The Recording Academy has extended membership invitations to more than 3,900 music professionals spanning diverse backgrounds, genres and disciplines, underscoring the academy’s commitment to inclusivity and representation. This year’s 2024 class of invitees is 45% women, 57% people of color and 47% under the age of 40.
“There’s no better way to kick off Grammy season than by inviting thousands of diverse and talented music creators and professionals to join our Recording Academy family,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “Our members are the heart of the Academy, driving our mission to make lasting, positive impacts on the music community and shape music history. We are hopeful that all 3,900+ invitees join us in serving, celebrating and championing the voices of music creators year-round.”
Among this year’s invitees are Teddy Swims, whose first Hot 100 single, “Lose Control,” reached No. 1 in March; Tanner Adell, who is featured on Beyoncé’s Billboard 200-topping Cowboy Carter; as well as Ashnikko, Grupo Frontera, 310babii, Flavour, Flyana Boss, GAWD, girl in red, Jay Wheeler, Kaash Paige, Raja Kumari, Charm La’Donna, Al Sherrod, Xavier Omär, Sech, Leon Thomas and two group members: Ronnie Winter of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Frank Iero of L.S. Dunes and My Chemical Romance. (Here’s a link to a page of quotes, supplied by the Recording Academy, from these invitees.)
Invitations must be formally accepted by July 31 for recipients to become Recording Academy members and participate in the online entry process for the upcoming Grammy Awards.
The academy has invited thousands of new voting members in recent years in a bid to diversify its membership. Last year, it invited 2,800 new voting members. In 2022, it invited more than 2,000 new voting members – as well as more than 600 professional, non-voting members.
The academy announced its invitations for the new member class one day after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced its own invited class of 487 individuals. That means the Recording Academy invited slightly more than eight times as many people to join its ranks as the film academy did.
A comprehensive report on the Recording Academy’s 2024 new member class, along with a detailed breakdown of the overall membership demographics and crafts, will be released later this year following the deadline for 2024 invitees to join the academy.
Last year’s breakdown of the 2023 new member class was released on Nov. 30, 2023. A record-breaking 2,400-plus diverse music creators were part of last year’s class, with the academy reporting that 50% of the new class were people of color, 46% were under the age of 40 and 37% were women.
The Recording Academy’s membership model is community-driven and peer-reviewed to create a more diverse and engaged membership base.
The academy also revealed on Nov. 30 that, since implementing the new member model in 2019, membership among people of color has jumped significantly, from 24% to 38%, and that the percentage of women members has also increased, albeit at a slower rate, from 26% to 30%. The academy further noted that it was 98% of the way to reaching its goal of adding 2,500 women voting members by 2025 and is set to achieve that milestone a year ahead of schedule, in 2024.
The Recording Academy offers three types of membership: voting membership for music creators, professional membership for music business professionals and GRAMMY U for those aspiring to a career in the music industry. (GRAMMY U follows a distinct application process.)
Each year, interested musicians and professionals must apply for membership by March 1. Their submissions are reviewed in the spring by a peer review panel comprised of existing Recording Academy members active in the music industry. If approved, candidates are invited to join the Recording Academy.
Recording Academy voting members — artists, songwriters, producers, engineers and others active in the music industry — are eligible to vote for the annual Grammy Awards. In addition, members can submit product for Grammy Awards consideration, propose amendments to Grammy Awards rules, run for a Recording Academy board position or committee, vote in chapter elections, support fellow musicians through advocacy efforts and MusiCares, and engage with the academy’s Producers & Engineers Wing, Songwriters & Composers Wing, Black Music Collective and more.
The first-round voting period for the 67th Grammy Awards opens on Oct. 4 and closes on Oct. 15. The telecast is set for Feb. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
