Music

All Grammys count the same toward someone’s career Grammy total, but we all know they’re not really on an equal footing. Every media outlet on Earth will report the winners of album of the year and record of the year next Feb. 5, but good luck trying to find out who won best regional roots music album (we’ll have it, of course).

Some categories are far more competitive than others. There are more than 20 times as many entries in this year’s most populated category, song of the year (686), as in this year’s least populated category, best opera recording (30). (More than 22 times, actually, but I didn’t want to sound too nerdy.)

Since final-round voting for the 65th Grammy Awards opened Thursday, Grammy voters have been conscientiously wading through the entry lists for 85 of the 91 Grammy categories. (Or so Academy leaders fervently hope.) The nominees in the other six categories are determined by committees.

Voters may find some surprises as they study the entry lists. The number of entries in each of the Big Four categories dropped significantly compared to last year, perhaps due to the Academy’s new policy of charging a fee for entries beyond five “courtesy entries.”

There are 619 entries for record of the year, down from 1,172 last year; 518 entries for album of the year, down from 837; 686 entries for song of the year, down from 1,163; and 368 entries for best new artist, down from 463.

This is actually a positive trend. The entry lists were far too long. It’s asking too much of busy people to expect them to diligently wade through a list of 1,172 entries – and that was just for one category!

Here’s the new rule, and the rationale behind it, taken from the 65th Grammy Awards rules and guidelines booklet: “The per-entry fee structure encourages entrants to consider the value of each entry and make mindful decisions to put forward work that they truly believe is Grammy-worthy. All professional and voting members of the Recording Academy will receive five courtesy entries every year. Any member who would feel burdened by the entry fees can request the fees be waived by reaching out to the awards department.”

In other surprises, best music video has more entries (661) than all but one category (song of the year). Given how competitive it is, this should really regarded as one of the top awards, but it’s tucked away in the music/video film field, not in the general field (usually called the Big Four).

There are nearly five times as many entries for best score soundtrack for visual media (including film and television) (250) as there are for best compilation soundtrack for visual media (51).

The most populated songwriting category (outside of song of the year) is best American roots song (333). Country, though generally thought of as a songwriter-driven genre, lags behind all other genres with 128 entries.

Here are all songwriting categories, ranked from most to least number of entries this year: song of the year (686), best American roots song (333), best rock song (300), best rap song (219), best R&B song (218), best contemporary Christian music performance/song (172), best song written for visual media (154), best gospel performance/song (134) and best country song (128).

All five of the categories that were added this year had a healthy number of entries. There are 270 entries for best alternative music performance, 226 for best Americana performance, 84 for best spoken word poetry album, 71 for best score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media and 62 for songwriter of the year, non-classical.

The number of entries for songwriter of the year, non-classical is only about one-quarter of the number of entries for producer of the year, non-classical (214), probably because of the new category’s restrictive rules, which were intended to put the focus on songwriters who are not also artists or producers.

The Recording Academy keeps track of the number of entries in each category. Here’s the relevant rule from the rules and guidelines booklet: “Each category shall have at least 40 distinct artist entries. If a category receives between 25 and 39 entries, only three recordings will receive nominations in that year.” That’s the case for both best opera recording, which as noted above, had 30 entries this year, and best choral performance, which had 35.

The rules further state: “Should there be fewer than 25 entries in a category, that category will immediately go on hiatus for the current year – no award given – and entries will be screened into the next most logical category. If a category received fewer than 25 entries for three consecutive years, the category will be discontinued, and submissions will be entered in the next most appropriate category.” (That doesn’t apply to any categories this year.)

If you’re curious, the six categories where the nominations are determined by committees, rather than by voters at large, are all four categories in the package, notes and historical field (best recording package, best boxed/special/limited edition, best album notes, best historical album) and two categories in the production field (best remixed recording, best immersive audio album).

First-round voting continues through Oct. 23. Nominees will be announced on Nov. 15. Final-round voting runs from Dec. 14 to Jan. 4, 2023. The winners will be revealed at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023.

Here are the categories with most and least entries.

Categories with the most entries

(in descending order)

Song of the year, 686

Best music video, 661

Record of the year, 619

Album of the year, 518

Best new artist, 368

Best rock performance, 350

Best American roots song, 333

Best instrumental composition, 321

Best arrangement, instruments and vocals, 318

Best pop solo performance, 309

Best rock song, 300

Best improvised jazz solo, 284

Best American roots performance, 283

Best engineered album, non-classical, 282

Best global music performance, 280

Categories with the fewest entries

(in ascending order)

Best opera recording, 30

Best choral performance, 35

Best regional roots music album, 40

Best música urbana album, 41

Best large jazz ensemble album, 41

Best musical theater album, 42

Best country duo/group performance, 44

Best roots gospel album, 47

Best bluegrass album, 48

Best compilation soundtrack for visual media, 51

Best gospel album, 54

Best Latin rock or alternative album, 56

Best Latin jazz album, 56

Best tropical Latin album, 58

Best classical solo vocal album, 60