The Recording Academy has announced the addition of three new categories for the 66th GRAMMY Awards in 2024. These categories include Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording.
The decision to introduce these categories was made at the Recording Academy’s recent semiannual Board of Trustees meeting in May 2023.
One of the newly introduced categories, Best African Music Performance, recognizes recordings that incorporate unique local expressions from various regions across the African continent. The category encompasses a wide range of genres, including Afrobeat, Afro-fusion, Afro Pop, Alte, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Genge, Kizomba, Chimurenga, High Life, Fuji, Kwassa, Ndombolo, Mapouka, Ghanaian Drill, Afro-House, South African Hip-Hop, and Ethio Jazz.
Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., expressed the organization’s commitment to actively listening and responding to feedback from the music community. He stated that these category additions and changes reflect their dedication to accurately representing a diverse range of musical genres and staying aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape.
In addition to the new categories, 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 allows all GRAMMY voters to participate in recognizing excellence in these important, non-genre-specific categories. Mason highlighted the importance of honouring a broader array of artists and exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide through these category adjustments.
The Recording Academy’s decision to introduce these new categories and make changes to the awards process demonstrates their ongoing efforts to adapt and evolve in response to the music community’s feedback.
The 2024 GRAMMYs will celebrate and acknowledge the outstanding contributions of artists across various genres, including the vibrant African music scene and the diverse spectrum of jazz and pop dance recordings.
