Grammys add new categories, including songwriter of the year

By Associated Press |

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Jon Batiste performs in Brooklyn on Juneteenth 2020. Batiste won five Grammys in the 2022 ceremony (Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Recording Academy has created a social change song award and five new categories including songwriter of the year, giving the Grammys an avenue to honor music’s best composer. The academy announced Thursday that the new non-classical songwriter category will recognize one individual who was the “most prolific” non-performing and non-producing songwriters for their body of new work during an eligibility year. The four other categories include best spoken word poetry album, alternative music performance, Americana music performance and score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media. The academy created a special merit award that determines the best song for social change.


Jonathan Landrum Jr. for the Associated Press