Grammys add three new categories for 2024
The Recording Academy has added three new categories for next year’s 66th Annual Grammy Awards. Announced today, these are ‘Best African Music Performance’, ‘Best Alternative Jazz Album’, and ‘Best Pop Dance Recording’.
Adding to the changes, the existing categories of ‘Producer of the Year’, ‘Non-classical’ and ‘Songwriter of the Year’, will be moved to the general field, meaning that all Grammy voters will be permitted to vote in those categories, which were previously only “craft” categories, which only members working in the specific areas could vote. The new amendments were voted on and passed at the Academy’s most recent semiannual Board of Trustees meeting, which was held last month.
“The Recording Academy is proud to announce these latest Category changes to our Awards process. These changes reflect our commitment to actively listen and respond to the feedback from our music community, accurately represent a diverse range of relevant musical genres, and stay aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape,” Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, explained in a statement.
He continued: “By introducing these three new categories, we are able to acknowledge and appreciate a broader array of artists – and relocating the producer of the year and songwriter of the year categories to the general field ensures that all our voters can participate in recognizing excellence in these fields. We are excited to honor and celebrate the creators and recordings in these categories, while also exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide.”
Per the announcement, ‘Best African Music Performance’ will entail the following: “A track and singles category that recognizes recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent. Highlighting regional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic musical traditions, the category includes but is not limited to the Afrobeat, Afro-fusion, Afro Pop, Afrobeats, Alte, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Genge, Kizomba, Chimurenga, High Life, Fuji, Kwassa, Ndombolo, Mapouka, Ghanaian Drill, Afro-House, South African Hip-Hop, and Ethio Jazz genres.”
As for ‘Best Pop Dance Recording’: “Recognizes tracks and singles that feature up-tempo, danceable music that follows a pop arrangement. Eligible pop dance recordings also feature strong rhythmic beats, significant electronic-based instruments with an emphasis on the vocal performance, melody and hooks. Dance remixes are eligible in the best remixed recording category only and may not be entered in best pop dance recording.”
The details for ‘Best Alternative Jazz Album’ are: “This category recognizes artistic excellence in alternative jazz albums by individuals, duos, groups/ensembles, with or without vocals. Alternative jazz may be defined as a genre-blending, envelopepushing 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.”
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