A Grammy win or nomination can do wonders for an artist’s career. It solidifies them as a musical icon and often leads to a significant bump in album sales or streaming numbers. The same can be said for other music awards shows, which celebrate the top acts of a given year. While these shows may not reflect a true picture of the quality of a piece of music, they are still a popular way to recognize artists and their work.
The Recording Academy’s Grammy Awards are a long-running and widely celebrated music award show that honors the best in recording in a given year. Its categories are a bit bloated and arguably don’t always recognize the most important music, but the ceremony is nonetheless one of the biggest in pop culture each year.
In addition to recognizing the best recordings, the Grammys also honor songs and performers. The most prominent awards are the ones for record of the year and song of the year, which typically go to the most successful artists in each category. The Recording Academy has a number of other music awards, including best new artist and producer of the year.
The Mercury Prize is a major UK music award that’s comparable to the Turner Prize in the art world and the Booker Prize in literature. It’s open to albums from all genres of music and is judged by a panel that includes musicians, music presenters, producers and journalists.
A record of the year award typically goes to the most successful recording, whether it’s an album or a single. Streaming, radio airplay and tour engagements are also considered when deciding winners. The British Academy of Independent Music Awards also gives out a record of the year award, which is voted on by a panel of experts in the music industry.
Billboard Music Awards
The American Billboard Music Awards are a series of music awards that are based on sales data, including album and digital download sales, chart airplay and radio play, and social media engagement. Drake holds the most Billboard music awards, with 34 wins, while Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber have won 26 and 23 awards respectively.
Other music awards can be found around the globe, including the ECHO Klassik, which is presented each year by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie and honors classical music. Other notable music awards include the NewNowNext Music Awards, which ran from 2008 to 2013 and rewarded LGBT-friendly artists, and the Radio Disney Music Awards, which were held from 2001 to 2019 and rewarded kid-friendly music.
It’s impossible to say exactly what the criteria for winning a music award is, but it’s probably safe to assume that the majority of voters are either self-interested or are inclined to vote in ways that might benefit their own careers. That’s why, despite a few attempts at reform, it’s safe to assume that the Grammys have historically pitted commercial interests against those of the artists and their fans.