Trophies will be given out for five new categories at the Grammys 2023
(Picture: REUTERS)The Grammy Awards are in for a shake-up with five new awards categories being announced for next year’s ceremony.
The Recording Academy announced it is adding a prize for songwriter of the year (non-classical), as well as best alternative music performance, best Americana performance, best score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media, and best spoken word poetry album.
They will be handed out for the first time at the 2023 ceremony.
The award for songwriter of the year will recognise “the written excellence, profession and art of songwriting, honoring the most prolific non-performing and non-producing songwriters for their body of new work”.
A special merit award for best song for social change is also being introduced for which submissions needed to "contain lyrical content that addresses a timely social issue and promotes understanding, peacebuilding and empathy".
The winner will be chosen by a committee and ratified by the Recording Academy Board of Trustees.
Introducing this year's updates to the GRAMMY Awards process! 🎶 These updates will apply to the entire submission, nominations, and voting process for the 65th #GRAMMYs and include new Categories, a new Special Merit Award, Category amendments, and more.https://t.co/hYKasZLRJT
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) June 9, 2022
Recording Academy Chief executive Harvey Mason Jr said the new categories will honour music creators and inspire change, progress and collaboration.
"The Academy’s top priority is to effectively represent the music people that we serve, and each year, that entails listening to our members and ensuring our rules and guidelines reflect our ever-evolving industry," he said.
Changes to the Grammys are introduced after the Recording Academy’s annual process of accepting proposals from the music creators and professionals that make up its membership body.
The 2023 Grammy Awards will be the 65th edition of the annual ceremony.
This year’s ceremony was pushed back to April from January amid a spike in Covid cases and moved from Los Angeles to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
