Grammy voting body diversity/ Grammy membership changes/ Recording Academy reforms/ Grammy awards diversity/ Newslooks/ NEW YORK/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Grammy Awards’ voting body has undergone a significant transformation, with 66% of its members joining in the past five years. This shift, part of the Recording Academy’s diversity efforts, has added over 3,000 women and significantly increased voters from underrepresented racial and ethnic communities.
Grammy Voting Body Becomes More Diverse: Quick Looks
- Membership Overhaul: 66% of the Grammy Awards voting body has been replaced since 2019, adding over 8,700 new members.
- Focus on Gender Parity: More than 3,000 women have joined, surpassing the Academy’s goal to add 2,500 women by 2025.
- Racial Representation: The number of voters who identify as people of color has increased by 63%, with notable growth in AAPI, Black, and Latino voters.
- Membership Criteria: Voters must have a primary career in music, with recent credits and recommendations from industry peers.
Grammy Voting Body Diversifies, Adding 66% New Members Since 2019
Deep Look
For years, the Grammy Awards have faced criticism for their lack of diversity, particularly when it comes to awarding artists of color and women. Rap and contemporary R&B stars, as well as women across genres, have often been overlooked in major categories, sparking calls for change. The Recording Academy responded by overhauling its voting body, leading to significant improvements in representation and inclusion.
In a recent announcement, the Recording Academy revealed that 66% of its voting members have joined within the last five years. This comes as part of a broader effort to diversify the electorate and better reflect the evolving music industry. Over 8,700 new members have been added, pushing the total membership to more than 16,000, of which 13,000 are voting members.
Women’s Representation Reaches Milestone
One of the most notable changes is the increase in female representation. In 2019, the Recording Academy committed to adding 2,500 women to its voting body by 2025. With more than 3,000 female voters now part of the Academy, the organization has exceeded its goal ahead of schedule.
“It’s definitely something that we’re all very proud of,” said Harvey Mason jr., the president and CEO of the Recording Academy. He acknowledged that the underrepresentation of women was a longstanding issue, but these recent changes reflect a concerted effort to fix that.
This shift has already made an impact. Last year’s Grammys saw women dominating the major categories, with every televised competitive award going to at least one female artist. This achievement is a direct result of the Academy’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, particularly in its voting pool.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Focus
The Recording Academy’s diversity efforts haven’t stopped with gender parity. Since 2019, there has been a 63% increase in the number of members who identify as people of color. This includes a 100% growth in AAPI voters, a 90% increase in Black voters, and a 43% rise in Latino voters.
This progress stems from the Academy’s outreach efforts to underrepresented communities. Mason emphasized the importance of understanding why certain groups were not previously engaging with the Academy and taking steps to address those concerns. Once those changes were made, the Academy invited these groups to become part of the organization.
Revamping Membership Criteria
In addition to increasing diversity, the Recording Academy has requalified 100% of its members to ensure that they are actively engaged in the music industry. This process involves reviewing the qualifications of existing members and ensuring that new members meet specific criteria.
To become a voting member, individuals must have a primary career in music and demonstrate recent industry activity. This includes having at least 12 professional credits in a single creative profession, with at least five of those credits coming in the last five years. Additionally, prospective members must provide two recommendations from industry peers.
This rigorous process is designed to ensure that the Academy’s voting body is composed of active, knowledgeable professionals. Members who no longer meet these qualifications have been removed, ensuring that only those who are currently contributing to the music industry have a say in the Grammy Awards.
Lessons from the Oscars
The Recording Academy’s approach has been compared to reforms made by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which oversees the Oscars. After facing similar diversity criticisms, the Oscars tightened its voting requirements to ensure that only active members could vote. These reforms helped increase representation among women and underrepresented racial and ethnic communities, though they also sparked backlash from some older members.
The Recording Academy’s changes have so far avoided similar controversy, with Mason emphasizing the importance of listening to different genres and communities that felt overlooked in the past.
Room for Growth
Despite these gains, Mason acknowledges that the Academy still has work to do. Currently, 66% of the voting membership is male, 49% identify as white, and 66% are over the age of 40. While the organization has made significant progress in diversifying its ranks, it remains committed to continuing that work.
“Our goals will be to be the most relevant, the most reflective, the most accurately representative of the music community that is humanly possible,” Mason said. He did not specify any new numerical targets but made clear that the Academy would continue pushing for greater inclusion in the years to come.
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