Diversity in Grammy Norms Spark Credit for the Culture

Nominees for the 60th Grammy awards highlight a change in diversity for award shows. Picture from Grammy.com

The announcement of the 2018 Grammy Awards nominations sent a resounding feeling of excitement for diversity in music. According to an article on BET, this is the first time no white men have been nominated for Album of the Year in 19 years. 

The Grammys’ “Big Four” categories of Album of the Year,  Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist are composed of  diverse nominations as well. No white men are nominated for Album of the Year for the 2018 Grammys, which airs Sunday, Jan. 28. The majority of nominees for Album of the Year are people of color, with Lorde as the only white female nominated.

Nominated artists also include Khalid, Lil Uzi Vert and SZA, who is 2018’s most nominated female artist. As well as Jay-Z who has eight nominations, the most out of any artist for the 60th show.

The nominations mark a growing trend of diversity within award shows. Hashtags of boycotting award shows have popped up before due to there being lack of diversity in nominations for major awards. The Recording Academy, who decide the nominees of each category, are one of the first few to embrace having diverse nominees across multiple categories. 

In an interview with Billboard Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow called the diversity of the nominations “a wonderful reflection on our organization and how relevant and in touch and savvy our voting members are.” 

Many are looking to Grammys as a sign of diversity taking it’s place after years of majority white nominees and winners. The remembrance of Adele’s “25” winning Album of the Year over Beyoncé's “Lemonade” continues to be a debate about how award shows chooses winners. This upcoming show’s winners will also determine whether the Recording Academy’s accountants, who select the winners, are ready to celebrate the diversity of music as well. 

The potential winners of the “Big Four” have been a talking point since the nominations were announced. 

Here are the nominations for the “Big Four” provided by the Recording Academy:

1. Album Of The Year

"Awaken, My Love!” by Childish Gambino

4:44 by JAY-Z

DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar

Melodrama by Lorde

24K Magic by Bruno Mars

2. Record Of The Year

Redbone by Childish Gambino

Despacito by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber

The Story Of O.J by JAY-Z

HUMBLE. by Kendrick Lamar

24K Magic by Bruno Mars

3. Song Of The Year

Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber

4:44 by Jay-Z

Issues by Julia Michaels

1-800-273-8255 by Logic Featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid

That's What I Like by Bruno Mars

4. Best New Artist

Alessia Cara

Khalid

Lil Uzi Vert

Julia Michaels

SZA