The Grammy Awards are adding new categories to their annual ceremony including a Best Pop Dance Recording award to recognize danceable, electronic-based tracks.
The 66th Grammy Awards, which will take place in 2024, will feature three new categories: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording.
The Best Pop Dance Recording category will recognize pieces with a strong, rhythmic beat, a pop arrangement, and a significant focus on electronic-based instruments alongside a vocal performance, melody, and hook.
Remixes are not eligible for this category as they will be recognized under the Best Remixed Recording Category.
The Best African Music Performance category recognizes local pieces from across the African continent highlighting traditional melodies, harmonies, and rhythmic patterns. Afrobeat, Afro-fusion, Afro-Pop, Alte, Amapiano, Afro-House, etc. are all highlighted in this category.
And finally, Best Alternative Jazz Album will recognize individuals, duos, or groups in jazz both with or without vocals that hybrid the genre with other styles including Electronic/Dance.
The Grammys have long come under fire for their misaligned recognition of certain artists and their work under the Electronic Music categories, notoriously handing R&B/pop artist Beyonce the win last year in both Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Dance/Electronic Recording.
The hope with this new category is to allow some new names in the electronic music industry to receive some accolades and create more breathing room for these artists without the star power of someone like Beyonce.
Read more about the new Best Pop Dance Recording category at the next Grammys below:
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Featured image credit David Becker/Getty Images for The Recording Academy