Grammy or Scammy?

Every winter, the most esteemed artists of our time hold their breath as the Grammys are announced. Will it finally be their year? Does popularity really determine who will win? Who even invented the Grammys? In this article, I aim to explore what exactly goes on behind closed doors to determine who walks away with the prize.

The Grammy awards started on May 4, 1959. It was held in 2 locations: Beverly Hills, as well as Park Sheraton Hotel in NYC. The award was named after the gramophone, a device used for playing records. The idea of music awards was proposed by the Academy, the international organization that hosts the Oscar Awards.

Over the last century, there has been growing discontent with the validity of the winners. The Grammys are claimed to be “outdated and sexist.”. Deborah Dugan, the now- suspended CEO of the Grammys, shed light on disturbing truths in a 2020 interview:

"So rigged is a term you would apply to it?" asked BBC reporter Tony Dokoupil. 

"Yes it is," Dugan replied. Dugan then proceeds to explain how voters who represent an artist will be compensated if that artist wins. The voting is done primarily by old white men who are in it for a quick buck, not by the music experts that it was painted to be. She describes the Grammys as a “boys club,” and its due time for a change in management. Some of our fellow students agree as well. Ariana Guevara-Gamez, a senior here at HF, says that “The Grammys isn’t even about popularity. Some years I feel like they’re rigged.”

The Recording Academy has assured that Dugan’s allegations were "spurious" and "categorically false". Officer Bill Freimuth said that if a committee member were to be nominated, they would be prevented from voting in that category. But Dugan has remained firm on her claims that the votes are skewed. So who do you believe?