When discussing mainstream music, the dialogue surrounding the numerous accolades and awards given to artists is inevitable. However, of these countless awards, which one stands out among the rest? Which one has the power to distinguish an artist and eternalize their impact in musical history? One answer should come to mind: the Grammy.
The Grammy Awards, also known as the Grammys, are a series of awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize achievements in the music industry often characterized by their social and cultural impact, not only in the music scene but within society. With categories stretching from Best Pop Vocal Album to Best Alternative Rock Performance, the scope of recognition for excellence by the Recording Academy and the Grammy Awards is nothing short of extensive. Amounting to over 90 possible categories for nomination, four are separated from the bunch due to the sheer competitiveness and considered to be the ‘major’ categories: Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and the most coveted of all, Album of the Year. When there are huge stakes on the line, controversy is inevitable and that is exactly what happened when this year’s Grammy nominees were released for Album of the Year.
On Nov. 8, 2024, eight albums were announced as the official nominees for this category, comprising of the largest commercial successes of this year including Billie Eillish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft” and Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department.” However, one snub, borderline robbery, that led to significant uproar from musical fans was the absence of Ariana Grande’s “Eternal Sunshine.” Although there are no tangible, concrete criteria for sifting through and selecting nominees amongst the thousands of submissions, a prevailing pattern is common across all the nominees for this prestigious award: impact.
Popularity and critical acclaim are the two undeniable factors essential to determining impact. “Eternal Sunshine” embodies these two principles, possessing two #1 hit singles, an album debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 and positive reviews that regard this as her most cohesive album. Music taste and preference are difficult to measure, making critical acclaim often subjective, but the impact is not. Musical impact is measured based on commercial success and innovation, yet some of the nominees severely lack musical impact and commercial success when pitted against “Eternal Sunshine.” Grande has not had a good track record with the Grammy Awards, and it appears her unlucky streak has not come to an end yet. The Recording Academy needs to, at the very least, try to explain the rationale behind their choices because it has been evident these past few years that there are more factors at play than just pure quality and impact attached to a piece of musical work.
