The Recording Academy has introduced five new categories ahead of the 2027 Grammy Awards, expanding the range of musical genres and traditions recognised at the annual ceremony.
The new categories are Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best Latin Song, Best Asian Pop Music Performance, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance, and Best Traditional Folk Album.
The additions come two years after the Grammys created the Best African Music Performance category, giving African music a dedicated award category at the ceremony for the first time.
The Best African Music Performance category was introduced during the 66th Grammy Awards ceremony held in 2024. The category was created to recognise recordings that feature elements of African musical traditions and cultural expressions.
South African singer Tyla became the first winner of the category in 2024 with her global hit song Water. She won ahead of Nigerian artists Burna Boy, Davido featuring Musa Keys, Ayra Starr, and Asake and Olamide, who were among the nominees.
At the 67th Grammy Awards in 2025, Nigerian singer Tems won the category for her song Love Me JeJe, becoming the second artist to receive the award.
Tyla returned to claim the award at the 68th Grammy Awards with her song PUSH 2 START, becoming the first artist to win the Best African Music Performance category twice.
The creation of the African music category followed the growing global audience for sounds from the continent, including Afrobeats and amapiano, which have gained international recognition in recent years.
The Recording Academy’s latest additions will introduce more categories focused on specific musical traditions and collaborations. Best Asian Pop Music Performance, in particular, will recognise contemporary pop music from Asian artists, while Best Latin Song will honour songwriting in the Latin music space.
The 2027 Grammy Awards will mark the first ceremony where the five newly introduced categories will be presented.
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