The Grammy's have been under fire the last few years. Mainly because Adele seems to win everything. So much so I feel like she might have won an award a year she didn't even record any new music. All jokes aside The Grammy's have had some issues with voter fraud. To demonstrate how outdated the Grammy's are up until this year the award sent ballots out via regular mail. You can already see where some of these issues have come from.
The Grammy's Get Some Updates
The recording academy released a long list of changes to the award show. They include giving songwriter's credit where credit it do. It allows songwriters to be nominated for Grammy of year if they contribute at least a third of the albums content.
The show also sets up special committees for ‘nomination review‘ for more genres outside of just the largest awards. You can read all of the changes from the academy below.
Grammy Awards Voting Will Now Be Online
For the first time, voting members will cast their Grammy Awards votes online rather than by paper ballot. This transition will provide greater flexibility for touring artists, eliminate the possibility of invalid ballots, and protect further against fraudulent voting. All voting members in good standing will be eligible to vote online in both rounds for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
Songwriters Now Recognized In Album Of The Year
Moving forward, all music creators (songwriters, producers, engineers, mixers, mastering engineers, featured artists) credited with at least 33 percent or more playing time on the winning album will be eligible to receive a Grammy in the Album Of The Year category. Previously, songwriters were not recognized in this category.
Nominations Review Committees Established For Rap, Contemporary Instrumental, And New Age Fields
Beginning this year, Nominations Review Committees will be created and implemented for the Rap, Contemporary Instrumental, and New Age Fields. A Nominations Review process was established in 1989 as an additional round of checks and balances to eliminate the potential for a popularity bias that puts emerging artists, independent music, and late-year releases at a disadvantage. Since then, Nominations Review Committees have been established across 15 awards fields.
Album Definition Expanded To Allow For More Inclusion In Classical, Dance, And Jazz Fields
To be eligible for Grammy consideration, an album must comprise a minimum total playing time of 15 minutes with at least five distinct tracks or a minimum total playing time of 30 minutes with no minimum track requirement. Prior to this amended album definition, the only delineation was 15 minutes and five tracks. The definition expansion allows for greater inclusion of music creators who produce longer pieces, particularly in the Classical, Dance, and Jazz Fields.
Amendments To The Music For Visual Media Field
As a general rule, only one version of a track is permitted for entry in the GRAMMY Awards process. Moving forward, an exception will be made in the Best Song Written For Visual Media category, allowing the film version of a track to be entered in the category, even if a different version of the track is submitted in other categories. In the Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media category, eligibility guidelines have been amended to require soundtrack albums for a Documentary or biopic to contain 51 percent or more of newly recorded music.
