Grammys to increase nominees in top categories
The Grammys are making major changes to the top categories, signaling an increased emphasis on diversity from an organization that has been criticized in the past for its lack of female nominees.
In a letter to its members Tuesday, the Recording Academy announced that the Grammy Awards’ four biggest categories — album, song and record of the year and best new artist — will expand the nominees from five to eight.
Five artists have been the Grammys standard since the prizes were first awarded in 1959. The other categories will stay at five nominees.
The increase in the main categories “will better reflect the large number of entries in these categories and allow voters greater flexibility when selecting this year’s best recordings,” the letter said.
The change comes months after the 2018 Grammy Awards ceremony in January, which was criticized for the lack of women nominated in the night’s top categories. Only two female performers won awards during the live telecast, and Lorde, the only female artist nominated for album of the year, was not scheduled to perform, with Grammys president Neil Portnow claiming that there wasn’t time for a Lorde performance in his comments after the show.
Portnow also courted controversy with comments he made afterward to reporters, putting the onus on female artists to “step up” and gain recognition.
In response to the backlash, Portnow announced that the Recording Academy would create a task force to uncover unconscious biases and barriers that impede women in the music industry. He also said he will step down as the Academy’s president and CEO next year.