Grammy Awards Announces Five New Categories, Major Changes Ahead of 2027 Ceremony
- The Recording Academy has introduced 5 new categories for the upcoming 69th Grammy Awards in 2027, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance and Best Latin Song
- Musicians can now submit their work for the Best New Artist category up to 4 times instead of 3, giving developing talents a better chance at securing a nomination
- The academy also reduced the album eligibility threshold to 66% of new recordings and introduced a Ballot Plus system to give voters more flexibility across various genres
The Recording Academy has rolled out sweeping updates to the Grammy Awards ahead of the 69th ceremony, set to air on February 7, 2027.
The changes announced on their official Instagram page on June 16 affect eligibility, voting rules, and the addition of five new categories, marking one of the biggest shake-ups in recent years.
Source: Instagram
Officials explained that the headline adjustment concerns the Best New Artist category.
Artists can now submit up to four times across their career, instead of the previous limit of three.
Five new categories introduced
The Grammys are expanding to reflect shifts in global music. Best Asian Pop Music Performance will now recognise K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and other Asian pop formats performed in Asian languages.
Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance separates collaborative work from solo efforts, with the latter renamed Best R&B Solo Performance.
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance creates space for classic pop styles, while Best Traditional Folk Album distinguishes heritage folk from contemporary folk and Americana.
The existing Best Folk Album becomes Best Contemporary Folk Album. Best Latin Song is also added, honouring songwriters behind new Spanish-language Latin tracks.
Voting flexibility with Ballot Plus
A new opt-in system called Ballot Plus allows members with verified professional credits across multiple genres to vote in up to 15 categories, instead of the standard 10.
This aims to give active contributors more influence while maintaining strict standards.
"Voting Members who are actively contributing across genres can now opt-in to vote beyond the standard 10/3 structure based on their verified professional credits.
More flexibility. Same rigor."
Source: Instagram
Album and songwriter recognition
Albums now only need 66% new recordings to qualify, down from 75%, making more projects eligible.
Songwriters and composers will also receive Grammy statuettes when their albums win genre categories, achieving parity with producers and engineers.
The Academy highlighted this as a long overdue recognition.
“Songwriters and composers will now be recognised in the same way as producers and engineers,” the statement read.
Digital albums included
For the first time, digital-only releases are eligible for Best Album Notes and Best Historical Album, reflecting how music consumption has shifted online.
With these changes, the 69th Grammy Awards promise a broader, more inclusive celebration of music across cultures and crafts.
Check out the Grammys' Instagram post below:
Grammy Awards announce dates for 2027 season
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Recording Academy officially released the complete schedule for the upcoming 2027 Grammy Awards.
The eligibility period for artists to submit their musical projects will run from August 31, 2025, to August 28, 2026.
The highly anticipated award ceremony will take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and stream live across multiple platforms.
Source: Legit.ng
