Grammys
The Weeknd Doubles Down on Grammy Boycott After Recording Academy Axes Nomination Review Committees
As Billboard reported in March, rank-and-file Grammy voters determine the final nominees in just 12 of 84 categories. In 59 categories, however, nominations review committees had the final say in determining the nominees. (The final nominations in the remaining 13 categories are determined by so-called “craft committees.”) The decision to end the committees paves the way for rank-and-file Grammy voters to have final say. In a statement to Variety, The Weeknd expanded on his break with the academy, describing the decision as a move forward, but not a solution. “The trust has been broken for so long between the Grammy organization and artists that it would be unwise to raise a victory flag,” he told the magazine, again saying he would not offer his music up for the awards...
Grammy Museum Marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month With Programs & Exhibits
Programs: Daniel Ho & Tak Matsumoto Henry Kapono Anoushka Shankar Yoshiki Mele Mei in L.A.: Honoring The Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Tradition – featuring Hawaiian artists Charles Brotman, Amy Hanaiali’i, Raiatea Helm, Jeff Peterson, Makana, and more Music of Waikiki – featuring Hawaiian artists Melveen Leed, Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, Danny Couch (of the Alii’s), Jay Larrin, Nathan Aweau (from the Don Ho Show), Bobby Moderow (of Maunalua), Kawika Kahiapo, Streetlight Cadence, Kimie Miner, and Na Hoa Mele Mei in L.A.: A Salute to Hawaii’s Grammy Nominees – featuring Kimie Miner, Kathryn Schulmeister, and Amy Hanaiali’I, plus Kalani Pe’a, Bobby Moderow Jr., Streetlight Cadence, Jeff Peterson, and more. Exhibits: Kī Hō’alu – Honoring the Hawaiian Slack Key Guita...
What New Grammy Rules Mean for Latin Music & The Latin Grammys: Analysis
The notion of a Latin committee was born precisely from the desire to showcase material that was exquisite but perhaps not commercial, and to avoid a default win for big crossover names. But as Latin music has become increasingly mainstream in the United States — and let’s remember that the Grammys honor U.S. releases — the need for a small committee to determine the fate of the music is less urgent. What remains to be seen is how this empowered voting body will act with Latin releases. Will they take the easy way out, voting primarily for those names they recognize? Our hope is that those who end up voting in the Latin categories are those who work within the genre and know its players. The reduction in the number of categories that can be voted on — from 15 to 10 —...
Recording Academy Votes to End Grammy Nomination Review Committees
“It’s been a year of unprecedented, transformational change for the Recording Academy, and I’m immensely proud to be able to continue our journey of growth with these latest updates to our Awards process,” said Harvey Mason Jr., chair & interim president/CEO of the Recording Academy. “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.” Ruby Marchand, the Academy’s chief industry officer, added: “As we continue to build a more active and vibrant membership community, we are confident in the expertise of our voting members to recognize excellence in music each year.” The biggest change is the elimination of nominations review committees in general and genre fields. (The gener...
Grammy Museum to Salute Blue Note Records to Mark Jazz Appreciation Month
Other programs in April will feature veteran artists Richie Furay, Tower of Power and Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. The latter couple won six Grammys as part of the Fifth Dimension and an additional award on their own with “You Don’t Have to Be a Star (to Be in My Show),” a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 in 1977. Here is the Grammy Museum’s April schedule for Collection:Live. All programs feature interviews and/or performances: April 8Celebrating Jazz Appreciation MonthEmmet CohenJulian Lage April 22The Beat FarmersRichie FurayT Bear aka Richard T BearTower of Power April 29Adam Ezra GroupMarilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.Michigander Spotlight Saturdays Series takeover by Elektra Music Group: April 3 – Chloe MoriondoApril 10 – LivingstonApril 17 – Brynn CartelliApr...
Grammy Awards Move to Monday for 2022 Awards Show
The Grammys have often aired on Sundays for the past 20 years, occasionally switching to Wednesday night, which was frequently when the awards ceremony took place in the ’90s. Incidentally, Jan. 31 was the original date of the 2021 Grammys before it was postponed to March 14 amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles in January. This year’s Grammys hit an all-time low in ratings, with just 9.23 million viewers and a 2.28 rating among adults 18-49 in Nielsen’s final same-day ratings. Viewership was down sharply from 2020’s edition of the music awards ceremony, falling 51 percent in terms of total viewers (from 18.69 million) and 58 percent in the 18-49 demographic (from 5.4 million). This story was originally published in The Hollywood Reporter. You...
The Weeknd, Drake, Nicki Minaj & More Artists Who Have Called Out the Grammys
Below, find 26 artists who’ve been critical of the Grammy Awards in recent history. The Weeknd The Weeknd decided to boycott the Grammys moving forward following his highly controversial shutout at the 2021 ceremony. The R&B superstar was thought to be a strong contender in the Big Four categories, including album of the year for his fourth LP After Hours, which spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as well as record of the year and song of the year for his blockbuster hit “Blinding Lights,” which broke Billboard chart records a year after its release. But on the morning of Nov. 24, 2020, when the 2021 Grammy Award nominations were revealed, The Weeknd’s name was nowhere ...
Rob Zombie Scores First No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart With ‘Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy’
Lunar’s arrival at No. 1 continues Zombie’s hot streak on the tally, as all seven of his solo studio albums have reached the top 10. It follows Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (No. 5 in 2016), Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor (No. 7, 2013), Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (No. 8, 2010), Educated Horses (No. 5, 2006), The Sinister Urge (No. 8, 2001) and Hellbilly Deluxe (No. 5, 1998). Of Lunar’s starting sum of 26,000 sold, physical album sales comprise 20,000 of that figure (CDs: 13,200; vinyl LPs: 6,500 and cassettes: 300). The remaining 6,000 were digital albums. The album’s CD sales were enhanced by the availability of a special edition of the set, packaged in a retro cardboard longbox. Lunar was also sold on multiple colored vinyl LP variants, helping the title debut ...
Dolly Parton’s 2019 MusiCares Person of the Year Gala to Air on Netflix
“I am so happy that Netflix is going to be showing the MusiCares tribute to me,” Parton said in a statement. “MusiCares has done so much for the people in this industry and continues to be a beacon of light for those in need. I am so proud and impressed with all of the great artists. It was such a joy and a humbling experience to be able to sit and watch all of the great artists singing songs that I had written or had been a part of. I am so thankful to the Grammys and the people that worked so hard to put this together, and I hope that you enjoy watching it as much as I did.” Parton was the first country star to be named Person of the Year. She was the seventh female solo artist from any genre to receive the accolade, following Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Cole, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin, ...
Recording Academy Decries Anti-Asian Hate in New Statement After Atlanta Shootings
Below, find the Recording Academy’s full statement in support of AAPI (Asian American/Pacific-Islander) communities following the Atlanta-area shootings: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a disturbing rise in discrimination against the Asian-American community. On Tuesday, March 16, a shooting in the Atlanta area left eight people dead. The Recording Academy is deeply saddened by this incident and denounces any and all hate crimes and asks the music community to stand together against these incidents. Every day, our work as creators demonstrates the power of diversity and the strength that comes when individuals from different backgrounds come together. Let’s continue to be a positive example for the rest of the world and work collectively to drive change. We encourage you to support ...
Cardi B Snaps Back at California Republican’s Criticism of Grammys ‘WAP’ Performance: ‘The Grammies Are PG’
Cardi had a very simple response to the Black GOP member who was trounced in his 2020 congressional race before joining the dozen Republicans trying to unseat democrat governor Gavin Newsom. “The Grammies are PG,” she tweeted. “That means parental guidance.Meaning is your job like it is to mine to my child to monitor what they watch.My performance was around 10 pm on a Sunday Your child should be in bed ready for school the next day why are they up watching Wap?” According to WFFA in Dallas, the FCC received around 80 complaints from viewers who thought the performance was obscene, pornographic, or as one viewer from Colorado reportedly opined, “as if they were dancing in a strip club.” The response to Webber followed up on Cardi’s celebration of t...
Megan Thee Stallion Thanks Haters for Pushing Her All the Way to the Grammys
“The fact that somebody telling me, ‘No, you can’t,’ made me be like, ‘Bi—, yes I can!'” the 3-time winner says in new video. Haters are Megan Thee Stallion‘s motivators, and they never stopped the “Don’t Stop” rapper from becoming who she is today: a three-time Grammy-winning artist. Before she took home three awards Sunday night — best rap song and best rap performance for her “Savage” remix, featuring Beyoncé, as well as best new artist — Meg previewed her “Road to the Grammys” in the latest “Hottie World” YouTube vlog. Grueling days of dance practice with famed choreographer JaQuel Knight led Meg to reflect on her even longer road to superstardom, as the mont...
