Grammys Unveil 5 New Categories and Major Rule Changes

The Recording Academy announced several major changes for the 69th annual Grammy Awards, including five new categories that bring the total number of awards to an even 100. The updates also give emerging artists more chances to compete and expand recognition for genres and songwriters that have long asked for a bigger spotlight.

The changes will take effect at the 2027 Grammy Awards, which air live on ABC, Disney+ and Hulu on Feb. 7.

For up-and-coming musicians, one of the biggest changes involves the Best New Artist category.

Until now, artists could be entered in the category only three times before becoming ineligible. The Academy has increased that limit to four entries, saying the move better reflects how artists build careers today.

That change is especially good news for singers Ella Langley and Megan Moroney, as well as Ken Carson and Ravyn Lenae. All four had already been entered three times and would have been shut out under the previous rules.

The band Geese also catches a break. The group had been entered twice, while frontman Cameron Winter was entered once for his solo album Heavy Metal. Under the old rules, that would have made the band ineligible, too.

The adjustment matters because getting entered and getting nominated are two very different things. While only eight artists have been nominated for Best New Artist in each of the last three years, more than 320 artists were entered in the category annually.

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said the music industry has changed, as mentioned on Grammy.com

“With Best New Artist, we’ve heard from the music community that the way artists are being developed is changing, and the time it’s taking to find success or recognition can take longer than it once did. Artists are often releasing more music before they actually break through the consciousness of consumers or of our voters, and that evolution directly impacts this Category.

“Last year, we formed a Best New Artist task force and charged them with reviewing the current guidelines and Category description to determine if anything needed to be refreshed or changed. That task force met, discussed, deliberated, and convened artists, and they came to the table with recommendations, which is what you’re seeing implemented this year. The changes that have been made to this category will allow for a little bit more flexibility and reflect the reality that artist development looks different than it did even a few years ago.”

The most talked-about addition is likely Best Asian Pop Music Performance.

The category will honor songs from genres such as K-pop, J-pop and C-pop that make meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. Songs performed entirely in English will not qualify.

The new award highlights the growing influence of Asian pop around the world and marks another step in the Grammys' efforts to recognize music from different regions.

“Asian pop music is one of the most significant and sustained forces in the global music industry. Its impact is well-established, and it continues to grow and shape music culture around the world. There’s so much music coming out of that region, between J-pop and Mandopop and K-pop, and I’m so excited to recognize its impact in next year’s show. As Asian pop’s influence has continued to grow within our process, our members and Trustees felt this was the right moment to create a Category that more accurately reflects the genre’s scale, artistry and global impact. With an integrated approach to music, performance and presentation, Asian pop is distinct in its musical identity. As we move forward, we can continue to explore additional ways of recognizing even more creators within the broader Asian music community.”

The Academy is also introducing:

The addition of Best Latin Song is especially notable after Latin music's recent success at the Grammys.

“We all know the popularity and the success of Latin music. Bad Bunny just won the Grammy for Album of the Year for an all-Spanish-language album this year. Latin music is one of the most vibrant and influential forces in the world, but until now, Latin songwriters have not had a dedicated award within the Latin Field. This new Category creates meaningful recognition for those songwriters, expanding representation for the genre within the Grammy process as it continues to make a global impact.”

The Recording Academy is also tweaking how Grammy voters cast ballots.

A new option called "Ballot Plus" will allow some members with experience across several genres to vote in as many as 15 categories instead of following the traditional "10/3" voting structure.

“Ballot Plus gives Grammy voters that are working in more than just a couple of genres the ability to vote across the ballot, ensuring that ability and access is tied to credits and authenticating that person is actually an expert or creator in the different Fields they want to vote in. It is a great use of our voting body because we need their expertise, we need their ears, we need their opinions in all the areas that they’re familiar with.”

The Academy is also lowering the amount of newly recorded material needed for an album to qualify, from 75 percent to 66 percent. The change is meant to help artists who release singles over a longer period before finally putting out an album.

Songwriters and composers are also getting more recognition. They will now receive Grammy statuettes and achievement certificates in most genre album categories, putting them on more equal footing with producers and engineers.

“It’s a huge step and hopefully a great accomplishment that lets them realize that they are so important to the whole process, the whole ecosystem of music, and the music business. We have made so much great progress and changes in respect to the songwriter craft in recent years, from our launch of the Songwriters & Composers Wing to the addition of the Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical Category just a few years ago. It all starts with songwriters; none of the awards really can happen without songwriters. It’s really important they feel acknowledged and celebrated in the same way producers and engineers do.”

The Grammy Awards once handed out more than 100 trophies each year, peaking at 110 categories in 2008 and 2009. A major overhaul in 2012 cut that number to 78.

Now, after years of gradual growth, the Grammys have officially climbed back to 100 awards, signaling a broader and more inclusive vision of what music looks and sounds like in 2027.