The Grammys Finally Begin to Embrace the Future of Music [OPINION]

In case you live under a rock, the 2020 Grammy nominations were recently announced and there is a lot to unpack. Lizzo takes the title of the most nominated artist with eight nominations. Taylor Swift was snubbed hard as her latest album Lover failed to garner enough votes for an Album of the Year nomination. The entire Rock category is a mess. Yet in the midst of all the chaos, one thing is for sure: The Recording Academy has finally embraced the future of music.

It used to be that a musician had to know someone who knew someone to even be considered for a record deal and even then, it took years for a musician to reach international success. Today, thanks to the Internet, it’s never been easier for aspiring musicians to go from nobodies to the next big thing overnight. Actually, this seems to be the only way today’s biggest mainstream artists have gotten their big break. As an institution so set in traditions, the Recording Academy has ignored this phenomenon and refused to acknowledge how the Internet has changed what constitutes as success. That is, until now.

First-timers and newcomers Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X dominated the nominee list in the four major categories of Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. Each of the three artists became wildly popular after going viral on the Internet. Lizzo made commercial success this past April after her 2017 single “Truth Hurts” appeared in the Netflix original rom-com Someone Great, which was released the same day as her third studio album Cuz I Love You. Lil Nas X seemingly came out of nowhere after the meme movement known as the Yeehaw Agenda picked up “Old Town Road,” making it an instant viral hit. Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas were independently releasing music until the Internet started paying attention.

None of these artists’ has the privilege of being “critically acclaimed,” a quality that up until now used to be a must-have in order to be nominated for a Grammy; however, these artists have racked up hundreds of millions of followers, views and streams. It seems that the Recording Academy has finally seen these as a measurement of success.

Although the Recording Academy has begun to embrace this new wave of Internet born popstars, it’s difficult to gauge why it’s decided to so all of a sudden. The Grammys have always been a popularity contest, that’s what success is essentially, but the academy has always used its best judgment to separate the one-hit wonders from those with real potential and talent. Eilish has solidified herself as a young, prospering star with a chart-topping debut album. As for the other two, it’s too early to tell. Lizzo released two albums before reaching commercial success. Had “Truth Hurts” not appeared in a popular Netflix movie, would it ever have caught on? Both of Lil Nas X’s hit singles “Old Town Road” and “Panini” were created based on samples from well-known musicians. Can he create award-worthy original work? Was nominating his EP for Album of the Year simply a stunt to get people riled up?

There is still one issue the Recording Academy has failed to address: the constant invention and evolution of genres. As the Internet has provided musicians with an infinite library for inspiration and sampling, the lines between genres become more and more blurred. Take Lil Nas X for example. Dubbed “country trap,” “Old Town Road” blends a subgenre of rap known as mumble rap and country. The single was originally nominated for a Country Music Award but was ultimately disqualified after it was deemed “not country enough” (cue Billy Ray Cyrus). If Lil Naps X were to continue making music of the same genre, where would it belong?