MASON REFUTES
GRAMMY BNA RUMORS

In response to rumors—emanating from the Grammy committee meetings this past weekend—about changes to the 30-song-maximum rule for Best New Artist, Recording Academy Board Chairman Harvey Mason Jr. has issued a statement.

“The Best New Artist category rules have not changed as a result of last week’s screening meetings,” Mason’s statement reads. “However, because the Grammy Awards are a peer-driven process, we are proud of the fact that we rely on music professionals to lead the discussion on what changes need to happen and why. When we hear feedback as we did in the screening meetings last week, we take it to heart. There were many meaningful takeaways and we will continue to evaluate our process to ensure that we are being fair, inclusive and reflective. We always want as many artists as possible to be eligible for a nomination. We are committed to listening and putting in the work to get this right.”

The scuttlebutt had been that changes would be made regarding the 30-song limit—beyond which potential BNA contenders are disqualified—and such a change would likely have had a significant impact on this year’s contest in that category. The buzz got hot and heavy in the midst of this weekend’s screening meetings. Is more drama in store?