Bumping up the total number of categories to 94, the 2024 GRAMMYs is set to introduce new categories during its 66th annual ceremony. On Feb. 4. The Recording Academy will debut three new categories: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording for the first time.
The categories specifically encompass genres that have been on the award’s ballot for decades but didn’t have a section of their own until now. In 2023, we saw Songwriter Of the Year, Non-Classical, and Best Song for Social Change added to the ballot as new categories.
This year’s additions were voted on and passed at the Recording Academy’s semi-annual Board of Trustees meeting in May 2023. The meeting also determined that the existing categories of Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical will be moved to the General Field.
“These changes reflect our commitment to actively listen and respond to the feedback from our music community, accurately represent a diverse range of relevant musical genres, and stay aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. “By introducing these three new categories, we are able to acknowledge and appreciate a broader array of artists. We are excited to honor and celebrate the creators and recordings in these categories, while also exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide.”
For the Best African Music Performance, “unique and local expressions from across the African continent” will be celebrated through tracks and singles. The category includes Afrobeat, Afro Pop, Afrobeats, Alte, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Genge, Kizomba, Chimurenga, Ethio Jazz, among other genres. They all aim to “highlight regional melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic traditions.”
The nominees for this category are “Amapiano” by ASAKE & Olamide, “City Boys” by Burna Boy, “UNAVAILABLE” by Davido featuring Musa Keys, “Rush” by Ayra Starr, and “Water” by Tyla. “Best Pop Dance Recording will award up-tempo, danceable tracks that follow pop arrangements.
The inaugural round of this category features the David Guetta collaborations “Baby Don’t Hurt Me” with Anne-Marie and Coi Leray and “One In A Million” with Bebe Rexha, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s “Miracle,” Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam,” and Troye Sivan’s “Rush.”
In Best Alternative Jazz Album, the nominees are Love In Exile by Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily; Quality Over Opinion by Louis Cole; SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree by Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter and SuperBlue; Live At The Piano by Cory Henry; and The Omnichord Real Book by Meshell Ndegeocello.
This category “will recognize artistic excellence in Alternative Jazz albums by individuals, duos and groups/ensembles, with or without vocals.”