The Recording Academy is also moving two notable categories to the general field, which allows all members to vote.
The 2024 GRAMMY Awards will feature three new categories.
The Recording Academy announced on Tuesday that next year's 66th annual GRAMMY Awards will include trophies for Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording.
Additionally, the GRAMMYs are moving two categories -- Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical -- to the General Field, allowing all GRAMMY voters to cast their vote for the categories.
"The Recording Academy is proud to announce these latest Category changes to our Awards process," said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, in a press release. "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."
"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," the statement continues. "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."
Read more about the new categories below:
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.
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 66th annual GRAMMY Awards will be held in 2024.
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