Streaming-only recordings now Grammy eligible

Image: Gotye and Kimbra with their 2013 Grammy Awards

PRESS RELEASE:

The Recording Academy has completed its annual Awards review and established new amendments and key dates guiding the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awardsprocess. Among other changes, the updates allow previously ineligible streaming-only works to be considered and limit the number of categories in which members may vote. The new guidelines go into effect immediately in the current-year Awards cycle.

“The GRAMMYs aren’t just peer-awarded, they’re peer-driven,” said Bill Freimuth, Senior Vice President of Awards for The Recording Academy. “Throughout the year, members of the music community come to us asking to make changes to the Awards process, and we work with them to figure out how those changes might work. I’m proud of this year’s changes because they’re a testament to the artists, producers and writers — the people who rolled up their sleeves to shape the proposals and, in turn, the future of the GRAMMYs. It’s exactly what they should be doing. It’s their award.”

To encourage members to vote only in those categories in which they are most knowledgeable, passionate and qualified, the number of categories in which Academy members may vote has decreased from 20 to 15, plus the four General Field categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist).

Additional changes include amending the Best New Artist eligibility guidelines; branching the Best Blues Album category into two distinct categories: Best Traditional Blues Album and Best Contemporary Blues Album; redefining and changing the name of the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category to Best Rap/Sung Performance; amending the number and type of music creators recognized in the categories of Best Choral Performance and Best Jazz Vocal Album; and procedural updates to the process of populating nominations committees.

For additional information regarding the changes approved by The Academy’s Trustees, visitGRAMMY.org.

The 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, at Staples Center in Los Angeles from 8–11:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Visit grammy101.comfor a complete timeline of awards eligibility and voting dates.