The 2022 Grammy Awards are coming up, and there are a lot of new factors to keep in mind considering both the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the voting system. Things have changed following the continuous controversies regarding the voting process, which has yielded questionable nominations and snubs, including The Weeknd‘s shocking shutout in 2021. So there are a lot of questions about how the music industry’s highest-profile ceremony will adapt. Here’s what we know so far.
When are the awards?
The 64th Annual Grammy Awards broadcast was originally for January 31, 2022, but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 Omicron variant. They’re now set to air on Sunday, April 3.
In an official statement, the recording academy and CBS network said, “After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual Grammy Awards Show. The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31 simply contains too many risks.”
Popular on Gold Derby
Where are the awards?
They were originally set to take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, but due to the COVID delay they will now be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who’s hosting the ceremony?
“The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah is back for the second year in a row.
Who’s performing at the ceremony?
The recording academy has announced artists who will take the stage including Billie Eilish, BTS, and Olivia Rodrigo. Check out our complete updating list here.
What music is eligible?
Songs and albums are eligible if they were released from September 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021.
When did voting for the nominations take place?
Recording academy members voted for the nominees from October 22 to November 5, 2021.
Who are the nominees?
The academy unveiled the nominees on Tuesday, November 23, 2021. Jon Batiste led with 11, followed by Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R. with eight apiece. See the full list of nominations here.
When does voting for the winners take place?
After nominations are announced, academy members pick the winners from December 6, 2021, to January 5, 2022.
What are the rules?
The comprehensive rules and guidelines for the 2022 Grammys can be found here.
Nomination review committees have been eliminated from the voting process.
In previous years academy members at large would get to vote, but in most categories the long list of top vote-getters were evaluated by small, anonymous committees that decided the final nominees. Former CEO Deborah Dugan alleged the process was rigged, and following The Weeknd’s complete absence from the nominations (and subsequent boycott of the awards), the recording academy decided to get rid of those panels altogether, which may be good for transparency, though it may also be a challenge for lower-profile artists.
Academy members are allowed to vote in fewer categories.
Previously, voters could participate in the top four general field categories (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) plus 15 others. But to assure that members only vote in the categories where they have the greatest knowledge and expertise, now they are only allowed to vote in 10 other categories.
There’s a new Latin category.
As the Latin music industry continues to make inroads in the American market, the academy continues to evolve how it awards those achievements. Last year the Grammys merged pop and urban albums into one race, but this year urban music is getting its own category: Best Música Urbana Album.
Who’s producing the show?
Jesse Collins, Raj Kapoor and Ben Winston will be executive producers of the Grammys ceremony with Kapoor taking over from Winston as showrunner. “I am so excited to see Raj make his own mark on the world’s biggest musical stage,” said Winston in a statement. Hamish Hamilton will be returning as director.
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify record executives and music stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where thousands of showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?
