The Recording Academy Grammy Awards Voting Process

The process begins with members and media companies submitting entries, which are then screened for eligibility and category placement. The Academy's voting members, all involved in the creative and technical processes of recording, then participate in (1) the First Round voting process that determines the nominations in each category; and (2) the Final Round voting process that determines the Grammy winners.

View the Awards Process to learn about the complete process from Online Entry and Eligibility Screening to Peer Voting and Nominations.

Submission

Recording Academy members and media companies enter recordings and music videos/films released during the eligibility period which they consider worthy of recognition in the Grammy Awards process.

Screening

Reviewing sessions by more than 350 experts in various Fields are held to ensure that entered recordings meet specific qualifications and have been placed in appropriate Fields such as Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Instrumental & Musical Theater and Latin, Global, Reggae & New Age, Ambient, Or Chant, among others. The purpose of screenings is not to make artistic or technical judgments about the recordings, but rather to make sure that each entry is eligible and placed in its proper category.

Nominating

Current Voting Members may vote, based on where they are peers, in up to ten categories across up to three genre Fields in addition to the six categories of the General Field (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best New Artist, Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical) Ballots are tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Deloitte. Voting Members have the ability to opt-in to Ballot Plus – an alternative to the 10/3 voting method. Ballot Plus gives eligible members the opportunity to vote in additional categories that reflect where they are actively contributing to the music industry. 

Special Nominating Committees

In Craft categories, final nominations are determined by committees comprised of voting members from all of The Academy's Chapter cities who are actively working the craft they are judging.

Final Voting

After nominations have been determined and announced, Academy voting members vote in up to ten categories across up to three Fields in the genre Fields plus the six categories of the General Field to determine the winners. Alternatively, any Voting Member who opted-in to the Ballot Plus voting method, will vote in those same categories as were eligible on their First Round ballot. To ensure the quality of voting, members are directed to vote only in those Fields in which they are peers of the nominees.

Results

Ballots are tabulated by the independent accounting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP. After vote tabulation, Grammy winners are announced at the Grammy Awards Premiere and telecast ceremonies. The recording with the most votes in a category wins. Ties are possible in which case the nominees who tie are considered winners. Winners receive a Grammy Award; All nominees receive a Nominee Medallion and Nomination Certificate.

GRAMMY Award Statuette

Grammy Award winners sign and agree to specific terms and conditions precedent to receiving a Grammy Award Statuette.