The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), the body for awarding the coveted Grammy Awards, announced yesterday that it is revamping its categories, removing 52 categories from this year’s 109 categories.
In addition to eliminating the distinction between “male” and “female” awardees in some categories, several genre-based categories were eliminated, including Gospel.
Take a look at the categories from last year (on the left) as compared to what will be the categories next year (on the right)…
| GOSPEL FIELD | GOSPEL/CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD |
| Best Gospel Performance | Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance |
| Best Gospel Song | Best Gospel Song |
| Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album | Best Contemporary Christian Music Song |
| Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album | Best Gospel Album |
| Best Southern, Country Or Bluegrass Gospel Album | Best Contemporary Christian Music Album |
| Best Traditional Gospel Album | |
| Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album |
For a comparative list of how the rest of the categories changed from this year to the coming year, click here.
What do you think? Good look? Bad look?
I like them making the distinction between Gospel and CCM; wise move, and what I've griped about recently. IDK why the "Performance" award still mixes the two genres, though. Also hoping this doesn't mean they're going to skimp on "legitimate" Gospel noms for the sake of the "Southern" noms they have to account for. Allowing "Rock" to merge into CCM is logical, but cutting "Rap" as its own category will probably create its own issue, provided any good ones actually come out this year. Christian Rap = Gospel
My sincere thoughts are that um yes the recognition by the music industry/ones peers is great but as gospel /christian artist's ultimate goal isnt the accolades but its more about ministry and the number of lives which are changed I dont think it should really bother us that much if they cut down or increase the number of categories... These awards are all just bonuses not a major so personally I dont think its that great a deal.....we just need to encourage our gospel and christian artists to keep churning out life transforming music ....
"Gospel/Christian as a genre is just one category. There are a number of other awards shows specifically dedicated to gospel with more expansive categories that don't give out awards for other types of music. It's not a bad change." Agreed!
The down fall to combining Rock into CCM and Rap into Gospel is that only the top Artists will get a grammy award. Be prepard for same GOSPEL and CCM artists winning every year