Streaming-Only Releases Now Eligible for Grammys
In the past, albums and singles were required to be available for purchase in order to be eligible for the Grammy Awards. No longer. Today, the Recording Academy announced that streaming-only releases will be up for consideration for next year’s Grammys. “Applicable streaming services are paid subscription, full catalogue, on-demand streaming/limited download platforms that have existed as such within the United States for at least one full year as of the submission deadline,” the Academy said in its new rule changes. Albums or singles released between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2016, will be eligible for the 59th annual Grammys. The awards show is set for February 12, 2017.
The Academy also announced changes to the eligibility rules for the Best New Artist award. Previously, an artist, duo, or group could be up for this Grammy category as long as they hadn’t previously released an album or won a Grammy. Now, Best New Artist-eligible acts “must have released a minimum of five singles/tracks or one album, but no more than 30 singles/tracks or three albums,” the rule amendments said. They also “may not have entered into this category more than three times, including as a performing member of an established group.” And they “must have achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and impacted the musical landscape during the eligibility period.” The prior Best New Artist rules had been in place since 2010, following the exclusion of Lady Gaga due to a technicality in 2009. The latest change reflects “current trends in how new music and developing artists are released and promoted,” according to the Academy.
Plus, among other changes, the Academy renamed and redefined its Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category, which will now be called Best Rap/Sung Performance. The performances may now be solo as well as collaborative. The Academy said these updates are meant “to represent the current state and future trajectory of rap by expanding the category beyond collaborations between rappers and vocalists to include recordings by a solo artist who blurs the lines between rapping and singing.”
Chance the Rapper called the rule changes a “victory” on his Twitter:
The victory this morning isn’t about me, it’s about all the Soundcloud albums that may now be recognized for excellence.
— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) June 16, 2016
Donnie Trumpet shared his thoughts on the rule change on Twitter:
The Grammys are part of a an amorphous music industry. I’m happy they see now that as music and the way we consume music evolves so do they.
— nico (@DonnieTrumpet) June 16, 2016
Shoutout everyone who said I needed to sell Surf to be considered for a Grammy in May 2015 and voted to make streaming eligible 2016.#smaht
— nico (@DonnieTrumpet) June 16, 2016
It’s 2016. Stand by your ideals and things may change for the better.
— nico (@DonnieTrumpet) June 16, 2016
What makes a song/album great? Features? Sales? Streams? Radio play? A GRAMMY? Music is not a sport. What one person likes another may hate
— nico (@DonnieTrumpet) June 16, 2016
Trust your own ear. Don’t let the sport of music take over what’s really important. The SONG and how YOU feel about it. Not the “academy”
— nico (@DonnieTrumpet) June 16, 2016
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