Recording Academy Sets 2017 Grammy Dates, Changes To Some Categories

Changes

THE RECORDING ACADEMY has announced amendments to its eligibility rules for the GRAMMY AWARDS, and has set key dates for the 59th annual awards. The awards will be bestowed on SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12th, 2017; the eligibility period runs from THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1st, 2015 through FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th, 2016, and nominations will be made on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6th, 2016.

Among the amendments are that domestic streaming-only recordings are now eligible. Voters may now vote in 15 categories, down from 20, plus the four top categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist); Best New Artist nominees no longer must have released an album, but must have released a minimum of five singles/tracks or one album, but no more than 30 singles/tracks or three albums. The Blues category has been split into Traditional and Contemporary categories. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration has been renamed and redefined as Best Rap/Sung Performance, making songs by solo artists who "blur the lines between rapping and singing" eligible; and artist eligibility requirements for the Best Choral Performance and Best Jazz Vocal categories have been altered.

"The GRAMMYs aren't just peer-awarded, they're peer-driven. Throughout the year, members of the music community come to us asking to make changes to the Awards process, and we work with them to figure out how those changes might work," said RECORDING ACADEMY SVP/Awards BILL FREIMUTH. "I'm proud of this year's changes, because they're a testament to the artists, producers, writers – the people who rolled up their sleeves to shape the proposals and, in turn, the future of the GRAMMYs. It's exactly what they should be doing. It's their award."

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