The GRAMMY Award Update Center

Below is a list of changes to the Awards process for the 66th GRAMMY Awards Year.

Category, Field, and Criteria Updates

  • The number of final nominees in the General Field was reduced from 10 to eight for Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist.

  • Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical were added to the General Field and the number of final nominees for each of these categories is five.

  • The playing time eligibility for a nomination in Album Of The Year for featured artist (s), songwriters(s) of new material, producer(s), recording engineer(s), mixers(s) and mastering engineer(s) increased to 20 percent or greater playing time of the album.

  • The number of Fields was consolidated from 26 genre Fields and the General Field to 11 genre Fields and the General Field. The new Field structure is:

    General

    1. Pop & Dance/Electronic Music

    2. Rock, Metal & Alternative Music

    3. R&B, Rap & Spoken Word Poetry

    4. Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Instrumental & Musical Theater

    5. Country & American Roots Music

    6. Gospel & Contemporary Christian Music

    7. Latin, Global, African, Reggae & New Age, Ambient, Or Chant

    8. Children's, Comedy, Audio Book Narration and Storytelling, Visual Media & Music Video/Film

    9. Package, Notes & Historical

    10. Production, Engineering, Composition & Arrangement

    11. Classical

  • The Best Improvised Jazz Solo category was renamed to Best Jazz Performance and the criteria was amended. The award goes to all musicians who share in the creation of a single jazz recording.

    New Criteria:

    This category recognizes excellence in a performance by a jazz solo artist, collaborating artists, established duos, or groups, with emphasis on jazz improvisation and ensemble interaction. Jazz instrumental and jazz vocal tracks are both eligible.

  • The category Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) was renamed to Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) and the criteria was amended.

    New Criteria:

    This category recognizes excellence in recordings of Música Mexicana including all the styles: banda, norteño, corridos, gruperos, mariachi, rancheros, sierreño, jarocho, huasteco and huapango, as well as Tejano music. Eligible albums utilize a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content and/or musical presentation to create a sensibility that reflects the broad spectrum of música Mexicana and Tejano music styles and cultures. Albums with lyrics that are greater than 50 percent in Spanish or albums with music content that is primarily of a traditional Mexican music genre in style are eligible. The musical style is determinative not the ethnicity of the performer(s).

  • The category criteria for Best Music Film was amended by removing the greater than 50 percent performance-based material requirement, and a National Craft Committee was created to adjudicate the categories of Best Music Video and Best Music Film.

    New Criteria:

    This Category recognizes excellence in concert/performance films or music documentaries released for sale to the public for the first time or first appearing on television or online during the current eligibility year. This Category includes music-focused and individual music videos that together create a visual album (if videos are packaged and entered together as one cohesive film). While dramatic feature films and biopics are not eligible, films with fictional elements are eligible.

    Episodes from television/online series, award shows, music competition shows, fictional music films, and musical biopics are not eligible as music films. Nor are re-edited or repackaged old (more than five years from release date) programs compilations of music videos by various artists, or any video films or promotional clips that were eligible in a previous eligibility year or compilations of such. The addition of bonus material to an otherwise ineligible music film does not make the release eligible.

  • A new category was created in the Pop & Dance/Electronic Music Field: Best Pop Dance Recording

    Criteria:

    Pop Dance is generally uptempo, danceable music that follows a pop arrangement, featuring strong rhythmic beats, significant electronic-based instruments with an emphasis on the vocal performance, melody and hooks. Pop Dance is highly eclectic, borrowing influences from other genres and is generally suitable for a contemporary pop audience. Additionally, it is common for Pop Dance to be inspired by many sub genres of Dance & Electronic music, but be differentiated by vocals that are generally present throughout and high in the mix.

  • The category criteria was amended for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album.

    New Criteria:

    This Category recognizes excellence in recordings from established Dance and Electronic genres such as House, Techno, Trance, Dubstep, Drum & Bass, Electronica, as well as other emerging Dance and Electronic genres, with production and sensibilities distinctly different from a Pop approach. The Category is open to recordings specifically and originally targeted to the Dance and/or Electronic market, with significant electronic-based instrumentation generally based around a rhythmic dance beat.

  • The category criteria were amended for Best Dance/Electronic Recording.

    New Criteria:

    This Category recognizes excellence in recordings from established Dance and Electronic genres such as House, Techno, Trance, Dubstep, Drum & Bass, Electronica, as well as other emerging Dance and Electronic genres, with production and sensibilities distinctly different from a Pop approach.

    The Category is open to recordings specifically and originally targeted to the Dance and/or Electronic market, with significant electronic-based instrumentation generally based around a rhythmic dance beat.

  • A new category was created in the Latin, Global, African, Reggae & New Age, Ambient, Or Chant Field: Best African Music Performance

    Criteria:

    Eligible recordings include vocal and instrumental performances with strong elements of African cultural significance that blend a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content and/or musical representation found in Africa and the African Diaspora. The African Diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from native Africans or people from Africa, predominantly in the Americas.

  • A new category was created in the Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Instrumental & Musical Theater Field: Alternative Jazz Album

    Criteria:

    This category recognizes artistic excellence in Alternative Jazz albums by individuals, duos, groups/ensembles (large or small), 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. (Instrumental albums in the well-established Smooth Jazz style will remain in the Contemporary Instrumental category.)

  • The category criteria were amended for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

    New Criteria:

    This Category recognizes excellence in albums by jazz vocal soloists, duos, or jazz vocal groups (including small or large jazz vocal ensembles), and/or large ensembles featuring voice, with specific attention to the differentiating elements of the vocal performance/interpretation itself, and without limitations to language (Portuguese and Spanish included). Solo jazz vocal elements include improvisational phrasing, melodic-based improvisation (lyric, word, or scat), jazz style, and utilization of harmonic/melodic vocabulary found within the jazz genre. Ensemble jazz vocal elements may include rhythm/feel, harmony, inflection, improvisation, arrangement/writing, and phrasing.

    The vocal performance may be by a solo performer, duo, group (including large jazz vocal ensembles), or collaboration and may be in any language (including Portuguese and Spanish).

    If a vocalist(s) and an instrumentalist(s) are billed equally, both (or all) may be eligible for a GRAMMY. This determination, as with cases in which the co-billing involves a band as a whole, will be at the discretion of the Academy.

    An entire album entered in the Jazz Vocal Category may not be entered again in a Jazz Instrumental Category, even if the artist is shifted. If the vocalist(s) and instrumentalist(s) are billed equally, the Academy will determine the appropriate Category based on number of vocal tracks versus instrumental tracks; or, if the number of tracks is equal, the total playing time of the vocal versus instrumental tracks.

  • The category criteria were amended for Best Latin Jazz Album.

    New Criteria:

    This category recognizes excellence in Latin Jazz albums by ensembles of any size or orchestration (with added vocals or not), representing the blending of Jazz and improvisation with any Latin and Iberian-American music, Brazilian, and Argentinian tango music.

  • The category criteria were amended for Best Classical Compendium.

    New Criteria:

    For an album developed and united by an artist, composer, tribute, thematic idea, musical, or other unifying concept. Classical crossover projects and albums of at least 50 percent playing time of music that intersects various genres with Classical Music are also eligible in this category. Albums may embody historic, spoken, and/or documentary material, if those portions do not exceed 49 percent total playing time. Albums entered in Classical Compendium may not be entered in other classical categories, but individual tracks/pieces may be entered in other categories. Award to the artists, conductors, composers, and producers with 50 percent or more playing time.

Eligibility Requirements Update

  • All eligibly credited Immersive Producer(s) and Immersive Engineer/Mixer(s) are awarded with a certificate in every category where a producer or engineer would be honored (genre album categories, performance categories, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Historical Album).

  • The GRAMMY Award recognizes creative excellence. Only human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration for, nominated for, or win a GRAMMY Award. A work that contains no human authorship is not eligible in any Categories. A work that features elements of A.I. material (i.e., material generated by the use of artificial intelligence technology) is eligible in applicable Categories; however: (1) the human authorship component of the work submitted must be meaningful and more than de minimis; (2) such human authorship component must be relevant to the Category in which such work is entered (e.g., if the work is submitted in a songwriting Category, there must be meaningful and more than de minimis human authorship in respect of the music and/or lyrics; if the work is submitted in a performance Category, there must be meaningful and more than de minimis human authorship in respect of the performance); and (3) the author(s) of any A.I. material incorporated into the work are not eligible to be nominees or GRAMMY recipients insofar as their contribution to the portion of the work that consists of such A.I material is concerned. De minimis is defined as lacking significance or importance; so minor as to merit disregard.

Online Entry Process & Nominations Change Requests Update:

  • For each entry in the Awards’ Online Entry Process, the entrant is required to provide the UPC or ISRC number for the recording being submitted for GRAMMY consideration and to upload and confirm full track listing and final crediting of the recording.

  • At the time of submission, the submitter will receive a list of names they have submitted as eligibly credited. The submitter needs to acknowledge that the list is complete and may not be changed without additional qualifications.

  • After the submission period is closed during the Online Entry Process and before the nomination’s announcement, the submitter may send changes in the credits with the following required documentation:

  1. Affidavit that the change request has been verified to be true.

  2. Reason for the change.

  3. Submit updated (final) label copy.

  4. Confirmation that the credits have been updated across DSPs as applicable.

After the nomination’s announcement, the submitter may request changes in the original credits within the period of two weeks after the announcement, with: 1.) the required documentation</em>, 2.) a $200 fee per added name, and 3.) confirmation that the credits have been updated across DSPs, as applicable.

After the Telecast, there will be a deadline of one year from the date of the Telecast to make requests to the Awards Department for crediting changes/additions to nominated or winning albums, with 1.) the required documentation</em>, 2.) a $200 fee per added name, and 3.) confirmation that the credits have been updated across DSPs, as applicable.

</em>Please review the NOMINATION CHANGE REQUEST POLICY section of the Rules and Guidelines book for more details on required documentation.*

Craft Categories Update

Committee Update

  • The following five categories evolved from Regional Craft Committees to National Craft Committees:

  1. Best Instrumental Composition

  2. Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

  3. Best Arrangement, Instruments And Vocals

  4. Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

  5. Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical

Craft Field Update

  • A National Craft Committee for Best Music Video and Best Music Film categories were added. The first round of voting is in the hands of the General Voting Membership via the first ballot. The second round of voting, however, takes place in the National Craft Nominating Committee. The top 30 selections from the General Voting Membership in each Category appear on the ballot for the National Craft Nominating Committee to vote by confidential ballot to select the five nominations.

Below is a list of changes to the Awards process for the 66th GRAMMY Awards Year.

Category Updates

  • A new category was created in the Pop & Dance/Electronic Music Field: Best Pop Dance Recording

    Criteria:

    Pop Dance is generally uptempo, danceable music that follows a pop arrangement, featuring strong rhythmic beats, significant electronic-based instruments with an emphasis on the vocal performance, melody and hooks. Pop Dance is highly eclectic, borrowing influences from other genres and is generally suitable for a contemporary pop audience. Additionally, it is common for Pop Dance to be inspired by many sub genres of Dance & Electronic music, but be differentiated by vocals that are generally present throughout and high in the mix.

  • A new category was created in the Latin, Global, Africa, Reggae & New Age, Ambient, Or Chant Field: Best African Music Performance

    Criteria:

    Eligible recordings include vocal and instrumental performances with strong elements of African cultural significance that blend a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content and/or musical representation found in Africa and the African Diaspora. The African Diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from native Africans or people from Africa, predominantly in the Americas.

  • A new category was created in the Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Instrumental & Musical Theater Field: Alternative Jazz Album

    Criteria:

    This category recognizes artistic excellence in Alternative Jazz albums by individuals, duos, groups/ensembles (large or small), 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.

  • Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical were added to the General Field and the number of final nominees for each of these categories is five.

Nominations Updates for the 66th GRAMMY Awards

Each year, the Recording Academy makes adjustments to the nominations list as necessary after the list is first published. Common changes are often the result of updated credits and may include spelling corrections, title modifications, and the addition of nominees who were not included in the original submission, among other revisions. Again this year, we are making these updates public to ensure transparency and accessibility to the most up-to-date and accurate information.

  • Update March 13, 2023

CATGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/UN VERANO SIN TI/BAD BUNNY

  • Add the following producer and production team members:

    Bass Charity
    Luzian Gregor Tuetsch aka Nightlie
    Jorge Miguel Cardoso Augusto aka César Americo
    Feliciano Ponce Ecar aka Feli Ciano
    Harissis Tsakmaklis aka Drift boy

  • Add the following songwriters:

    Luzian Gregor Tuetsch aka Nightlie
    Jorge Miguel Cardoso Augusto aka César Americo
    Feliciano Ponce Ecar aka Feli Ciano
    Harissis Tsakmaklis aka Drift boy

  • Add the following sample songwriters:

    Chidera Godfrey
    Joseph Akinwale Eseani
    Lekan Adesina
    Feliz Gerardo Ortiz Torres
    Francisco Saldaña
    Victor Cabrera

  • Update the following songwriter credit:

    COOGANMICK Mick Coogan aka MICK

CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/RENAISSANCE/BEYONCE/PAGE 2/ENTRY 4

  • Add the following songwriter:

    Jameil Aossey

CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/KENDRICK LAMAR/MR. MORALE & THE BIG STEPPERS/PAGE 4/ENTRY 8

  • Add the following Engineer/Mixer:

    Sean Tallman

CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/SPECIAL/LIZZO/PAGE 4/ENTRY 9

  • Remove the following engineer/mixer:

    Bryce Bordone

  • Remove the following producer:

    Gavin Chris Tenille

  • Update the detail on sample songwriters (samplesngw) listed below with nominations removed:

    Christian Devivo
    Gavin Chris Tenille

CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/MARY J BLIGE/GOOD MORNING GORGEOUS (DELUXE)/PAGE 3/ENTRY 5

  • Update the detail on sample songwriters (samplesngw) listed below with nominations removed:

    Kim Owen (namecode KEM)
    Peter Skellern

  • Add the following sample songwriters:

    Amanda Flores
    Bryan Ponce
    Shawn Carter
    Douglas Gibbs
    Ralph Johnson
    Ellas McDaniels
    Willie Cobbs
    Dexter Wansel
    Cynthia De Mari Biggs

Update February 27, 2023

CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/RENAISSANCE/BEYONCE

  • Add Matheus Braz as engineer

Update January 11, 2023

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/RENAISSANCE/BEYONCE

  • Remove nominee, sample writer Kevin Marquis Bellmon

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/GOOD MORNING GORGEOUS (DELUXE)/MARY J. BLIGE

  • Update spelling of producer, Hostile Beats to Hostile Beatz

Update December 21, 2022

IN CATGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/UN VERANO SIN TI/BAD BUNNY

  • Change spelling of Leutrim Bequiri aka BYRD to Leutrim Beqiri (remove the U)

Update December 19, 2022

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/ RENAISSANCE/BEYONCE

  • Remove Jerel Black, songwriter

IN CATEGORY 80/BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, CLASSICAL/PERSPECTIVES/THIRD COAST PERCUSSION

  • Add Mark Alletag as an Engingeer

IN CATEGORY 1/RECORD OF THE YEAR/DOJA CAT/WOMAN

  • Correct spelling of Kelani Thompson to Kalani

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/ BAD BUNNY/UN VERANO SIN TI

  • The names in bold type below have been added to this entry.

  • Correct Mick to Martin Coogan

Un Verano Sin Ti

Bad Bunny

Rauw Alejandro, Bomba Estéreo, Buscabulla, Chencho Corleone, Jhay Cortez, Tony Dize & The Marías, featured artists; BYRD, De La Cruz, Demy & Clipz, Elikai, Hassi, HAZE, Albert Hype, La Paciencia, Cheo Legendary, Richi Lopez, MAG, MagicEnElBeat, Masis, MICK, Jesus Alberto Molina, Mora, Jota Rosa, SCOTT, Subelo Neo, TAINY & ZULIA, producers; Josh Gudwin & Roberto Rosado, engineers/mixers; Raul Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz, Kamil Assad, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, Julian Quiles Bentancourt, Leutrim Bequiri, Raquel Berrios, Abner Jose Cordero Boria, Marco Daniel Borrero, Joaquin Calderon Bravo, Harry Alexis Ramos Cabrera, Joshua Conway, Martin Coogan, Kaled Elikai Cordova, Orlando Javier Valle Vega, Jesus Nieves Cortes, Jose Cruz, Misael De La Cruz, Luis Del Valle, Scott Dittrich, Etienne Gagnon, Jason Garcia, Juan Diego Linares Gonzalez, Nicolas Jara, Ritchie Lopez, Steve Martinez-Funes, Marcos Masis, Michael Masis, Adrian McKinnon, Alberto Carlos Melendez, Jesus Alberto Molina, Freddy Montalvo, Gabriel Mora, Hector Pagan, Darwin Cordale Quinn, Tony Felician Rivera, Jose Raphael Arce Rodriguez, Joel Hernandez Rodriguez, Egbert Rosa, Roberto Rosado, Joselly Rosario, Elena Rose, Liliana Margarita Saumet & Maria Zardoya, songwriters; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/ MR MORALE & THE BIG STEPPERS/ KENDRICK LAMAR

  • Add Mike Larson, Engineer/Mixer and Johnny Juliano, Producer

  • Change Tyler Mehlenbacher to Tyler Reese

IN CATEGORY 3/SONG OF THE YEAR/ BAD HABIT/STEVE LACY

  • Correct misspelling of Brittany Fousheé to Britanny Fousheé

IN CATEGORY 64/BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA

  • Add the following compilation producers & music supervisor in bold type below to the Category 64 entries:

1. ELVIS

(Various Artists)

Dave Cobb, Baz Luhrmann, Jamieson Shaw & Elliott Wheeler, compilation producers; Anton Monsted, music supervisor

2. Encanto

(Various Artists)

Mike Elizondo, Tom MacDougall & Lin-Manuel Miranda, compilation producers

3. Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 (Vol 2)

(Various Artists)

Matt Duffer & Ross Duffer, compilation producers; Nora Felder, music supervisor

4. Top Gun: Maverick

Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe

Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga & Hans Zimmer, compilation producers

5. West Side Story

(Various Artists)

David Newman, Matt Sullivan & Jeanine Tesori, compilation producers

IN CATEGORY 91/BEST MUSIC FILM/BARN: A BAND A BROTHERHOOD A BARN/ NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE

  • Change film name to just BARN (remove a band a brotherhood a barn)

IN CATEGORY 1/RECORD OF THE YEAR/THE HEART PART 5/ KENDRICK LAMAR

  • Change Michelle Mancini to Emerson Mancini

IN CATEGORY 1/RECORD OF THE YEAR/ABOUT DAMN TIME/LIZZO

  • Change Michelle Mancini to Emerson Mancini

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/MR MORALE & THE BIG STEPPERS/ KENDRICK LAMAR

  • Change Michelle Mancini to Emerson Mancini

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/SPECIAL/LIZZO

  • Change Michelle Mancini to Emerson Mancini

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/UN VERANO SIN TI/BAD BUNNY

  • Change the spelling of Bentancourt to Betancourt

IN CATEGORY 25/BEST RAP SONG/CHURCHILL DOWNS

  • Change Ace G to Alex Ernewein, and BEDRM to Ryan Bakalarczyk

IN CATEGORY 76/BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM/BLACK RADIO III

  • Change Keith Lewis to Qmillion

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/RENAISSANCE/BEYONCE

  • Remove songwriters Jimi Stephen Payton and Andrew Richardson

IN CATEGORY 20/BEST R&B SONG/CUFF IT/BEYONCE

  • Remove songwriter Mary Christine Brockert

IN CATEGORY 89/BEST CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSITION/SIMON: REQUIEM FOR THE ENSLAVED/CARLOS SIMON

  • Add Marco Pavé as librettist

Update December 2, 2022

IN CATEGORY 9/BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC RECORDING/DAVID GUETTA & BEBE REXHA/I’M GOOD (BLUE)

  • Remove David Guetta and Timofey Reznikov as Mixers

  • Add Serban Ghenea as a Mixer

IN CATEGORY 20/BEST R&B SONG/MUNI LONG/HRS & HRS

  • Correct misspelling of Hamadi Aaabi to Hamadi Zaabi & move placement for alphabetization

Update December 1, 2022

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/RENAISSANCE/BEYONCE

  • Remove Freddie Ross from songwriters

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/30/ADELE

  • Add John Hanes to engineers/mixers

IN CATEGORY 71/BEST RECORDING PACKAGE/TAMUSI-KAVALAN CHINESE ORCHESTRA/ BEGINNINGLESS BEGINNING

  • Name spelling correction: Chun-Tien Hsia to Chun-Tien Hsiao

IN CATEGORY 71/BEST RECORDING PACKAGE/SPIRITUALIZED/EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL

  • Add Art Director: Jason Pierce

IN CATEGORY 79/BEST IMMERSIVE AUDIO ALBUM /AGUILERA /CHRISTINA AGUILERA

  • Add Immersive Mix Engineer: Mike Seaberg

  • Add Immersive Mastering Engineer: Mike Seaberg

Update November 30, 2022

IN CATEGORY 91/BEST MUSIC FILM/NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE/A BAND A BROTHERHOOD A BARN

  • Add “BARN:” to the beginning of the title of the entry, as well as commas after band and brotherhood.

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/MARY J BLIGE/GOOD MORNING GORGEOUS (DELUXE)

  • Remove Adriana Flores & Bryan Ponce from songwriters.

IN CATEGORY 83/BEST OPERA RECORDING/DAVIS: X – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOLM X/GIL ROSE

  • Add Joshua Conyers as principal soloist.

Update November 29, 2022

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/KENDRICK LAMAR/MR. MORALE & THE BIG STEPPERS

  • Remove Producer: The Donuts.

  • Add Producer: Timothy Maxie.

  • Add Songwriters: John Julian, Danny McKinnon & Ely Rise.

CATEGORY 1/RECORD OF THE YEAR/DOJA CAT/WOMAN

  • Add Tyler Sheppard & Kelani Thompson as engineers/mixers.

Update November 28, 2022

IN CATEGORY 69/BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTAL OR A CAPPELLA/MAGNUS LINDGREN, JOHN BEASLEY & THE SWR BIG BAND FEATURING MARTIN AEUR/SCRAPPLE FROM THE APPLE

  • Change Martin Aeur to Martin Auer in artist line.

IN CATEGORY 57/BEST GLOBAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE/MATT B FEATURING EDDY KENZO/GIMME LOVE

  • Change artist line from Matt B & Eddy Kenzo to Matt B Featuring Eddy Kenzo

Update November 22, 2022

IN CATEGORY 82/BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE/ADAMS, JOHN LUTHER: SILA – THE BREATH OF THE WORLD/DOUG PERKINS

  • Add The Crossing and JACK Quartet as part of the orchestra.

IN CATEGORY 81/PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, CLASSICAL/JUDITH SHERMAN/HUANG RO’S A DUST IN TIME

  • Correct misspelling on Huang Ruo’s name in Judith Sherman’s Producer Of The Year, Classical entry from Huang Ro to Huang Ruo.

IN CATEGORY 87/BEST CLASSICAL SOLO VOCAL ALBUM/STRANGER – WORKS FOR TENOR BY NICO MUHLY/NICHOLAS PHAN

  • Correct misspelling of Eric Jacobson to Eric Jacobsen.

IN CATEGORY 57/BEST GLOBAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE/AROOJ AFTAB FEATURING ANOUSHKA SHANKAR/UDHERO NA

  • Change artist line from Arooj Aftab & Anoushka Shankar to Arooj Aftab Featuring Anoushka Shankar.

Update November 21, 2022

IN CATEGORY 29/BEST COUNTRY SONG/TAYLOR SWIFT FEATURING CHRIS STAPLETON/I BET YOU THINK ABOUT ME

  • Change the artist line to Taylor Swift Featuring Chris Stapleton. There are no changes to the nominees.

IN CATEGORY 77/PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL/DERNST “D’MILE” EMILE II

  • Change Lucky Daye album title from Candy Drip to Candydrip

IN CATEGORY 77/PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL/BOI-1DA

  • Add featured artist to Silent Hill. Should now read: Kendrick Lamar Featuring Kodak Black.

IN CATEGORY 76/BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, NON-CLASSICAL/BAYNK/ADOLESCENCE

  • Add Engineers: Yonatan (Yoni) Ayal, Maxwell Byrne, Patrick Liney, Tim Nelson, Jock Nowell-Usticke, Aidan Peterson, Pierre Luc Rioux, Ike Schultz, Rutger Van Woudenberg

Update November 18, 2022

IN CATEGORY 72/BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE/THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS/BOOK

  • Add art directors: John Flansburgh, Brian Karlsson & John Linnell.

IN CATEGORY 91/BEST MUSIC FILM/NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE/A BAND A BROTHERHOOD A BARN

  • Change director “dhlovelife” to Daryl Hannah.

IN CATEGORY 74/BEST HISTORICAL ALBUM/FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP/TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

  • Add Lucas MacFadden as Restoration Engineer.

Update November 17, 2022

IN CATEGORY 70/BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTALS AND VOCALS/CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT/OPTIMISTIC VOICES/NO LOVE DYING

  • Remove arranger Cécile McLorin Salvant, and replace with arranger, Sullivan Fortner.

IN CATEGORY 25/BEST RAP SONG/JACK HARLOW FEATURING DRAKE/CHURCHILL DOWNS

  • Remove Jose Velazquez and Rogét Chahayed as songwriters.

IN CATEGORY 71/BEST RECORDING PACKAGE/UNDEROATH/VOYEURIST

  • Remove company name, Tnsn Dysn, initially submitted and replace with art directors, Joel Cook, Brandon Rike & Nate Utesch.

IN CATEGORY 72/BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE/BLACK PUMAS/BLACK PUMAS (COLLECTOR’S EDITION BOX SET)

  • Remove the company name, “Preacher”.

IN CATEGORY 2/ALBUM OF THE YEAR/BEYONCE/RENAISSANCE

  • Remove “From The Internet” after songwriter Patrick Paige II’s name as shown below.

IN CATEGORY 91/BEST MUSIC FILM/ROSALIA/MOTOMAMI

  • Add Karen Saurí Marchán and Christy Alcaraz Moyer as video producers.

IN CATEGORY 90/BEST MUSIC VIDEO/HARRY STYLES/AS IT WAS

  • Add Bryan Younce as video producer.

IN CATEGORY 90/BEST MUSIC VIDEO/ADELE/EASY ON ME

  • Add Jannie McInnes as Video Producer.

IN CATGORY 91/BEST MUSIC FILM/JUSTIN BIEBER/OUR WORLD

  • Add Michael D. Ratner as a video producer.

Award Process Updates for the 65th GRAMMY Awards

Category, Field and Definition Updates

Fields and/or Categories Added:

  • Best Alternative Music Performance is a new Category for singles and tracks in the Alternative Field

    • Criteria: This Category recognizes artistic excellence in an alternative performance by a solo artist, collaborating artists, established duo, or established group that embraces attributes of progression and innovation in both the music and attitudes associated with it. It is often a less intense version of rock or a more intense version of pop and is typically regarded as more original, eclectic, or musically challenging. It may embrace a variety of sub-genres or any hybrids thereof and may include performances that do not fit into other genre Categories.

  •  Songwriting is a new Field and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical is a new category in that Field

    • Criteria: This Category recognizes the written excellence, profession and art of songwriting for non-performing and non-producing songwriters. This category is for songwriters whose body of work released for the first time during the current eligibility year represents artistic excellence in the area of songwriting.  Award to Songwriter(s) with a minimum of 5 newly written songs in which they are listed as a non-performing, non-producing songwriter or co-writer.

  • Best Spoken Word Poetry Album is a new Category for the performance of poetry with or without music.

    • Best Spoken Word Poetry Album: This Category recognizes excellence in spoken word poetry albums. Spoken Word or Spoken Word Poetry is an oral poetic performance art that refers to the poem as well as the performers’ aesthetic qualities such as intonation, vocal inflections, rhythmic cadence and musicality. Albums of spoken word poetry with or without music collaboration or accompaniment, and instructional recordings are eligible. (If the recording has musical accompaniment but is primarily spoken word, the narrator would be eligible while the musical accompanist(s) may be identified in parentheses.)

  • Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media is a new category for video game score soundtracks which had previously been part of the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film, Television, Video Games, and Other Visual Media) Category.

    • Criteria: This Category is for scores and musical compositions within a video game or other interactive media. The Award would go to composers with at least 33% playing time of the album. This Category recognizes excellence in score soundtrack albums comprised predominantly of original scores and created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current video game, or other interactive media (AR/VR/portable devices, etc.), released within the qualification period. At least 2/3 of the musical tracks for the album must have been used in the shipped game product, as either in-game, live action play, or Cinematics within the video game or interactive media product. Album releases will adhere to the same timing guidelines delineated in the Music for Visual Media Field whereby the media product and the soundtrack album often are not in the same eligibility year. The Academy recognizes these timing discrepancies, evaluates them and adjusts accordingly. Eligible scores may include vocal coloring (not songs) when used in the overall texture of the composition, such as choral groups or solo voices with or without words or syllables.

    • Albums and songs that are released during the current eligibility period but belong to a visual media that will be released during the next eligibility period and after the deadline for the First Round of GRAMMY voting will have two options:

      1. Enter them during the current year in Categories other than the ones in the Music For Visual Media Field. They will not be eligible the following year in the Music For Visual Media Field if this option is chosen.

      2. Enter them the following year as long as they do not get entered in any Category during the current year. Albums will only be eligible in their respective Category: Compilation or Score. Songs will be eligible in Song Written For Visual Media. They will also be eligible in other song Categories as long as they fulfill the “track from a previous year is eligible” rule.

  • Best Americana Performance is a new Category for singles and tracks in the American Roots Music Field.

    • Criteria: This Category recognizes excellence in performances of Americana music: contemporary music that incorporates elements of various American roots music and vocal styles, including country, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B, and blues, resulting in a distinctive roots oriented sound that lives in a world apart from the pure forms of the genres upon which it may draw. While acoustic instruments are often present and vital, Americana often uses a full electric band.

 

Field and/or Category Amendments:

  • The Field name and album Category name have changed from New Age to New Age, Ambient Or Chant to acknowledge all the rich diversity of music represented in this genre.

    • Criteria: This Category may incorporate elements and influences from diverse musical genres to serve common artistic intentions and functional uses which may include a) creating a textural-focused atmospheric musical journey, b) forming soundscapes for relaxation, meditation, introspection or focus, c) fostering wellness or inner/spiritual awakening, or d) making devotional offerings. Recordings may include sacred as well as secular components; recordings of a spiritual nature may originate or be adapted from global sacred traditions or come from an intent that is universal in nature. The music may be improvisational and exploratory, emphasize texture and space, or be structurally composed including melody, rhythm, repetition, and themes. Music may be consonant or dissonant and may be contemplative and gentle, dynamic, or avant-garde. Vocal music is welcomed as well as solo or multi-instrumentals. Recordings may incorporate acoustic, synthesized, or environmental sounds.

  • Some language in the criteria for Best Compilation Soundtrack which had been removed has now been restored to recognize Principal Artist(s) and in studio Producer(s). 

    • Award To:  Principal Artist(s) with significant contributing performances, and/or in studio Producer(s) of a majority of the tracks on the album. In the absence of those, award to the individual(s) proactively responsible for the concept and musical direction of the album and for the selection of artists, songs and producers, as applicable. For albums consisting largely of preexisting masters, up to 2 album Producers and up to 2 Music Supervisors, per criteria. For albums consisting largely of new recordings, awards to the Principal Artist(s) with significant contributing performance(s) (Ensemble-Driven Casts in which performers have comparable musical and dramatic participation in the recording are not eligible); up to 3 Producer(s) (in extraordinary circumstances an appeal for a possible 4th will be considered); and up to 2 Music Supervisors, per criteria. Award also to the Engineer/Mixer(s) of greater than 50 percent playing time of newly recorded material.

  •  In the Best Musical Theater Album Category, lyricists and composers are eligible for any subsequent recordings of the scores.

    • Criteria: Award to composer(s) and lyricist(s) of greater than 50% of the score of a new recording of a musical theater work. If any previous recording of said score has been nominated in this category, the composer(s) and lyricist(s) of such shall be ineligible to receive an Award, but shall receive a Certificate. This Category is for recordings of the score of a musical theater work created to support an underlying dramatic intention or theme. This award honors excellence in the performance(s) in and production of musical theater recordings. Elements of the corresponding stage production should not be considered in evaluating the recording. Recordings of revues that reflect a dramatic theme, including those consisting of songs from the score of a specific musical theater work and those with scores comprised of pre-existing material re-purposed for said revue are also eligible.

  • In the Classical Field, the Best Opera Recording Category recognizes the composer and librettist for new recordings if the recordings is of an entire opera and if the composer and librettist each wrote 100 percent of the music and libretto of the opera.

  • In the Classical Field, the Best Classical Compendium Category recognizes the composer (and librettist/lyricist, if any) of greater than 50 percent playing time on the winning product of new works. Only composers whose music comprises 50 percent or more of the recordings made on the album shall be eligible to receive a statue. In the case of librettists/lyricists, only those who are the sole librettist/lyricist on the winning product, and whose lyrics comprise greater than 50 percent of the playing time on the product, are eligible to receive a statue.

  • Craft Committees in the Classical Field were created for: 1.) Producer of the Year, Classical, 2.) Best Engineered Album, Classical, and 3.) Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

  • The eligibility rule for Best Remixed Recording is clarified.

    • Criteria: This Category recognizes excellence in remixed recordings (“remixes”) where the remixer takes previously recorded and released material and creatively adds to, alters, or transforms it in such a way as to create a new and unique performance. The Category is not for “covers,” re-recordings, remastered releases of previously-issued recordings, or edits which are only a shortened version of a master recording for marketing or broadcast purposes. Also, the addition of a vocal performance by a featured artist without substantive change to the original music recording is not eligible as a remix. Singles or tracks do not have to be commercially released for sale or streaming if they have been released to clubs or radio in the U.S. for the first time during the eligibility year. Both the remixed version and the original version of the recording must be available to the Academy for judging purposes.

  • The Best Spoken Word Album is renamed as Best Audio Book, Narration And Storytelling Recording. It provides a home for audio books, along with narration and storytelling recordings.

    • Best Audio Books, Narration And Storytelling Recording: This Category recognizes excellence in spoken word albums (not including Spoken Word Poetry). Albums of audio books, storytelling, non-musical drama, sermons, narrations with or without music collaboration or accompaniment, and instructional recordings are eligible. (If the recording has musical accompaniment but is primarily a spoken work, the narrator would be eligible while the musical accompanist(s) may be identified in parentheses.) Recordings that accompany children’s picture books are eligible if the recorded content is non-repetitive and otherwise meets the requirements for an album entry. Recordings that feature song lyrics that are spoken or rapped are eligible in the appropriate genre Categories. Incidental talk or conversation in a studio used as an accent to a musical recording does not constitute a spoken work performance. Compilations or excerpts of previously broadcast radio or television shows, albums of sound effects, and albums of environmental recordings are not eligible in this Category.

Eligibility Update

For the 65th GRAMMYs®, albums must contain greater than 75 percent playing time of newly recorded (within five years of release date), previously unreleased recordings. To be eligible in a specific Genre Field, an album must contain greater than 50 percent playing time of the genre specified by the Field. A recording may not be in more than one specialized Genre Field. However, an album may be in one Genre Field while one or more tracks from the album may be in a different Genre Field.

Entry Requirements Update

The per-entry fee structure has been created which encourages entrants to consider the value of each entry and make mindful decisions to put forward work that they truly believe is GRAMMY-worthy. All professional and voting members of the Recording Academy will receive five (5) courtesy entries every year. Any member who would be burdened by the entry fees can request the fees be waived by reaching out to the Awards Department at awards@recordingacademy.com.

The per-entry fee structure is listed below:

PER ENTRY FEE SCHEDULE
Early Bird Pricing Standard Pricing Final Deadline Pricing
July 18 - July 31 August 1 - August 21 August 22 - August 31
Members $40 (after 5 courtesy entries) $75 (after 5 courtesy entries) $125 (after 5 courtesy entries)
Media Companies $65 $95 $125

 

Special Merit Award Update

  • Best Song For Social Change is a new special merit award for songwriters.

    This new special merit award recognizes the social impact of music. The award will be given to songwriters to celebrate the year’s Best Song For Social Change.* This award will recognize creators of message-driven music that responds to the social issues of our time and has the potential for positive global impact by disseminating messages in songs that promote public awareness and engagement in our most pressing social issues. The award recipient is determined by a Blue Ribbon Committee. (If the Blue Ribbon Committee does not believe any of the entries meet all the award criteria, then an award does not have to be given that year.) Songs released during the last five GRAMMY qualifying calendar years are eligible for consideration.

Full Calendar, Rules & Guidelines

The Board of Trustees ratifies all changes to the GRAMMY process each spring. Please click here to read the full Rules & Guidelines.