No file 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 business. Sure, you!
A formidable variety of impartial musicians win Grammy awards yearly, and on this step-by-step information, I’ll present you find out how to:
- Develop into a voting member of the Recording Academy
- Be eligible for a Grammy nomination
- Run a “For Your Consideration” marketing campaign
- Improve your possibilities of successful
However earlier than we discover the chronological steps it is best to take to win a Grammy, listed below are a number of big-picture issues to bear in mind.
Overlook the televised awards
It is advisable to have practical expectations.
The precise awards you in all probability consider everytime you hear “Grammys” — Finest New Artist, Album of the 12 months, and so on. — yeah, these are probably NOT the awards you’ll be capable to win as an impartial musician.
The Grammy Awards course of is a small business 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 significant label artist.
Nonetheless, there are many different awards which are 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 quite a lot of causes you may want a Grammy, or perhaps a Grammy nomination.
Validation. Your mates, household, followers, and the broader business could take better discover of your abilities and achievements.
A celebration. Of your personal onerous work, and the help your followers have shared with you.
A resumé-builder that opens new income alternatives, higher concert events, collaborations, or placements.
However be warned…
It nonetheless entails advertising and marketing
Everytime you need your music to achieve recognition, it’s worthwhile to get the eye of the correct folks. That often takes music advertising and marketing.
Within the case of the Grammys, you’re attempting to persuade a unique 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 business 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 foundations
There are quite a lot of particulars, eligibility timelines, and deadlines. If you wish to win a Grammy, you must observe all the foundations in the official rulebook.
One large one: You CANNOT ask somebody to vote for you!
This course of isn’t for each artist
On condition that the Grammy course of entails advertising and marketing, networking, and potential promoting or PR bills, it’s not for everybody. It might probably take quite a lot of money and time.
It’s additionally probably not for artists who’re initially of their careers. “Finest New Artist,” in fact, goes to a debut act. However once you’re aiming for a extra area of interest, genre-based award, you usually tend to win as an impartial artist when you’ve got a resumé of success and a optimistic fame amongst your friends.
Lastly, try to be making nice music. A mediocre album will not be going to garner the respect (and votes) of Grammy members. So make sure that it’s a file you’re extraordinarily happy with, with nice songs, preparations, performances, manufacturing, and mixing. Plus a terrific 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 yearly. However there’s lots that occurs within the 12 months prior, constructing as much as the massive evening.
The method begins lengthy earlier than the awards present when members of the Recording Academy, media firms, and file labels submit entries — about 20,000 entries per 12 months — throughout the OEP (on-line entry course of).
What makes a track or album eligible for a Grammy?
In accordance with the Grammy’s web site:
- Recordings have to be launched throughout the eligibility 12 months. For instance, for the 2025 Grammys, recordings launched between September 16, 2023 and August 30, 2024 are eligible.
- Recordings have to be out there for buy or streaming, and meet the business commonplace of 16-bit, 44.1 kHz.
- Every track should have correct metadata, together with songwriters and producers, and an Worldwide Commonplace Recording Code (ISRC).
- Albums should have a complete enjoying time of quarter-hour with not less than 5 tracks, or half-hour with no minimal variety of tracks.
- For albums, greater than 75% of the recordings have to be new and never beforehand launched.
Every submission is then screened by The Recording Academy Awards Division to verify its eligibility.
After that, genre-based screening committees — comprised of 300+ consultants — overview submissions to position them within the acceptable class.
These teams do not 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 (which 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, in accordance with the Grammys:
Lively artistic professionals concerned within the recording course of, comparable 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:
- Document of the 12 months
- Album of the 12 months
- Music of the 12 months
- Finest New Artist
- Producer of the 12 months (Non-Classical)
- Songwriter of the 12 months (Non-Classical)
If you happen to’d prefer to grow to be a voting member of the Recording Academy, go HERE.
Ultimate-Spherical Voting for Grammys
After the First Spherical voting determines the 5 finalists in every class, there’s a remaining 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 discipline of experience have a barely completely different voting course of, so for all the main points, see the Grammy rulebook.
These envelopes deliver 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 Enviornment in LA. It should additionally air stay on CBS.
Many of the awards are offered BEFORE the televised portion, however you may stay stream the entire thing on stay.grammy.com and YouTube.
Any recording that wins an award in 2025 could have entered the net submission course of the prior summer season (between July 17, 2024 – August 30, 2024), and could have had a launch date between September 16, 2023 and August 30, 2024.
Your step-by-step information to successful a Grammy
Okay, now that you just’re accustomed to the method at a excessive stage, let’s provide you with a chronological motion plan.
Stage 1: Develop into a voting member of the Recording Academy
(24 months earlier than Grammy submission, if potential)
Not solely will this make it easier to to later submit your album for Grammy consideration, it’ll additionally provide you with 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 data of what will get the eye of voting members. It will empower you to run a more practical “For Your Consideration” marketing campaign a 12 months or two down the road.
- Community with current Grammy members. Attend Grammy meetups, each IRL and on-line. Get energetic in your native music scene and ask round to see who would possibly already be a member.
- Get two robust suggestions from voting members. You possibly can’t simply “be part of” the Academy. And you may’t submit your personal title for consideration. You have to be really useful to the Recording Academy by musical friends (so long as you meet these necessities). If the folks recommending you’re current members, that’s greatest — and so they can fill out a suggestion for you HERE.
- As soon as the Academy has acquired the 2 nominations, you may fill out an artist profile. It have to be accomplished by March 1st to be thought-about for that 12 months’s class. You’ll get an electronic 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 electronic mail tackle for you.
- A peer overview panel will then contemplate you for membership. You’ll be notified by July if you’re accepted, and also you’ll have till that 12 months’s voting interval to simply accept.
- If accepted, be energetic in all nomination and voting processes, in addition to any networking alternatives.
- Maintain paying your dues! You need to stay in good standing when it’s time to submit your personal music for a Grammy.
Stage 2: Pre-Launch Preparation
1. Plan for a Grammy-worthy album
(12-24 months earlier than Grammy submission)
- Choose one of the 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 artistic group properly upfront to make sure they’re out there.
- Collaborate with former Grammy-nominees and winners (if potential); you could enhance your music’s visibility and acquire perception in regards to the Grammy nomination course of.
- Analysis the Grammy classes most intently related along with your sound.
- Make clear your target market and style beforehand so your recording classes are centered in the correct course.
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 venture, however Grammy awards are in the end given to artists who put the artwork first and made nice artistic decisions, not those who most intently adhere to current 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 photographs, and extra.
- Shoot behind-the-scenes video of your recording course of, in addition to interviews in regards to the which means of the songs, or anything that can assist inform the story of the music.
3. Construct knowledgeable group
(6-12 months earlier than submission)
- Don’t spend your entire finances on the recording. Save a large quantity of your finances to rent any administration consultants, promoters, PR consultants, or advertising and marketing companies that you just need to help your launch. In case your publicist has expertise operating “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 shall be centered on fan-facing promo, make sure you write a model of your story that can attraction 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 2026 or past.
- Plan your album or single launch early sufficient to permit ample time for promotion and engagement earlier than the following 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 shall be to know who you’re. The extra conscious they’re upfront, the much less work you’ll should do in FYC introductions.
Stage 4: Submit your music for Grammy Consideration
(In the course of the subsequent OEP)
- Once more, pay shut consideration to all of the submission deadlines and eligibility standards. However as a member, you’ll in all probability 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 just’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, nevertheless it’s not meant for followers.
The web page ought to comprise:
- Grammy-related language comparable to “GRAMMY®” or “GRAMMY Awards®” — so voting members know they’re in the correct place
- Embedded behind-the-scenes video or promo reel
- A concise and fascinating story in regards to the music
- Brief artist bio with profession highlights
- Hello-res paintings and press photographs associated to the venture
- Clear description of the music
- Listing of collaborators and credit
- Hyperlinks to your album on streaming and associated content material (not simply Spotify!)
- Contact information for media inquiries
The web page ought to NOT:
- Include any trash-talking about different nominees, artists, or albums
- Exaggerate any particulars in regards to the venture
- Use the Grammy brand
- Embrace a private signature or a direct request to vote for the venture
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 at all times advisable to learn the most recent Grammy rulebook every year, as a result of there could also be different stipulations about whether or not or not you may 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. When you’ve got an skilled publicist, they’ll be an enormous assist.
- Don’t spam or DM voting members. You possibly can run electronic mail and social campaigns aimed toward voting members, nevertheless it should embrace an opt-out (and observe all different Grammy guidelines).
- Leverage any business networks you’ve constructed up so far — and remind them to take heed to your music, and please contemplate 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 truth, Billboard has an annual print version devoted to FYC campaigns.
- Digital and print advertisements 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 distinguished collaborators.
- Host your personal FYC occasion when you’ve got the cash. Once more, observe the Grammy guidelines as a result of you may’t bribe, present, or commerce your method into votes.
- Listing your music on the Recording Academy’s FYC web site for max visibility.
Then it’s time to watch voting, cross your fingers, and preserve getting the FYC phrase on the market!
Stage 6: Ultimate Grammy Voting
(November – January)
You’ve been looking forward to these nominations. Did you obtain one? If that’s the case, it’s not time to relaxation. It’s time to step on the gasoline in your remaining 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 remaining 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 remaining spherical of consideration. Nonetheless, you continue to need to make sure that the message highlights the journey on the middle of your album, and the worth of your music, over any particular nomination, accolades, or metrics. Keep in mind 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)
If you happen to can attend the Grammys in individual, do it.
If not, there could also be Grammy-related occasions in your space.
However c’mon, for those who’re nominated for a Grammy, get to that awards ceremony to characterize your work and achievement!
Have a short speech prepared in case you win. Don’t tempt the sound-person to start out enjoying music over your rambling remarks.
Stage 8: Afterwards
Whether or not you win or not, this second is value celebrating.
- Be ready for additional PR to discuss in regards to the expertise.
- Do an audit in your net properties and press blurbs so as to add “Grammy-winning” or “Grammy-nominated” wherever it belongs!
- Don’t let your dues lapse. Maintain energetic within the Recording Academy so you may construct extra relationships, vote on subsequent 12 months’s nominations, and enhance your personal possibilities of future recognition.
And that’s it!
This guidelines solely spans two full years. Simple. Haha.
Hopefully it’s been a great overview of every part it takes to qualify for a Grammy.
Cleary it’s worthwhile to plan upfront and be actively engaged within the Recording Academy.
So one of the best place to start your Grammy journey is on the Grammy web site itself.
