On Oct. 24, the world' s leading society of music people laid some precious knowledge on students. At a career day held in partnership with The Hartt School of Music, Dance & Theater at the University of Hartford, Connecticut, young professionals attended an array of topical sessions featuring movers and shakers from across the music industry.

By the end of the day, they had learned how they can put roots down in a complicated, ever-shifting industry landscape — and not only grow, but flourish.

After welcome remarks by Nick Cucci, Sr. Executive Director of the Recording Academy' s New York Chapter, Cucci sat down with Dani Friedman, the hospitality coordinator for seven-time GRAMMY winners and 34-time nominees Coldplay.

Therein, Friedmani discussed how she got her start in the industry, as a former GRAMMY U Rep and an intern at "Saturday Night Live." She elaborated on how all of those experiences set her up for success as she embarked on her career.

Friedman also discussed the importance of establishing and maintaining connections within the industry as a person just getting their start. She also discussed how to position internship connections to make the most out of those relationships after they graduate.

"As someone who came into this world without any connections or guidance on how to get started, I think programs such as GRAMMY Career Day are invaluable to both high school and college students alike," Friedman says. "It' s so important to share resources available to them and I am so happy to be able to give back already at such an early point in my career."

Afterward, schools attended two out of three topical sessions:

The first was titled "Navigating the Music Industry: Recording Contracts, Publishing & Royalties." This session featured Lee Dannay, Head of A&R at Thirty Tigers and Michael Goldstone, owner of Mom + Pop Music. Students heard from Dannay and Goldstone about how important contracts are in the musical cog.

"We too, started out as high school students with a passion for music and dreams of working in the industry," Dannay said after the event, adding that the career day session "instilled a level of enthusiasm and confidence in the students that will be invaluable to them going forward."

During their panel session, the pair discussed what it means to be paid royalties for the music one creates. They also gave students a bird' s eye view of major and indie label experiences, touching on the differing structure in each environment. Their key advice? Beware of the words "in perpetuity" — and balance your job with hobbies and passions outside of work.

The second was dubbed "Empowering Artists: Artist Representation and the Live Music Experience." This discussion featured GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer/songwriter Nicole Zuraitis; and Kristina Latino, Owner, Cornerscape Artist Management.

During this session, students learned all the nuances of representing artists — how to shop them, prepare  to leverage their brand, and navigate the industry independently or with the partnership of a major label.

They also conversed about going to college versus jumping right into music, as well as the value of education and the unique opportunity that exists in the music industry to explore both paths concurrently. For example, as they posited, an English class will teach you the power of words — and those words can change the way you write a song. 

The third session was "The Musical Landscape: Digital Marketing & The Power of Social Media," which featured the participation of Jeanine McLean, President of MBK Entertainment, Inc. and Tone Stith, Artist/Songwriter (Chris Brown, H.E.R., Quavo, Ty Dolla $ign).

McLean and Stith spoke with students about digital marketing, the power of social media, and how those tools are used to create and leverage a creative' s brand identity.

As a singer/songwriter himself, Stith spoke to students about how he has used TikTok campaigns to showcase songs, engaging his fan base through social media. From the business side, McLean discussed utilizing new media as a branding tool. She explained how her team works with artists like Tone to leverage platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to build a brand.  

"Speaking with the students in an intimate setting was very effective because it allowed our time together to be very conversational," Stith says. "I was able to share my journey of being a signed artist and singer/songwriter, they were able to ask me questions and I was able to ask them questions about their career goals and dreams. We talked, laughed and it was awesome because there was a lot of talent in the room, so I took out my guitar and we had a mini jam session!"

The day ended with a group session called "Internships: What are they and why are they important? with Marcus X. Thomas, Esq, Chair, Music and Performing Arts Management, The Hartt School, University of Hartford — as well as Chadae Bowler, Marketing Professional at TIDAL.

Thomas and Bowler spoke to students about the aspects of an internship and the opportunities that an internship can provide for college students. As Chadae said, internships are the "entry point to learning about the system." Students were able to ask questions and get a feel for how they can use internships to explore any industry.  

All in all, the day was a smashing success — and these participants offered testimonials.

Said Thomas: "It' s incredibly significant for the Recording Academy to bring GRAMMY Career Day to the city of Hartford. Although New York is just two hours away, it can be challenging for many young people who aspire to have a music career to make it to the city and connect with the industry. By coming to Connecticut, the Recording Academy is making the business more accessible to eager students. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that this has the potential to be life changing.

"The University of Hartford is excited to partner with the Recording Academy on GRAMMY Career Day," he continued. "This is one of several innovative initiatives we' re working on at The Hartt School to foster stronger relationships with area high schools for the benefit of the students we all serve. I hope we inspire students to learn more about rewarding careers in the music business, whether they come to the University of Hartford, go to another school, or go directly into the industry. As an educator, I want to equip students to become lifelong learners wherever their 'classroom' may be."

Added Dannay: "Programs like Grammy Career Day bring tremendous value to high school students, not only shedding light on behind the scenes jobs, internships and future career opportunities, and ways to attain those opportunities, but perhaps equally important:-the personal insight and encouragement shared by the panelists today, showed the students that their dreams and aspirations are attainable."

Zuraitis chimed in as well: "The music industry is multifaceted with a vast amount of opportunities for people to work within it, not just on stage! Showcasing and empowering students to pursue internships and look outside the box for career opportunities within the music business is exciting. Sharing my personal story about working from the ground up for many years helps redefine what success looks like on every level, not just at the tippy top. Personal stories motivate students to pursue a difficult but ultimately rewarding career by seeing that dreams are attainable with tenacity, networking and kindness."

The Recording Academy commends all who made GRAMMY Career Day possible — and urges you to keep checking RecordingAcademy.com for more news on events like it!

2024 GRAMMYs: Hear Kristin Chenoweth, Christopher Tin, Mama Jan Smith & More Music Industry Leaders Discuss The Importance Of GRAMMY Voting

Managing your finances can be tricky — and establishing a pathway to financial security over the long haul, even more so. 

The Recording Academy's New York Chapter, in partnership with MusiCares, will host a webinar dedicated to demystifying financial planning as a vehicle for strong estate planning. Hosted by Lynn Gonzalez, Partner, Granderson Des Rochers, LLP, "Build Your Financial Foundations" will provide attendees with tangible takeaways related to managing your portfolio of assets throughout the duration of one's life and career. 

MusiCares and the New York Chapter hope that this financial planning information will encourage attendees to consider simple steps that they can take today to set themselves up for tomorrow. 

"Financial planning is crucial regardless of the business you’re in or whether you have written ten songs or 1000 songs,” says Nick Cucci, Sr. Executive Director for the New York Chapter. "It is the protection of your legacy and we hope that this webinar gives everyone some important advice on making decisions about your future."

The 60-minute webinar is open to all Recording Academy members and will be recorded and viewable on the Recording Academy's Membership YouTube channel as a partner program to the Mind Your Music Business program that MusiCares hosted in 2021. 

 "Build Your Financial Foundations" will be held at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Register here to attend.

Stay Connected To The Recording Academy With The My Academy Hub App: Access Key Deadlines, View Membership Information, Browse Official Academy Events & More

Since its inception, the Recording Academy has remained committed to inspiring and supporting the next generation of music creators and professionals via ongoing music education initiatives. Now, we're taking that commitment to the next level. 

Today, the Recording Academy proudly launched GRAMMY GO, a new online initiative offering innovative, industry-focused courses tailored for music creators and industry professionals from all backgrounds and experience levels. Launched in partnership with leading online learning platform Coursera, GRAMMY GO is the Academy's first-ever creator-to-creator platform that offers practical courses focusing on real-time industry developments and taught by leading music professionals and creators. 

Geared toward emerging and established members of the industry alike, GRAMMY GO taps into the Recording Academy's esteemed membership base and distinguished creator network to offer users a singular online learning experience informed by current-day industry dynamics. This unique approach sets GRAMMY GO apart from other online learning platforms.

"As an organization that comprises more than 20,000 of the world's most creative music professionals, we feel there is a massive source of knowledge that we believe is part of our mission, as an Academy, to help disseminate," Recording Academy President Panos A. Panay said in an exclusive interview. "We also view it as part of our purpose to use the Academy to help elevate other creatives and help them develop the skills they need to succeed in an ever-evolving industry. We bring a different orientation and a mission-driven purpose to what we're doing with GRAMMY GO."

"We're responding to what the needs are in the moment and across the industry," Jonathan Mahoney, Vice President of Online Learning for Grammy Global Ventures, adds. "We aim to explore the industry's needs, and then we'll build our offerings to answer those needs in real-time. That's one of the key differentiators fueling GRAMMY GO."

GRAMMY GO also accelerates the Recording Academy's ongoing global mission, while also reinforcing its commitment to music education — two core pillars that define the future of the Academy.

GRAMMY GO launches with "Building Your Audience for Music Professionals," a wide-spanning industry course taught by international music/marketing executive Joey Harris and featuring firsthand knowledge from past GRAMMY winners Jimmy Jam and Victoria Monét and 10-time GRAMMY nominee Janelle Monáe. The second GRAMMY GO course, "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song," launching later this summer, will focus on sharpening technological and audio skills for music producers of all levels. Taught by Howard University professor and GRAMMY nominee Carolyn Malachi, the upcoming specialization will include appearances by GRAMMY winner CIRKUT, three-time GRAMMY winner Hit-Boy, artist and celebrity vocal coach Stevie Mackey, five-time GRAMMY nominee and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., and 15-time GRAMMY winner Judith Sherman. Enrollment and pre-enrollment for both courses are now open.

In an exclusive interview below, Panay and Mahoney discuss the benefits and vision behind GRAMMY GO and the Recording Academy's year-round mission to bring music education and industry knowledge to creators and professionals around the world.

Learn more about GRAMMY GO and enroll now to the "Building Your Audience for Music Professionals" and "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song" courses.

Music education is at the core of the Recording Academy's year-round mission. How does GRAMMY GO expand on this core mission?

Panos A. Panay: Learning and community are key components of the Academy. The organization has been dedicated to learning and building communities around learning and creating since its inception. GRAMMY GO is a piece in a puzzle that helps complete the picture. It creates a seamless arc between the offerings and initiatives across the Academy as a whole: from the GRAMMY Museum at the K-12 audiences through GRAMMY U's efforts with emerging professionals and creatives and all the way through the work we do with Advocacy, MusiCares, DEI, the Latin Recording Academy, Membership, and the annual GRAMMY Awards.

GRAMMY GO is now the connective tissue that can create a bridge between all these initiatives across our wider organization. We aim to use it as a platform to both complete the loop and help close any gaps that may have existed. GRAMMY GO is meant to work harmoniously with everything across the Academy so that it collectively makes the organization even more impactful. 

Music creators and professionals already have several online education options available to them. What will set GRAMMY GO apart from these other platforms?

Panay: As an organization that comprises more than 20,000 of the world's most creative music professionals, we feel there is a massive source of knowledge that we believe is part of our mission, as an Academy, to help disseminate. We also view it as part of our purpose to use the Academy to help elevate other creatives and help them develop the skills they need to succeed in an ever-evolving industry.

We are entering the online music education space because we believe that there is often a gap between the more academic-oriented educational platforms that exist and the more practical-oriented knowledge for professionals to develop their careers or, even more importantly, to expand their careers in the industry. Our offerings, as a part of our partnership with Coursera, are geared toward both aspirants as well as professionals who are looking to take the next step in their careers.

The specializations are designed as learning platforms, to be taught by practitioners who are thriving in the music industry on a daily level today. What we're doing is driven by our purpose and the role that we want to be playing in both the industry and society at large as the Recording Academy.

GRAMMY GO on Coursera includes courses taught by Recording Academy members and featuring past GRAMMY winners and nominees. What does this access to the Recording Academy membership and network add to the GRAMMY GO experience?

Jonathan Mahoney: This is the Recording Academy's first creator-to-creator platform. The instructors are people who are thriving in their careers; they're doing it every day. We've got Carolyn Malachi, who's a Howard tenure track professor, but she's also an active producer who's constantly in the studio working. Joey Harris knows intimately how to succeed in the industry. He's taking his real-time knowledge and applying it to the lessons he's passing along. I see GRAMMY GO as a mentorship for and by the music community.

Panay: The Recording Academy is an organization developed by, ran by, and dedicated to the well-being of creatives. Beyond our celebration, advocacy, support, and inspiration for creatives, it's also our job to help give them the toolkits that they need to continue to succeed today. So we're taking that peer-to-peer model and applying it to the creator-to-creator model. 

Tell me more about the GRAMMY GO partnership with Coursera

Panay: Coursera is a leader in the online education space. By joining forces, we're bringing what the Academy does to a broader, global audience. Of all the partners out there, we felt Coursera best reflected our values and our approach and was the best partner for us to activate the mission of the Academy on a global level.

Imagine I'm an emerging artist or industry professional; let's say I'm a GRAMMY U member in college. Now imagine I'm an established member of the industry who's entering the 10th year of my professional career. Is GRAMMY GO for me?

Panay: Yes. I've been in the music business for 30-plus years, and I can tell you: The learning does not stop. When I completed the first GRAMMY GO specialization, there's impactful stuff that I learned. It's easy to put your head down as a professional, and you're working all day, every day. But lift your head up periodically, take stock and ask yourself, "How do I sharpen my skills? How do I invest in my skills so that I can continue to evolve at the highest possible level?" In that sense, we feel absolutely sure what we're developing is applicable to everyone.

Mahoney: We built this content with everyone in mind, including our Recording Academy membership, when we decided to make this our launch offering. We thought deeply about what would be appealing to our members. These initial offerings may work for our members, but at the same time, anyone can benefit from them.

Panay: If you've been a practitioner or a professional in some field, there is always a benefit to having somebody help you think about what you're doing instinctively in a very different way. Especially for creatives, things are so natural to them that they don't always stop to think about their own process. And sometimes you need somebody to help you unlock those different or unexplored perspectives. That's what GRAMMY GO offers.

Everybody can gain from more improvement; nobody is immune to growth. You could be Michael Jordan, but you still have a coach Phil Jackson on the sidelines to help you improve. If you're competitive, then every 1% improvement matters because that's your edge.

GRAMMY GO is like your coach in your pocket.

Panay: I like that.

Talk to us about some of the GRAMMY GO specializations being offered through Coursera. What are some of the future specializations going to focus on? And how are you selecting these forthcoming courses?

Mahoney: We're building content in an agile way so that we're responding to what the needs are in the moment and across the industry. We're taking a hard look at what we're going to build, but also how we're going to build it. We really want to be agile and quick and create valuable content that is also timely. We aim to explore the industry's needs, and then we'll build our offerings to answer those needs in real-time. That's one of the key differentiators fueling GRAMMY GO.

Panay: What distinguishes GRAMMY GO from a traditional academic institution is that we're nimble and we're able to adjust and adapt based on the various market dynamics that we, as the Recording Academy, have a front-row seat at witnessing. That's our approach: How do we use our immersion into the industry as a great gauge for the skill gaps that may exist? And how do we quickly move to fill that gap by tapping into our Academy membership?

Right now, there is complete equality around talent distribution yet complete asymmetry around the skills that are needed to help that talent reach its highest possible level. Our mission as an organization focuses on embracing and elevating all creators, irrespective of who they are, what language they speak, what passport they carry, or what music they perform.

What are some of the most valuable lessons or takeaways that users will learn from GRAMMY GO?

Mahoney: The "Building Your Audience" course is about finding your authentic self, building your brand identity around that authentic self, and figuring out who are your comparable inspirations and taking their lessons and teachings to use in your practice. 

With the "Music Production" offering, the lessons will vary for each user. If you're a beginner or completely new to music production, you're going to come away with the knowledge to be able to cut your first track. The whole goal of the "Music Production" offering is that you start out with nothing and you end up with a demo track that you can release or socialize. Now, if you are coming in as an intermediate and you've done something in the past, you'll focus on refining your craft, making it better, and enhancing it to the next level.

Panay: No matter who you are, no matter where you are — both in your journey or even your geographic location — you will get access to practical skills and impactful knowledge; there is something there that's worth investing your time and energy on. Learn as much as you want, learn on your own time, learn for however long you have, whether it's five minutes or five hours or five days. These offerings will take you from wherever you are in your journey to the next level.

Stay Connected To The Recording Academy With The My Academy Hub App: Access Key Deadlines, View Membership Information, Browse Official Academy Events & More

The Recording Academy is thrilled to announce the launch of the My Academy Hub mobile app, the official app for members of the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy. Enabling easy access to all your membership information and key resources, the My Academy Hub app is the ultimate tool for managing your Academy membership from anywhere, anytime — right at your fingertips. Plus, the app is the best way to stay connected to your Academy community. 

Download the My Academy Hub app in the App Store and Google Play.

Benefits of the My Academy Hub app include:

• Receive Timely Notices: Stay up-to-date on important alerts and news from the Recording Academy and Latin Recording Academy.

• Access Key Deadlines: Never miss a deadline for GRAMMYs submissions, GRAMMY voting, or other important events.

• View Your Membership Details: View your membership status, type, expiration date, and more.

• Browse Your Benefits: Access exclusive discounts, member perks, and more member benefits right from the app.

• Events: Browse and register for upcoming Recording Academy and Latin Recording Academy official events.

Your in-app journey will be tailored to reflect your affiliation with either the Recording Academy or the Latin Recording Academy. In the case of dual membership, the default view will be the Recording Academy dashboard, with the flexibility to seamlessly switch to the Latin Recording Academy dashboard as needed. The Latin Recording Academy experience supports English, Spanish and Portuguese.

The My Academy Hub app also brings the Recording Academy dashboard right to your fingertips and triggers push notifications announcing the latest Recording Academy news and updates, including key deadlines and updates to the GRAMMY Awards process. You can also update your Academy member information seamlessly and keep your privacy safe via a biometric login.

Plus, keep an eye out for product function updates. 

Download the My Academy Hub app at the App Store and Google Play today to stay connected to your community at the Recording Academy and Latin Recording Academy.

2024 GRAMMYs: See The Full Winners & Nominees List

Every passing year is significant to the Recording Academy, but 2023 ticked a noteworthy number of boxes for the world's leading community of music professionals. 

From achievements in the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) space, including a significantly diversifying membership class, to the millions of dollars granted to the music community by MusiCares, this year has been a watershed for the Recording Academy.

As we wave goodbye to 2023 and welcome 2024, here's a breakdown of the Recording Academy's achievements and initiatives from this banner year.

Serving & Representing Underrepresented Groups

The Academy's 365-day-per-year commitment to DEI paid off in a major way in 2023.

A record-breaking diverse group of 2,400+ music creators joined the Recording Academy this year as part of our 2023 New Member Class. In a demonstration of the Academy's commitment to remaking its overall membership, 50% of the new class are people of color, 46% are under the age of 40, and 37% are women. Full statistics surrounding the demographics of the new class can be found here.

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Read More: Recording Academy AAPI Members & Leaders On Where The Fight's Led Them And The Road Ahead

 The Recording Academy also supported students of color and students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across a number of initiatives. With support from our partners at United Airlines, the official airline partner of the GRAMMY Awards, the Recording Academy, our DEI team, and the Black Music Collective provided a once-in-a-lifetime experience at this year's GRAMMY Week for a select group of HBCU students. Made possible by United, 10 HBCU students from across the U.S. were gifted travel to attend the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, and the coinciding, week-long GRAMMY Week celebration in Los Angeles. The students also attended professional development programs in New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

For the third consecutive year, the Black Music Collective teamed up with Amazon Music to award five students with the "Your Future Is Now" scholarship, which awarded students at HBCUs $10,000 scholarships and the opportunity to be part of an immersive rotation program with Amazon Music and Recording Academy department leads. Elsewhere, the second annual Quinn Coleman Memorial Scholarship, presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum, awarded a scholarships and internships at the Recording Academy or Latin Recording Academy to five students from across the country.

Celebrating Marginalized Creators, Voices & Organizations

As 2023 winds down, the world is in turmoil, and as always, the Recording Academy has risen to this challenge. This year, the Academy joined many organizations and causes to support creators from marginalized groups and communities.

The Academy joined the Biden-Harris administration's first-ever U.S. national strategy to counter antisemitism; we hosted a listening session with Recording Academy leadership specifically curated for creators in Jewish music and collaborated with the Black Jewish Entertainment Alliance to present a panel discussion commemorating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. In June during Black Music Month, the Black Music Collective partrnered with the White House to host its first-ever Juneteenth Concert Juneteenth concert, which featured performances from Jennifer Hudson and Ledisi.

In May during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we celebrated Recording Academy members and leaders from the AAPI community.

On Indigenous Peoples' Day in October, our DEI team hosted a conversation with the cast and crew of "Reservation Dogs" to discuss the Indigenous community and their musical offerings to the world. Hosted by the Recording Academy's Executive Vice President of Communications, Sean Smith, the panel discussion featured the show's composer Mato Wayuhi and music supervisor Tiffany Anders, followed by a performance from Vincent Neil Emerson.

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The Recording Academy also gave back to the LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, GLAAD, the non-profit LGBTQ advocacy organization, collaborated with Live Nation and the Recording Academy to present an expanded Spirit Day Concert in Los Angeles. Hosted by Frankie Grande and featuring an exciting lineup of performers and emerging young musicians, the event took a stand against LGBTQ youth bullying and provided a possibility model for the next generation to explore, learn, and grow into a future filled with empathy and kindness.

Serving & Supporting The Music Community

The Recording Academy does a lot more than hand out awards. And, naturally, this extended to the broader music community. Across all of 2023, the Recording Academy, led by our Washington, D.C-based Advocacy & Public Policy team, fought for creators' rights and elevated important policy issues that stand to affect the community

In April, the two-day GRAMMYs on the Hill 2023 event brought together congressional leaders and music makers to recognize those who have led the fight for creators' rights. The 2023 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards, the premier annual celebration of music and advocacy in Washington, D.C., addressed the changing music landscape, celebrated music champions and pushed the industry toward progress. Sponsored by City National Bank and benefitting the GRAMMY Museum, this year's GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards honored 13-time GRAMMY winner Pharrell Williams, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) for their contributions to support music creators.

The Recording Academy also fought for creators on Capitol Hill via the annual Advocacy Day, where Academy and U.S. Congress leaders announced the reintroduction of the Restoring Artistic Protection (RAP) Act, leading the federal effort to limit the use of song lyrics in court and legal cases. As well, District Advocate Day 2023, the largest grassroots advocacy movement for music and its makers, saw Recording Academy members from across the country visit the local district offices of their elected representatives in Congress to discuss issues affecting the livelihoods of songwriters, performers, and studio professionals; the event, held in October, also hosted the first-ever GRAMMY Advocacy Conference, which provided another opportunity for Academy members to connect with each other and engage with the issues no matter where they live.

Elsewhere, the Academy addressed AI head-on with the Human Artistry CampAIgn, as well as a number of other initiatives to ensure music creators are top of mind when it comes to AI and copyright law.

During GRAMMY Week 2023, the Advocacy team fought for fair pay at 4th annual GRAMMY Fund Brunch and spotlighted music policy for members of Congress.

Celebrating & Recognizing Excellence In Music

There's a reason why the annual GRAMMY Awards are known as Music's Biggest Night around the world. And 2023, was no different. The Recording Academy celebrated music creators of all kinds at this year's GRAMMY Awards.

At the 2023 GRAMMYs, artists broke records and made history. Most notably, Beyoncé broke the all-time record to become the artist with the most GRAMMY wins in history, counting 32 GRAMMY wins to date. Elsewhere, Kim Petras became the first trans woman to win the GRAMMY for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, winning for her collaboration with Sam Smith, "Unholy."

The 2023 GRAMMYs also saw the debut of five new GRAMMY Awards categories, which included: Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical, won by Tobias Jesso Jr.; Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media, won by composer Stephanie Economou for Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn Of Ragnarok; Best Spoken Word Poetry Album, won by J. Ivy for The Poet Who Sat By The Door; the inaugural Best Song For Social Change Special Merit Award, won by Shervin Hajipour for "Baraye" and presented by First Lady Jill Biden; and several other GRAMMY categories.

Next year at the 2024 GRAMMYs, the Recording Academy will celebrate even more artists and creators with the debut of three new GRAMMY Award categories: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording.

Impacting The World Through Music & Arts

For the Recording Academy, elevating music and the arts isn't an end to itself — it furthers change the world over. That's why this year the Academy collaborated with the U.S. government and several pro-social organizations to promote peace, diplomacy and democracy through music worldwide.

In September, the Academy joined United Nations Human Rights to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights alongside United Nations Human Rights representatives in NYC. In conjunction with this, the Recording Academy, the official Music Partner of Right Here, Right Now Music, with the support of United Nations Human Rights, committed to international Right Here, Right Now Mini Global Climate Concerts that aim to promote climate justice and rights-based climate action.

The Recording Academy is working to harness the power of music to promote social justice around the world through several global initiatives supported by United Nations Human Rights. The multifaceted Right Here, Right Now Music initiative is designed to engage major artists to use their talents and unique platform to elevate awareness of climate justice.

The Recording Academy also partnered with U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken to help launch the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, an international initiative that will promote peace, diplomacy and democracy through music worldwide; during the launch event, Quincy Jones received the inaugural Peace Through Music Award.

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Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of Hip-Hop

You may have heard that 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. And the Recording Academy didn't just rise to the occasion — it led the charge. 

At the 2023 GRAMMYs, hip-hop took over the GRAMMY stage all night. In addition to the star-studded hip-hop tribute at the 2023 GRAMMYs, Dr. Dre was the recipient of the inaugural Dr. Dre Global Impact Award and Kendrick Lamar solidified his GRAMMYs legacy with three GRAMMY wins for his groundbreaking 2022 album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Song.

Clearly, that hip-hop revue at the 2023 GRAMMYs was just the beginning. Featuring an astonishing cross-section of hip-hop's most crucial originators and innovators, the once-in-a-lifetime live concert special "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop" closed out the hip-hop celebration on the highest of notes.

Elsewhere, the GRAMMY Museum launched the immersive Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit, while MusiCares, in partnership with Vivid Seats, launched Humans of Hip Hop, a program directed at providing resources tailored to the needs of the hip-hop community nationwide.

To top it all off, the Recording Academy partnered with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to host a celebration for the 50th anniversary of hip-hop at her D.C. residence. This historic event featured performances from Lil Wayne, MC Lyte, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Jeezy, and many more.

Read More: GRAMMY.com’s 50th Anniversary Of Hip-Hop Coverage: A Recap

Giving Back To The Music Community

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MusiCares, the philanthropic arm of the Recording Academy and the leading music charity that provides a safety net of health and human services for the music community, has helped countless music people through mental, physical and financial challenges. In 2023, MusiCares continued and expanded their mission.

This year alone, MusiCares distributed $6.06 million in financial assistance and preventative care to 5,000 music professionals.

They also launched The Day That Music Cares, the music community's first annual day of service, as well as the Resilience On The Road Toolkit, a living suite of resources to help music people foster and maintain their well-being on the road  Last but certainly not least, MusiCares partnered with Togetherall to expand mental health support for music people.

Supporting The Next Generation Of Music Creators & Leaders

As one of the core pillars of the Recording Academy's year-long mission, we aim to inspire and support the next generation of music creators and professionals by providing opportunities, enrichment and mentorship. We achieved this goal via multiple initiatives this year.

In January, we announced our 2023 class of #GRAMMYsNextGen Ambassadors and Advisors; the program is intentionally designed to engage the under-40 music community and recognize the best and brightest power players behind the scenes of the music that drives culture today.

In August, GRAMMY U, the Academy's membership type for emerging professionals and creatives pursuing a career in the music industry, expanded its membership program by opening its eligibility to allow all individuals aged 18-29 who are actively taking an alternate path towards a career in music to apply for this premier program. This expansion created a more inclusive space for the future leaders and creative pioneers of the industry.

The GRAMMY Museum, the world-class leaders in music education, launched many initiatives aimed at supporting emerging artists and aspiring students. The 2023 installment of their GRAMMY Camp program welcomed Gracie Abrams, G Flip, Moore Kismet, Paul Klein from LANY, and Lizzy McAlpine as this year's guest artists; they discussed their career paths and helped students prepare for the music industry. In March, the GRAMMY Museum also launched its third annual GRAMMY In The Schools Fest, which provided music career exploration sessions for students and featured educational panels and workshops featuring artists and industry professionals. 

Across many of our Recording Academy Chapters, we celebrated the next generation of music leaders and creators. The New York Chapter's GRAMMY Career Day in October provided students with an in-depth exploration of the music industry, while the Los Angeles Chapter celebrated the NEXT Class Of 2023, which provided real-life experiences to Voting and Professional Members 21-35 years of age to foster their budding careers as they begin their paths as future leaders of the music industry.

The Recording Academy thanks all members and industry professionals who aided us in our ongoing mission to support all music people. We'll see you in what is sure to be a thrilling, productive 2024!

*—With additional reporting by John Ochoa*

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