The Recording Academy

The Recording Academy Adds Three New Grammy Categories Including Best African Music Performance

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The 2022 Grammys Move to Las Vegas, Set April 3 Date

The Recording Academy has made significant changes for the upcoming 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Three new categories have been added, including Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording.

Moreover, the categories of Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical, have been moved to the General Field, allowing all GRAMMY voters to participate. These decisions were made at the Recording Academy’s recent Board of Trustees meeting in May 2023, reflecting their commitment to inclusivity and recognizing diverse musical genres. Stay tuned for more updates on the highly anticipated awards ceremony.

“The Recording Academy is proud to announce these latest Category changes to our Awards process. These changes reflect our commitment to actively listen and respond to the feedback from our music community, accurately represent a diverse range of relevant musical genres, and stay aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “By introducing these three new Categories, we are able to acknowledge and appreciate a broader array of artists – and relocating the Producer Of the Year and Songwriter Of The Year Categories to the General Field ensures that all our voters can participate in recognizing excellence in these fields. We are excited to honor and celebrate the creators and recordings in these Categories, while also exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide.”

Descriptions for the new categories are below:

Best African Music Performance

A track and singles Category that recognizes recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent. Highlighting regional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic musical traditions, the Category includes but is not limited to the Afrobeat, Afro-fusion, Afro Pop, Afrobeats, Alte, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Genge, Kizomba, Chimurenga, High Life, Fuji, Kwassa, Ndombolo, Mapouka, Ghanaian Drill, Afro-House, South African Hip-Hop, and Ethio Jazz genres.

Best Pop Dance Recording

Recognizes tracks and singles that feature up-tempo, danceable music that follows a pop arrangement. Eligible Pop Dance recordings also feature strong rhythmic beats and significant electronic-based instruments with an emphasis on the vocal performance, melody and hooks. Dance remixes are eligible in the Best Remixed Recording Category only and may not be entered in Best Pop Dance Recording.

Best Alternative Jazz Album

This Category recognizes artistic excellence in Alternative Jazz albums by individuals, duos and groups/ensembles, with or without vocals. Alternative Jazz may be defined as a genre-blending, envelope-pushing hybrid that mixes jazz (improvisation, interaction, harmony, rhythm, arrangements, composition, and style) with other genres, including R&B, Hip-Hop, Classical, Contemporary Improvisation, Experimental, Pop, Rap, Electronic/Dance music, and/or Spoken Word. It may also include the contemporary production techniques/instrumentation associated with other genres.

The post The Recording Academy Adds Three New Grammy Categories Including Best African Music Performance appeared first on The Source.

Drake Joked About His Grammys Beef While Honoring Lil Wayne At The 2023 Recording Academy Honors

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Drake has a strained relationship with the Grammy Awards. For instance, he dissed the Grammys onstage at the Grammys in 2019 and he later withdrew his 2022 nominations. Now, he has made light of the situation while honoring Lil Wayne at a Recording Academy event.

Last night (February 2) was the Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective at Hollywood Palladium, where Wayne and Missy Elliott were given the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, Drake honored Wayne with a video message, which he started, “Good evening, Grammys. Well, I haven’t gotten to say that since 2016.”

He continued, “Lil Wayne… I love you so much. I know I probably get annoying with saying how much you mean to me and my family, but I think I speak on behalf of everybody when I say that our careers, our cadences, our melodies, maybe our face tats or our outfits or our decisions in general would not have been the same without your natural gift to just be yourself.”

Wayne gave a touching speech of his own, saying in part, “I want you all to know that I don’t get honored. Where I’m from, New Orleans, you’re not supposed to do this. I walked into my mama’s room when I was 14. She asked me for a kid because my dad was killed. And her son had just blown up and went on his first tour. When I came home she said, ‘Son, I can’t live in this house by myself. We’re going to have to figure something out.’ “I’d like to thank Antonia Johnson [his first child’s mother] for reasoning with me and my mom, and my life. I’d like to thank every single one of my kids and every single one of their mothers.”

Deion Sanders also honored Wayne with a video message and 2 Chainz, Swizz Beatz, and Tyga closed the show by performing some Wayne songs.

JAY-Z Rumored as Performer at 2023 GRAMMYs

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JAY-Z Rumored as Performer at 2023 GRAMMYs

JAY-Z is rumored to return to the Grammys Stage. Hits Daily Double reports Hov is set to take the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to perform for the show.

Hov’s appearance is rumored to potentially show up during DJ Khaled’s set, to deliver his 2022 Verse of the Year candidate from “GOD DID.”

Additional rumored performances are Bad Bunny and Harry Styles. Big nominees like Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift are believed to not be booked to perform at the show.

As for the nominations, the category of Best Rap Performance features active legends like JAY-Z and Kendrick Lamar and rising stars like GloRilla and Gunna.

“God Did” – DJ Khaled Feat. JAY-Z, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, John Legend & Fridayy
“Vegas” – Doja Cat
“Pushin P” – Gunna Feat. Future
“F.N.F.” – GloRilla
“The Heart Pt 5” – Kendrick Lamar

Beyoncé’s Renaissance album has established a placement in the Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Dance/Electronic Recording categories.

Renaissance – Beyonce
Fragments – Bonobo
Diplo – Diplo
Last Goodbye – Odesza
Surrender – Rufus Du Sol

“Break My Soul” – Beyonce
“Rosewood” – Bonobo
“Don’t Forget My Love” – Diplo & Miguel
“I’m Good (Blue)” – David Guetta & Bebe Rexha
“Intimidated” – Kaytranada Feat. Her
“On My Knees” – Rufus Du Sol

Bringing the melodies to rap, DJ Khaled returns, this time with SZA and Future alongside him. Future doubles down in the category of “Wait For You.” Latto, Kendrick Lamar, And Jack Harlow all join in.

“Beautiful” – DJ Khaled Feat. Future and SZA
“Wait For U” – Future Feat. Drake & Tems
“First Class” – Jack Harlow
“Die Hard” – Kendrick Lamar Feat. BLXST & Amanda Reifer
“Big Energy” – Latto

For Best Rap Song, DJ Khaled’s “GOD DID” returns, while Kendrick, Future, and Drake all make their presence felt.

The best Rap album category features DJ Khaled, Future, Jack Harlow and more.

GOD DID – DJ Khaled
I NEVER LIKED YOU – Future
Come Home The Kids Miss You – Jack Harlow
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar
It’s Almost Dry – Pusha T

Song of the Year is a battle between DJ Khaled, Adele, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo, and more.

“abcdefu” – Gayle
“About Damn Time” – Lizzo
“All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” – Taylor Swift
“As It Was” – Harry Styles
“Bad Habit” – Steve Lacy
“Break My Soul” – Beyonce
“Easy On Me” – Adele
“God Did” – DJ Khaled
“The Heart Pt 5” – Kendrick Lamar
“Just Like That” – The Bonnie Ratt

The Best R&B performance is headlined by Beyonce’s “Virgo Groove” and Muni Long’s “Hrs and Hrs.” Beyonce joins Snoh Allegra, Jasmine Sullivan, and Mary J. Blige in the Best Traditional R&B Performance category.

“Virgo’s Groove” – Beyonce
“Over” – Lucky Daye
“Hurt Me So Good” – Babyface Feat. Ella Mai
“Here With Me” – Adam Blackstone Feat. Jazmine Sullivan
“Hrs & Hrs” – Muni Long

“Cuff It” – Beyonce
“Good Morning Gorgeous” – Mary J. Blige
“Hrs & Hrs” – Muni Long
“Hurt Me So Good” – Jazmine Sullivan
“Please Don’t Walk Away” – PJ Morton

Muni Long and Latto are among those nominated for Best New Artist.

Anitta
Omar Apollo
Domi & JD Beck
Muni Long
Samara Joy
Latto
Måneskin
Molly Tuttle
Wet Leg
Tobe Nwigwe

The post JAY-Z Rumored as Performer at 2023 GRAMMYs appeared first on The Source.

‘Roblox’ And The Recording Academy Are Hosting A Grammys Week With A Performance And Other Virtual Events

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Roblox has increased its standing in the music world lately, from hosting a Lil Nas X concert to draining Cardi B’s bank account. Now the video game is going to have a Grammys presence, too, as they and the Recording Academy are teaming up for a Grammy Week on the platform.

The Las Vegas-themed experience (since the Grammys will be in Vegas for the first time this year) goes down virtually from March 30 to April 3 and will feature “artist avatar meet & greets, chats, mini games, prizes,” and a performance from Camilo, making him the first Laton artist to perform on Roblox.

Camilo says of the performance, “When Roblox approached me, I immediately got very excited because this was the first time in my life that I would be doing something like this. I’m also grateful that I’ll be able to bring this unique experience to La Tribu, especially during Grammy Week. I was already incredibly honored to be one of this year’s nominees, and to perform in a completely new way in the Metaverse, brings it to a whole new level. I can’t wait!”

Camilo is among this year’s Grammy nominees, as Mis Manos is up for Best Latin Pop Album.

Panos A. Panay, Co-President of the Recording Academy, also noted, “We are thrilled to partner with Roblox for our first-ever official Grammy Week experience in the Metaverse. We are always looking to innovate and reach music lovers wherever they are, and there is no better partner for us to accomplish this than Roblox. Online gaming platforms are quickly becoming one of the most important music discovery channels for tens of millions of fans. As an Academy, it’s our priority to continue broadening where and how our members connect with audiences around the world. Plus, my 8-year-old twin daughters think this is amazing.”

Jon Vlassopulos — vice president, global head of music of Roblox — also said, “The Grammy Awards are iconic and we’re delighted to bring the hottest music show of the year to fans across the globe. We’re thrilled to be featuring Camilo, our first Latin virtual concert performer on Roblox, giving the community new music and genres to discover.”

Find the full list of 2022 Grammy nominations here.

The 2022 Grammys Are Now Set For April In Las Vegas

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It was revealed earlier this month that the 2022 Grammy Awards had been postponed due to concerns about the Omicron variant of COVID-19. A new date wasn’t revealed at the time, but now it has been set: The event is now set to take place on April 3, as Variety reported and The Recording Academy later confirmed. Furthermore, the ceremony has been moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from its original venue, Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. The new venue (which has 17,000 seats) is one the Academy knows well, as the 2021 Latin Grammys were just hosted there in November.

Details about other official Grammy Week events — like the Premiere Ceremony, the MusiCares Person Of The Year benefit concert (in honor of Joni Mitchell this year), and the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala (honoring Sony Music’s Rob Stringer) — will be announced soon. The CMT Awards were originally scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand on that date, but the event will be moved to a later date in April.

This marks the second year in a row that the Grammys were forced to postpone, as the 2021 event was also pushed back due to coronavirus concerns.

Find the full list of this year’s Grammy nominees here.

This post is being updated.

The 2022 Grammys Are Officially Postponed

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In recent days, there have been rumors that the 2022 Grammy Awards would be postponed, and now, it is official: The Recording Academy has confirmed that the 64th Annual Grammy Awards have been postponed, with a new date yet to be announced. This year’s ceremony was initially set to take place on January 31 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena.

The Recording Academy and CBS shared a joint statement on the Grammys website that reads:

“After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual Grammy Awards Show. The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31st simply contains too many risks. We look forward to celebrating Music’s Biggest Night on a future date, which will be announced soon.”

Find the full list of 2022 Grammy nominees here.

This post is being updated.

The Complete List Of 2022 Grammy Awards Nominations Features Cardi B, Lil Nas X, And More

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The 64th Annual Grammy Awards are not too far away now, as the 2022 ceremony is set to air on January 31 on CBS. Ahead of then, though, the Recording Academy has unveiled its list of nominees. (As a reminder, the eligibility window for the 2022 Grammys is from September 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, so only works released during that period are eligible for recognition.)

Check out the full list of this year’s Grammy nominees below.

Best Dance/Electronic Recording
Afrojack and David Guetta — “Hero”
Ólafur Arnalds — “Loom” Feat. Bonobo
James Blake — “Before”
Bonobo and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs — “Heartbreak”
Caribou — “You Can Do It”
Rüfüs Du Sol — “Alive”
Tiësto — “The Business”

Best Dance/Electronic Album
Black Coffee — Subconsciously
Illenium — Fallen Embers
Major Lazer — Music Is The Weapon (Reloaded)
Marshmello — Shockwave
Sylvan Esso — Free Love
Ten City — Judgement

Best Rap Performance
Baby Keem — “Family Ties” Feat. Kendrick Lamar
Cardi B — “Up”
J. Cole — “My Life” Feat. 21 Savage and Morray
Drake — “Way 2 Sexy” Feat. Future and Young Thug
Megan Thee Stallion — “Thot Sh*t”

Best Melodic Rap Performance
J. Cole — “Pride Is The Devil” Feat. Lil Baby
Doja Cat — “Need To Know”
Lil Nas X — “Industry Baby” Feat. Jack Harlow
Tyler The Creator — “Wusyaname” Feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla Sign
Kanye West — “Hurricane” Feat. The Weeknd and Lil Baby

Best Rap Song
DMX — “Bath Salts” Feat. Jay-Z and Nas
Saweetie — “Best Friend” Feat. Doja Cat
Baby Keem — “Family Ties” Feat. Kendrick Lamar
Kanye West — “Jail” Feat. Jay-Z
J. Cole — “My Life” Feat. 21 Savage and Morray

Best New Age Album
Will Ackerman, Jeff Oster and Tom Eaton — Brothers
Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kej — Divine Tides
Wouter Kellerman and David Arkenstone — Pangaea
Opium Moon — Night + Day
Laura Sullivan — Pieces Of Forever

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Cinema — Josh Conway, Marvin Figueroa, Josh Gudwin, Neal H Pogue and Ethan Shumaker, engineers; Joe LaPorta, mastering engineer (The Marías)
Dawn — Thomas Brenneck, Zach Brown, Elton “L10MixedIt” Chueng, Riccardo Damian, Tom Elmhirst, Jens Jungkurth, Todd Monfalcone, John Rooney and Smino, engineers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer (Yebba)
Hey What — BJ Burton, engineer; BJ Burton, mastering engineer (Low)
Love For Sale — Dae Bennett, Josh Coleman and Billy Cumella, engineers; Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone, mastering engineers (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga)

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Rogét Chahayed
Mike Elizondo
Hit-Boy
Ricky Reed

This post is being updated.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

R. Kelly’s Three Grammy Awards Will Not Yet Be Revoked, According To The Recording Academy’s CEO

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R. Kelly will be able to keep his three Grammy awards, for the time being. The Recording Academy’s Harvey Mason Jr. spoke to the Chicago Sun-Times and addressed rumors that the singer would have the awards revoked as a result of his recent conviction on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. “I think it’s something that we’re going to need to take a good hard look at, have a lot of conversations about, work through and make a decision,” he said. “But right now, I think it’s something that is going to take a little bit more consideration before we can really dictate or decide.”

Mason Jr. added, “My initial feeling is we’re probably not a business that we want to be in of taking people’s awards back after they’ve been given. But we’ll take a good look at it and see.”

Kelly received his three Grammys came back in 1997, when he won in three different categories for “I Believe I Can Fly,” his hit song from the Space Jam soundtrack.

The singer was specifically convicted on one count of racketeering and eight counts of sex trafficking, with each accounting for his violations of the Mann Act, a law that makes it illegal to move someone across state lines “for any immoral purpose.” The sentencing portion of the case will begin on May 4, 2022, where he faces between 10 years and life in prison.

Kelly was reportedly put on suicide watch after his conviction. His lawyer, however, confirmed days later that he had been removed from the categorization.

The Grammys Have Changed Their Rules About Album Of The Year Nominations

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After an especially rough year when it came to criticism, The Recording Academy is changing a number of things about the Grammys. They recently announced some changes, including the elimination of “secret committees” that decide on award nominees (The Weeknd is still boycotting regardless). Now, in the newly published rules and guidelines for next year’s 64th Annual Grammy Awards, the Academy has unveiled a number of other changes, including a significant one for the Album Of The Year category.

The “Rule Updates” section of the new rules and guidelines document notes that at this year’s 63rd Grammys, the “award credited artists, features artists, songwriters, producers, mixers, engineers with 33% playing time of the album.” Next year, though, the “33% playing time rule” has been removed, which means that more people who were involved in making an Album Of The Year winner will be recognized as Grammy winners.

For example, if these new rules had been in effect for the 2021 Grammys, Bon Iver would have won an Album Of The Year Grammy, as they were featured on “Exile” from Taylor Swift’s Folklore. Another historical example: In 2014, Pharrell Williams, Julian Casablancas, and Panda Bear also would have gotten Album Of The Year trophies for their work on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories.

There are more changes than that for next year, including the establishment of two new categories: Best Global Music Performance and Best Música Urbana Album. Find the full revised rules and guidelines document here.

The Weeknd Is Still Boycotting The Grammys Despite Their Recent Changes

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The Weeknd may never be nominated for another Grammy, but not because the quality of his work is about to drop off: After somehow being completely snubbed at the 2021 Grammys, the artist declared that he is boycotting the awards and will no longer submit his music for consideration. The Recording Academy has faced a ton of criticism over the past year-plus, but a few days ago, they announced “significant changes” to their voting process, including the elimination of “secret committees.” While The Weeknd thinks that’s cool, he says he’s still going to stick to his boycott.

In a statement to The New York Times, The Weeknd said, “Even though I won’t be submitting my music, the Grammys’ recent admission of corruption will hopefully be a positive move for the future of this plagued award and give the artist community the respect it deserves with a transparent voting process.”

Interim Recording Academy president/CEO Harvey Mason Jr. also offered a statement, saying the changes come as part of “a year of unprecedented, transformational change,” adding, “This is a new academy, one that is driven to action and that has doubled down on the commitment to meeting the needs of the music community.”

Meanwhile, The Weeknd doesn’t need the Grammys to lock down award nods: A few days ago, he racked up an impressive 16 Billboard Music Awards nominations.