The Grammys are getting a makeover. And as a member of the Recording Academy and a Grammy voter, I couldn’t be happier.
In the biggest overhaul in the 53-year history of the Grammys, men and women will now compete head-to-head, some of the more exotic awards like best Native American album and best spoken-word children’s record will be eliminated, and the number of categories will be reduced by more than 30. These changes are meant to streamline the telecast, make it more interesting and increase competition.
The most important change is the elimination of separate male and female vocal categories in fields like pop, R&B and country. Men and women must now compete collectively in each overall field, similar to the field of rock, which does not have male and female vocal categories.
“A great singer is a great singer is a great singer, and somebody who has a gift in terms of their voice, and is at the top of their game in terms of their delivery and emotion, really isn’t necessarily defined by gender,” Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow said. He added that although no musical genres will be excluded from Grammy contention, the changes should make the awards a lot more competitive.
“It ups the game in terms of what it takes to receive a Grammy and preserves the great esteem of which it’s held in the creative community, which is the most important element,” Portnow said.
I probably shouldn't even weigh in on this since I haven't had any interest in the Grammys for well over 10 (maybe even 15) years, about the same time I began to lose interest in much of what passes for "maintstream" music. But I will say that I think the elimination of separate male and female vocal categories in pop, R&B and country is a good thing. *Talent* is talent regardless of gender and since there's been precious little REAL talent promoted in the mainstream music industry the past 10-12 years, voting should be made all the more easier. Regarding the elimination of highlighting Best Native American album:I don't think the Talents and history of Native Americans are recognized nearly enough in this country. And IMO, any little bit of recognition for them should be increased NOT decreased.Just my 2 cents.