African Music Performance is one of the newest categories added to the 66th Grammy Awards in 2024. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees voted to include three new categories: Best African Music Performance, Best Pop Dance Recording and Best Alternative Jazz Album.
“These changes reflect our commitment to actively listen and respond to the feedback from our music community, accurately represent a diverse range of relevant musical genres, and stay aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape,” Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the academy, said in a statement.
Everyone will be able to vote for producer of the year (non-classical) and songwriter of the year (non-classical). Additional changes to the Grammys include moving two categories to the general field. Those categories are the producer of the year (non-classical) and songwriter of the year (non-classical). Grammys voters can vote in the general field.
The academy meets yearly to review proposals for new awards and vote on changes to current awards. Any songs and albums released between Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 15, 2023 will be eligible for nominations at the 2024 show. The academy announces all nominations in November.
What The Category Means for African Music
The Best African Music category highlights the rise of Afrobeats in mainstream music. This is especially in thanks to artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy and Tems for winning Grammys for their chart-topping hits. Afrobeats had the most nominees within the Global Music category. Per the Academy, the new category aims to “recognize recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent.”
Besides Afrobeats, some other subgenres that apply to the African Music category are Afro-fusion, Afro-pop, Bongo Flava, Kizomba, High Life, Fuji, Ndombolo, Mapouka, Ghanaian drill, Afro-house and South African hip-hop.
These changes also allow other genres to earn their own category and nominations within the global music category.