21/03/2026
Why African artists hardly make it at the Grammy award.
First of all, The Grammy Awards aren't exclusive to Americans; they're open to artists worldwide 🎶. The awards recognize excellence in music across various genres and categories, honoring artists globally.
And even when voices of Nigerian artist is been heard globally, we only see them in one award category (best African music performance).
Now
African artists face challenges getting Grammy recognition due to factors like:
- Limited exposure.
- Eligiblity criteria.
- Genre categorization.
Now let's talk about genres categorization.
Firstly; Genre categorization can be super complex, but basically, it's about how music gets classified into different styles or categories. Grammys have specific categories; some African genres might not fit neatly.
The Recording Academy uses specific genres for Grammy eligibility, like Pop, Rock, Jazz, etc. The thing is, African music often blends traditional styles with modern influences, making it hard to fit into existing categories.
For example, Afrobeats, a popular genre from Nigeria, might be hard to categorize. Is it World Music? Pop? Or something else? This can lead to artists getting overlooked for awards or exposure.
The Grammys have tried to adapt, introducing categories like Best World Music Album and Best African Music Performance to better represent global music.
