New rules set for Grammy Awards ceremony

SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Recording Academy says it has restructured Grammy Award categories across all genres, cutting the number of awards from 109 to 78.

The changes will be in effect for the 54th Grammy Awards next year.

It is expected that each category shall have at least 40 distinct artist entries, up from 25. If a category receives between 25 and 39 entries in a given year, only three recordings would receive nominations. Should there be fewer than 25 entries in a category, no award will be given and entries will be screened into the next most logical category. If a category receives fewer than 25 entries for three consecutive years, the category would be discontinued, the Academy said.

Another rule change concerns voting. Previously, voting members were allowed to vote in as many as nine genre fields plus the general field on the first ballot and eight genre fields plus the general field on the second ballot, including every category within each chosen field. Now, on each ballot, voters may vote in as many as 20 categories in the genre fields plus the four categories of the general field -- which includes Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist.

Additionally, there are name changes to four fields. Musical Show is now Musical Theater; the Film/ Television/Other Visual Media field is now called Music for Visual Media; the Gospel field has been renamed the Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music field; and the Dance field has been renamed the Dance/Electronica field.

The changes were announced Wednesday by President/Chief Executive Officer Neil Portnow; Academy Board Chair Emeritus and five-time Grammy winner Jimmy Jam; and Vice President of Awards Bill Freimuth.

"After careful and extensive review and analysis of all categories and fields, it was objectively determined that our Grammy categories be restructured to the continued competition and prestige of the highest and only peer-recognized award in music," Portnow said in a statement.