We may know who took home last night’s coveted trophies at the Grammys, but the public doesn’t often get firsthand insight into the voters. The group of industry professionals who voted for this year’s Grammys was grilled by Variety, and their comments about their choices set off the internet. Several of the anonymous voters openly admitted they steered clear of voting for artists like Beyoncé or Adele because, well, they’ve won so much already.
The conversations with the voters surrounded the Top 4 categories of the night: Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year. A person described as “a Grammy-winning producer-engineer who has been a voter for almost 20 years” explained their choices. They claimed they voted for Lizzo for Record of the Year because of her impact. They also seemed tired of Bey always being on top.
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“I felt very strongly that Lizzo has changed this culture a lot,” they told Variety. “‘About Damn Time’ was a great track that everyone responded to. I also look at who’s been there and go, ‘OK, Adele, Beyoncé — they always win; it’s the same people over and over again.’ So I went for Lizzo.” This person further admitted that they are “out of touch with where the Academy is right now.”
Another voter described as “a music business veteran in his 70s” was accused of shading Beyoncé and the response her projects have received. “With Beyoncé, the fact that every time she does something new, it’s a big event and everyone’s supposed to quake in their shoes — it’s a little too portentous.” They also criticized Harry Styles, admitting to holding his “boy band” days against him.
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Additionally, a “thirtysomething female singer voting for the second time” believed Adele and Beyoncé’s award-winning reputations were a hindrance. “I didn’t vote for either Adele or Beyoncé in any of the top categories. I love Beyoncé’s album and have been a fan of Adele, but I feel that they have already won a lot of Grammys.”
The Recording Academy’s nomination and voting process has long been criticized. However, social media has brought more of these complaints to the forefront. We’re seeing more artists choosing to boycott the ceremony or not submit their music at all—a la The Weekend and Drake. Yet, we’re still seeing those artists take home the gold regardless of their submissions or attendance.
Check out a few reactions below and let us know if you think the Academy should be revamped.
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