New categories have been added to the Grammy Awards, including Best Video Game Score
The Recording Academy said Thursday that the 2023 Grammy Awards will include new categories such as Best Video Game Soundtrack and Songwriter of the Year.
The Songwriter of the Year award will no longer be eligible to performing or producing artists, instead focusing on working songwriters who frequently go unnoticed for their achievements and who have fought for years for such a change to the prestigious music awards.
Artists will also be able to submit pieces for Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Americana Performance, and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album, all of which will be distinct from the always bizarre audiobook category.
The Recording Academy will also present a special merit award for Best Song For Social Change, which will be decided by a designated committee and will honor songs that “contain lyrical material that confronts a contemporary social issue and fosters understanding, peacebuilding, and empathy.”
The adjustments come after several years of Grammy category overhaul as the academy tries to address accusations that its award selections aren’t inclusive or reflect changes in the music industry.
“We’re so excited to honor these diverse communities of music creators through the newly established awards and amendments, and to continue cultivating an environment that inspires change, progress and collaboration,” said Harvey Mason Jr., the academy’s CEO, in a statement.
