More artists than ever will have a shot at taking home the top honours at the Grammy Awards this year. The Recording Academy has announced that the top categories will now feature eight nominees rather than five.
In a letter to its members, the Recording Academy claimed that the increased number of nominees "will better reflect the large number of entries in these categories and allow voters greater flexibility when selecting this year's best recordings."
The categories that will now include eight nominees are Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist.
Earlier this year, Bruno Mars won Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year, while Alessia Cara took home Best New Artist.
The Grammy Awards have frequently come under fire for the lack of female and minority representation on the list of winners. After suggesting women need to "step up" in order to win more Grammys, Neil Portnow stepped down from his role as president of the Recording Academy last month.
Voting for next year's Grammys will take place in the fall. Albums and songs released between October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2018, will be eligible for the next round of awards.
In a letter to its members, the Recording Academy claimed that the increased number of nominees "will better reflect the large number of entries in these categories and allow voters greater flexibility when selecting this year's best recordings."
The categories that will now include eight nominees are Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist.
Earlier this year, Bruno Mars won Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year, while Alessia Cara took home Best New Artist.
The Grammy Awards have frequently come under fire for the lack of female and minority representation on the list of winners. After suggesting women need to "step up" in order to win more Grammys, Neil Portnow stepped down from his role as president of the Recording Academy last month.
Voting for next year's Grammys will take place in the fall. Albums and songs released between October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2018, will be eligible for the next round of awards.