Grammys vs Scammys: How much critique goes into their acclaim?

I realise it’s bold to describe the most popular music award ceremony as a scam, although I feel the comparison is necessary. The rhyming of the words only partially contributes to the framing and fallout of this blog post. Upon acknowledging my disapproval of the majority of the Grammys awarded last night (shoutout Doechii), I felt it was only right to investigate the process behind acclaiming musical artists and their respective works. Much in the same way that I instantly regretted reading the ingredients of a Digestive biscuit (I am now aware that these McVities delicacies contain more orangutan homes, FKA palm oil, than Borneo), I was appalled at what my investigative googling unveiled.  

I quickly discovered that there is nothing critical about the acclaim distributed by these awards. Like many other music fans, I’m sure, a certain amount of my respect has been immediately directed towards Grammy winners for as long as I can remember. In the same way that, as a child, you naturally assume every utterance spouted by an authoritative figure is gospel, I valued the opinions of the mysterious groups of people that declare whether an album, artist or artwork was deserving of a Grammy. Foolishly.

To have your say in the outcome of the annual Grammy Awards, you must fall into one of the following four categories. You must have either been credited with twelve tracks released online and available for purchase in the US, one of which must have been within the past year; have six credits on commercially released tracks currently available for sale in the US, shared using physical distribution methods; have won a Grammy or have been endorsed by a current voting member. In other words, you must make music or have a friend in a high place to get your voice heard within the academy. Easy enough? Well, so it would seem …

If this was the extent of the accreditation process, I feel as though there would naturally be a much more diverse range of musical acts awarded with a Grammy. Whilst these four categories, along with a yearly sum of money to the academy, can buy you a ballot, these votes, essentially, are considered little more than a suggestion by the quietly assembled Recording Academy Committee. Each voting member is asked to vote in nine genre categories and then for the four big dogs (Best New Artist and Record, Album and Song of the Year). However, the casting vote is made by the Recording Academy Committee, who aren’t required to pay the blindest bit of attention to the outcomes and opinions of the voting members. I can be forgiven for, therefore, assuming that a group of presumably wealthy, weighty white men will point their pens through their encircling cigar smoke towards the artist that, they feel, will best enhance their future in the Recording Academy. What fairer way to direct the future of the music industry and declare the potential of fledgling artists?

Whilst I’m well aware that competition within the arts is especially hard to judge, given its entirely subjective nature, I have refrained from recognising the importance of the outcomes of both the BRITs and the Grammys for a few years, following some utterly corking outcomes. Who can forget Macklemore taking home Best Rap Album for The Heist over Kendrick’s legendary coming-of-age Good Kid, M.A.A.D City?

Artists over the years have been known to boycott the Grammys in recognition of their rogue award distribution, most recently The Weeknd. In a very dummy-out-of-pram fashion, Abel snubbed the Recording Academy for failing to acknowledge his hit Blinding Lights with even a nomination, the most streamed song of the year in 2020. Rightfully, The Weeknd has since abstained from the award show until last night. The Weeknd proved that he should have maintained his abstinence with his unannounced, unexpected and generally underwhelming performance of tracks from his upcoming album.

Putting Tesfaye’s tragedy to one side, the performances made the show for me this year. I’d have a far better relationship with the Grammys if it was held as an annual live concert with a red carpet entrance. Just remove the entire award show aspect, and I’m on board. I think, deep down, my angst stems entirely from the fact that the Disney kids rock up and sweep up year in and year out. I’m just salty that my darling RAYE gave the performance of a lifetime only to walk away empty-handed. I guess there’s always the BRITS …