From new voices to new rules : Grammys announce big changes ahead of 2027 ceremony
Under the updated rules, artists can now be submitted for Best New Artist up to four times, compared with the earlier limit of three submissions.
- Jun 17, 2026,
- Updated Jun 17, 2026 7:00 AM IST
The Grammy Awards are set for a major revamp next year, with the Recording Academy introducing new categories and changing eligibility rules ahead of the 2027 ceremony.
The next edition of the awards, scheduled for February 7, 2027, will feature five new categories, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best Traditional Folk Album and Best Latin Song, according to Variety.
Along with the new additions, the Grammys have also revised rules for some of its biggest categories, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year eligibility.
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Under the updated rules, artists can now be submitted for Best New Artist up to four times, compared with the earlier limit of three submissions. The change aims to reflect the changing journey of artists and allow more flexibility as careers continue to develop.
The category has often sparked debate because deciding who qualifies as a “new” artist can be complicated. The updated rule could give artists like Ella Langley another opportunity after her recent success, including her Hot 100 No. 1 single “Choosin’ Texas” and album “Dandelion”.
The Grammys have also reduced the minimum requirement of new recordings needed for an eligible album. The threshold has been lowered from 75% to 66%, allowing more albums that are widely considered new releases to qualify.
The Academy said the change was made to avoid excluding albums that contain a significant amount of new material but may also include elements like remixes or live versions of previously released songs.
New Grammy categories
The new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category will recognise excellence in Asian pop performances from artists working in or connected with Asian music markets, including genres such as K-pop, 3-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of Asian languages.
The Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance category will celebrate contemporary R&B performances by groups, duos and collaborations between solo artists.
With this addition, the existing Best R&B Performance category has been renamed Best R&B Solo Performance.
The Academy has also introduced Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, recognising songs and performances that do not fit within current forms of pop music.
A new Best Traditional Folk Album category will honour traditional folk recordings. Following this change, the existing Best Folk Album category has been renamed Best Contemporary Folk Album.
The new Best Latin Song category will recognise songwriters behind newly written Latin songs that are predominantly in Spanish, with at least 51% of the lyrics in the language.
Voting process gets an update
The Grammys are also introducing Ballot Plus, an optional voting system that will allow eligible voting members with expertise across multiple genres to vote in up to 15 peer-related categories.
The new system will work alongside the existing 10/3 voting structure. Members choosing Ballot Plus will need to submit and verify their professional credits before gaining access.
Those who do not opt in or do not meet the requirements will continue with the standard voting process.
The Recording Academy said these changes are aimed at making the awards process more inclusive while adapting to the evolving music industry.
(With inputs from ANI)
The Grammy Awards are set for a major revamp next year, with the Recording Academy introducing new categories and changing eligibility rules ahead of the 2027 ceremony.
The next edition of the awards, scheduled for February 7, 2027, will feature five new categories, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best Traditional Folk Album and Best Latin Song, according to Variety.
Along with the new additions, the Grammys have also revised rules for some of its biggest categories, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year eligibility.
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Under the updated rules, artists can now be submitted for Best New Artist up to four times, compared with the earlier limit of three submissions. The change aims to reflect the changing journey of artists and allow more flexibility as careers continue to develop.
The category has often sparked debate because deciding who qualifies as a “new” artist can be complicated. The updated rule could give artists like Ella Langley another opportunity after her recent success, including her Hot 100 No. 1 single “Choosin’ Texas” and album “Dandelion”.
The Grammys have also reduced the minimum requirement of new recordings needed for an eligible album. The threshold has been lowered from 75% to 66%, allowing more albums that are widely considered new releases to qualify.
The Academy said the change was made to avoid excluding albums that contain a significant amount of new material but may also include elements like remixes or live versions of previously released songs.
New Grammy categories
The new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category will recognise excellence in Asian pop performances from artists working in or connected with Asian music markets, including genres such as K-pop, 3-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of Asian languages.
The Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance category will celebrate contemporary R&B performances by groups, duos and collaborations between solo artists.
With this addition, the existing Best R&B Performance category has been renamed Best R&B Solo Performance.
The Academy has also introduced Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, recognising songs and performances that do not fit within current forms of pop music.
A new Best Traditional Folk Album category will honour traditional folk recordings. Following this change, the existing Best Folk Album category has been renamed Best Contemporary Folk Album.
The new Best Latin Song category will recognise songwriters behind newly written Latin songs that are predominantly in Spanish, with at least 51% of the lyrics in the language.
Voting process gets an update
The Grammys are also introducing Ballot Plus, an optional voting system that will allow eligible voting members with expertise across multiple genres to vote in up to 15 peer-related categories.
The new system will work alongside the existing 10/3 voting structure. Members choosing Ballot Plus will need to submit and verify their professional credits before gaining access.
Those who do not opt in or do not meet the requirements will continue with the standard voting process.
The Recording Academy said these changes are aimed at making the awards process more inclusive while adapting to the evolving music industry.
(With inputs from ANI)