the Grammys have been a sought-after award by many. They take place every year with many
diverse artists and musicians winning and being nominated for the different categories. The
Grammys are seen worldwide as one of the greatest awards or achievements in the music
industry.
The Grammy Music Awards were first held on May 4, 1959. They have occurred
annually ever since. Each year artists have a chance to win Grammys from the many different
categories. These categories vary and change from year to year. In the 2024 Grammys, there will
be 94 categories to earn an award from. Categories include things like overall artist, album, song,
and music video of the year. These categories also have variations from different music genres
like rap performance of the year, or rock album of the year.
Given that there are so many various categories to win a Grammy from, there are popular
fan favorite categories. These popular categories are usually more anticipated and respected than
other less popular categories. Some of these include the different overall categories and best
albums, artists, or songs from the popular music genres.
Although the Grammys are held in high regard and respected by many, they have always
been criticized. Some of this criticism may come from bad blood due to not winning or not being
nominated, but there are also reasonable points to the Grammys being rigged. Popular artists
including The Weeknd, Kanye West, Halsey, Justin Bieber, and Nicki Minaj have all accused the
Grammys of being rigged.
The biggest reason for the Grammys being rigged is the voting system. The voters for the
Grammys are industry professionals including performers, songwriters, producers, engineers,
instrumentalists, and other creators active in the music industry. These people could be biased in
picking their favorite artists or even choosing their friends instead of the best option for the
category they are voting on. The people voting on the winners for the Grammy could not have
the interest of picking the deserving option.
Another factor the Grammys are seen as rigged is mainstream artists and projects
overshadowing smaller ones. While popularity could be seen as a factor in the best album or
artist of the year, this would only be part of the reason for said category being picked. Just
because something isn’t popular does not mean that it isn’t good. Underground projects and
artists are almost always not even nominated and given the chance to win a Grammy.
An example of this is the late Juice WRLD’s 2018 album, Goodbye & Good Riddance
not being nominated for the best rap album of the year. This album reached number 4 on the
Billboard 200 and is currently the 4th most streamed hip-hop album of the 2010’s according to
RapCaviar. Juice WRLD was also expected to be nominated for Best New Artist of the Year but
didn’t get the nomination regardless of huge hits that year. This is an example of non-mainstream
artists not getting a chance to win the Grammy even though they had a great project or year.
Popular music genres and categories are also a reason the Grammys are seen as rigged.
Popular artists bring in more viewers to the show which could be a factor in them being
nominated for Grammys. Popular genres like hip-hop, pop, and rock often overshadow options
diverse artists and musicians winning and being nominated for the different categories. The
Grammys are seen worldwide as one of the greatest awards or achievements in the music
industry.
The Grammy Music Awards were first held on May 4, 1959. They have occurred
annually ever since. Each year artists have a chance to win Grammys from the many different
categories. These categories vary and change from year to year. In the 2024 Grammys, there will
be 94 categories to earn an award from. Categories include things like overall artist, album, song,
and music video of the year. These categories also have variations from different music genres
like rap performance of the year, or rock album of the year.
Given that there are so many various categories to win a Grammy from, there are popular
fan favorite categories. These popular categories are usually more anticipated and respected than
other less popular categories. Some of these include the different overall categories and best
albums, artists, or songs from the popular music genres.
Although the Grammys are held in high regard and respected by many, they have always
been criticized. Some of this criticism may come from bad blood due to not winning or not being
nominated, but there are also reasonable points to the Grammys being rigged. Popular artists
including The Weeknd, Kanye West, Halsey, Justin Bieber, and Nicki Minaj have all accused the
Grammys of being rigged.
The biggest reason for the Grammys being rigged is the voting system. The voters for the
Grammys are industry professionals including performers, songwriters, producers, engineers,
instrumentalists, and other creators active in the music industry. These people could be biased in
picking their favorite artists or even choosing their friends instead of the best option for the
category they are voting on. The people voting on the winners for the Grammy could not have
the interest of picking the deserving option.
Another factor the Grammys are seen as rigged is mainstream artists and projects
overshadowing smaller ones. While popularity could be seen as a factor in the best album or
artist of the year, this would only be part of the reason for said category being picked. Just
because something isn’t popular does not mean that it isn’t good. Underground projects and
artists are almost always not even nominated and given the chance to win a Grammy.
An example of this is the late Juice WRLD’s 2018 album, Goodbye & Good Riddance
not being nominated for the best rap album of the year. This album reached number 4 on the
Billboard 200 and is currently the 4th most streamed hip-hop album of the 2010’s according to
RapCaviar. Juice WRLD was also expected to be nominated for Best New Artist of the Year but
didn’t get the nomination regardless of huge hits that year. This is an example of non-mainstream
artists not getting a chance to win the Grammy even though they had a great project or year.
Popular music genres and categories are also a reason the Grammys are seen as rigged.
Popular artists bring in more viewers to the show which could be a factor in them being
nominated for Grammys. Popular genres like hip-hop, pop, and rock often overshadow options
from smaller and less popular music genres. Projects from these categories are often picked for
the nominees and winners of the overall categories.
Occasionally mainstream artists make projects of different genres than they typically
create. In 2020, Igor by Tyler, the Creator, won Rap Album of the Year. Tyler is known as a rap
artist but created Igor, which was a Hip Hop funk and R&B album. This caused criticism as to
why it won Rap Album of the Year instead of winning Album of the Year for one of the
categories the album fit under. This year rapper Lil Yachty released the psychedelic-rock album,
Let’s Start Here, which has been speculated by many as a contender for Album of the Year, let
alone Rock Album of the Year. This is a similar case to what happened with Igor to whether this
album should go under the rap category as it was made by a rapper or the rock category due to
the genre of the album.
One of the biggest contributors to the Grammys being rigged is the 2019 Grammys. That
year, Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B, her debut album, won Rap Album of the Year. Nominees
for 2019 Rap Album of the Year also included Travis Scott’s Astroworld, Pusha T’s Daytona,
Nipsey Hussle’s Victory Lap, and Mac Millers Swimming. Currently, Astroworld is the 5th most
streamed hip-hop album of the 10’s and Swimming is Mac Miller’s most streamed album.
XXXTENTACION’s album “?”, which is currently the most streamed hip-hop album of the 10’s
was not even nominated that year. As mentioned earlier, Juice WRLD’s Goodbye & Good
Riddance which is currently the 4th most streamed hip-hop album of the 10’s wasn’t nominated
either. Drakes Scorpion and Post Malone’s Beerbongs & Bentleys, two of the most streamed hip-
hop albums of all time, were nominated for Album of the Year but not Rap Album of the Year.
Invasion of Privacy is the 104th most streamed Hip-Hop/R&B album of all time and is
less streamed than “?”, Goodbye & Good Riddance, and Astroworld, which were all possible
nominees for the Rap Album of the Year for 2019. Astroworld was the only album nominated
out of these three but somehow still lost to Invasion of Privacy which is considered by many as
the worse album of the two. Many think that the only reason it won that year is due to the
Grammys being rigged towards Cardi B winning.
There are many reasons to believe that the Grammys are rigged. Whether or not they are
truly rigged is up for debate. It is speculation whether the voters are biased. But the
overshadowing of underground projects by bigger mainstream ones is a fact. These things all
could be considered as evidence towards the Grammys being rigged.
Occasionally mainstream artists make projects of different genres than they typically
create. In 2020, Igor by Tyler, the Creator, won Rap Album of the Year. Tyler is known as a rap
artist but created Igor, which was a Hip Hop funk and R&B album. This caused criticism as to
why it won Rap Album of the Year instead of winning Album of the Year for one of the
categories the album fit under. This year rapper Lil Yachty released the psychedelic-rock album,
Let’s Start Here, which has been speculated by many as a contender for Album of the Year, let
alone Rock Album of the Year. This is a similar case to what happened with Igor to whether this
album should go under the rap category as it was made by a rapper or the rock category due to
the genre of the album.
One of the biggest contributors to the Grammys being rigged is the 2019 Grammys. That
year, Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B, her debut album, won Rap Album of the Year. Nominees
for 2019 Rap Album of the Year also included Travis Scott’s Astroworld, Pusha T’s Daytona,
Nipsey Hussle’s Victory Lap, and Mac Millers Swimming. Currently, Astroworld is the 5th most
streamed hip-hop album of the 10’s and Swimming is Mac Miller’s most streamed album.
XXXTENTACION’s album “?”, which is currently the most streamed hip-hop album of the 10’s
was not even nominated that year. As mentioned earlier, Juice WRLD’s Goodbye & Good
Riddance which is currently the 4th most streamed hip-hop album of the 10’s wasn’t nominated
either. Drakes Scorpion and Post Malone’s Beerbongs & Bentleys, two of the most streamed hip-
hop albums of all time, were nominated for Album of the Year but not Rap Album of the Year.
Invasion of Privacy is the 104th most streamed Hip-Hop/R&B album of all time and is
less streamed than “?”, Goodbye & Good Riddance, and Astroworld, which were all possible
nominees for the Rap Album of the Year for 2019. Astroworld was the only album nominated
out of these three but somehow still lost to Invasion of Privacy which is considered by many as
the worse album of the two. Many think that the only reason it won that year is due to the
Grammys being rigged towards Cardi B winning.
There are many reasons to believe that the Grammys are rigged. Whether or not they are
truly rigged is up for debate. It is speculation whether the voters are biased. But the
overshadowing of underground projects by bigger mainstream ones is a fact. These things all
could be considered as evidence towards the Grammys being rigged.
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