meta-scriptNew Categories For The 2023 GRAMMYs Announced: Songwriter Of The Year, Best Video Game Soundtrack, Best Song For Social Change & More Changes | GRAMMY.com
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New Categories For The 2023 GRAMMYs Announced: Songwriter Of The Year, Best Video Game Soundtrack, Best Song For Social Change & More Changes

The Recording Academy has announced five new GRAMMY Awards categories to be awarded at the 2023 GRAMMYs, including Songwriter Of The Year (Non-Classical) and Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games, among other new categories and changes.

GRAMMYs/Jun 9, 2022 - 12:58 pm

Updated on Thursday, July 14: The air date for the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, has been announced. The 2023 GRAMMYs will air live Sunday, Feb. 5, from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. 2022 Nominations for the 2023 GRAMMYs will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

The Recording Academy has announced five new GRAMMY Awards categories to be awarded at the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, including the newly added Songwriter Of The Year (Non-Classical) and Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media categories, among other new categories and changes.

Additionally, a new Special Merit Award will be given out for Best Song For Social Change. Other amendments include changes to the GRAMMY Awards entry and voting processes and more.

All new category additions, process amendments, and updates go into effect immediately for the 2023 GRAMMYs.

These changes come through the Recording Academy's annual process of accepting proposals from the music creators and professionals that make up its membership body, and as part of the organization's commitment to evolve with the ever-changing musical landscape. 

"We're so excited to honor these diverse communities of music creators through the newly established awards and amendments, and to continue cultivating an environment that inspires change, progress and collaboration," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said. "The Academy's top priority is to effectively represent the music people that we serve, and each year, that entails listening to our members and ensuring our rules and guidelines reflect our ever-evolving industry."

The 65th GRAMMY 2022 nominations are officially here. See the complete list of nominees across all 91 GRAMMY categories.

NEW GRAMMY AWARDS CATEGORIES ADDED: 

Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical
Recognizes the written excellence, profession and art of songwriting honoring the most prolific non-performing and non-producing songwriters for their body of new work released during an eligibility year. 

Best Alternative Music Performance
A track and single Category that recognizes the best recordings in an alternative performance by a solo artist, collaborating artists, established duo, or established group.

Best Americana Performance
A track and single Category that recognizes artistic excellence in an Americana performance by a solo artist, collaborating artists, established duo, or established group.

Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media
Recognizes excellence in score soundtrack albums comprised predominately of original scores and created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current video game or other interactive media released within the qualification period.  

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
An album Category that recognizes excellence in spoken word albums specific to the performance of poetry with or without music.

SPECIAL MERIT AWARD ADDITION:

Best Song For Social Change This Special Merit Award will be determined by a Blue Ribbon Committee and ratified by the Recording Academy Board of Trustees. Submissions must contain lyrical content that addresses a timely social issue and promotes understanding, peacebuilding and empathy.

GRAMMY AWARD VOTING PROCEDURAL UPDATES: 

Charging Fees For Entry Submissions
All Recording Academy members will receive five courtesy entries every year. For additional entries, members will pay $40 (Early Bird Fee); $75 (Standard Fee); or $125 (Final Deadline Fee) per additional entry. Registered media companies will pay a fee of $65 (Early Bird Fee); $95 (Standard Fee); or $125 (Final Deadline Fee) per entry. Considerations will be made for artists/members experiencing financial hardships. Any member who would be burdened by the entry fees can request the fees be waived by reaching out to the Recording Academy Awards Department.

Album Eligibility

To be eligible for GRAMMY Award consideration, an album must contain greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded (within five years of the release date), previously unreleased recordings. The previous eligibility rule was 50%. (Note: Best Compilation Soundtrack, Best Historical Album, Best Immersive Audio Album, Best Recording Package, Best Special Package, and Best Album Notes accept albums of recordings that are not newly recorded.)

Note: The updated album eligibility rule was approved in 2021, but is going into effect for the 2023 GRAMMYs cycle.

ADDITIONAL CATEGORY AMENDMENTS: 

Classical Field: Creation of Craft Committees in Select Classical Categories
Three Categories within the Classical Field will now be determined by highly specialized Craft Committees: Producer Of The Year (Classical), Best Engineered Album (Classical) and Best Contemporary Classical Composition.  

Classical Field: Recognition of Composers and Librettists in Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Compendium Categories
Category definitions have been updated to award composers and librettists in addition to artists, producers and engineers.

New Age, Ambient Or Chant Field: Renamed And Redefined Field and Category Name
The Category formerly known as "Best New Age Album" has been renamed "Best New Age, Ambient Or Chant Album" and the Field name has also been updated to reflect that change.

Musical Theater Field: Recognition of Composers and Lyricists in Best Musical Theater Album Category
Category definition has been updated to award composers and lyricists of more than 50% of the score of a new recording.

Music For Visual Media Field (Includes Film, TV, Video Games, And Other Visual Media): Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
Some language in the criteria for this Category, which had been removed, has now been restored to recognize principal artists and in-studio producers.

Production Field: Updated Definition of Best Remixed Recording Category
The newly amended definition of the Best Remixed Recording Category helps to reflect the remix craft as it currently stands in the industry: the creation of a new, full-track, unique performance created by a remixer from a previously released recording.

Spoken Word Field: Updated Category Name and Definition
The Category formally known as Spoken Word Album has been renamed Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording. This Category recognizes excellence in spoken work albums (not including Spoken Word Poetry).

2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominations List


The 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, returns to Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT.

The eligibility period for the 65th GRAMMY Awards is Friday, Oct. 1, 2021 – Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. All eligible awards entries must be released within this timeframe.

The Recording Academy and GRAMMY.com do not endorse any particular artist, submission or nominee over another. The results of the GRAMMY Awards, including winners and nominees, are solely dependent on the Recording Academy’s Voting Membership.

A graphic promoting the 2025 Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective event celebrating Alicia Keys featuring the words "Recording Academy Honors," "Presented By the Black Music Collective," "Alicia Keys" against a grey background.
Alicia Keys will be honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2025 Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective during GRAMMY Week 2025

Photo: Courtesy of Alicia Keys

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Alicia Keys To Receive Dr. Dre Global Impact Award At Recording Academy Honors During GRAMMY Week 2025

Alicia Keys will receive the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2025 Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective. The event, an official GRAMMY Week 2025 event, will celebrate her profound influence and contributions to music culture.

GRAMMYs/Dec 19, 2024 - 02:06 pm

Alicia Keys, a 16-time GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter, musician, producer, and cultural icon, will be honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2025 Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective. The event, an official GRAMMY Week 2025 event, will take place at the Fairmont Century Plaza on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, days ahead of the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Established in 2023 and named after the legendary producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Dr. Dre, the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award recognizes artists whose influence transcends music. It celebrates not only artistic excellence but also entrepreneurial achievements, philanthropic contributions, and global cultural impact. The Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective, celebrating its fourth annual edition in 2025, honors trailblazing artists and industry leaders who have made significant contributions to the music industry and culture. 

GRAMMY Week is the Recording Academy's weeklong celebration comprising official GRAMMY Week events celebrating the music community and current GRAMMY nominees in the lead-up to the annual GRAMMY Awards. GRAMMY Week 2025  culminates with the 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which take place live on Sunday, Feb. 2, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The 2025 GRAMMYs will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT. Prior to the telecast, the 2025 GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on live.GRAMMY.com and the Recording Academy's YouTube channel.

Learn more about Alicia Keys below:

Since her monumental debut album, Songs In A Minor (2001), Keys has achieved unparalleled success, selling more than 65 million records worldwide and receiving more than 5 billion streams. She is the No. 1 RIAA-certified female R&B artist of the millennium, with more than 37 million certified track sales and 20 million album sales in the U.S. Her eighth studio album, KEYS (Original and Unlocked), was followed by a sold-out world tour and the release of her best-selling memoir, More Myself: A Journey. In 2023, her Keys to the Summer tour showcased her dynamic artistry across 22 cities.

Beyond music, Keys is a New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur and advocate for women’s equality in the music industry. She co-founded She Is The Music, a nonprofit aimed at creating opportunities and equity for women in music, and is also the founder of Keys Soulcare, a lifestyle and wellness brand.

“From her timeless music to her unwavering dedication to uplifting others, Alicia has made an indelible impact on the world,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. “Alicia embodies everything the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award represents — her artistry knows no bounds, her advocacy inspires meaningful change, and her influence has profoundly shaped culture. We are honored to celebrate her extraordinary legacy and the transformative contributions she continues to make in music and beyond.”

Returning to produce the Recording Academy Honors event is MVD Inc., with Adam Blackstone serving as the evening’s music supervisor. MVD Inc., founded by Miatta Johnson and Massah David, is renowned for crafting culturally resonant campaigns and experiences for major global brands and organizations.

Learn more about the Black Music Collective below:

The Black Music Collective is a hub for power players in Black music, across all genres, under the GRAMMY roof, bringing together creative geniuses and business leaders to set unified goals, align on a shared agenda, and build community. Follow the Black Music Collective on Instagram and Facebook for exclusive content.

Latest Recording Academy News & Initiatives

Jody Gerson Honored At 50th Pre-GRAMMY Gala
Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, will be celebrated as the 2025 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honoree.

Photo: Courtesy of the Recording Academy

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Jody Gerson To Be Celebrated As The GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Honoree At The 50-Year Anniversary Of The Pre-GRAMMY Gala

The annual gala hosted by the Recording Academy and Clive Davis will take place on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton during GRAMMY Week ahead of the 2025 GRAMMYs.

GRAMMYs/Dec 18, 2024 - 01:59 pm

Accredited for her transformative leadership and impact on the music industry, Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), will be honored with the prestigious GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons award at the 50th anniversary of the Pre-GRAMMY Gala. The event, an official GRAMMY Week 2025 event hosted by the Recording Academy and Clive Davis, will take place Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton, on the night before the 2025 GRAMMYs.

GRAMMY Week is the Recording Academy's weeklong celebration comprising official GRAMMY Week events celebrating the music community and current GRAMMY nominees in the lead-up to the annual GRAMMY Awards. GRAMMY Week 2025  culminates with the 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which take place live on Sunday, Feb. 2, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The 2025 GRAMMYs will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT. Prior to the telecast, the 2025 GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on live.GRAMMY.com and the Recording Academy's YouTube channel.

Learn more about Jody Gerson below:

As Chairman and CEO of UMPG, Gerson leads a global company with 48 offices in 40 countries and more than 850 employees. She is the first female chairman of a global music company and the first woman to be named CEO of a major music publisher. Since joining UMPG in 2015, Gerson has transformed the company into a global powerhouse that owns and administers more than five million copyrights and the industry’s best global home for songwriters. 

A highly respected creative authority and thought leader in our culture, Gerson has signed and works with the world’s biggest superstars, including Adele, Bee Gees, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande, Coldplay, Drake, Billie Eilish, H.E.R., Elton John, Alicia Keys, Steve Lacy, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, Maren Morris, the Prince estate, Rosalía, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, SZA, The Weeknd, and more. She also led UMPG’s historic and highly competitive acquisitions of the iconic catalogs of Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Sting, and others. 

As a champion for women in music and advocate for education, Gerson cofounded the global nonprofit She Is The Music. She also serves on Boards for the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the National Music Publishers Association, New Roads School, and Project Healthy Minds. 

Gerson has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including being the first woman and first music publishing executive named Billboard’s Executive of the Year for their Power 100 list in 2020. She has earned recognition from Variety, Rolling Stone, and the March of Dimes for her groundbreaking leadership and advocacy. Gerson also oversees Polygram Entertainment, UMPG’s film and television division, where she has executive-produced acclaimed projects such as Music Box: Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary, The Bee Gees: How to Mend a Broken Heart, and upcoming documentaries on Prince and Bernie Taupin.

The invitation-only Pre-GRAMMY Gala, sponsored by Hilton, Mastercard, and IBM, has long been one of the music industry’s most distinguished events. This year’s celebration will honor Gerson’s transformative contributions to music and the broader cultural landscape while commemorating the gala’s 50-year legacy of excellence.

“Jody is an inspirational leader who champions integrity and inclusivity in everything she does and is a revolutionary executive,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. “She has opened doors for and propelled the careers of many of the world’s greatest songwriters, while simultaneously serving as one of the biggest advocates for women in music. We are thrilled to host an extraordinary evening that not only celebrates her remarkable impact but also marks the gala’s incredible 50-year milestone.”

“Jody Gerson is one of the music industry’s most illustrious leaders, and I am thrilled that she will be this year’s Salute to Industry Icons honoree,” Clive Davis said in a statement. “Jody’s longtime trailblazing commitment to supporting songwriters across the music spectrum as well as her tireless dedication to advocacy, diversity and equality in the music business are exemplary. Artists and the industry at large are fortunate to have a leader with such tremendous insight and passion at the helm.”

Latest Recording Academy News & Initiatives

Cyndi Lauper performs in 2016

Cyndi Lauper

Photo: Chris Delmas/AFP/Getty Images

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12 Left-Of-Center Christmas Songs: Cyndi Lauper, Snoop Dogg, The Vandals & More

Tired of the same-old Christmas classics? This playlist of outside-the-box Christmas songs is filled with fresh aural holiday cheer

GRAMMYs/Dec 17, 2024 - 12:45 am

Editor's Note: This article was updated with a new photo and YouTube videos on Dec. 16, 2024.

When it comes to holiday music, you can never go wrong with the tried-and-true classics.

Who doesn't love Nat "King" Cole's "The Christmas Song," Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas," Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You," Charles M. Schulz's GRAMMY-nominated A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack, or any new version of a festive favorite?

Even so, it's always good to get out of one's comfort zone. With that in mind, unwrap these 12 outside-the-box Christmas songs, spanning rock to rap and featuring everything from refreshing spins on the familiar to unexpected holiday thrills.

Read More: New Christmas Songs For 2024: Listen To 50 Tracks From Pentatonix, Ed Sheeran, LISA & More

John Prine - "Christmas In Prison"

This firsthand account of spending the most joyous holiday locked up and separated from the one you love offers a different kind of longing than the average lonesome Christmas tune. In signature John Prine style, "Christmas In Prison" contains plenty of romantic wit ("I dream of her always, even when I don't dream) and comedic hyperbole ("Her heart is as big as this whole goddamn jail"), with plenty of pining and hope to spare.

"Christmas In Prison" appeared on Prine's third album, 1973's Sweet Revenge, and again as a live version on his 1994 album, A John Prine Christmas, which makes for perfect further off-beat holiday exploration.

Eric Johnson - "The First Nowell"

When it comes to gloriously tasty six-string instrumentals, no one does it better than GRAMMY-winning Texan Eric Johnson. For his take on this timeless Christmas carol, the "Cliffs Of Dover" guitarist intermingles acoustic-based lines, sublime clean guitar passages and Hendrix-y double-stops with his trademark creamy violin-like Strat lines. The result is a sonic equivalent on par with the majesty of the Rockefeller Christmas tree. (For more dazzling holiday guitar tomfoolery, look into the album it's featured on, 1997's Merry Axemas.)

Gayla Peevey - "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (Hippo the Hero)"

Who doesn't want a large semiaquatic mammal for the holidays? For then-10-year-old child star Gayla Peevey, not only did she score with the catchy tune, she also got her wish.

The 1953 novelty hit, written by John Rox, rocketed up the pop charts and led to a fundraising campaign to buy Peevey an actual hippo for Christmas. Children donated their dimes to the cause, and the Oklahoma City native got her hippo, named Mathilda, which she donated to the Oklahoma City Zoo.

The song itself features plodding brass instrumentals and unforgettable lyrics such as, "Mom says a hippo would eat me up but then/ Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian." It seems Peevey still has a fond legacy with the hippo activist community — she was on hand in 2017 when the Oklahoma City Zoo acquired a pygmy hippopotamus.

The Vandals - "Oi To The World!"

In a contemplative mood this Christmas? Try getting into the holiday spirit by way of meditating on the true meaning of the season with this brash, uptempo Southern California crust punk tune.

Now the best-known song from the Vandals' 1996 Christmas album of the same name, "Oi To The World!" remained a relatively obscure track by the Huntington Beach punkers until it was covered by a rising pop/ska crossover band from nearby Anaheim, Calif., in 1997. (Perhaps you have heard of them — they were called No Doubt.) Ever since, the song has been a mainstay of the Vandals' live sets, and they have also played the album Oi To The World! in its entirety every year since its release at their annual Winter Formal show in Anaheim, now in its 29th year.

Outkast - "Player's Ball (Christmas Mix)"

Though it's best known from OutKast's 1994 debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, the Christmas version of the track "Player's Ball" was released earlier on A LaFace Family Christmas, an L.A. Reid-led project to introduce new acts. The then-young Atlanta rapper duo took a Southern hip-hop spin on the season, which can come across as a little irreverent, but at least they're honest: "Ain't no chimneys in the ghetto so I won't be hangin' my socks on no chimneys." Though some people may not find it cheerful, OutKast's season's greetings give "a little somethin' for the players out there hustlin'."

Tom Waits - "Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis"

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more heartbreaking Christmas story than this Tom Waits' masterpiece from 1978's Blue Valentine. "Charlie, I'm pregnant and living on 9th Street," begins the Christmas card narrative in which a woman writes to an old flame, reporting how much better things are going since she quit drugs and alcohol and found a trombone-playing husband.

Waits' signature early career piano-plinking and tall-tale-storytelling weaves through a dream world of hair grease and used car lots, even sneaking in a Little Anthony And The Imperials reference. In the end, our narrator comes clean with the sobering lyric, "I don't have a husband, he don't play the trombone" before pleading, "I need to borrow money to pay this lawyer and Charlie hey, I'll be eligible for parole come Valentine's Day." For the uninitiated, this is the off-beat genius of GRAMMY winner Waits at his finest.

WINGER - "Silent Night"

Though they took some lumps in their '80s hair-metal heyday, few would dare deny Winger's talent and musicianship. Surely on display here, frontman Kip Winger (a GRAMMY-nominated classical musician) and his bandmates begin with a traditional unplugged reading of the Franz Xaver Gruber-penned holiday chestnut, complete with four-part harmony.

But then it gets really interesting: the boys get "funky" with an inside-out musical pivot that fuses percussive rhythmic accents, pentatonic-based acoustic riffing, Winger's gravely vocals, and some choice bluesy soloing (and high-pitched vocal responses) courtesy of lead guitarist Reb Beach.

The Hives & Cyndi Lauper - "In A Christmas Duel"

With lyrics that include "I know I should have thought twice before I kissed her" in the opening, you know you're in for a sleigh ride like none other. It's therefore no surprise that Cyndi Lauper and Swedish rock band the Hives' unconventional Christmas duel describes many marital hiccups that might make some blush.

Yet, the raucous duet somehow comes out on a high note, concluding, "We should both just be glad/And spend this Christmas together." The 2008 track was the brainchild of the Hives, who always wanted to do a song with Lauper. "This is a Christmas song whose eggnog has been spiked with acid, and whose definition of holiday cheer comes with a complimentary kick below the belt," wrote Huffington Post in 2013. "It's also an absolute riot."

LCD Soundsystem - "Christmas Will Break Your Heart"

Leave it to LCD Soundsystem's producer/frontman James Murphy to pen a holiday song about the depressing side of the season. "If your world is feeling small/ There's no one on the phone/ You feel close enough to call," he sings, tapping into that seasonal weirdness that can creep up, especially as everything around you is incessant smiles, warmth and cheer, and pumpkin-spice lattes. While he doesn't shy away from examining the depressing side of surviving the holiday season as an aging 20-, 30-, 40-something, Murphy does at least give a glimmer of hope to grab onto, transient and fleeting though it may be, as he refrains, "But I'm still coming home to you."

Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dat Nigga Daz, Tray Deee, Bad Azz and Nate Dogg - "Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto"

As Snoop Dogg declares, "It's Christmas time and my rhyme's steady bumpin'." This track from the 1996 album Christmas On Death Row lets you know why "Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto." Church food, love between people, and happiness stand out as Christmas is "time to get together and give all you got; you got food, good moods and what's better than together with your people." Love in the hard hood might have to watch itself, but the various artists of Death Row contagiously testify to abundant love and seasonal joy.

Twisted Sister - "Silver Bells"

Bypassing the urge to write new material on their rocking Christmas album, 2006's A Twisted Christmas, Twister Sister instead took the most recognizable holiday classics in the book and made them faster, louder and more aggressive. The result — which, to date, equate to the group's seventh and final album — is a supercharged concept collection of songs such as "Silver Bells," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "Deck The Halls" bludgeoned by chainsaw guitar riffs, thundering drums and lead singer Dee Snider's soaring screams. This unusual combination makes A Twisted Christmas the perfect soundtrack for any child of the '80s still hoping to tick off the neighbors this holiday season.

P-Lo feat. Larry June, Kamaiyah, Saweetie, LaRussell, G-Eazy, thủy & Ymtk) - "Players Holiday '25"

In anticipation of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco, P-Lo breathes new life into T.W.D.Y.'s classic "Players Holiday." Featuring Saweetie, Larry June, Kamaiyah, LaRussell, G-Eazy, thuy, and YMTK, the track celebrates Bay Area culture with its infectious energy and hometown pride. With its dynamic lineup and energetic vibe, "Players Holiday '25" is a love letter to the region's sound and legacy that bridges hip-hop and basketball culture.

This article features contributions from Nate Hertweck, Tim McPhate, Renée Fabian, Brian Haack, Philip Merrill, Nina Frazer and Taylor Weatherby.

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Photo of Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. smiling and wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and black-rimmed glasses against a background featuring a GRAMMY Award
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.

Photo courtesy of the Recording Academy

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Final Round Voting For The 2025 GRAMMYs Is Now Open: Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. Says GRAMMY Voters Have The "Unique Power" To "Shape The Sounds Of The Next Generation"

Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs is officially open starting today through Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. reminds Voting Members of the importance of GRAMMY voting in a heartfelt message to Recording Academy members.

GRAMMYs/Dec 12, 2024 - 04:54 pm

Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs is officially open. Starting today (Thursday, Dec. 12) through Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, Recording Academy Voting Members will begin casting their GRAMMY votes to determine the GRAMMY winners across all 94 Categories to be awarded at the 2025 GRAMMYs, which take place Sunday, Feb. 2, live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

As Final Round Voting kicks off, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. is reminding Voting Members of the importance of GRAMMY voting. In a heartfelt message sent to Recording Academy Voting Members this week, which you can read in full below, Mason jr. amplifies the crucial role of GRAMMY voting and the direct impact that Voting Members have on the future of music and the lives of the people who make it.

"Music creators and fans everywhere look to you and your peers to determine the best in music this year," Mason jr. wrote to Voting Members. "As Recording Academy Voting Members, you have the unique power to exercise your expertise in music to shape the sounds of the next generation. Your votes will not only impact the music that we listen to for years to come, but also the lives of the people who make it … Your votes and voices truly make a difference."

Mason jr.'s letter underlines the real-life impact of the GRAMMY Award. As the only peer-voted award in music, the GRAMMY Award is the highest honor in all of music. Each year, the lives and careers of hundreds of artists are transformed when they become GRAMMY winners and GRAMMY nominees. They immediately experience immeasurable positive career developments: significant increases in album sales and streaming numbers, headline arena tours, major brand deals, and beyond. 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. The "GRAMMY Effect" is sure to make waves at the 2025 GRAMMYs, fueled by the votes of Recording Academy Voting Members.

The upcoming 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards, will recognize the best in music, and Final Round Voting is the final phase of the GRAMMY voting season during which all GRAMMY winners will be determined.

Learn more about the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season:

Read Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.'s letter to Voting Members about Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs below:

Dear Voting Members,

Congratulations to you all for voting for an incredible group of nominees for the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards! This year's nominees are a direct reflection of a membership body whose votes and voices genuinely represent the larger music community. Thank you for dedicating the time and effort to recognize such exceptional art and talent. 

We saw so many beautiful reactions on Nominations Day and we can't wait to see the excitement grow on GRAMMY Sunday. But first, it's time to select the winners.

Music creators and fans everywhere look to you and your peers to determine the best in music this year. As Recording Academy Voting Members, you have the unique power to exercise your expertise in music to shape the sounds of the next generation. Your votes will not only impact the music that we listen to for years to come, but also the lives of the people who make it.

So, please continue the path of listening, evaluating and championing excellence in this final round of voting for the 67th GRAMMY Awards, which opens this Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, and continues until Jan. 3, 2025.

Your votes and voices truly make a difference.

Thank you and see you on Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2!

Cheers,
Harvey

2025 GRAMMYs: Meet The Nominees