(Hypebot) — In this Grammy Nomination Guide, you’ll learn the key strategies independent musicians need to earn a Grammy nomination. Learn from industry experts and take your music career to award-winning levels.
The Indie Artist’s Guide to Grammy Nominations
by Randy Zimmerman of Symphonic Blog
As you can see Grammy Awards Every year it always seems like it’s the Kanye and Beyonce of the industry who win. There are so many other winners that don’t make it onto TV, and most of them are talented independent artists who work just as hard as you do. If you’re a talented musician, getting nominated for a Grammy isn’t as hard as you might think, and it’s certainly possible to win as an independent artist. Want to be on the nominees list? The Online Entry Process (OEP) for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards will open on July 17. Here’s how to participate.
How to Become an Artist Nominated for the 2025 Grammys
Having a Grammy win to show off is not only a personal bragging right, but a huge win for this competitive industry we call home. Adding this achievement to future press releases, EPKs, etc. is a huge selling point and will definitely draw more attention to your work than you might otherwise as you progress in your career — even as mainstream isn’t always mainstream and the landscape of this industry is constantly changing, the legitimacy and prestige of a Grammy always remains impressive.
Become Eligible to submitA release must meet the following requirements:
- release date // Released recordings can now be sent September 16, 2023 – August 30, 2024 Grammy Award nominee.
- length // To be eligible for album submission, your recording must At least 5 different tracksA total running time of 15 minutes, or a total running time of 30 minutes with no minimum number of tracks. Singles have no such requirement.
- format // Submitted recordings must be available for sale in a physical “brick and mortar” store, online via digital download, or via accredited streaming platforms. Recordings must meet the minimum industry standard rate of 16-bit, 44.1 kHz. Each submitted song must have appropriate metadata credits (lyricist, producer, etc.) and an International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) for each track.
- Original Materials // Starting with the 2023 Grammys, albums must contain at least 75% new, previously unreleased recordings recorded within five years of the release date. The current rule is 50%.
Does this include other credited personnel?
yes!
At the 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony and all future ceremonies, at least in the Album of the Year category, all credited artists (including featured artists), songwriters of new songs, producers, recording engineers, mixers, and mastering engineers will be eligible to be nominated and win. — Previously, all artists, songwriters, producers, recording engineers, mixers, and mastering engineers had to be credited for at least 33 percent of the performance time. Now, as long as they are credited, they are eligible to win.
How does one apply for the Grammys?
To be submitted for consideration for the Grammy Awards, a recording must be entered by either a professional or voting member of the Recording Academy. Each member of the Academy must have an account on the Grammy Awards website and may log in to submit entries during the submission period.
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How does the Grammy Awards voting process work?
The Grammy Awards voting process consists of two rounds.
Round 1 // Voting members vote for the works they think should be nominated in each category. With only five slots in each category, just getting a Grammy nomination is a big achievement. Nominees are already selected from dozens of submissions in each category.
Final Round // Once the nominees for each category have been selected, the final voting round begins. Voting members vote for the nominee in each category who they believe is most deserving of a Grammy Award. The nominee who receives the most votes wins. On the night of the ceremony, the awards for the categories that receive the most votes are televised. This includes: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Newcomer Award Even more popular genres like pop and hip hop have won many big awards. Many awards are not broadcast on television, and the categories created for indie artists tend to be more niche.
What about the Latin Grammys?
of Latin Grammy Awards is literally the Latin version of the American Grammy Awards, so the voting process is the same, but members of the Latin Recording Academy submit works, sort them into categories, and vote in a nomination round and final round to determine the Grammy winners.
“…But what are the chances that I will actually be nominated?”
There’s a big misconception that the Grammys are only for the biggest names in the industry. There are hundreds of categories, and independent artists make their way onto the nomination list every year.
Symphonic has several artists who have been nominated or won awards, such as: Catherine Russell Nominated for Best Jazz Vocal in 2019. “Divine Tides” by Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kaye It won a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album. Steel Pulse He was nominated nine times and won Best Reggae Recording for Babylon The Bandit.
The conclusion is…
You have nothing to lose by taking a chance. Indie artists are nominated and win Grammys every year. If you work hard every day to improve your craft, put out great music, and consistently improve your artistry, your work deserves to be recognized at the highest level. In the end, winning an award doesn’t determine the quality of your work, but winning one feels really good…
This year, recordings released between Sept. 16, 2023 and Aug. 30, 2024 can be submitted for consideration for the 2025 Grammy Awards. As a member of the Recording Academy, it’s important to remember that you have the special privilege of celebrating the very best in music this year.
Once you log in, you’ll have access to the following: Helpful resources It includes 67th category descriptions and a quick reference guide, basic Grammy Awards guidelines and definitions, an OEP timetable, and entry tips detailing how to submit a successful entry. In the meantime, here are some important dates to remember for Grammy nominees.
- Product target period: September 16, 2023 – August 30, 2024
- Media Company Registration: July 8, 2024 – August 23, 2024
- Online entry period: July 17, 2024 – August 30, 2024
- First round voting: October 4, 2024 – October 15, 2024
- 67th Annual Grammy Awards Nominations Announced: November 8, 2024
- Final Round Voting: December 12, 2024 – January 3, 2025
- The 67th Annual Grammy Awards Telecast: February 2, 2025
Good luck!
