The Grammys are beefing up their categories again. After whittling the number of awards down to 78 in 2012, the Recording Academy is now adding another five, in addition to a “merit” award for “Best Song for Social Change.” That brings the total numbers of awards to 91, per Billboard. The new competitive categories are Songwriter of the Year (Non-Classical), Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Americana Performance, Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games and Other Interactive Media, and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. The “social change” award will be determined by a “Blue Ribbon Committee” and ratified by the Academy’s trustees, who will have the final say in who wins. Similarly, nominees for the songwriting category will be determined by a committee of experts. Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. says the new prizes are meant to ‘reflect our ever-evolving industry,’ but it’s hard to not see them within the context of the award show’s decreasing popularity and cultural cachet. Ratings have dovetailed in the past few years, reaching a record low 8.8 million viewers in 2021. Prominent artists have also spoken out against the show’s lack of recognition for Black creators, with some of the biggest names in the industry like The Weeknd, Drake and Nicki Minaj avoiding the ceremonies altogether.
