The Grammys are a widely celebrated event that occurs each year. They were first established in the 1950s and have become one of America’s most prestigious awards ceremonies. Grammy nominations occur by members of the Academy calling for a vote. The ones that win that vote get the grammy. 

For 2021 according to the Grammys nominations, some of the most notable people nominated for the record of the year are Lil Nas X for Montero (Call Me By Your Name), Billie Ellish with Happier Than Ever, Olivia Rodrigo with Drivers License. Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, H.E.R, Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Justin Bieber, Tony Bennett + Lady Gaga, and Jon Batiste are also nominated for Album of the Year. BTS got their second Grammy nomination for their song, Butter, under the best pop duo/group category. 

Doja Cat and Justin Bieber got nominated eight times, while Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish managed to get seven. This year, Jon Batiste became quite popular with the most nominations – listing eleven in total. 

Although the Grammys are a yearly event that many look forward to, they’ve recently come under fire for their unjust nominations or the lack thereof. Much of the criticism comes from their subtle racism toward black artists and their display of xenophobia. Herbie Hancock won album of the year in 2008; he was the last black artist to be nominated. The last time a black woman got nominated for album of the year was Lauryn Hill in 1999. Since then, no black artist has won album of the year, which is one of the most prominent categories. 

Artists themselves have criticized the Grammys as well. Last year, the Weeknd made headlines after he accused the Grammys of being ‘corrupt’ and promised to boycott the organization further. Zayn Malik, a former member of One Direction, also tweeted about the unfairness of the Grammys saying, “Unless you shake hands and send gifts, there are no nomination considerations.” Because the recording academy has committees of “highly skilled in music,” nominations can often be manipulated. In 2021 The Weeknd’s album, After Hours, spent 52 weeks in the US Top 10 and did not even get a single nomination. BTS, a prominent K-pop band with three songs on the Billboard top 100 right after the Beatles, got nominated for Pop Duo/Group performances in 2021 and did not win. Yet the Grammys booked them for performance and profited off of their fans. 

If the Grammys nominations do not take into account song streams? The number of records or albums sold? Then what does it take into account? These are some questions that the general public is wondering about. Although we may not know the answers, people are still looking forward to the Grammys even though they seem scam.