belong on traditional streaming services?
Manager: One way that this can play out is that [digital service providers] eventually create sort of an AI section where the artist who licenses their voice can determine how much of the AI songs they want monetarily and how they want their voices to be used.
Ghost: These songs are going to live somewhere because the fans want them. We’ve experienced that with Ghostwriter. The song is not available anymore by us, but I was just out in my area and heard someone playing “Heart on My Sleeve” in their car as they drove by. One way or another, we as the music industry need to come to terms with the fact that good music is always going to win. The consumer and the listener are always in the seat of power.
There’s 100,000 songs added to Spotify every day, and the scale of music creation is unprecedented. Does your vision of the future contribute to a scale problem?
Manager: We don’t really see it as a problem. Because no matter how many people are releasing music, you know, there’s only going to be so many people in the world that can write hit songs. The cream always rises to the top.
Ghost: My concern is that a lot of that cream-of-the-crop music is just sitting on someone’s desktop because an artist moved in a different direction or something beyond their control. My hope is we’ll see incredible new music become available and then we can watch as democracy pushes it to the top.
Can you explain how you think AI voice filters serve as a possible new revenue stream for artists?
Manager: Imagine singing a karaoke song in the artist’s voice; a personalized birthday message from your favorite artist; a hit record that is clearly labeled and categorized as AI. It’s also a marketing driver. I compare this to fan fiction — a fan-generated genre of music. Some might feel this creates competition or steals attention away from an artist’s own music, but I would disagree.
We shouldn’t forget that in the early days of YouTube, artists and labels fought to remove every piece of fan-generated content [that used] copyrighted material that they could. Now a decade or so later, almost every music marketing effort centers around encouraging [user-generated content]: TikTok trends, lyric videos, dance choreography, covers, etcetera. There’s inherent value in empowering fans to create content that uses your image and likeness. I think AI voice filters are another iteration of UGC.
Timbaland recently wrote a song and used an AI voice filter to map The Notorious B.I.G.’s voice on top of it, essentially bringing Biggie back from the dead. That raises more ethical questions. Do you think using the voice of someone who is dead requires different consideration?
Manager: It’s an interesting thought. Obviously, there’s a lot of value here for companies that purchase catalogs. I think this all ties back to fan fiction. I love The Doors, and I know there are people who, like me, study exactly how they wrote and performed their songs. I’d love to hear a song from them I haven’t heard before personally, as long as it’s labeled [as a fan-made AI song]. As a music fan, it would be fun for me to consume. It’s like if you watch a film franchise and the fourth film isn’t directed by the same person as before. It’s not the same, but I’m still interested.
When Ghostwriter introduced “Whiplash,” he noted that he’s down to collaborate with and send royalties to Travis Scott and 21 Savage. Have you gotten in touch with them, or Drake or The Weeknd, yet?
Manager: No, we have not been in contact with anyone.
“Heart on My Sleeve” was taken down immediately from streaming services. Are you going about the release of “Whiplash” differently?
Manager: We will not release a song on streaming platforms again without getting the artists on board. That last time was an experiment to prove the market was there, but we are not here to agitate or cause problems.
You’ve said that other artists have reached out to your team about working together and using their voices through AI. Have you started that collaboration process?
Manager: We’re still having conversations with artists we are excited about that have reached out, but they probably won’t create the sort of moment that we want to keep consistently with this project. There’s nothing I can confirm with you right now, but hopefully soon.
Why are you not interested in collaborating with who has reached out so far? Is it because of the artist’s audience size or their genre?
Manager: It’s more like every moment we have has to add a point and purpose. There hasn’t been anyone yet that feels like they could drive things forward in a meaningful way. I mean, size for sure, and relevancy. We ask ourselves: What does doing a song with that person or act say about the utility and the value of this technology?
Ghost: We’re just always concerned with the bigger picture. When “Whiplash” happened, we all felt like it was right. It was part of a statement I wanted to make about where we were headed. This project is about messaging.
After all this back-and-forth about the eligibility of “Heart on My Sleeve,” do you both feel you’re still in a good place with Harvey Mason Jr. and the Recording Academy?
Manager: For sure, we have nothing but love for Harvey … We have a lot of respect for him, the academy and, ultimately, a lot of respect for all the opinions and arguments out there being made about this. We hear them all and are thinking deeply about it.
Ghostwriter, you’ve opted to not reveal your identity in this interview, but does any part of you wish you could shout from the rooftops that you’re the one behind this project?
Ghost: Maybe it sounds cheesy, but this is a lot bigger than me and Ghostwriter. It’s the future of music. I want to push the needle forward, and if I get to play a significant part in that, then there’s nothing cooler than that to me. I think that’s enough for me.
A version of this story originally appeared in the Oct. 7, 2023, issue of Billboard.
Country music is having a major mainstream moment.
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” spent 16 nonconsecutive weeks from March to August at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, claiming the undisputed song of the summer crown — and is one of four country songs to top both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts in 2023, the most in a year since 1975.
And Wallen’s success story is far from the genre’s only recent standout. Thanks to artists like Luke Combs, whose cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” spent eight weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100, and Zach Bryan, whose breakthrough single, “Something in the Orange,” reached the top 10 of the Hot 100 while his album American Heartbreak reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200, country music consumption surged in the United States for the first half of 2023. According to Luminate, it was up 20.3% compared with 2.5% growth during the same period in 2022 — and that was before Jason Aldean’s polarizing track, “Try That in a Small Town,” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100; before Appalachian breakout Oliver Anthony Music dominated headlines with his viral populist anthem, “Rich Men North of Richmond”; and before Bryan topped both the Hot 100 and Billboard 200.
Whether that commercial surge will translate to Grammy nominations on Nov. 10 — and in particular to a long overdue showing for country artists in the general-field categories — could prove one of the more compelling narratives this awards season, particularly with country outliers Anthony and Bryan potentially leading the way.
“Country music [is at] peak awareness right now, and the industry people that vote have an opportunity to recognize that or not,” says Joey Moi, Big Loud partner/president of A&R, as well as Wallen’s producer. “You’re looking at two or three artists [from the country format] that are hanging up there with the big kids.”
Country has often been neglected when it comes to Grammy nominations in the general-field categories — album, record and song of the year and best new artist, for which all 13,000 Recording Academy members can vote. (Starting with the 2024 Grammys, the so-called Big Four becomes the Big Six, with the addition of songwriter of the year, non-classical and producer of the year, non-classical moving into the general field.)
Five Grammy Award cycles have occurred since nominations in the Big Four categories were increased from five to eight and then to 10 contenders, and there have been 196 total Big Four nominations in that time — yet only six have gone to mainstream country artists or projects, with just one victory: Kacey Musgraves’ album of the year trophy for Golden Hour in 2019. (The nominees will revert to eight per category for the 2024 awards.)
But recognition of many of these songs beyond only country audiences could shift the dynamic this year. Anthony went from obscurity to instant household name with “Rich Men North of Richmond,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in August. “Rich Men” was submitted for record and song of the year, though not in any country categories, nor was Anthony entered into consideration for best new artist. (His manager did not respond to a request for comment on the submissions.)
Should “Rich Men” receive a song or record of the year nod — or even a win — it would not be the first time voters have marked their ballots for a song with a message. At the 2019 ceremony, Childish Gambino’s commentary on institutional racism, “This Is America,” won song and record of the year. Two years later, “I Can’t Breathe,” H.E.R.’s poignant take on George Floyd’s murder, won song of the year.
But though “Rich Men” has enjoyed a kind of flashpoint notoriety — the song was even referenced at the Republican presidential debate in August — that may not translate to Grammy votes.
“Artists who have huge moments still have to consider who’s voting,” one Grammy consultant says, noting that voters aren’t the fans who propelled “Rich Men” to No. 1 but creatives who make music. And while the timing of Anthony’s breakthrough means he is fresh in voters’ minds as they mark their ballots, that could also work against him. “I don’t know if the industry is going to wait and hold off to see if [he] has legs or it’s a flash in the pan,” one Grammy voter says. “If this happened in March or April and maintained through the year, we’d have a much clearer story. [He’s] kind of starting the race about five minutes later than everybody else.”
Bryan — who, unlike Anthony, is entered in several country categories as well as album, song and record of the year — may have a different experience. Unlike the self-released Anthony, he is signed to Warner Records, which has the infrastructure to run a campaign for him. His success has built steadily over the past 18 months and extends beyond one song and one format, or as the Grammy voter puts it: “He has had a career that has grown and gathered some roots.” Bryan and past Grammy favorite Musgraves debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 with their duet, “I Remember Everything,” from his self-titled album that entered the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums at No. 1. And when it comes to the general-field categories, he could draw from a particularly broad base of voters: His self-titled set, which arrived Aug. 25, also launched atop the Top Rock Albums, Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Americana/Folk Albums charts.
By creating their own nontraditional paths, Anthony and Bryan could, ironically, achieve recognition that some of country’s most respected artists have not: None of Miranda Lambert’s 27 career Grammy nods have been in the general-field categories, while only one of Chris Stapleton’s 17 nominations has been. Whether they also end up distracting from the work of their more conventional country peers in the general categories remains to be seen. Adds the Grammy voter: “I don’t know if people are aware of a lot of the other great country records that may have been out there over the year — they’ve taken up so much air in the room.”
Additional reporting by Jessica Nicholson.
This story will appear in the Oct. 7, 2023, issue of Billboard.
The fourth edition of Jacob Collier’s musically ambitious and Grammy-decorated Djesse project will be released on Feb. 29, 2024, through Hajanga / Decca / Interscope.
Collier won a Grammy for a track from each of the first three volumes in this franchise. If his goal is to keep that streak going, he could hardly have picked a better duet partner for his newly released single from the album: Grammy favorite Brandi Carlile, who joins him on the hypnotic ballad “Little Blue.”
“‘Little Blue’ is such a gorgeous song and Jacob is a generational talent,” Carlile said in a statement. “I spend an embarrassing amount of time following him and studying his mind-bendingly beautiful music. Getting to climb inside of it and be a part of his creation is a wonderful twist of fate.”
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The new album already contains a Grammy-nominated track — “Never Gonna Be Alone” (featuring Lizzy McAlpine and John Mayer), which was nominated two years ago (when it was a stand-alone single) for best arrangement, instruments and vocals. Collier and McAlpine co-wrote the song. The album will also contain Collier’s recent single “WELLLL,” a pop/rock track which he co-wrote with Remi Wolf.
Collier won best arrangement, instruments and vocals for a remake of Lionel Richie’s 1983 smash “All Night Long (All Night)” (featuring Take 6) from Djesse Vol. 1; best arrangement, instrumental or acapella for a remake of Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer’s Oscar- and Grammy-winning “Moon River” from Djesse Vol. 2; and best arrangement, instruments and vocals for “He Won’t Hold You” (featuring Rapsody), an original song from Djesse Vol 3.
Collier’s Grammy winning streak pre-dates his Djesse project. He won two Grammys for tracks from his 2016 debut album In My Room. A remake of Stevie Wonder’s “You and I” (which was a highlight of Wonder’s 1972 album Talking Book) won best arrangement, instrumental or acapella. A remake of The Flintstones TV theme (which was introduced in 1962) brought Collier the award for best arrangement, instruments and vocals.
Collier, who was born in London, is the first British artist to win a Grammy for each of his first four albums.
Collier, 29, first gained widespread notice three years ago when Djesse, Vol. 3 was nominated for album of the year. (It lost to Taylor Swift’s Folklore.)
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The first three Djesse volumes featured a diverse roster of nearly 25 guest artists, also including JoJo, Steve Vai, Jessie Reyez, T-Pain, Kimbra, Tank and the Bangas, Daniel Caesar, Ty Dolla Sign and Tori Kelly — plus Collier’s mom, Suzie Collier.
In the midst of working on Djesse, Collier started turning each of his concert audiences – from rock clubs to Lincoln Center, and even festivals like Bonnaroo and Glastonbury – into sprawling, improvised choirs. Having recorded each of his 80+ audience choirs, roughly 150,000 different voices play a role in the story and creation of Djesse Vol. 4.
In a statement, Collier reflected on the life-changing Djesse project: “Five years ago, in the wake of a musical journey that had begun in solitude, I set out on an epic adventure with a big dream – a collaborative quadruple album, and by way of that – to learn music, and life, from the greatest teachers of all – my heroes.
“In many ways, Djesse Vol. 4 is an album that’s taken me 30 years to make. It is, to me, a celebration of humankind – the way that I see it and hear it, built with musicians from every corner of the world. To be culminating this collaborative experiment with a 100,000 voice audience-choir, a sound that permeates the heart of this album, feels like I’ve found the heart of it. My voice is only ever as full as the voices around me. Everyone is welcome, and part of the tapestry. And most of all, creating this album has reminded me that life is full of magic, if only we can remember to look for it in each other.”
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Collier has collaborated extensively with Coldplay, appearing on their 2021 album Music of the Spheres, performing with them as a featured guest at their Wembley Stadium shows last summer and on Saturday Night Live in February. Collier co-wrote, co-produced and was featured on “Human Heart” (which also featured We Are King). Collier received a Grammy nod as a songwriter, producer and featured artist on Music of the Spheres, an album of the year nominee last year.
Collier received a Grammy nod for best R&B song two years ago for co-writing SZA’s “Good Days.” The song is featured on her album SOS, which topped the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks and is considered a sure thing to receive a Grammy nod for album of the year. But because of a Grammy rule change this year, where the Academy instituted a baseline requirement of 20% of playing time for a participant to receive an album of the year nod, Collier will not be in line for a Grammy nod for that contribution to the album.
His other Grammy nods, not already mentioned (he has received 11) are for best R&B performance for “All I Need” (featuring Mahalia and Ty Dolla Sign), a track from Djesse Vol. 3 and best arrangement, instruments and vocals for a remake of the 1946 Nat King Cole Trio classic “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), which was a stand-alone single for Collier.
Collier also co-wrote and performed on seven tracks of Stormzy’s 2022 album This Is What I Mean.
09/19/2023
Taylor Swift, SZA and Olivia Rodrigo could be headed for nods in each of the top three categories.
09/19/2023
After The New York Times reported that controversial artist Ghostwriter submitted the A.I.-generated song “Heart on My Sleeve” for Grammy consideration, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. is refuting its eligibility in a short Instagram video shared Thursday (Sept. 7).
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In the clip, Mason Jr. walks back on his original comments in the Times article, in which he had previously deemed “Heart on My Sleeve” — the song that mimics Drake and The Weeknd’s voices — as “absolutely eligible because it was written by a human.”
“I’m sorry, but I have to clear up some of this bad and really inaccurate information that’s starting to float around,” he said in the video. “This version of ‘Heart on My Sleeve’ using the A.I. voice modeling that sounds like Drake and The Weeknd, it’s not eligible for Grammy consideration.”
“Let me be extra, extra clear, even though it was written by a human creator, the vocals were not legally obtained, the vocals were not cleared by the label or the artists and the song is not commercially available and because of that, it’s not eligible,” he continued.
He later added, “I take this [A.I.] stuff very seriously. It’s all complicated, and it’s moving, really, really quickly. I’m sure things are going to continue to have to evolve and change. But please, please, do not be confused. The Academy is here to support and advocate and protect and represent human artists, and human creators period.”
The Times reported that Ghostwriter submitted “Heart on My Sleeve” for song of the year and best rap song for the 2024 ceremony. The song was pulled from streaming services in April, and UMG slammed its usage of A.I. to generate vocals, and said that it demonstrated “why platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists.”
Watch Mason Jr.’s full explanation of the song’s non-eligibility below.
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” this week becomes one of only four singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to log 16 or more weeks at No. 1. So, does that mean it’s a lock for a Grammy nomination for record of the year? Its chances are good, but Grammy voters don’t always follow the lead of music fans.
The three previous singles to spend 16 or more weeks at No. 1 – Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus), Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee‘s “Despacito” (featuring Justin Bieber) and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” – were all nominated for record of the year, though none of them won.
And numerous long-running No. 1 hits weren’t nominated in any Grammy categories. The list includes Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock n’ Roll,” Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” Andy Gibb‘s “Shadow Dancing,” Chic‘s “Le Freak,” Bobby Lewis’ “Tossin’ and Turnin’” and Tommy Edwards‘ “It’s All in the Game.”
“Last Night” is a multi-format hit, which will work in its favor. And Wallen has been one of the most dominant record sellers of the past few years. But he has yet to even be nominated for a Grammy, so there’s still no evidence that Grammy voters are ready to move on from the 2021 incident where he was videotaped using a racial slur. Also, another country smash, Luke Combs’ “Fast Car,” is a formidable record of the year candidate. Both could be among the eight nominees in this category, but that would defy recent Grammy patterns. We haven’t had a year with two or more country hits nominated for record of the year since 1977.
Let’s look back at the five (more in the case of ties) longest-running No. 1 hits of each of the last eight decades (or partial decades) to see how they fared at the Grammys. Conveniently, the Hot 100 and the Grammys started in the same year – 1958. That first Grammy eligibility year began on Jan. 1 of that year. The Hot 100 launched seven months later (on Aug. 4).
We show the number of nominations each song received and list those categories. We also show the number of wins—and also list those categories. (We counted only nominations for that specific track or song, not for the album on which it appeared or the artist in general, or other tracks by that artist.)
The 2020s (2020-23 to date)
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night”: 16 weeks at No. 1 (so far) in 2023. Grammy status to be determined.
Harry Styles’ “As It Was”: 15 weeks at No. 1 in 2022. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop solo performance, best music video); no wins (though Styles won album of the year).
Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You“: 12 weeks at No. 1 from 2019-23. No nods. Note: Carey was nominated for best female pop vocal performance for “Hero” in 1994, when this was first released and thus eligible.
Roddy Ricch’s “The Box”: 11 weeks at No. 1 in 2020. 3 nods (song of the year, best melodic rap performance, best rap song); no wins.
BTS’ “Butter”: 10 weeks at No. 1 in 2021. 1 nod (best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Adele’s “Easy on Me”: 10 weeks at No. 1 in 2021-22. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop solo performance, best music video); one win (best pop solo performance).
The 2010s
Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): A record 19 weeks at No. 1 in 2019. 3 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance, best music video), 2 wins (best pop duo/group performance, best music video).
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” (featuring Justin Bieber): 16 weeks in 2017. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!” (featuring Bruno Mars): 14 weeks in 2015. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance); 2 wins (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance).
Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (featuring T.I. + Pharrell): 12 weeks in 2013. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” (featuring Charlie Puth): 12 weeks in 2015. 3 nods (song of the year, best pop duo/group performance, best song written for visual media); no wins.
The Chainsmokers’ “Closer” (featuring Halsey): 12 weeks in 2016. 1 nod (best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”: 12 weeks in 2017. 1 nod (best pop solo performance), 1 win (best pop solo performance).
The 2000s
Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together”: 14 weeks in 2005. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best female R&B vocal performance, best R&B song); 2 wins (best female R&B vocal performance, best R&B song).
The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling”: 14 weeks in 2009. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals); 1 win (best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals).
Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”: 12 weeks in 2002-03. 5 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best male rap solo performance, best rap song, best song written for a motion picture, television or other visual media); 2 wins (best male rap solo performance, best rap song).
Usher’s “Yeah!” (featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris): 12 weeks in 2004. 2 nods (record of the year, best rap/sung collaboration); 1 win (best rap/sung collaboration).
The Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow”: 12 weeks in 2009. 2 nods (best dance recording, best short form music video); 1 win (best short form music video).
The 1990s
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day”: 16 weeks in 1995-96. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop collaboration with vocals), no wins.
Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”: 14 weeks in 1992-93. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 2 wins (record of the year, best pop vocal performance, female).
Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You”: 14 weeks in 1994. 3 nods (record of the year, best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal, best rhythm and blues song); 2 wins (best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal, best rhythm and blues song).
Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)”: 14 weeks in 1996. No nods.
Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997”/“Something About the Way You Look Tonight”: 14 weeks in 1997-98. 1 nod (best male pop vocal performance); 1 win (best male pop vocal performance).
The 1980s
Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical”: 10 weeks in 1981-82. 1 nod (best pop video performance, female); no wins.
Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes”: 9 weeks in 1981. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 2 wins (record of the year, song of the year).
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love”: 9 weeks in 1981. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); no wins.
The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”: 8 weeks in 1983. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); 2 wins (song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal).
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock n’ Roll”: 7 weeks in 1982. No nods.
Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder’s “Ebony and Ivory”: 7 weeks in 1982. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); no wins.
Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”: 7 weeks in 1983. 3 nods (song of the year, best R&B vocal performance, male, best rhythm & blues song); 2 wins (best R&B vocal performance, male, best rhythm & blues song). Note: Another of Jackson’s 1983 hits, “Beat It,” won for record of the year.
The 1970s
Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life”: 10 weeks in 1977. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 1 win (song of the year).
Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)”: 8 weeks in 1976-77. No nods.
Bee Gees’ “Night Fever”: 8 weeks in 1978.No nods. (“Stayin’ Alive,” which had half as many weeks at No. 1, brought the group Grammy glory that year, with nods for record and song of the year.)
Andy Gibb’s “Shadow Dancing”: 7 weeks in 1978. No nods.
Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”: 6 weeks in 1970. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary song, best arrangement accompanying vocalist(s)); 4 wins (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary song, best arrangement accompanying vocalist(s)).
Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World”: 6 weeks at No. 1 in 1971. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop vocal performance by a duo, group or chorus); no wins.
Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”: 6 weeks in 1972. 2 nods (record of the year, song of the year); 2 wins (record of the year, song of the year).
Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)”: 6 weeks in 1972. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, male); no wins.
Chic’s “Le Freak”: 6 weeks in 1978-79. No nods.
The Knack’s “My Sharona”: 6 weeks at No. 1 in 1979. 1 nod (best rock vocal performance by a duo or group); no wins.
The 1960s
Percy Faith & His Orchestra’s “The Theme from A Summer Place”: 9 weeks in 1960. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best arrangement, best performance by an orchestra); 1 win (record of the year).
The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”: 9 weeks in 1968. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary-pop performance by a vocal duo or group); no wins.
Bobby Lewis’ “Tossin’ and Turnin’”: 7 weeks in 1961. No nods.
The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand”: 7 weeks in 1964. 1 nod (record of the year); no wins.
The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer”: 7 weeks in 1966-67. 2 nods (best performance by a vocal group, best contemporary group performance (vocal or instrumental); no wins.
Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”: 7 weeks in 1968-69. 1 nod (best rhythm & blues vocal performance, male); no wins.
The 1950s (1958-59)
Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife”: 9 weeks in 1959. 2 nods (record of the year, best vocal performance, male); 1 win (record of the year).
Sheb Wooley’s “The Purple People Eater”: 6 weeks on the Best Sellers and Top 100 charts in 1958 (prior to the inception of the Hot 100). No nods.
Tommy Edwards’ “It’s All in the Game”: 6 weeks in 1958. No nods.
Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans”: 6 weeks in 1959. 2 nods song of the year, best country & western performance); 2 wins (song of the year, best country & western performance).
Note: Danny & the Juniors‘ “At the Hop,” the longest-running No. 1 hit of 1958 (7 weeks at No. 1 on the Top 100 chart), was released in 1957 and thus was ineligible for the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1958.
The death of Robbie Robertson on Wednesday (Aug. 9) has put a spotlight on The Band, the ground-breaking group in which he teamed with Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel. The Band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 1989. […]
In celebration of Taylor Swift’s six sold-out SoFi Stadium shows in the Los Angeles area starting this week, the Grammy Museum presents a special pop-up exhibit, “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (At Grammy Museum),” open now through Sept. 18.
The exhibit, which is on display in the museum’s fourth floor theater gallery, immerses the visitor into the world of Swift’s recent “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” music video, with a display of 11 costumes and two instruments from the video. The costumes were all worn during Swift’s original Speak Now era.
The music video features actors Joey King and Taylor Lautner breaking Swift out of a museum vault while Presley Cash waits in the getaway car. This is said to be a symbolic representation of how it has felt for Swift to have her fans help her reclaim her music through their support of her first three “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings, all of which have entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1. Swift wrote and directed the music video, with help from director of photography Jonathan Sela, ASC.
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“Taylor Swift is about to make history in Los Angeles by setting the SoFi stadium record for the most performances as a headliner,” Jasen Emmons, chief curator and vice president of curatorial affairs at the Grammy Museum, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to honor this achievement by creating an immersive space for her fans and our community to continue celebrating her all month long.”
Swift’s Speak Now album topped the Billboard 200 for six weeks in 2010-11. The album spawned five top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Mine” (No. 3), “Back to December” (No. 6), “Mean” (No. 11), “Sparks Fly” (No. 17) and “Ours” (No. 13). The album received a Grammy nomination for best country album, but was passed over for an album of the year nod. “Mean,” which Swift wrote in response to her critics, won two Grammys – best country solo performance and best country song.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) spent its first two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It is the first of the “Taylor’s Version” re-releases to accomplish that feat.
For more information regarding ticket reservations for the exhibit, visit the Grammy Museum’s website.
Exhibit highlights include 13 artifacts, all of which were worn or played by Swift during her original Speak Now era. The first nine artifacts listed here are from the Speak Now tour:
Swift’s vintage lace dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Eric Winterling dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s custom REEM ACRA dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Valentino gown from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Jenny Packham dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Susan Hilferty dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Jenny Packham dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Gibson Les Paul red sparkle top guitar from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Deering banjo from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Zara dress from her “Mine” music video
Swift’s Temperley dress from her “Mean” music video
Swift’s vintage flapper-style dress from her “Mean” music video
Joey King’s Monsoon white dress and wig from Swift’s “Mean” music video
Sinead O’Connor made history at the seventh annual MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 6, 1990, becoming the first woman to win for video of the year. Her striking clip for “Nothing Compares 2 U,” directed by John Maybury, took the prize, besting Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got a Gun,” Don Henley’s “The End of the Innocence” and Madonna’s “Vogue.”
In the VMAs’ first six years, just two women had even been nominated for the marquee award. Cyndi Lauper was nominated in 1984, the VMAs’ first year, for “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Madonna was nominated in 1989 for “Like a Prayer.”
Even after O’Connor — who died at age 56 on Wednesday (July 26) — broke this barrier, it took awhile for women artists to achieve parity with men at the VMAs in this category. The award went to all-male rock bands the next four years, before TLC won in 1995 for “Waterfalls.” And then we started to see real change. Madonna and Lauryn Hill won in 1998 and 1999, for “Ray of Light” and “Doo Wop (That Thing),” respectively, marking the first time women won back-to-back awards in the category.
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Women won six years in a row from 2007-12, thanks to Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z), Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna again (this time featuring Calvin Harris).
Even though male artists and groups won 10 of the first 11 awards presented in this category, with only O’Connor busting up that streak, women have nearly caught up. Male artists and groups have won 21 times, to 18 for women.
O’Connor won two other “Moonmen” (the gender-neutral term “Moonperson” was still years in the future) that night – best female video and best post-modern video, both also for “Compares.”
When the Grammy nominations were announced at the end of 1990, O’Connor was up in four categories, including record of the year and best pop vocal performance, female. (Prince was nominated for song of the year for writing the song.)
At the inaugural Billboard Music Awards in December 1990, “Nothing Compares 2 U” won for #1 World Single. (Phil Collins’ …But Seriously was named #1 World Album.) At the Brit Awards in February 1991, she took international female solo artist against an incredibly strong field – Mariah Carey, Neneh Cherry, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Tina Turner.
When the Grammys were presented in February 1991, O’Connor won best alternative music album — which was presented for the first time that year — for I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. It was her only career Grammy win.
O’Connor received three more Grammy nominations after that night, all in music video categories – a sign of how strongly she was associated with the art form after “Nothing Compares 2 U.” She was nominated for the Year of the Horse long-form video and two short-form videos, “Fire on Babylon” and “Famine.”
When the nominations for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards are announced on Nov. 10, two country hits could be in the running for record of the year for the first time since Jimmy Carter was President.
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and Luke Combs’ remake of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” both have a very good chance of making the finals. Wallen’s song has logged 23 weeks atop Hot Country Singles. “Fast Car” has logged 12 weeks at No. 2. (Both songs dropped one rung this week, to Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, with the re-entry in the top spot of Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town.”)
Combs’ hit probably has a better chance of being nominated than Wallen’s does. Combs has received six Grammy nominations over the years (though he has yet to win). And Chapman’s original version was nominated for record and song of the year. Wallen has yet to be nominated for a Grammy, so there’s no evidence yet that Grammy voters are ready to forgive and forget the 2021 incident where he was videotaped using a racial pejorative.
If both hits are nominated, this would be the first time in 46 years that two or more country hits have competed in this marquee category. (We define a country hit as a song that made the top 20 on Hot Country Songs.) In 1977, three top five country hits vied for record of the year – Crystal Gayle’s elegant torch ballad “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” (which topped the country chart for four weeks), Linda Ronstadt’s exquisite pop/country version of Roy Orbison’s 1963 pop hit “Blue Bayou” (which reached No. 2) and Debby Boone’s megahit rendition of the Oscar-winning ballad “You Light Up My Life” (which reached No. 4).
In three earlier years, two or more country hits competed for record of the year. In 1967, Glen Campbell’s sublime reading of Jimmy Webb’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (a No. 2 country hit) vied with Bobbie Gentry’s enigmatic pop/country crossover smash “Ode to Billie Joe” (a No. 17 country hit).
The following year, for the first and so far only time in Grammy history, three No. 1 country hits competed for record of the year. They were Jeannie C. Riley’s reading of Tom T. Hall’s “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Bobby Goldsboro’s tearjerker ballad “Honey” and Campbell’s version of another Webb classic, “Wichita Lineman.” The Riley and Goldsboro hits each topped the country chart for three weeks; Campbell’s smash headed it for two.
In 1975, Campbell’s sleek version of Larry Weiss’ “Rhinestone Cowboy” and Eagles’ “Lyin’ Eyes” competed for the prize. “Rhinestone Cowboy” topped the country chart for three weeks. “Lyin’ Eyes” reached No. 8 on the country chart.
In 1979, two record of the year nominees had charted on Hot Country Songs, but only one of them was a home-run country hit. That’s Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” which topped the country chart for three weeks on its way to becoming his signature song. The other is a pop smash – Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond’s “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” – that was covered by Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius, one of the top country duos of the era. Both versions entered Hot Country Singles – as the chart was then called – on Nov. 25, 1978. But whereas the version by Brown and Cornelius made the top 10, the version by Barbra & Neil stalled at No. 70. (It had star-power to burn, but you can practically hear country programmers saying “It just isn’t country.”)
In recent years, it has been hard for even one country hit to wind up with a Grammy nod for record of the year. The last five country hits to be nominated in that marquee category (again defining a country hit as a song that reached the top 20 on Hot Country Songs) were Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” (No. 19 in 2019), Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together) (No. 1 for 10 weeks in 2012), Lady A’s “Need You Now” (No. 1 for five weeks in 2010), Swift’s “You Belong With Me” (No. 1 for two weeks in 2009) and Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” (No. 1 for one week in 1998).
The Recording Academy expanded the number of nominees in each of the Big Four categories (including record of the year) from five to eight in 2018. They expanded it again to 10 in 2021, but have announced that they are dropping it back down to eight for the nominations that will be announced on Nov. 10.
