The Recording Academy Announces More Updated Rules For Grammy Awards

The Recording Academy has released the latest Grammy Awards Rules and Guidelines, which reflect changes for next year’s 64th Annual Grammy Awards. The news of the new rule amendments come just after the Academy announced several significant changes to its nomination process, including the elimination of nominations review committees in general and genre fields.

Included in the new amendments are a few changes that apply to the Album Of The Year Category. The new amendment states that all credited artists, songwriters, producers, recording engineers, mixers, and mastering engineers are eligible to be Grammy nominees and recipients in the Album Of The Year category. Previously, contributors were required to be credited with at least 33% or more to be eligible.

Additionally, an album must also contain over 75% of newly recorded (within five years of the release date), previously unreleased recordings to be eligible for Grammy consideration, as opposed to the current eligibility rule of 50%. Best Compilation Soundtrack, Best Historical Album, Best Immersive Audio Album, Best Recording Package, Best Special Package, and Best Album Notes will accept albums of recordings that are not newly recorded, however. This eligibility rule goes into effect for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards taking place in 2023, unlike all of the other updated rules that were announced, which will go into effect for the upcoming 64th annual Grammy Awards, set for April 3, 2022.

“Our peer-driven awards process is all about engagement, and nothing is more invigorating than seeing our members take part in submitting proposals to move the Academy forward,” says Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr. “We’re proud to work alongside today’s music creators to ensure their vision for the music industry is reflected in all that we do, and to continue our commitment to transparency by making these updates readily available to anyone that wishes to submit their art for Grammy recognition.”

Other rule amendments include the Best Dance Recording category being renamed to Best Dance/Electronic Recording; a second optional Technical Grammy Award being added and specifically reserved for a company, organization or institution who has made groundbreaking and influential contributions to the recording field; and academy members or their designated publicists now being restricted to FYC (for your consideration) emails, social media posts and physical mailings that promote only their own recordings, prohibiting lobbying on behalf of other members.

The full list of rule amendments for the 64th Grammy Awards can be found here.