The Chief Executive Officer of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason, has triggered widespread discussion online after revealing what it really takes to win a Grammy Award.
His comments gained traction in the wake of the 68th Grammy Awards, where several Nigerian music heavyweights, including Burna Boy and Davido, surprisingly failed to win in their nominated categories.
The outcome left many fans disappointed and reignited debates about how Grammy winners are selected, particularly when it comes to artists outside the United States. Burna Boy’s loss across his nominations and Davido’s absence from the winners’ list raised fresh questions about fairness and selection standards.
Addressing these concerns, Mason clarified that Grammy victories are not determined by album sales, streaming figures, or the size of an artist’s fanbase. Instead, he stressed that artistic quality and creative excellence are the core criteria.
According to him, all decisions are made by members of the Recording Academy, whose judgments are based solely on their evaluation of the music. He acknowledged that this process can be subjective, as there is no universally “best” song or record.
Mason explained that only Academy members are eligible to vote, and membership currently requires being a professional working in the U.S. music industry, though he expressed hope that this would expand globally in the future. Once music is submitted, it is reviewed strictly on artistic merit rather than popularity, with winners ultimately reflecting the collective opinions of the Academy’s voting members.
In his words:
“The first thing you have to understand is that the only way to win is to have membership in the Academy. To become a member, you need to be a professional working in music in the United States—for now, it’s limited to the US, though hopefully it will grow in the future.
Once you are a member, all submitted music is listened to and evaluated based on the quality of the art—not on sales, streams, number of fans, or followers. It’s purely based on the opinion of the members, and it can be very subjective. There’s no ‘best’ song or record—winning a Grammy depends on the judgment of the Academy members, not on popularity. That’s how you win a Grammy.”
