<\/p>\n
The Recording Academy announced significant changes for the 2027 Grammys, introducing several new genre categories and updating eligibility rules for two of its top awards.<\/p>\n
The rule changes will most prominently affect the new artist and album categories. <\/p>\n
A change to allow for four submissions for new artist instead of three \u201cestablishes more specific language surrounding prominence,\u201d the academy said in a statement. The change updates the famously confusing criteria for new artist, in which acts familiar to some fans for years can suddenly break through and earn new consideration for the category.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s likely to benefit an artist such as Ella Langley, who had previously submitted several times for new artist but finally had a commercial and critical breakthrough with her single \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d and LP \u201cDandelion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve heard from the music community that the way artists are being developed is changing, and the time it\u2019s taking to find success or recognition can take longer than it once did. Artists are often releasing more music before they actually break through the consciousness of consumers or of our voters, and that evolution directly impacts this Category,\u201d Recording Academy Chief Executive Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement <\/a>announcing the changes. The changes \u201creflect the reality that artist development looks different than it did even a few years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n In the album category, new rules state that \u201cthe threshold of new recordings required on an eligible album is lowered from 75% to 66% to reduce the exclusion of entries that are widely recognized throughout the music industry as new albums.\u201d Given the fast streaming-centric release cycle of new singles, remixes and live cuts, the rule changes reflect that a new album may have a significant amount material released earlier. <\/p>\n Additionally, the academy announced five new genre categories, most significantly a dedicated award for Asian pop \u2014 a late but welcome acknowledgment of the commercial reach, artistic accomplishments and deep fan culture of K-pop and other scenes in Japan, the Philippines and China.<\/p>\n