Grammys under scrutiny: allegations of racial bias against artists of colour surface

Summer Walker, a talented African American singer, recently shared her feelings of disappointment regarding the lack of Grammy nominations for her albums. During an appearance on a music podcast, she expressed her thoughts on the matter. She discussed the commercial success of her albums, Over It and Still Over It, and the dedicated fan base she has cultivated.

Walker conveyed her belief that her albums had achieved significant sales figures, which she felt warranted recognition from the prestigious awards organization. Despite her success, she expressed feeling let down by the absence of a Grammy nomination. She emphasised the strong support from her fans, who eagerly anticipate her performances and contribute to sold-out concerts whenever she takes the stage.

More POC artists on Grammy's unfair treatment 

It is worth noting that Walker's disappointment at the lack of Grammy nominations is not an isolated incident within the music industry. The issue of biased opinions and underrepresentation of people of colour (POC) artists have been raised before. The Weeknd, another prominent artist, took a stand against the Grammy Awards after being overlooked for a nomination in 2021.

Despite achieving remarkable success with his album After Hours and the widely acclaimed hit Blinding Lights, which became the most streamed song of the year, The Weeknd was surprised by his omission from the nominations. In response, he made the decision to boycott the award show and no longer submit his work for consideration. He called for greater transparency from the Grammy committee regarding their selection process.

In 2021, Zayn, a Pakistani-British singer and former member of One Direction, expressed his frustration with the Grammy voting process through a tweet. He criticised what he perceived as the need to engage in people-pleasing behaviourn order to secure a nomination at the prestigious award show. He tweeted, " F**k the Grammys and everyone associated. Unless you shake hands and send gifts, there are nomination considerations. Next year I'll send you a basket of confectionery."

Nicki Minaj, a highly influential rapper in contemporary music, has received a notable number of Grammy nominations over her 13-year career but has yet to secure a win. Despite her immense success and the chart performance of seven of her songs on the Billboard charts, she expressed disappointment at not being recognised with the Best New Artist award. She specifically mentioned Bon Iver, who won the award over her, in her criticism of the organisation.

BTS snubbed for three consecutive years

BTS, a highly successful Korean boy band, has undoubtedly made a significant impact on the global music industry since their debut in 2013. They have broken numerous records, including being the first Korean group to reach #1 on the US Billboard charts and achieving this feat three times. Additionally, their ability to secure four #1 albums within two years places them in a league comparable to The Beatles in terms of rapid success.

Despite their undeniable accomplishments, BTS has faced disappointment at the Grammy Awards. Despite receiving five nominations in three consecutive years, they have not yet won a Grammy. The fact that they were invited to perform at the event has led some to speculate that the Grammy organisation sought to capitalise on the band's immense global popularity, potentially using them to attract a larger viewership while denying them the actual award. 

POC's entrapment in specific categories

According to research conducted by the ad agency DraftFCB, non-white or mixed-race musicians made up more than 81% of the top 10 best-selling albums on Billboard in the year 2021. At the Grammys, however, Musicians of colour garnered just 26.7% of nominations from 2012 to 2020. In order to highlight "racialised" categories like R&B and Hip-Hop, the event has come under fire for entrapping the black artists in this category while conferring the bigger awards like Artist of the Year to the white musicians.

Beyoncé, a pop icon and one of the most acclaimed artists of our time, has undeniably achieved remarkable success throughout her career. With 32 Grammy Awards to her name, she holds the record for the most nominations received by an artist. However, it is worth noting that a significant number of her wins are categorised under the labels 'R&B,' 'Urban,' or both.