The Recording Academy has announced significant changes for the 2027 Grammy Awards, including new genre categories and updated eligibility rules for top awards. The rule changes will affect the new artist and album of the year categories, with the Academy stating that the updates aim to reflect the evolving music landscape.
New categories include Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, Best Americana Performance, Best Global Music Performance, and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. Additionally, the Academy introduced categories for Asian and Latin music, such as Best Asian Music Performance and Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album.
Eligibility for Best New Artist has been revised to allow artists who have released up to 30 tracks or three albums to qualify, expanding the previous limit. For Album of the Year, all credited artists, including featured artists, songwriters, and producers, will now be eligible for a trophy if they contribute to at least 20% of the album's playing time.
The changes were approved by the Recording Academy's Board of Trustees and will take effect for the 2027 Grammy Awards, which will honor recordings released between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026. The 2027 ceremony is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles.
