African music, alternative jazz and dance pop have been on the GRAMMYs ballot for decades. Now, they’re deservedly getting categories of their own.

The Recording Academy has added three new Categories: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording. These new categories will be introduced at the 2024 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards.

Additionally, the existing Categories of Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical will be moved to the General Field; this significant change will allow all GRAMMY voters to vote in these important, non-genre-specific Categories.

These Category additions and amendments were voted on and passed at the Recording Academy's most recent semiannual Board of Trustees meeting held in May 2023.

"The Recording Academy is proud to announce these latest Category changes to our Awards process. These changes reflect our commitment to actively listen and respond to the feedback from our music community, accurately represent a diverse range of relevant musical genres, and stay aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said.

"By introducing these three new categories, we are able to acknowledge and appreciate a broader array of artists - and relocating the Producer Of the Year and Songwriter Of The Year categories to the General Field ensures that all our voters can participate in recognizing excellence in these fields,” Mason continued. “We are excited to honor and celebrate the creators and recordings in these categories, while also exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide."

Here’s a breakdown of the three new GRAMMY Award Categories:

Read More: 2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List

Best African Music Performance

A track and singles Category that recognizes recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent. Highlighting regional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic musical traditions, the Category includes but is not limited to the Afrobeat, Afro-fusion, Afro Pop, Afrobeats, Alte, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Genge, Kizomba, Chimurenga, High Life, Fuji, Kwassa, Ndombolo, Mapouka, Ghanaian Drill, Afro-House, South African Hip-Hop, and Ethio Jazz genres.

Read More: Love Burna Boy & Wizkid? Listen To These 5 African Genres

Best Pop Dance Recording

Recognizes tracks and singles that feature up-tempo, danceable music that follows a pop arrangement. Eligible Pop Dance recordings also feature strong rhythmic beats and significant electronic-based instruments with an emphasis on the vocal performance, melody and hooks. Dance remixes are eligible in the Best Remixed Recording Category only and may not be entered in Best Pop Dance Recording.

Best Alternative Jazz Album

This Category recognizes artistic excellence in Alternative Jazz albums by individuals, duos and groups/ensembles, with or without vocals. Alternative Jazz may be defined as a genre-blending, envelope-pushing hybrid that mixes jazz (improvisation, interaction, harmony, rhythm, arrangements, composition, and style) with other genres, including R&B, Hip-Hop, Classical, Contemporary Improvisation, Experimental, Pop, Rap, Electronic/Dance music, and/or Spoken Word. It may also include the contemporary production techniques/instrumentation associated with other genres.

The Recording Academy accepts proposals from members of the music community throughout the year. The Awards & Nominations Committee, composed of Academy Voting Members of diverse genres and backgrounds, meets annually to review proposals to update Awards categories, procedures and eligibility guidelines.

The Recording Academy is thrilled about these important developments to be debuted at the 2024 GRAMMYs. Keep watching this space for more information about Music’s Biggest Night!

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Winners & Nominees List

"Bad Bunny makes a salsa-inspired album" was not on our 2025 bingo card — at least not before the GRAMMY winner released the album singles "EL CLúB" and "PIToRRO DE COCO," in December. The distorted strains of música jíbara on the former and the plena-inspired guitar on the latter were a tip-off that a new chapter was opening.

Debí Tirar Más Fotos ("I Should Have Taken More Photos"), announced in the final week of 2024 and released on Jan. 5, sounds like nothing he’s done before. While 2023’s cinematic, trap-filled Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana  — which is nominated for Best Música Urbana Album at the 2025 GRAMMYs — was more obviously ambitious, Bad Bunny’s follow up is even more of a feat. The perpetually shapeshifting artist took distinctly Puerto Rican musical styles, including very old folk rhythms and used them both to explore his personal roots and as a symbol of resistance.

The album’s cover art is a photograph of what looks like someone’s backyard, bordered by banana trees. The only objects in the frame are two mismatched white plastic chairs. In the promotional photos for the album, he appears sunburned and dressed down in a way that suggests a rural lifestyle well inland on the island. Like many of Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio’s artistic choices, it’s both serious and self-consciously ironic. In this case, it’s an assertion of Puerto Rican identity and a deadpan comeback for critical fans who say he went Hollywood on his last album. 

It’s true that BB’s feet haven’t touched the ground for, oh, his entire career. He spent 2023 doing the bicoastal hustle between New York and Los Angeles. In 2024, his Most Wanted Tour took him across North America for 48 dates, including three nights in San Juan, Puerto Rico. With upcoming roles in ​​Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2 and the Darren Aronofsky picture Caught Stealing, he clearly isn’t done with Hollywood. Still, Debí Tirar Más Fotos finds Bad Bunny returning his attention to Puerto Rico, and finding fresh inspiration there. 

Here’s five more key points we gleaned from el conejo malo’s latest.

He’s Feeling Very Grounded 

Between his often emotionally honest lyrics, and history of political advocacy, no one would call the maverick of Latin trap shallow. However, until March 2024, he was twenty-something. Debí Tirar Más Fotos is an encouraging look at how the wunderkind (who will turn 31 in just a few months) has changed so many rules in the music industry, and is stepping into his third decade of life as well as the second decade of his career. 

The 17-track release has intense Saturn-return energy. It finds him sounding grounded in a way that’s new. This is a mature Bad Bunny, dispensing wisdom like, "While you're alive, you should love as much as you can" — even when he’s speaking through Puerto Rican filmmaker Jacobo Morales. 

If you are feeling the need to plant your feet in terra firma to prepare for whatever 2025 might hold, this is the album to add to your rotation.

It’s A Roots Album…

This is a consciously Puerto Rican album, musically as in every other way. It’s well documented that Bad Bunny loves salsa, and on "BAILE INoLVIDABLE" and "NuevaYol" he reinterprets salsa with the ear of a passionate, lifelong young fan. He also goes beyond the mezcolanza of sounds and influences identified as salsa to delve into the many roots of Puerto Rican music, including bomba and plena. 

"Café con Ron" draws on plena with an assist from Los Pleneros de la Cresta. Meanwhile, the raw sound of "EoO" and "Voy a llevarte pa PR" references reggaeton’s ’90s roots.

…But It’s More Than A Roots Album

Going back to your primordial musical roots is a tried and true move for an artist at a certain point in their career, and an album that tosses a few folksy references into the mix as a statement can find its way to a corny place. Debí Tirar Más Fotos never gets there. 

Expressive and thoughtful production from MAG, Tainy, and La Pacienca (the singer’s usual team of collaborators) gives the album an ethereal feel. This elevates the more traditional, acoustic elements and helps blend them into the reggaeton and electronic sounds. In the process, they end up creating entirely new fusions, as is the case with the electro-plena of "EL CLúB." 

As always, Bad Bunny is more concerned with what he has to say than meeting anyone's external expectations. Figuring out where to file Debí Tirar Más Fotos is someone else’s problem.

It’s Personal, Even At Its Most Unspecific

With its eclectic mix of sounds and dreamy production, the album takes on a free-associative quality that feels like a trip through Benito's mind. 

There are many singer/songwriter moments that border on Latin indie: "WELTiTA" is an actual collaboration with Puerto Rican indie band Chuwi; "TURiSTA" is a sensitive bolero sung to a past lover. "En mi vida fuiste turista / tu solo viste lo mejor de mi y no lo que yo sufría," he sings in the latter song. ("You were a tourist in my life / You only saw the best of me and not what I suffered") It can be read as a love song or a rueful reflection on actual tourism.

"Tourists come here to enjoy the beautiful places, and then they leave and they don't have to deal with the problems that Puerto Ricans have to deal with day-to-day," he told TIME magazine. "And they leave. They couldn't see that part of each one of us: the defects, the trauma, the worries, the pains, the wounds of the past. It's like they were a tourist in your life."

He has said that none of the lovelorn songs are about anyone in particular, but that’s neither here nor there. The album as a whole — the tributes to the music and artists who made him, the admission that it all represents who he is — is more vulnerable than any romantic confession could be. The permission he seems to have given himself to be this genuine, also gave him the freedom required to take his art to new heights.

It's Political & Full Of Boricua Pride

There are layers of meaning in the Debí Tirar Más Fotos’s emphatic Puerto Rican-ness. Some of those go beyond the personal and speak to larger issues around the island and its history. The album was entirely recorded in Puerto Rico and everyone involved is Puerto Rican. In addition to those already mentioned, he pulled in fellow islanders RaiNao, Omar Courtz and Dei V. The "BAILE INoLVIDABLE" features young instrumentalists from the music school Libre de Música San Juan. 

"Every one of them is Puerto Rican and there for a reason," Bad Bunny told The New York Times. "When I listened to them, I felt like I was there in Santurce, hanging out."

It goes beyond feel-good gestures and includes direct protest against those who would exploit Puerto Rico and its resources and the expense of its people and culture. On "LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii" he sings "Quieren quitarme el río y también la playa, quieren al barrio mío y que abuelita se vaya, no sueltes la bandera … que no quiero que hagan contigo lo que pasó a Hawaii." ("They want to take away the river and also the beach, they want my neighborhood and grandma to leave, don’t let go of the flag … I don’t want them to do with you what happened to Hawaii.")

The 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards, will air live on CBS and Paramount+ on Sunday, Feb. 2. Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on live.GRAMMY.com.

The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast will be reimagined to raise funds to support wildfire relief efforts and aid music professionals impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles. Donate to the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort To Support Music Professionals.

In light of the wildfires impacting Los Angeles, the 2025 GRAMMY Week event schedule has been repurposed to focus on raising funds to support wildfire relief efforts and aid music professionals. Donate to the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort To Support Music Professionals.

A total of 10 music teachers from 10 cities across eight states have been announced as finalists for the Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. These finalists were selected from more than 2,400 nominations submitted from 49 states.

The Music Educator Award honors teachers who have made a significant and lasting contribution to music education and demonstrate a deep commitment to maintaining music programs in schools. Finalists for the award will be announced in December, and the ultimate recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2025, just before the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Nominations for the 2026 Music Educator Award are now open.

The full list of the 2025 Music Educator Award semifinalists is as follows:

The Music Educator Award is open to current U.S. music teachers. Anyone can nominate a teacher, including students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers can also nominate themselves. All nominated teachers are notified and invited to submit an application.

Each year, the Music Educator Award recipient is selected from 10 finalists and receives a $10,000 honorarium, along with a matching grant for their school's music program. The nine remaining finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium with matching school grants. The 15 semifinalists who are not selected as finalists will receive a $500 honorarium and a matching grant for their school.

The award program is supported by The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation, with additional support from the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association.

As a professional music educator, all semifinalists are eligible to apply for Professional Membership with the Recording Academy, which gives members opportunities to advocate for music creators, support future music leaders, and participate in GRAMMY Awards considerations.

Learn more about the Music Educator Award and apply to the 2026 Music Educator Award program now.

It’s officially awards season! Today, the nominees for the 2024 Emmys dropped — and, happily, the 2024 GRAMMYs telecast received a whopping five nominations.

At the 2024 Emmys, the 2024 GRAMMYs telecast is currently nominated for Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special, and Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special.

Across these categories, this puts Music’s Biggest Night in a friendly head-to-head with other prestigious awards shows and live variety specials, including the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show starring Usher as well as fellow awards shows the Oscars and the Tonys.

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2024 was a banner year for the GRAMMYs. Music heroes returned to the spotlight; across Categories, so many new stars were minted. New GRAMMY Categories received their inaugural winners: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording. Culture-shaking performances and acceptance speeches went down. Those we lost received a loving farewell via the In Memoriam segment.

The 2025 GRAMMYs will take place Sunday, Feb. 2, live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Nominations for the 2025 GRAMMYs will be announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.

For more information about the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season, learn more about the annual GRAMMY Awards process, read our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, view the official GRAMMY Awards Rules and Guidelines, and visit the GRAMMY Award Update Center for a list of real-time changes to the GRAMMY Awards process.

Since 1959, the GRAMMY Award has been music’s most coveted honor. Each year at the annual GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY-winning and -nominated artists are recognized for their musical excellence by their peers. Their lives are forever changed — so are their career trajectories. And when you have questions about the GRAMMYs, we have answers.

Here are seven facts to know about the value of the GRAMMY trophy.

How Much Does A GRAMMY Trophy Cost To Make?

The cost to produce a GRAMMY Award trophy, including labor and materials, is nearly $800. Bob Graves, who cast the original GRAMMY mold inside his garage in 1958, passed on his legacy to John Billings, his neighbor, in 1983. Billings, also known as "The GRAMMY Man," designed the current model in use, which debuted in 1991.

How Long Does It Take To Make A GRAMMY Trophy?

Billings and his crew work on making GRAMMY trophies throughout the year. Each GRAMMY is handmade, and each GRAMMY Award trophy takes 15 hours to produce. 

Where Are The GRAMMY Trophies Made?

While Los Angeles is the headquarters of the Recording Academy and the GRAMMYs, and regularly the home of the annual GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY trophies are produced at Billings Artworks in Ridgway, Colorado, about 800 miles away from L.A.

Is The GRAMMY Award Made Of Real Gold?

GRAMMY Awards are made of a trademarked alloy called "Grammium" — a secret zinc alloy — and are plated with 24-karat gold.

How Many GRAMMY Trophies Are Made Per Year?

Approximately 600-800 GRAMMY Award trophies are produced per year. This includes both GRAMMY Awards and Latin GRAMMY Awards for the two Academies; the number of GRAMMYs manufactured each year always depends on the number of winners and Categories we award across both award shows.

Fun fact: The two GRAMMY trophies have different-colored bases. The GRAMMY Award has a black base, while the Latin GRAMMY Award has a burgundy base.

Photos: Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images; Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

How Much Does A GRAMMY Weigh?

The GRAMMY trophy weighs approximately 5 pounds. The trophy's height is 9-and-a-half inches. The trophy's width is nearly 6 inches by 6 inches.

What Is The True Value Of A GRAMMY?

Winning a GRAMMY, and even just being nominated for a GRAMMY, has an immeasurable positive impact on the nominated and winning artists. It opens up new career avenues, builds global awareness of artists, and ultimately solidifies a creator’s place in history. Since the GRAMMY Award is the only peer-voted award in music, this means artists are recognized, awarded and celebrated by those in their fields and industries, ultimately making the value of a GRAMMY truly priceless and immeasurable.

In an interview featured in the 2024 GRAMMYs program book, two-time GRAMMY winner Lauren Daigle spoke of the value and impact of a GRAMMY Award. "Time has passed since I got my [first] GRAMMYs, but the rooms that I am now able to sit in, with some of the most incredible writers, producers and performers on the planet, is truly the greatest gift of all." 

"Once you have that credential, it's a different certification. It definitely holds weight," two-time GRAMMY winner Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter of the Roots added. "It's a huge stamp as far as branding, businesswise, achievement-wise and in every regard. What the GRAMMY means to people, fans and artists is ever-evolving." 

As Billboard explains, artists will often see significant boosts in album sales and streaming numbers after winning a GRAMMY or performing on the GRAMMY stage. This is known as the "GRAMMY Effect," an industry phenomenon in which a GRAMMY accolade directly influences the music biz and the wider popular culture. 

For new artists in particular, the "GRAMMY Effect" has immensely helped rising creators reach new professional heights. Samara Joy, who won the GRAMMY for Best New Artist at the 2023 GRAMMYs, saw a 989% boost in sales and a 670% increase in on-demand streams for her album Linger Awhile, which won the GRAMMY for Best Jazz Vocal Album that same night. H.E.R., a former Best New Artist nominee, saw a massive 6,771% increase in song sales for her hit “I Can’t Breathe” on the day it won the GRAMMY for Song Of The Year at the 2021 GRAMMYs, compared to the day before, Rolling Stone reports. 

Throughout the decades, past Best New Artist winners have continued to dominate the music industry and charts since taking home the GRAMMY gold — and continue to do so to this day. Recently, Best New Artist winners dominated the music industry and charts in 2023: Billie Eilish (2020 winner) sold 2 million equivalent album units, Olivia Rodrigo (2022 winner) sold 2.1 million equivalent album units, and Adele (2009 winner) sold 1.3 million equivalent album units. Elsewhere, past Best New Artist winners have gone on to star in major Hollywood blockbusters (Dua Lipa); headline arena tours and sign major brand deals (Megan Thee Stallion); become LGBTIA+ icons (Sam Smith); and reach multiplatinum status (John Legend).

Most recently, several winners, nominees and performers at the 2024 GRAMMYs saw significant bumps in U.S. streams and sales: Tracy Chapman's classic, GRAMMY-winning single "Fast Car," which she performed alongside Luke Combs, returned to the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time since 1988, when the song was originally released, according to Billboard. Fellow icon Joni Mitchell saw her ‘60s classic “Both Sides, Now,” hit the top 10 on the Digital Song Sales chart, Billboard reports.

In addition to financial gains, artists also experience significant professional wins as a result of their GRAMMY accolades. For instance, after she won the GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album for Rapture at the 2020 GRAMMYs, Koffee signed a U.S. record deal; after his first GRAMMYs in 2014, Kendrick Lamar saw a 349% increase in his Instagram following, Billboard reports. 

Visit our interactive GRAMMY Awards Journey page to learn more about the GRAMMY Awards and the voting process behind the annual ceremony.

2024 GRAMMYs: See The Full Winners & Nominees List