The Recording Academy gives and the Recording Academy takes away. After announcing that it had added categories in African music, jazz, and pop fields to next year’s Grammys earlier this week, the Academy revealed further changes today. Among them: making AI music eligible to win awards (under certain circumstances) and contracting the nomination fields among the so-called “Big Four” awards. Now, there will only be eight nominees for the Best New Artist and Album, Song, and Record of the Year instead of 10, according to Variety.
This returns them to their size in 2021 when they were expanded in an effort to “honor more artists and shine a light on more great music, and potentially offer a greater opportunity for more genres of music to be honored,” according to Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. Reducing the number of nominees to pre-2021 levels could also help by reducing the length of the show and consolidating voting for difficult choices and dark horses.
The move had proved to be controversial, with some questioning whether it was a bid to ensure that the permanently popular Taylor Swift would get nominated and thus be obligated to appear at the show, boosting its television ratings. The Academy denied those accusations. In any case, it’d have been a Pyrrhic victory at best; the other beneficiary of the expansion was Kanye West, who spent much of the past two years being a lightning rod for controversy.
In addition to the above-mentioned changes the Academy announced that the existing categories of Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical have been moved to the General Field. Meanwhile, to qualify for nomination in Album of the Year, credited contributors must appear for at least 20% of the album’s runtime; this was likely updated as album credits have exploded in size in recent years due to artists like Beyoncé crediting more collaborators and sampled artists while avoiding lawsuits.
The 2024 Grammy Awards will be a bit different than ceremonies from prior years. For instance, The Recording Academy revealed earlier this week that three new categories have been added: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording. Now, the Academy has also addressed AI music and the eligibility of works created using artificial intelligence.
As Variety reports, there are new “Artificial Intelligence (AI) Protocols” that essentially say music made purely by AI cannot be nominated for a Grammy. However, human-created work made using AI technology is eligible, so long as there’s a significant human contribution.
Here’s what it says in full:
“The GRAMMY Award recognizes creative excellence. Only human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration for, nominated for, or win a GRAMMY Award. A work that contains no human authorship is not eligible in any Categories. A work that features elements of A.I. material (i.e., material generated by the use of artificial intelligence technology) is eligible in applicable Categories; however: (1) the human authorship component of the work submitted must be meaningful and more than de minimis; (2) such human authorship component must be relevant to the Category in which such work is entered (e.g., if the work is submitted in a songwriting Category, there must be meaningful and more than de minimis human authorship in respect of the music and/or lyrics; if the work is submitted in a performance Category, there must be meaningful and more than de minimis human authorship in respect of the performance); and (3) the author(s) of any A.I. material incorporated into the work are not eligible to be nominees or GRAMMY recipients insofar as their contribution to the portion of the work that consists of such A.I material is concerned. De minimis is defined as lacking significance or importance; so minor as to merit disregard.”
So far, Grimes has been the most notable artist to dive headfirst into AI music: A song featuring “GrimesAI,” how tracks using an AI version of her voice are credited, was released last month.
Beyoncé’sRenaissance World Tour is rolling through Europe at the moment and it’s doing pretty well over there, to the point that it maybe possibly contributed to inflation in Sweden. Yesterday (June 15), at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne, Germany, Beyoncé found herself both performing and revealing the sex of a fan’s baby.
Between songs, Beyoncé said (as ET reports), “I wanna do this right, because since the beginning of the show, I’ve seen this sign that says, ‘Do my gender reveal.’ I just want to do it right! Do I have to open the envelope?”
Beyoncé then got her hands on the envelope, opened it, and revealed it to the crowd. Smiling, she said, “Girls! Congratulations! Congratulations, beautiful!”
Beyoncé just helped a couple in Club Renaissance with a gender reveal!
Over the past year, there have been a number of instances where concert attendees got their favorite artists to help celebrate major moments in their lives. Last October, some expecting parents got Post Malone to reveal the sex of their bundle of joy, too. Harry Styles concerts have also been big for moments like these: He helped a fan come out at Wembley Stadium last June, and a couple months later, he helped a fan pull off a proposal in Portugal, one of that of course got an enthusiastic “yes” from the bride-to-be.
In February, President Joe Biden proposed the Junk Fee Prevention Act, to eliminate the “junk fees” that make concerts (as well as flights) so expensive. “For example, we’re making airlines show you the full ticket price upfront and refund your money if your flight is canceled or delayed,” he said at the State Of The Union. “Baggage fees are bad enough — they can’t just treat your child like a piece of luggage. Americans are tired of being played for suckers.”
According to NPR, Live Nation and Ticketmaster will pledge to get rid of junk fees, which will be starting in September. Instead, the full prices will be shown upfront. “Today’s voluntary actions demonstrate that companies both big and small recognize the importance of providing consumers with honest, up-front all-in pricing, rather than tricking them with surprise fees at the end of checkout,” the White House said. “It is also just a first step towards addressing junk fees in the economy.”
In March, Live Nation’s President and CEO, Michael Rapino, responded to Biden’s proposal by sharing that the company was aiming to “relieve a lot of the stress [and] the consumer’s perception that there’s this magical extra fee added on.”
“LOUIS VUITTON MEN Spring-Summer 2024,” Pharrell captioned an Instagram photo showing him posing in front of a larger-than-life photo of Rihanna, presumably the face of the campaign.
In the photo, Rihanna is strutting effortlessly with a coffee. She’s draped in duffel bags, framing her bare pregnant stomach. (She and ASAP Rocky are expecting their second child, as revealed during her Super Bowl LVII Halftime performance.)
Predictably, notable people are gushing over Rihanna in the comments section. Lindsay Lohan simply left a hearts-as-eyes emoji, while Busta Rhymes commented with eight crown emojis. Sam Smith also went the emoji-only route, with a red heart and fire.
Complexrelayed that it had “reached out to Louis Vuitton reps for comment on the Rihanna campaign” and will update accordingly.
Upon Pharrell’s appointment in February, Louis Vuitton had plenty to say.
“I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Creative Director,” Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari said in a statement. “His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter.”
With all that in mind, we’ve shifted from our typical listmaking to try something new in 2023. We asked the core Uproxx writers to each pick their favorite song of the year so far, and what we found is something that somewhat resembles the greater music landscape. Country, hip-hop, indie, pop, and afrobeats all make appearances, while Ice Spice is just as omnipresent here as she is in the real world. There’s even a couple chart-toppers in this mix.
Check out the best songs of 2023 so far, as chosen by the Uproxx staff, below.
100 Gecs – “Hollywood Baby”
The music landscape is as diverse and interesting now as it has ever been. Given that anybody with a laptop can create and release a decent-sounding album these days, it’s hard to be shocked. And yet, 100 Gecs surprise with pretty much every song they put out. On paper, what their hyper-pop distillation of ’90s alt-rock shouldn’t work, but songs like “Hollywood Baby” just do. Given, the unbelievably catchy pop-punk-ish track sounds relatively conventional for them, but it goes to show there’s more to 100 Gecs beyond making seemingly disparate sounds work together: They’re exemplary songwriters, too. – Derrick Rossignol
Arlo Parks – “Weightless”
Arlo Parks may be a musician, but she’s a poet first and foremost. The 22-year-old UK artist has been known to expertly wield her pen to write touching songs about mental health, mortality, and identity that bring listeners to tears. “Weightless,” which appears on her sophomore album My Soft Machine is no different. While much of the subject matter on her latest LP focuses more on budding relationships than waning mental health (we love to see it!), “Weightless” still manages to be just as moving. Her unique, honeyed vocals add a soaring dimension to the reverb-drenched instrumentals, and Parks even cuts in with a spoken-word verse about the all-too-familiar anxiety that takes over when near a crush. – Carolyn Droke
Ice Spice – “Gangsta Boo” Feat. Lil Tjay
With co-signs from Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice being crowned the People’s Princess is indisputable. Although the Bronx rapper found crossover success thanks to her guest verse on “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2,” Spice’s innovation in the drill scene shouldn’t be dismissed. As her first solo track to land on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Gangsta Boo” featuring Lil Tjay is the pop drill pocket Spice thrives in. Containing a sample of Diddy’s 2002 cult-classic song “I Need a Girl (Part 2),” an infectious chorus, and a fiery guest verse — it’s a sleeper hit. After the video shoot was canceled due to Tjay’s arrest, Spice moved on from promoting the song. However, it will live on far beyond her EP’s shelf life. –Flisadam Pointer
Lana Del Rey – “Let The Light In” Feat. Father John Misty
While Lana Del Rey’s newest album has plenty of fan-favorite standouts to choose from, it’s her collaboration with longtime buddy Father John Misty on “Let The Light In” that stands out. The harmonies highlight just how well she works with folksier artists — similar to 2017’s “Tomorrow Never Came” with Sean Ono Lennon. In this breezy song’s unique dynamic, Lana and FJM go back and forth before she decides, “Screw it, maybe you should and record some other songs.” This, coupled with the fact countless TikTok edits are set to the “love to love to love you / hate to hate to hate you” part, results in another modern classic from one of this generation’s most acclaimed songwriters. – Lexi Lane
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”
Miley Cyrus’ The career-best No. 1 single finds Cyrus rewriting Julia Roberts’ iconic Notting Hill line. Why stand in front of a boy, asking him to love her, when she can “love me better than you can”? Cyrus has been this individualistically empowered for a decade. It just took everyone else this long to meet her there. – Megan Armstrong
Militarie Gun – “Do It Faster”
Some songs just have it. “Do It Faster” by Militarie Gun is one of them. It has the adrenaline, the post-hardcore invigoration, the catchy hook to scream wherever you are in the mosh pit: “I don’t care what you do / Just do it faster,” Ian Shelton shouts. It has their signature barks to be emitted in unison; it has a less-than-two-minute run time that leaves no room for messing around. It’s an all-in ripper for anarchy, a call to immediate fervor. – Danielle Chelosky
Nicki Minaj – “Red Ruby Da Sleeze”
The truth is, Nicki Minaj isn’t slowing down anytime soon. When she teased a minute-long snippet of “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” in February with the Lumidee “Never Leave You (Uh Oh)” sample, it was highly anticipated. “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” checks off all the boxes that make a rap song great in this era of music: top-tier production (shout out to Go Grizzly, Cheeze Beatz & Tate Kobang), a nostalgic Y2K sample, a catchy melodic hook, masterful lyricism, and memorable Instagram-ready bars like, “Shout out to hoes that’s watchin’ me like Movados.” Nicki is playing the role of rapper, singer, and featured artist on this standout, resulting in a bold boost of confidence to the soul of all who listen. No, slowing down isn’t in the plans. “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” is merely a cute reminder that “bad gyal don’t die.” – Cherise Johnson
PinkPantheress & Ice Spice – “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2”
Breakout stars PinkPantheress and Ice Spice kicked off the year proving they were the ones to watch in 2023. With PinkPantheress’ painfully relatable account of a dishonest ex, and Ice’s punchy bars reminding us why she stays on his mind, the song has proven inescapable. Whether you’ve heard the song in the club or discovered it on one of many viral TikToks, you can’t help but shake your “duh-duh-duh” when “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2” comes on. – Alex Gonzalez
Tyler The Creator – “Dogtooth”
Over the course of Tyler The Creator’s 10-year career in hip-hop, we’ve heard him angry, boastful, depressed, dismissive, gleefully defiant, introspective, and occasionally even impressed, but on “Dogtooth,” we finally hear him truly, ridiculously in love. Amid boasts about his luxury rides and snide jabs at phony would-be hangers-on, Tyler, at last, drops the facade of uncaring stoicism to simp out for his lady love for a minute, boasting “My girl look like Zazie Beetz and Kelis.” – Aaron Williams
Victony – “Soweto (Remix)” Feat. Don Toliver & Rema
With afrobeats’ increased presence in the mainstream light, fans of the genre have often been critical of the crossover collaborations, often in the form of remixes, that have been used to boost songs. It’s happened with records like “Essence” and “Calm Down,” but not with Victony’s hit record “Soweto.” That song, off his 2022 Outlaw EP, grew to prominence after it went viral on TikTok, and its remix with Don Toliver and Rema kept it close to its roots while simultaneously introducing it to a new audience. Rema’s verse on the remix has been memorized from start to finish by fans for what is now one of this year’s most well-received features and Don Toliver fits like a glove on the song’s new take to make it a textbook example of how crossover remixes should be done. – Wongo Okon
Wednesday – “Chosen To Deserve”
Part rock anthem and part teenaged dirtbag confessional, this is Karly Hartzman looking back on every bad decision she made in adolescence and concluding that she still deserves the world. But the words aren’t pushed to the forefront — it’s the crunching power chords borrowed from Southern rock gods Drive-By Truckers and that lifesaving pedal steel lick wafting throughout like a breeze on a sticky summer afternoon that immediately commands your attention. And, then on the 20th listen, Hartzman’s memoir finally lands a devastating blow. – Steven Hyden
Zach Bryan – “Dawns” Feat. Maggie Rogers
The meteoric rise of Zach Bryan during the pandemic era has been impressive to witness, especially as he operates far outside the normal country playbook. He generally eschews interviews, has licensed about 7000 songs to Yellowstone, and has hit both the top 10 on the Hot 100 and the top line of multi-genre festival lineups. But while his sound veers closer to the outlaw lane, this one-off collaboration with Maggie Rogers isn’t really a country song at all, showing the range and possibility for a young artist that doesn’t have expectations yet to defy. But while the male-female vocal tradeoffs and driving string section underscore the song’s emotional pull, it’s in Bryan’s words that he demonstrates his power, evoking his mother’s death, his relationship’s disillusion, religion, and the passing of time. Bryan is turning out great songs by the dozen these days, but “Dawns” is one of his best yet. – Philip Cosores
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ever since Elon Musk took over at Twitter, things have been going… not awesome. Now, there’s another wrinkle: The social media platform is being sued for $250 million by a group of 17 music publishers, The New York Times reports.
The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court in Nashville yesterday (June 14) and it alleges that Twitter is in violation of copyright law due to users posting music on the platform without permission.
David Israelite, the president of the trade group National Music Publishers’ Association, said in a statement, “Twitter stands alone as the largest social media platform that has completely refused to license the millions of songs on its service.”
Twitter was previously in negotiations with the music industry for licensing agreements, but negotiations broke down months ago.
The suit asks for statutory damages of up to $150,000 each for around 1,700 infringed works, which adds up to about $250 million.
A tweet cited in the suit is a popular post that uses two minutes of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” video. The lawsuit also makes note of “music publishers’ attempts to notify Twitter about infringement through the protocol outlined in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act” (DMCA), but how Twitter regularly either delayed or failed to act on the notices.
The suit makes mention of specific Musk tweets from 2022 about copyright and the DMCA, in which he wrote, “Current copyright law in general goes absurdly far beyond protecting the original creator,” and, “Overzealous DMCA is a plague on humanity.”
Current copyright law in general goes absurdly far beyond protecting the original creator
Daft Punk hung up their robot helmets and officially broke up years ago, but they’ve been in the news lately as they celebrate the tenth anniversary of their final album, Random Access Memories. The campaign has included a scavenger hunt and previously unreleased songs, and now they’re rolling out a series of mini-documentaries, focused on the collaborators who helped bring the album to life.
The duo started sharing installments, which run from 7 to 12 minutes in length, last week and have posted new videos daily since. There are seven episodes as of this post, and in a recent one, Pharrell reminisces about what it was like to first meet and work with the duo.
As DMY notes, the interview clips were originally recorded in 2013, during the making of the album. In the video, Pharrell explained that he first saw the duo (“the robots,” as he refers to them throughout) at a Madonna party, where Pharrell expressed a keen interest in working with the pair. Eventually, they met up in Paris, where Pharrell noted that he was in a Nile Rodgers phase at the moment. Daft Punk then played Pharrell a song they were working on, which had guitar from Rodgers. (The song? “Get Lucky.”)
Pharrel then noted that the duo gave him a tablet dissolved in water, which gave him a burst of energy. By the time he got back on the plane, though, Pharrell had “forgotten everything,” which had him wondering if the pair pulled a Men In Black memory erasure on him.
On May 10, Beyoncé kicked off her Renaissance World Tour in Stockholm, Sweden. Michael Grahn, Danske Bank’s chief economist in Sweden, is now claiming that the pop star had an impact on inflation purely by stopping by.
According to Politico, new data from Statistics Sweden shows a 0.3-percent rise from April to May. This is sparked by “a broad set of goods and services, for instance, hotel and restaurant visits” and “recreational services,” which the publication notes as including concert ticket purchases.
“Beyoncé’s start of her world tour in Sweden seems to have colored May inflation. How much is uncertain, but probably 0.2 p.p. of the 0.3 p.p. that hotels/restaurants added,” Grahn said. “We expect this upside surprise to be reversed in June as prices on hotels and tickets reverse back to normal.”
However, the publication pushed back against Grahn’s statement, pointing out that large concerts or sports events can boost hotel prices and other costs in towns, but this does not stay permanently or affect the entire country.
Politico goes on to showcase another example of this, using the Roland-Garros tennis tournament in Paris as an example, which caused hotel prices to rise by 4.3 percent. Beyoncé also held a concert in Paris during her current European tour and the situation was similar.
Doja Cat fans are thirsty for new music, which is arriving soon. Today (June 14), she finally gave fans a taste of what to expect from her impending new era.
Her new single, “Attention,” drops this Friday, and is believed to be the lead single from her upcoming fourth album. In a clip shared on social media, Doja is seen arriving to a red carpet, which is filled with fans and photographers. She is seen sporting a shorter hairdo, which she began rocking last summer, and it looks like she will maintain this aesthetic over the course of the album cycle.
Though a snippet of new music can be heard for only a few seconds, it sounds like Doja may be taking on a more rock-influenced sound. Over rattling percussion, Doja raps “Look at me, look at me / You lookin’?”
Doja has been teasing the follow-up to Planet Her for the past few months now, but it’s not clear what the sound will consist of. She’s previously suggested that her fourth album will have a punk sound, as well as a pure rap sound, and even an EDM sound, so it could go in any direction at this point.
You can check out the “Attention” teaser clip above.
