but I don’t think it was her best work.” This blog post will explore Beyoncé’s historic Grammy win, and the history of the Grammys overlooking Black artists. We will look at the influence Beyoncé has had on the music industry, from her surprise album drops to her headlining Coachella performance. We will also explore the Recording Academy’s attempts to rectify the issue of overlooking Black artists, and the impact this has had on the Grammys. Finally, we will look at the comments from anonymous Academy voters, and the effect this has had on the perception of the awards ceremony.
At the 2023 Grammys, Beyoncé made history: she won four awards, becoming the most awarded artist in history, and the first Black woman to win in the best dance/electronic album category. However, despite her monumental success, the Grammys snubbed her in the three major categories: song of the year, record of the year, and album of the year. This snubbing continues a long history of the Grammys overlooking Black artists, and it raises the question: Is the Recording Academy really doing enough to recognize the greatness of Black artists?
In this blog post, we will explore the history of the Grammys overlooking Black artists, the influence Beyoncé has had on the music industry, and the Recording Academy’s attempts to address this issue. We will also look at the comments from anonymous Academy voters, and the effect this has had on the perception of the awards ceremony.
Beyoncé is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. She revolutionized the surprise album drop with 2013’s “Beyoncé,” which also debuted at No. 1, and she has only toured football stadiums, generating upward of $200 million during her last solo tour. She is the first Black woman to headline Coachella, and her latest album, “Renaissance,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Despite her success, the Grammys have mostly relegated her to R&B and hip-hop categories, and denied her the ceremony’s biggest award.
The Recording Academy, which votes on the Grammys, has been attempting to rectify this issue by shifting the makeup of the voting body to be more inclusive. In 2021, they invited more than 2,700 new music creators into its body, 48% of whom were female, 32% of whom were Black, 13% of whom were Latinx, and 4% of whom were Asian or Pacific Islander. They also publicly stated a goal of adding 2,500 women voters by 2025.
However, comments from anonymous Academy voters appear to suggest that this isn’t enough. One voter was quoted saying, “With Beyoncé, the fact that every time she does something new, it’s a big event and everyone’s supposed to quake in their shoes — it’s a little too portentous.” Another voter said, “I didn’t vote for either Adele or Beyoncé in any of the top categories. I love Beyoncé’s album and have been a fan… but I don’t think it was her best work.”
It’s clear that the Recording Academy needs to do more to recognize the greatness of Black artists. Beyoncé has an unquestionable influence over the music industry, and her snubbing from the major categories is a reminder of the Academy’s history of overlooking trailblazing Black artists. It’s time for the Academy to truly recognize her greatness, and the greatness of all Black artists.
Join us in this blog post as we explore Beyoncé’s historic Grammy win, and the history of the Grammys overlooking Black artists. We will look at the influence Beyoncé has had on the music industry, from her surprise album drops to her headlining Coachella performance. We will also explore the Recording Academy’s attempts to rectify the issue of overlooking Black artists, and the impact this has had on the Grammys. Finally, we will look at the comments from anonymous Academy voters, and the effect this has had on the perception of the awards ceremony. Let’s dive in and discuss this important issue together.
Source: www.msnbc.com