Rappers and modern R&B singers have been overlooked, while women and musicians of color have been excluded from top honors. These issues have plagued the Grammy Awards for years, as they are a reflection of the voting public of the Recording Academy. To address it, a changing voting body is in place, with 66% of members having joined in the previous five years.
Women swept the major categories at the previous year’s awards; at least one woman won each broadcast competitive Grammy. It is a result of a pledge the Recording Academy made approximately five years ago: The Academy declared in 2019 that by 2025, 2,500 more women would be eligible to vote. With the new Grammy membership paradigm, the Recording Academy has already surpassed that amount before the cutoff: Over 3,000 women who are registered voters have been added, it was announced Thursday.
“It’s definitely something that we’re all very proud of,” Harvey Mason Jr.., academy president and CEO, told The Associated Press. “It tells me that we were severely underrepresented in that area.”
The Recording Academy has undergone reform since 2019, with approximately 8,700 new members added to its voting body. Over 16,000 members now have voting memberships, up from 14,000 in 2023. The academy has also increased its number of members who identify as people of color by 63%. The academy has requalified 100% of its members in the last five years, and those who no longer qualify have been removed.
The current model requires proof of a primary career in music, two recommendations from industry peers, and 12 credits in a single creative profession, at least five of which must be from the last five years. This change is significant, as it has helped the academy address criticisms of its lack of diversity, such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ restriction of Oscar voting privileges to active members in response to #OscarsSoWhite.
The Recording Academy has also seen growth in voters across different racial backgrounds since 2019, with 100% growth in AAPI voters, 90% growth in Black voters, and 43% growth in Latino voters. However, there is still room for growth, as 66% of the current voting membership is men, 49% are white, and 66% are over the age of 40.
The academy’s goals are to be the most relevant, reflective, and accurately representative of the music community that is humanly possible. They aim to continue their work and grow, focusing on being the most reflective and representative of the music community.
(AP)
