Grammys Expands Album Award To Include Classical, Jazz
By Rashidat Akashat with agency report
The Album of the Year category of the Grammy, one of the most prestigious prizes in music, will have looser requirements this year.
The new format would allow other genres like classicals and jazz to compete.
The change was announced by Recording Academy, the group of music professionals who vote on the awards, on Wednesday before the nominating process begins for the 60th Grammy Awards, which would hold January 28, 2018.
Under previous rules, the Academy considered for Album of the Year any work released in the qualifying year that ran at least 15 minutes with five or more distinct tracks.
In the revision, the Recording Academy dropped the requirement of five tracks if the album runs 30 minutes or more.
“The definition expansion allows for greater inclusion of music creators who produce longer pieces, particularly in the classical, dance and jazz fields,” it said in a statement.
Over the years, pop and rock artists have dominated the category. The last two winners of Album of the Year were both major commercial successes Adele’s “25” in 2017 and Taylor Swift’s “1989” in 2016.
Jazz legend, Herbie Hancock, won in 2008, but for an album that covered songs by folk-pop pioneer, Joni Mitchell.
The Recording Academy also announced that its 13,000 voters will for the first time vote online this year, rather than mail in ballots.
The 2018 award ceremony will mark its 60th edition by bringing the gala to New York, after more than a decade in Los Angeles.
