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 unbiased musicians win Grammy awards yearly, and on this step-by-step information, I’ll present you easy methods to:
- Turn out to be a voting member of the Recording Academy
- Be eligible for a Grammy nomination
- Run a “For Your Consideration” marketing campaign
- Enhance your possibilities of profitable
However earlier than we discover the chronological steps you need to take to win a Grammy, listed below are a couple of big-picture issues to remember.
Overlook the televised awards
You want to have lifelike expectations.
The precise awards you in all probability consider everytime you hear “Grammys” — Greatest New Artist, Album of the 12 months, and so forth. — yeah, these are possible NOT the awards you’ll have the ability to win as an unbiased 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 residence with a serious label artist.
Nevertheless, 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 pals, household, followers, and the broader business could take higher discover of your skills and achievements.
A celebration. Of your personal exhausting work, and the assist 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 entails advertising
Everytime you need your music to achieve recognition, you’ll want to get the eye of the appropriate individuals. That often takes music advertising.
Within the case of the Grammys, you’re attempting to persuade a distinct form of particular person to like your music. You’re not on the lookout 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 comply with the foundations
There are quite a lot of particulars, eligibility timelines, and deadlines. If you wish to win a Grammy, you need to comply with all the foundations in the official rulebook.
One huge one: You CANNOT ask somebody to vote for you!
This course of isn’t for each artist
Provided that the Grammy course of entails advertising, networking, and attainable promoting or PR bills, it’s not for everybody. It may take quite a lot of money and time.
It’s additionally possible not for artists who’re in the beginning of their careers. “Greatest New Artist,” in fact, 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 when you have a resumé of success and a optimistic repute amongst your friends.
Lastly, try to be making nice music. A mediocre album just isn’t going to garner the respect (and votes) of Grammy members. So be sure it’s a file you’re extraordinarily pleased with, with nice songs, preparations, performances, manufacturing, and mixing. Plus an incredible story. The story is commonly the way you’ll entice 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 loads that occurs within the 12 months 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 file labels submit entries — about 20,000 entries per 12 months — in the course of the OEP (on-line entry course of).
What makes a track or album eligible for a Grammy?
In response to the Grammy’s web site:
- Recordings should be launched in the course of the eligibility 12 months. For instance, for the 2025 Grammys, recordings launched between September 16, 2023 and August 30, 2024 are eligible.
- Recordings should be obtainable for buy or streaming, and meet the business normal of 16-bit, 44.1 kHz.
- Every track should have correct metadata, together with songwriters and producers, and an Worldwide Normal Recording Code (ISRC).
- Albums should have a complete enjoying time of quarter-hour with no less than 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+ consultants — evaluation submissions to position them within the acceptable class.
These teams do not make vital or merit-based judgements at this level; they’re merely making certain 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, based on the Grammys:
Energetic inventive professionals concerned within the recording course of, equivalent 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 12 months
- Album of the 12 months
- Music of the 12 months
- Greatest New Artist
- Producer of the 12 months (Non-Classical)
- Songwriter of the 12 months (Non-Classical)
For those who’d prefer to grow 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 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 area 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 occurring on February 2, 2025 on the Crypto.com Space in LA. It is going to additionally air reside on CBS.
Many of the awards are introduced BEFORE the televised portion, however you possibly can reside stream the entire thing on reside.grammy.com and YouTube.
Any recording that wins an award in 2025 may have entered the web submission course of the prior summer season (between July 17, 2024 – August 30, 2024), and may 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 accustomed to the method at a excessive stage, let’s offer you a chronological motion plan.
Stage 1: Turn out to be a voting member of the Recording Academy
(24 months earlier than Grammy submission, if attainable)
Not solely will this aid you to later submit your album for Grammy consideration, it’ll additionally offer you an insider’s take a look at all the 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 can empower you to run a more practical “For Your Consideration” marketing campaign a 12 months 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 sturdy suggestions from voting members. You possibly can’t simply “be a 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 — they usually can fill out a advice for HERE.
- As soon as the Academy has obtained the 2 nominations, you possibly can fill out an artist profile. It should be accomplished by March 1st to be thought-about for that 12 months’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 deal with 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 12 months’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 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 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 recognition. Ebook your inventive staff properly upfront to make sure they’re obtainable.
- 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 audience and style beforehand so your recording periods are centered in the appropriate 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 decisions, not those who most carefully adhere to present stylistic conventions.
- Make sure that your music is professionally blended and mastered.
- Create a visible identification in your music, together with memorable album art work, press images, 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 the rest that may assist inform the story of the music.
3. Construct an expert staff
(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 businesses that you simply wish to assist 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 execs to craft the story of your album. Whereas a few of your efforts will probably be centered on fan-facing promo, make sure you write a model of your story that may 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 following OEP (“on-line entry course of”).
2. Distribute your music
3. Construct buzz
- Whereas Grammy voting is predicated on high quality and never recognition, the extra public consideration your music receives, the extra possible voting members will probably be to know who you’re. The extra conscious they’re upfront, the much less work you’ll need to 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 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 simply’d like them to hear and take it into consideration as they put together to forged 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 include:
- Grammy-related language equivalent to “GRAMMY®” or “GRAMMY Awards®” — so voting members know they’re in the appropriate place
- Embedded behind-the-scenes video or promo reel
- A concise and charming story in regards to the music
- Quick artist bio with profession highlights
- Hello-res art work and press images associated to the mission
- Clear description of the music
- Checklist 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 brand
- 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 offers 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 possibly can point out gross sales numbers or streaming metrics, and so forth.
2. Get the FYC messaging on the market
(Beginning in October)
You need related voting members to see your launch. You probably 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 embody an opt-out (and comply with all different Grammy guidelines).
- Leverage any business networks you’ve constructed up thus far — 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 reality, Billboard has an annual print version devoted to FYC campaigns.
- Digital and print adverts ought to look clear, use art work 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 have the cash. Once more, comply with the Grammy guidelines as a result of you possibly can’t bribe, present, or commerce your method into votes.
- Checklist your music on the Recording Academy’s FYC web site for optimum visibility.
Then it’s time to observe voting, cross your fingers, and maintain getting the FYC phrase on the market!
Stage 6: Last Grammy Voting
(November – January)
You’ve been expecting these nominations. Did you obtain one? If that’s the case, it’s not time to relaxation. It’s time to step on the fuel 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 maintain a light-weight contact. Once more, no ASKING for votes. However now you can confidently place your self as a nominee within the remaining spherical of consideration. Nevertheless, you continue to wish to be sure the message highlights the journey on the heart of your album, and the worth of your music, over any particular nomination, accolades, or metrics. Do not forget that voting members are principally artists themselves.
- Amplify your PR efforts by doing extra interviews, live performance dates, and so forth.
Stage 7: Go to the present!
(February)
For those who can attend the Grammys in particular person, do it.
If not, there could also be Grammy-related occasions in your space.
However c’mon, when you’re nominated for a Grammy, get to that awards ceremony to characterize your work and achievement!
Have a quick 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 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 possibly can construct extra relationships, vote on subsequent 12 months’s nominations, and increase your personal possibilities of future recognition.
And that’s it!
This guidelines solely spans two full years. Simple. Haha.
Hopefully it’s been overview of every part it takes to qualify for a Grammy.
Cleary you’ll want to plan upfront 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.