The Grammys are altering necessities for its high award, album of the 12 months, and in addition introducing a brand new rule on songs created utilizing synthetic intelligence: “Solely human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration.”
Up to now, any producer, songwriter, engineer or featured artist on an album would earn a nomination for album of the 12 months, even when the particular person co-wrote one track on a 10-track challenge. Now, the Recording Academy says the music creators have to be a part of a minimum of 20 p.c of an album to earn a nomination.
When the Academy introduced that any songwriter or producer may earn a bid for the highest award in 2021, some championed the choice as a result of extra folks can be acknowledged by the awards present and will name themselves “Grammy-nominated.”
However others criticized the change as a result of it additionally meant that nominees for album of the 12 months can be overloaded — most modern pop, rap and R&B albums function a number of collaborators. As an illustration, greater than 65 folks have been nominated alongside Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige when these stars competed for album of the 12 months in February. Unhealthy Bunny shared his nomination with greater than 50 creators, and greater than 30 folks have been nominated with Lizzo and Coldplay.
That’s in distinction to some rock, nation and jazz albums, the place one producer may work on the complete challenge. When Harry Types’ Harry Home received album of the 12 months, he shared the award with 11 folks.
Different main award updates — which have been handed on the Academy’s Board of Trustees assembly final month — embrace guidelines round music made with synthetic intelligence. “Solely human creators are eligible to be submitted for consideration for, nominated for, or win a GRAMMY Award. A piece that accommodates no human authorship will not be eligible in any Class,” the Academy says.
Coincidentally, the Grammy information is available in the identical week Paul McCartney stated he used AI to supply a “remaining” Beatles track.
The Academy says music that options components of AI will likely be eligible if it meets the next necessities: “The human authorship part of the work submitted have to be significant and greater than de minimis; such human authorship part have to be related to the class during which such work is entered (e.g., if the work is submitted in a songwriting class, there have to be significant and greater than de minimis human authorship in respect of the music and/or lyrics; if the work is submitted in a efficiency class, there have to be significant and greater than de minimis human authorship in respect of the efficiency); and the creator(s) of any AI materials included into the work aren’t eligible to be nominees or Grammy recipients insofar as their contribution to the portion of the work that consists of such AI materials is worried. De minimis is outlined as missing significance or significance; so minor as to advantage disregard.”
One other change that can influence Hollywood on the Grammys: Extra music documentaries and films will get an opportunity to compete for greatest music movie because the Academy has eliminated its earlier requirement {that a} music movie wants a minimum of 51 p.c of performance-based materials. Some vital music-based initiatives have missed out due to the earlier rule, together with Netflix’s jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy.
“Whereas dramatic function movies and biopics aren’t eligible, movies with fictional components are eligible,” the Academy explains.
The Grammys additionally introduced that its massive 4 awards — album, track and document of the 12 months, together with greatest new artist — will likely be lowered to eight nominees as a substitute of 10.
The present can be consolidating the variety of “fields” from 26 to 11. Grammy voters have to select which fields they may vote in, and the change will give voters extra flexibility when casting their votes.
Some small modifications embrace: greatest improvised jazz solo has been renamed and redefined to greatest jazz efficiency and greatest regional Mexican music album (together with Tejano) has been renamed greatest música Mexicana album (together with Tejano).
Earlier this week the Academy introduced the addition of three new classes: greatest African music efficiency, greatest pop dance recording and greatest various jazz album.
Songs and albums launched between Oct. 1, 2022 – Sept. 15, 2023, will likely be eligible for nominations on the 2024 present. The nominees will likely be introduced in November.
