When you think of the highest awards in entertainment, one would think about “The Oscars”, “The AMA’s”, and most notably “The Grammy’s”. Considered to be music’s highest award, the Grammy’s has awarded some of music’s most iconic stars. From Paul McCartney to Jay-Z, the Grammy’s has presented the award to various generations since its inception in 1959.
In the past, winning a Grammy was considered the “I made it” moment for an artist. A Grammy nomination alone can uplift an artist’s career and send them to the next level of acclaim. Take Billie Eilish for example, Eilish won the award for ‘Best New Artist” in the 2020 Grammy’s. Since then, Eilish’s stardom has only risen and she has taken home many other awards.
However, this is a special exception from the Grammy award’s recent “abysmal” nominee and winner selection. Time and time again, the Grammy’s have snubbed artists and their bodies of work.
In 2014, the category for “Best Rap Album” included Jay-Z’s “Magna Carta…Holy Grail”, Kanye West’s “Yeezus”, Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City”, Drake’s “Nothing Was The Same”, and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s “The Heist” becoming the winner. Although a tough call, the winner should have been, “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City”. Lamar’s lyrics and flows, compiled with his storytelling and beat selection made for one of the albums of the decade. Even if Kendrick Lamar did not win, the other nominees (Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Drake) put out arguably some of the best works of their discographies. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis won purely due to the fact that they had the most plays and viral music. Good Kid, m.A.A.d City has aged incredibly well. With the song “Money Trees” going viral on TikTok recently, this album will go down as a classic that had its complexity and beauty overlooked.
In 2018, the scene was set once again for the “Best Rap Album”. This year, the nominees were Pusha T’s “DAYTONA”, Cardi B’s “Invasion of Privacy”, Nipsey Hussle “Victory Lap”, Travis Scott’s “ASTROWORLD”, and Mac Miller’s “Swimming” Prior to the awards ceremony, Travis Scott was the favorite to win the award, with many also arguing that the late Mac Miller also had a great chance of winning the award. Miller passed away exactly 3 months before his final album was nominated for a Grammy. The nomination was Miller’s first. Swimming was by far the most unique album out of all the nominations. Using elements of funk, jazz, and soul, “Swimming” was Miller’s most experimental project. Travis Scott released his album “ASTROWORLD” the same day as Mac Miller released his album “Swimming”. “ASTROWORLD” debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 and unleashed a social media storm; and garnered critical acclaim for its “rollercoaster” beat changes, features, and energy. With “ASTROWORLD” being highly anticipated it was expected to be nominated and win many awards, The Grammys’s included. The Grammy went to Cardi B for “Invasion of Privacy”. This came as an absolute shock. Cardi B’s album was decent no doubt, but it was not on par with “ASTROWORLD” or “Swimming”. The cultural impact both the albums had on the music world outweigh “Invasion of Privacy”.
By far the most shocking snub in recent history came this year, for the upcoming 2021 Grammys. The Weeknd had a great 2020. Releasing his long-awaited “After Hours” album, which debuted at the number 1 spot on the Billboard 200, With the single “Blinding Lights” being touted by many as one of the best songs of 2020. The hit song spent a record 40 weeks in the Hot 100 and sat at number 1 for 4 consecutive weeks. Other singles such as “Heartless”, “In Your Eyes”, and “Save Your Tears” also received critical acclaim and have millions of views for their respective music videos. The Weeknd also used his performances at awards shows such as the “American Music Awards” and the “VMA’s” to tell the story behind his After Hours album. Donning the now-iconic red suit, The Weeknd has had many wondering what he will do next. Despite an unforgettable year, The Weeknd did not receive a SINGLE nomination at the 2021 Grammy’s. Perhaps one of the biggest snubs in recent Grammy history.
After constant mishaps and snubs, surely we can’t give validity to The Grammy’s. It is an outdated award, that is more of a popularity contest rather than focusing on music quality. The Grammy’s should no longer be considered the prestigious award that it once was.
