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Streaming-Exclusive Music To Now Be Considered For GRAMMY Nomination

blame it on Meka June 16, 2016
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“He said let’s do a good ass job with Chance 3/I hear you gotta sell it to snatch the GRAMMY…”

Not anymore, Chance.

In an unprecedented (but somewhat expected) move today, The Recording Academy has established new rules (there’s that term again) for its 59th GRAMMY Awards, which will take place Sunday, February 12th, 2017. Among them is the rule that streaming-only albums will now be considered for nomination effective immediately; meaning, projects like Chance The Rapper’s Coloring Book and Kanye West’s The Life Of Pablo are now eligible for GRAMMY consideration.

“The GRAMMYs aren’t just peer-awarded, they’re peer-driven,” said Bill Freimuth, Senior Vice President of Awards for The Recording Academy. “Throughout the year, members of the music community come to us asking to make changes to the Awards process, and we work with them to figure out how those changes might work. I’m proud of this year’s changes because they’re a testament to the artists, producers and writers — the people who rolled up their sleeves to shape the proposals and, in turn, the future of the GRAMMYs. It’s exactly what they should be doing. It’s their award.”

The Recording Academy also made changes to the Best New Artist category, redefined and changed the name of the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category to Best Rap/Sung Performance, and more. However, the inclusion of streaming music is a literal game-changer now, thanks in part to Chance co-signed petition.