We at PvNew usually reserve our get-out-the-vote efforts for things like presidential and congressional elections. But with the Grammy Awards’ dramatic changes to the voting process earlier this year — most notably the elimination of the “secret” nominating committees, which makes the Recording Academy membership’s individual votes more important than they’ve been in decades — it’s the least we can do.
First Round Grammy voting, which determines the nominees for the awards — i.e. the artists and recordings that will be nominated to win awards —began last Friday and last until Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.
The Recording Academy has created a video — watch it here — explaining this year’s online ballot changes as well as a guide to educate voters, members and the larger music community on the recent updates and details as the voting period continues.
A second video includes additional details like key dates, information on the several updates to the Grammy voting ballot and more —watch it here.
The Recording Academy has been criticized for years over its nominating process — culminating in the Weeknd’s shocking exclusive from all nominations last year — and they’ve apparently heard that criticism and moved to change the process by eliminating the “secret” committees that previously curated the final nominee lists in nearly every category. Now, almost all of those committees are gone, and the decision ostensibly rests entirely with the 12,000-strong general voting body.
In other words, your vote counts.
Here are some other key dates:
Nominations will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 23, and the 64th Grammy Awards will air on Monday, Jan. 31, 2022, live on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.
