10 Artists Who Claimed The Grammys Disrespected Them
A Grammy is the most prestigious award that a musician can receive and is supposed to recognize spectacular music that rose to prominence during that year. Each year, some artists win this highly-sought-after award, and others lose, which is normal. However, for many decades, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the Grammys. Artists have expressed their feelings about The Recording Academy's decisions via social media for being biased, unfair, outdated, and putting artists into mismatched categories.
Not only have many artists called out the Grammys, but some have taken things as far as no longer submitting their movie to the Recording Academy and boycotting the Grammys. Overall, the consensus among artists and music lovers is that the Grammys is political versus being talent-based. Here are ten artists who claimed the Grammys snubbed them.
10 Justin Bieber
During the 63rd Grammy Awards, Justin Bieber vented on Instagram about his album Changes going in the Pop category. The Yummy singer clarifies that Changes is an R&B album based on its "chords, "melodies," "vocal style," and "hip-hop drums." Bieber loves pop music, but he grew up listening to R&B as well. Early in his career, Usher became a friend and mentor to him, and saw him "like a child to him."
9 Teyana Taylor
During the 63rd Grammys Awards, for the Best R&B album category, there were no female artists nominated, and R&B singer Teyana Taylor took notice. She expressed that The Recording Academy was better off saying "Best MALE R&B Category," The nominations included:
- John Legend's Bigger Love
- Ant Clemons's Happy 2 B Here
- Luke James's To Feel Love/d
- Giveon's Take Time
- Gregory Porter's All Rise
Months before this, according to People Magazine, Taylor confirmed that she would be retiring from the music industry because she feels unappreciated as an artist.
8 Halsey
In 2020, Halsey expressed on her Instagram story that the Grammys is all about bribery, trading favors, and who your connections are. The Bad At Love singer further says that if you make it far, you have to commit to exclusive TV performances that ensure that The Academy can make millions in advertisements during Grammys night.
7 Alastair Moock
Alastair Moock is a Grammy-nominated American Folk singer who performs for people of all ages. He didn't feel snubbed directly, but he decided to withdraw his children's album Be A Pain because he felt as if the Recording Academy this year and historically weren't acknowledging "women" and "performers of color." For this same reason, three out of five nominees for Best Children's Album declined their nomination, including The Okee Dokee Brothers and Dog on Fleas.
6 Lil' Wayne
A Milli rapper, Lil' Wayne, takes offense when he doesn't receive an invite to the Grammys or has no involvement in it. On Twitter, he ponders if it's him, his music, or another technicality. The rapper even questions his worthiness as a competitor. He then boasts that being a five-time Grammy winner motivates him to get back into the studio and put out more music.
5 Zayn Malik
Former One Direction member curses the Grammys and anyone associated with it. He confirms what Halsey expressed about the Grammys and favor trading by stating that unless artists send gifts or shake hands, they aren't considered for a nomination. The new album that he plans to release in 2021 is entitled, Nobody is Listening. Hopefully, the Recording Academy will listen to artists' complaints and take them seriously.
4 Frank Ocean
In 2016, Frank Ocean decided not to register his album Blonde to the Recording Academy. In 2017, Frank Ocean told The New York Times that he would skip going to the Grammys because the voters had a "weak track record" regarding Black artists, primarily in the Album of the Year Award. In a tweet following this interview Ocean further expresses that Taylor Swift's 1989 winning over Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly was one of the "most [faultiest] TV moments that [he's]ever seen."
3 J. Cole
J. Cole uses his music to call out The Recording Academy. On 2014's Fire Squad, Cole calls out artists such as Justin Timberlake, Macklemore, and Eminem for monopolizing the music industry. He also discusses the potential of Iggy Azalea winning a Grammy as he tries to crack a smile. Ironically, this particular album KOD is a Grammy-nominated album. In 2019, J. Cole received five Grammy nominations for being featured on other artists' songs, such as 21 Savage's A Lot.
2 Public Enemy
In 1989, Public Enemy, a rap group known for being outspoken, protested the Grammys. Before 1989, The Recording Academy did not acknowledge hip-hop or rap as a category. In 2020, Chuck D from Public Enemy made headlines again. Public Enemy won a lifetime achievement award that year. Chuck D called out the Recording Academy for putting then-new CEO and President Deborah Dugan on administrative leave after only being in that role for five months. Some sources say that the decision behind this move was Dugan trying to enforce change within the Record Academy. Chuck D saluted her for her courage.
1 The Weeknd
Many fans were outraged to find that the Blinding Lights singer did not receive a single Grammy Nomination. This song reached #1 on the Hot 100 Billboard charts in 2020 and was the best-performing global single in 2020. Allegations behind the Canadian singer The Weeknd not being nominated come from him choosing to perform at The Grammys and The Super Bowl, but the Recording Academy denies this. The Weeknd has stated that he is no longer submitting his music to The Recording Academy and speaks of corruption. Fellow artists such as Drake, Elton John, and Charlie Puth are also upset that The Weeknd didn't receive a nomination.
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