Highlights
- Five new Grammy categories announced to reflect changing global music trends
- Asian pop and Latin songwriting now gain dedicated recognition
- Shift follows breakthrough wins for Spanish-language and K-pop-linked music
- Voting base and eligibility rules also adjusted for wider inclusion
- New structure will be in place from next year’s ceremony
Grammys respond to global streaming era
The Grammy Awards are reshaping their structure with the addition of five new categories, marking one of its most significant updates in recent years as global streaming continues to reshape what dominates popular music.
Among the new awards are best Asian pop music performance and best Latin song, signalling a formal recognition of two of the fastest-growing forces in international music consumption.
The Recording Academy said the changes are intended to better reflect the diversity of artists now driving the industry, particularly as non-English language music continues to gain mainstream traction in the US awards circuit.
Breakthrough moments accelerate change
The decision follows a series of recent milestones that highlighted shifting audience tastes.
At this year’s ceremony, Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny made history as the first performer to win album of the year with a record entirely in Spanish. He also picked up best música urbana album for Debí Tirar Más Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Photos) and best global music performance.
Another standout moment came with Golden, the track from the animated film KPop Demon Hunters, which became the first K-pop-related song to win a Grammy in the best song written for visual media category.
The Recording Academy’s leadership said such moments reflected a broader demand for recognition beyond traditional Anglo-American categories.
Asian pop and Latin songwriting get formal space
Under the revised structure, the new best Latin song category will be restricted to tracks predominantly in Spanish, formalising the language-based identity of the award.
The Asian pop category will cover a wide range of styles, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, bringing together distinct regional industries under a single competitive umbrella for the first time.
Industry observers have long pointed to the absence of dedicated Grammy categories for these genres, despite their global streaming dominance and growing commercial influence.
Wider rule changes aim to widen access
Beyond the headline additions, the Recording Academy has also adjusted several existing categories.
A new best R&B collaboration or duo/group performance award has been introduced, alongside best traditional pop vocal performance and best traditional folk album.
The existing R&B performance category will now focus solely on solo artists, while folk recordings will be split between traditional and contemporary forms.
Eligibility rules for best new artist have also been revised, allowing artists to be submitted up to four times instead of three — a change that could extend the window for emerging performers still building mainstream recognition.
The new rules and categories will take effect from next year’s Grammy Awards ceremony.
