The Recording Academy has announced the addition of three new awards categories beginning at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards next year.
Awards for Best Alternative Jazz Album, Best Pop Dance Recording, and Best African Music Performance will now be their own separate categories. Two previous categories, Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, have been adjusted so that all Grammy voters can weigh in, regardless of genre.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. shared in a statement: “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.”
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.”
New categories were added to the Grammys last year for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical; Best Song for Social Change; Best Alternative Music Performance; Best Americana Music Performance; Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media; and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.
Last year, The Academy added new categories for Songwriter Of The Year (Non-Classical), Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games and Other Interactive Media, while a Special Merit Award will be handed out for Best Song For Social Change.
“The Academy’s top priority is to effectively represent the music people that we serve, and each year, that entails listening to our members and ensuring our rules and guidelines reflect our ever-evolving industry,” shared Mason jr. about the additions to last year’s Grammys.
No date has been confirmed for the 2024 awards ceremony as of yet.