No document deal, supervisor, or publicist?
No Gold or Platinum certification from the RIAA?
No music movies on YouTube with 1,000,000,000+ views?
You possibly can nonetheless win a Grammy, the most prestigious award within the music trade. Sure, you!
A formidable variety of unbiased musicians win Grammy awards yearly, and on this step-by-step information, I’ll present you the right way to:
- Turn into a voting member of the Recording Academy
- Be eligible for a Grammy nomination
- Run a “For Your Consideration” marketing campaign
- Improve your probabilities of profitable
However earlier than we discover the chronological steps it’s best to take to win a Grammy, listed here are a number of big-picture issues to bear in mind.
Overlook the televised awards
It is advisable have reasonable expectations.
The particular awards you most likely consider everytime you hear “Grammys” — Greatest New Artist, Album of the Yr, and so on. — yeah, these are probably NOT the awards you’ll have the ability to win as an unbiased musician.
The Grammy Awards course of is a small trade unto itself, with its personal customs and networks of affect. And to place it merely: If it’s an award they announce on TV, that statuette might be going dwelling with a serious label artist.
Nonetheless, there are many different awards which can be given out earlier within the evening earlier than the prime-time TV broadcast. Goal for THOSE awards!
WHY attempt to win a Grammy?
There are plenty of causes you may want a Grammy, or perhaps a Grammy nomination.
Validation. Your folks, household, followers, and the broader trade could take better discover of your abilities and achievements.
A celebration. Of your individual laborious work, and the help your followers have shared with you.
A resumé-builder that opens new income alternatives, higher live shows, collaborations, or placements.
However be warned…
It nonetheless includes advertising and marketing
Everytime you need your music to achieve recognition, you should get the eye of the fitting folks. That normally takes music advertising and marketing.
Within the case of the Grammys, you’re making an attempt to persuade a special form of individual to like your music. You’re not searching for followers within the conventional sense.
As a substitute, you need the eye of voting members of the Recording Academy — most of whom are fellow music-makers and trade professionals.
That’s going to take work. Within the type of a “For Your Consideration” marketing campaign that I’ll define later on this article.
You MUST observe the principles
There are plenty of particulars, eligibility timelines, and deadlines. If you wish to win a Grammy, you must observe all the principles in the official rulebook.
One huge one: You CANNOT ask somebody to vote for you!
This course of isn’t for each artist
On condition that the Grammy course of includes advertising and marketing, networking, and attainable promoting or PR bills, it’s not for everybody. It might take plenty of money and time.
It’s additionally probably not for artists who’re initially of their careers. “Greatest New Artist,” after all, goes to a debut act. However whenever you’re aiming for a extra area of interest, genre-based award, you usually tend to win as an unbiased artist in case you have a resumé of success and a optimistic fame amongst your friends.
Lastly, you ought to be making nice music. A mediocre album will not be going to garner the respect (and votes) of Grammy members. So be sure it’s a document you’re extraordinarily pleased with, with nice songs, preparations, performances, manufacturing, and mixing. Plus a fantastic story. The story is usually the way you’ll appeal to preliminary consideration for the music.
A fast overview of the Grammy course of
What most individuals know of the Grammys is what they see on TV every year. However there’s lots that occurs within the yr prior, constructing as much as the large evening.
The method begins lengthy earlier than the awards present when members of the Recording Academy, media firms, and document labels submit entries — about 20,000 entries per yr — in the course of the OEP (on-line entry course of).
What makes a music or album eligible for a Grammy?
In line with the Grammy’s web site:
- Recordings should be launched in the course of the eligibility yr. For instance, for the 2025 Grammys, recordings launched between September 16, 2023 and August 30, 2024 are eligible.
- Recordings should be accessible for buy or streaming, and meet the trade customary of 16-bit, 44.1 kHz.
- Every music should have correct metadata, together with songwriters and producers, and an Worldwide Normal Recording Code (ISRC).
- Albums should have a complete taking part in time of quarter-hour with at the least 5 tracks, or half-hour with no minimal variety of tracks.
- For albums, greater than 75% of the recordings should be new and never beforehand launched.
Every submission is then screened by The Recording Academy Awards Division to substantiate its eligibility.
After that, genre-based screening committees — comprised of 300+ specialists — evaluation submissions to position them within the acceptable class.
These teams don’t make essential or merit-based judgements at this level; they’re merely guaranteeing the submissions are eligible and correctly categorized.
First-Spherical Voting for Grammys
Following that step, there’s the “First Spherical” poll. On this first spherical of voting, members of the Academy in good standing (that means they’ve paid their dues) undergo entries of their respective fields of experience, serving to to find out the 5 finalists in every class.
These voting members are, based on the Grammys:
Lively inventive professionals concerned within the recording course of, similar to performers, songwriters, producers, and engineers.
Every voting member can vote in as much as ten classes throughout three style fields, plus the six classes within the “Common Subject,” together with:
- Report of the Yr
- Album of the Yr
- Track of the Yr
- Greatest New Artist
- Producer of the Yr (Non-Classical)
- Songwriter of the Yr (Non-Classical)
In the event you’d wish to turn out to be a voting member of the Recording Academy, go HERE.
Last-Spherical Voting for Grammys
After the First Spherical voting determines the 5 finalists in every class, there’s a closing voting course of to determine who wins the Grammy.
Once more, members are directed to vote solely in classes the place they’re friends of the nominees and have related genre-expertise.
The voting is managed by a agency (Deloitte & Touche LLP) who retains the outcomes secret till the day of the Grammy Awards, when sealed envelopes are delivered with the names of the winners.
NOTE: Sure “Craft” classes that acknowledge a really specialised subject of experience have a barely totally different voting course of, so for all the small print, see the Grammy rulebook.
These envelopes carry us to the ultimate step within the course of…
The Grammy Awards Present
The recording with probably the most votes wins! Within the case of ties (fairly uncommon), the tied nominees are each thought-about winners.
Nominees obtain a medallion and certificates. Winners are given the Grammy award statuette, so long as they comply with these phrases.
The following present — the 67th Annual Grammy Awards — is going on on February 2, 2025 on the Crypto.com Space in LA. It would additionally air dwell on CBS.
Many of the awards are introduced BEFORE the televised portion, however you’ll be able to dwell stream the entire thing on dwell.grammy.com and YouTube.
Any recording that wins an award in 2025 can have entered the net submission course of the prior summer season (between July 17, 2024 – August 30, 2024), and can have had a launch date between September 16, 2023 and August 30, 2024.
Your step-by-step information to profitable a Grammy
Okay, now that you simply’re acquainted with the method at a excessive stage, let’s offer you a chronological motion plan.
Stage 1: Turn into a voting member of the Recording Academy
(24 months earlier than Grammy submission, if attainable)
Not solely will this provide help to to later submit your album for Grammy consideration, it’ll additionally offer you an insider’s have a look at the whole course of.
As a voting member, you’ll higher perceive the timelines and necessities, and also you’ll have first-hand information of what will get the eye of voting members. This may empower you to run a simpler “For Your Consideration” marketing campaign a yr or two down the road.
- Community with present Grammy members. Attend Grammy meetups, each IRL and on-line. Get lively in your native music scene and ask round to see who may already be a member.
- Get two robust suggestions from voting members. You possibly can’t simply “be part of.” And you may’t submit your self. You should be really useful to the Recording Academy by musical friends (so long as you meet these necessities). In the event that they’re present members, that’s greatest — and so they can fill out a suggestion for HERE.
- As soon as the Academy has acquired the 2 nominations, you’ll be able to fill out an artist profile. It should be accomplished by March 1st to be thought-about for that yr’s class. You’ll get an e mail notification when it’s time to fill out the profile. Simply make sure each individuals who really useful you for membership use the identical e mail handle for you.
- A peer evaluation panel will then think about you for membership. You’ll be notified by July in case you are accepted, and also you’ll have till that yr’s voting interval to simply accept.
- If accepted, be lively in all nomination and voting processes, in addition to any networking alternatives.
- Maintain paying your dues! You wish to stay in good standing when it’s time to submit your individual music for a Grammy.
Stage 2: Pre-Launch Preparation
1. Plan for a Grammy-worthy album
(12-24 months earlier than Grammy submission)
- Choose the very best songs, gamers, engineer(s), and producer(s). Members of the Recording Academy are inspired to vote for music primarily based on excellence, not reputation. E book your inventive group properly prematurely to make sure they’re accessible.
- Collaborate with former Grammy-nominees and winners (if attainable); you could increase your music’s visibility and acquire perception in regards to the Grammy nomination course of.
- Analysis the Grammy classes most carefully related along with your sound.
- Make clear your target market and style beforehand so your recording classes are targeted in the fitting route.
2. Make the music
(6-18 months earlier than submission)
- Now it’s time to place your Grammy ambitions apart for a bit, and simply make nice music. Your pre-recording prep helped you create parameters for the mission, however Grammy awards are in the end given to artists who put the artwork first and made nice inventive selections, not those who most carefully adhere to present stylistic conventions.
- Be sure that your music is professionally combined and mastered.
- Create a visible identification in your music, together with memorable album paintings, press images, and extra.
- Shoot behind-the-scenes video of your recording course of, in addition to interviews in regards to the that means of the songs, or the rest that can assist inform the story of the music.
3. Construct knowledgeable group
(6-12 months earlier than submission)
- Don’t spend your entire price range on the recording. Save a large quantity of your price range to rent any administration consultants, promoters, PR specialists, or advertising and marketing companies that you simply wish to help your launch. In case your publicist has expertise working “For Your Consideration” campaigns on behalf of earlier Grammy-nominees, that’s an enormous profit right here.
- Work with these professionals to craft the story of your album. Whereas a few of your efforts can be targeted on fan-facing promo, you should definitely write a model of your story that can enchantment to voting members of the Recording Academy.
Stage 3: The music Launch Technique
(3-12 months earlier than Grammy submission)
1. Set a launch date throughout the eligibility window
- That window has closed for the 2025 Grammy Awards, which implies you’re now taking a look at 2026 or past.
- Plan your album or single launch early sufficient to permit ample time for promotion and engagement earlier than the subsequent OEP (“on-line entry course of”).
2. Distribute your music
3. Construct buzz
- Whereas Grammy voting relies on high quality and never reputation, the extra public consideration your music receives, the extra probably voting members can be to know who you’re. The extra conscious they’re prematurely, the much less work you’ll should do in FYC introductions.
Stage 4: Submit your music for Grammy Consideration
(Through the subsequent OEP)
- Once more, pay shut consideration to all of the submission deadlines and eligibility standards. However as a member, you’ll most likely be properly knowledgeable. Often, the primary spherical of submissions begins in late summer season and closes in early fall.
Stage 5: Launch the “For Your Consideration” Marketing campaign
(When you’ve submitted your music)
Time to make voting members conscious of your music, and that you simply’d like them to pay attention and take it into consideration as they put together to solid their first-round ballots. To start:
1. Create a FYC touchdown web page in your artist web site.
It may be public (for comfort), however ought to NOT be accessible by way of the highest navigation bar. In different phrases, you need voting members to simply entry the web page, but it surely’s not meant for followers.
The web page ought to comprise:
- Grammy-related language similar to “GRAMMY®” or “GRAMMY Awards®” — so voting members know they’re in the fitting place
- Embedded behind-the-scenes video or promo reel
- A concise and charming story in regards to the music
- Brief artist bio with profession highlights
- Hello-res paintings and press images associated to the mission
- Clear description of the music
- Record of collaborators and credit
- Hyperlinks to your album on streaming and associated content material (not simply Spotify!)
- Contact data for media inquiries
The web page ought to NOT:
- Comprise any trash-talking about different nominees, artists, or albums
- Exaggerate any particulars in regards to the mission
- Use the Grammy emblem
- Embody a private signature or a direct request to vote for the mission
Learn that final one once more. You CANNOT ask voting members to vote for you. You possibly can’t bribe them. No gifting. No vote-trading. You possibly can solely ask them to CONSIDER your music.
And though this information provides fairly thorough instructions, it’s all the time advisable to learn the newest Grammy rulebook every year, as a result of there could also be different stipulations about whether or not or not you’ll be able to point out gross sales numbers or streaming metrics, and so on.
2. Get the FYC messaging on the market
(Beginning in October)
You need related voting members to see your launch. If in case you have an skilled publicist, they’ll be an enormous assist.
- Don’t spam or DM voting members. You possibly can run e mail and social campaigns geared toward voting members, but it surely should embrace an opt-out (and observe all different Grammy guidelines).
- Leverage any trade networks you’ve constructed up up to now — and remind them to take heed to your music, and please think about it for the primary spherical of voting.
- Attend Grammy occasions and mixers.
- Run focused PR and advert campaigns specializing in FYC messaging in Billboard, Selection, and different commerce publications. In actual fact, Billboard has an annual print version devoted to FYC campaigns.
- Digital and print adverts ought to look clear, use paintings that aligns with the FYC web page and album branding, have concise advert copy, spotlight why it deserves consideration throughout the style, together with the music’s story or outstanding collaborators.
- Host your individual FYC occasion in case you have the cash. Once more, observe the Grammy guidelines as a result of you’ll be able to’t bribe, present, or commerce your manner into votes.
- Record your music on the Recording Academy’s FYC web site for optimum visibility.
Then it’s time to watch voting, cross your fingers, and preserve getting the FYC phrase on the market!
Stage 6: Last Grammy Voting
(November – January)
You’ve been awaiting these nominations. Did you obtain one? In that case, it’s not time to relaxation. It’s time to step on the fuel in your closing consciousness marketing campaign main as much as the awards present.
- Change your messaging. Your FYC language might want to shift from outreach and introductions to a closing case in your music and story.
- However preserve a lightweight contact. Once more, no ASKING for votes. However now you can confidently place your self as a nominee within the closing spherical of consideration. Nonetheless, you continue to wish to be sure the message highlights the journey on the middle of your album, and the worth of your music, over any particular nomination, accolades, or metrics. Do not forget that voting members are largely artists themselves.
- Amplify your PR efforts by doing extra interviews, live performance dates, and so on.
Stage 7: Go to the present!
(February)
In the event you can attend the Grammys in individual, do it.
If not, there could also be Grammy-related occasions in your space.
However c’mon, if you happen to’re nominated for a Grammy, get to that awards ceremony to signify your work and achievement!
Have a short speech prepared in case you win. Don’t tempt the sound-person to start out taking part in music over your rambling remarks.
Stage 8: Afterwards
Whether or not you win or not, this second is price celebrating.
- Be ready for additional PR to discuss in regards to the expertise.
- Do an audit in your internet properties and press blurbs so as to add “Grammy-winning” or “Grammy-nominated” wherever it belongs!
- Don’t let your dues lapse. Maintain lively within the Recording Academy so you’ll be able to construct extra relationships, vote on subsequent yr’s nominations, and increase your individual probabilities of future recognition.
And that’s it!
This guidelines solely spans two full years. Straightforward. Haha.
Hopefully it’s been a great overview of the whole lot it takes to qualify for a Grammy.
Cleary you should plan prematurely and be actively engaged within the Recording Academy.
So the very best place to start your Grammy journey is on the Grammy web site itself.
