“It ups the game in terms of what it takes to receive a Grammy,” said Grammy president Neil Portnow of the changes.
“A great singer is a great singer is a great singer, and somebody that has a gift in terms of their voice, and is at the top of their game in terms of their delivery and emotion, really isnt necessarily defined by gender,” he added.
“We are talking about the most prestigious, coveted award and it should be a high bar in terms of the measurement of receiving that.”
There will no longer be a winner for best Native American Album and Best Spoken Word Children’s Record. The separate male and female vocal categories in the Pop, R&B, and Country genres have been merged, so now males and females will compete with each other.
In an attempt to keep the ceremony fresh, only three of the artists nominated will be announced during the ceremony. Any category that receives less than 25 entries will be removed that year and if it continues to lack for attention for three consecutive years it will be dropped completely.
The Best Album, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist awards will remain the same.
yoraps.com