At the Grammys, Artists Can Choose Not to Enter Their Music — How Does It Work at Other Major Awards Shows?

The Recording Academy got some unwelcome news last week when Morgan Wallen’s camp confirmed that the country superstar would not submit his blockbuster album I’m the Problem for Grammy consideration.

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For one of the best-selling artists of the 2020s to opt out of having a chance to win the most prestigious award in music is a bad look for the Grammys. But why, some have asked, does an artist have to submit something to the Grammys to be considered for their awards? If the Grammys are supposed to recognize the year’s best music, then why is it only “the year’s best music that the artist decides to submit”?

We put that question to Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., who said, “We realize that some artists prefer their art to not be judged in this way and as an artist-first organization, we respect that.”

The academy has even rescinded nominations after they were announced, in response to an artist’s request. Four years ago, Drake was nominated in two categories – best rap album (for Certified Lover Boy) and best rap performance (for “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future & Young Thug). When Drake notified the academy that he wasn’t interested in competing, the academy withdrew the nominations. (No replacement nominees were named.)

In both cases, the artists were reacting to years of feeling under-recognized at the Grammys. Wallen has received just two career nominations – both for his megahit collab with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help.” At the time Drake declined those two nominations, he had won just four Grammys, all in the rap field. He has since won a fifth Grammy, as a featured artist on Future’s “Wait for U” – also in the rap field. (Artists sometimes chafe at winning only in genre-specific categories and not in the more widely watched, all-genre general categories.)

“We would love it if all artists participated in the Grammy Awards process because it raises awareness and the funds that allow us to serve our community. This includes MusiCares, our advocacy work, The Grammy Museum and much more,” Mason told Billboard in a statement. “However, we realize that some artists prefer their art to not be judged in this way and as an artist-first organization, we respect that.”

The academy could reach out to a specific artist and urge him or her to submit, but Mason said it doesn’t do that. “From an organizational transparency standpoint, we receive around 20,000 entries each year and feel as though there could be potential conflicts if we solicit specific entries,” Mason said in his statement.

Couldn’t any Recording Academy member simply enter Wallen into the process? Yes and no.

At the Grammys, any voting or professional member can enter a recording into the process. But the Recording Academy can and does strike entries that are not made by a party of interest. From the 68th Grammy Awards Rules & Guidelines handbook: “All voting and professional Recording Academy members may make Grammy entries. … [However,] the Recording Academy reserves the right to remove Grammy entries where the submitter is not an individual who would be entitled to receive a nomination and/or, in the event of a win, a Grammy Award statuette.”

We decided to look at other major award shows to see how they operate. Can someone “opt out” of the process, as Wallen did at the Grammys this year? We found that at most shows they can opt out — more precisely, they have to “opt in” by entering.

But at the Country Music Association Awards, there is no submission process, so artists can’t opt in or out. Said a spokesperson: “If an individual or a piece of work meets their category criteria, it is eligible for nomination. It’s ultimately up to the discretion of the CMA members, who represent the country music industry, to determine the nominees and winners.”

See how the major awards shows operate below:

The Oscars

According to an Academy spokesperson, “Yes, an individual may opt out of award consideration, and this request must be handled directly with the studio or submitter.

“For instance, per the Acting awards rules, a studio identifies up to 20 eligible individuals (10 per Actor categories/10 per Actress categories) they wish to put forth for consideration. If an actor does not want to be included, this decision must be communicated directly with the studio or submitting entity, so their name is not provided to the Academy on the official Oscars Submission Form.

“If a film is submitted but the studio or submitter decides it should not be considered in a specific category for any reason, they can withdraw it from consideration in that category. However, the film will still be eligible for all other award categories for which it meets the qualifications.

“Also, a film may be withdrawn completely from consideration in accordance with the awards rules—Rule 3, 7: Monday, December 1, 2025, is the last day to withdraw a film from Academy Awards consideration. Withdrawing and/or failure to complete the qualifying standards may risk future awards disqualification.”

Twice in the early 1970s, the winner of the best actor award refused the Oscar. In 1971, George C. Scott won for playing General George S. Patton in Patton. Scott had called the Oscars “a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons.” (Editor’s Note: a two-hour meat parade? Now, that’s about the half-way point in the telecast.)

Scott sent a telegram to the Academy telling them that he’d refuse the award and that he didn’t even want his name on the ballot. The telegram read in part, “I respectfully request that you withdraw my name from the list of nominees.” Scott remained on the ballot and wound up winning. The film’s producer, Frank McCarthy, spoke in Scott’s stead on the night. The award was returned to the Academy the next day.

In 1973, Marlon Brando refused the Oscar for his performance as Vito Corleone in The Godfather. Like Scott, he didn’t attend the ceremony. He sent Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead. Dressed in a traditional Apache dress, she did not take the Oscar offered to her by presenter Roger Moore and instead said: “I’m representing Marlon Brando this evening and he has asked me to tell you … that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry – excuse me – and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.”

Since then, no Oscar has been refused, though some nominees have not attended the ceremony.

Both Scott and Brando were nominated for best actor again the very next year, though, for the record, neither ever won again.

Golden Globes

From a spokesperson: “Studios must submit programming and films for the Golden Globes. This is the case for all categories. If not submitted, then the actor, actress, TV, film, podcast, etc. is not eligible and therefore not voted on by the members.”

Screen Actors Guild Awards

From their website: “With the actor’s permission, producers, studios/networks, agents, managers, or publicists may submit performances for consideration in the category designated by the actor. Actors may, of course, submit their own performances.”

Primetime Emmys

The Television Academy does not require an individual to advise they have chosen not to submit to the Emmys unless that individual is part of a team submission, in which case the academy would ask for an email from the individual stating they do not wish to be part of the submission.

The rule: “In the case of entries that include multiple entrants, the person making the entry must submit all eligible entrants, not just themselves or a partial list of entrants. Only those individuals with an eligible credit and who have made a significant and substantive contribution to the achievement entered are eligible. When there is an eligible entrant who does not wish to participate in the competition, documentation must be received from the individual not entering, stating that they are aware of the entry and do not wish to be included.”

CMA Awards

From a spokesperson: “There is no ‘submission’ process for the CMA Awards. If an individual or a piece of work meets their category criteria, it is eligible for nomination. It’s ultimately up to the discretion of the CMA members, who represent the country music industry, to determine the nominees and winners. Their collective vote decides who and what was the best in country music for the year.”

From the CMA website: “All CMA Professional voting members can vote in three rounds.

“Nomination Ballot: Voters write in any artist or project they think deserves a nomination. If it fits the criteria for that category, it counts.
“Second Ballot: The top 20 vote-getters from the first round move forward (only the top 15 for Entertainer of the Year). Members can vote for up to five candidates in each category.
“Final Ballot: The top 5 from the second round become the official nominees—and CMA members vote one last time to choose the winners. Members can vote for one nominee in each category.”

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