Screenshot of #ChangeMusic Roadmap

#ChangeMusic Roadmap
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The Recording Academy And Color Of Change Announce #ChangeMusic Roadmap
The latest initiative in the partnership, which was initially announced in October 2020, puts forth a roadmap to bring racial justice and equity to Black creators and professionals in the music industry
The Recording Academy and Color Of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization, today (Dec. 17) announced the latest step forward in their partnership with the release of the #ChangeMusic Roadmap, a guide to move the music industry beyond conversation and intention and towards actionable racial justice. Initially announced in October 2020 at the industry-wide #ChangeMusic Summit, the project is the latest initiative the partnering organizations have launched to promote tangible change within the music industry.
View the #ChangeMusic Roadmap in full.
Combining Color Of Change's deep knowledge and understanding of inequities and systemic racism with the Recording Academy's position as the world's leading society of music professionals, the two organizations announced their partnership this past July, and have been working together to identify key opportunities to drive and influence change in the music industry. This has spanned several strategies, including the creation of the Black Music Collective, an industry-wide diversity and inclusion summit, partnership in advocacy and legislative efforts and more.
The #ChangeMusic Roadmap rolled out today specifically identifies key areas the music industry can improve upon in its treatment of Black people: Invest in Black talent and careers, commit to transparent reporting of Black representation, align and partner with the Black community, promote civic advocacy and participation and invest in Black safety.
Black creators and professionals lead the music industry in innovation and creativity. Despite their undeniable influence, Black music industry contributions are routinely undervalued, an injustice this new roadmap aims to address. The #ChangeMusic Roadmap urges the industry to change patterns of exclusion and degradation and take action toward progress through the following:
- Invest in Black talent + careers by supporting retention and training measures for Black people.
- Commit to transparent reporting of Black representation by conducting a third-party and public-facing diversity audit and annually reporting pay disparities.
- Align and partner with the Black community by contracting with Black-owned and Black-led businesses and partnering with brands that are in alignment with anti-racist social justice values.
- Promote civic advocacy and participation by giving employees paid time off to participate in national elections.
- Invest in Black safety by aligning with and supporting current calls around reexamining the role of police in Black communities and addressing structural issues in the criminal justice system.
The #ChangeMusic Roadmap is the second industry-wide racial justice roadmap. The first was the #ChangeHollywood roadmap Color Of Change released with actor Michael B. Jordan and in close partnership with Endeavor.
"In a year of uprising, sickness, and distance, music has been both a healing force and a call to action. It's helped us process our pain and drive social change. This moment offers an unparalleled opportunity to change patterns of exclusion and degradation and take action toward progress," Rashad Robinson, president of Color Of Change, said in a statement. "To honor and amplify Black artists' past, present, and future contributions, the music industry must tear down the barriers that have been up for far too long. #ChangeMusic is our first step."
"Change cannot wait. We believe this #ChangeMusic Roadmap will be key to driving progress in the Academy and the music industry. It was developed over the last few months with the goal of holding ourselves accountable. The roadmap is intended to serve as an important tool to support the changes we must urgently make together in music," Harvey Mason jr., Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said. "This is a new era of the Recording Academy and we won't stop until the work is done. The Recording Academy and Color Of Change invite our peers and partners to join us on this transformational journey."
"Disrupting the status quo is our top priority and the #ChangeMusic Roadmap is a key driver for real change," Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at the Recording Academy, stated. "We salute Color Of Change for their leadership and deeply appreciate their partnership during this unprecedented time. The Recording Academy will continue to move with urgency and measurable action to accelerate equitable outcomes for Black Music."
"For decades, the music industry has been built on the backs of gifted Black creators and professionals and there's been an awakening as the groundswell for equity and racial justice grows in volume and urgency,” Riggs Morales and Jeriel Johnson of the Black Music Collective said. "Representation is the gateway to equity, and at the heart of the Black Music Collective's mission is the acceleration and sustainability of Black representation within the Recording Academy and music industry at large. Because of this, the BMC is honored and proud to join this defining moment and endorse the #ChangeMusic Roadmap. We look forward to fighting for a more just and equitable future in music."
Color Of Change and the Recording Academy look forward to partnering with other music industry leaders to adopt the #ChangeMusic Roadmap, and to take larger steps toward true justice for Black creators and professionals.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Watch The Recording Academy's Inspiring "Change Music" Summit In Full

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How To Watch The 2024 GRAMMY Nominations: St. Vincent, Jeff Tweedy, Muni Long, Kim Petras, Jon Bon Jovi, "Weird Al" Yankovic & More To Announce The Nominees; Streaming Live Friday, Nov. 10
The nominations for the 2024 GRAMMYs will be announced on Friday, Nov 10, starting at 7:45 a.m. PT / 10:45 a.m. ET. Watch it live on live.GRAMMY.com and YouTube.
It's that time again: The 2024 GRAMMYs is just a few months out — airing live Sunday, Feb. 4, from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Which means nominations for the 2024 GRAMMYs are just around the corner. On Friday, Nov 10, starting at 7:45 a.m. PT / 10:45 a.m. ET, nominations for the 2024 GRAMMYs will be announced via a livestream event airing live on live.GRAMMY.com. The nominations will also stream live on the Recording Academy's YouTube channel.
The 2024 GRAMMYs nominations livestream event will feature a diverse cast of some of the leading voices in music today, including St. Vincent, Jeff Tweedy, Muni Long, Kim Petras, 2024 MusiCares Person Of The Year Jon Bon Jovi, and many others, who will be announcing the 2024 GRAMMY nominees across all 94 categories. Plus, the livestream event will also feature an exclusive GRAMMY Nominations Pre-Show and Wrap-Up Show, which will both feature exclusive videos and conversations about the biggest stories and trends to come out of the 2024 GRAMMYs nominations.
City National Bank is the Official Bank of the GRAMMYs and proud sponsor of the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominations.
See below for a full guide to the 2024 GRAMMYs nominations livestream event happening next week:
How Can I Watch The 2024 GRAMMY Nominations?
The nominations livestream event will stream live on live.GRAMMY.com and the Recording Academy's YouTube channel.
When Are The 2024 GRAMMY Nominations Announced?
The 2024 GRAMMYs nominations will be announced Friday, Nov 10. The day kicks off with an exclusive GRAMMY Nominations Pre-Show, starting at 7:45 a.m. PT / 10:45 a.m. ET. Hosted by Emmy-winning TV host and “GMA3” contributor Rocsi Diaz, the GRAMMY Nominations Pre-Show will give music fans an inside look at the various initiatives and campaigns that the Recording Academy, the organization behind the annual GRAMMY Awards, supports on a year-long basis on its mission to recognize excellence in the recording arts and sciences and cultivate the well-being of the music community.
Afterward, starting at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET, the GRAMMY nominations livestream event begins. The livestream event will begin with a special presentation announcing the nominees in the General Field categories, aka the Big Six, as well as select categories. On live.GRAMMY.com, exclusive videos announcing the nominees across multiple categories will stream as a multi-screen livestream event that users can control, providing a dynamic, expansive online experience for music fans of all genres. The nomination videos will also stream live on YouTube. The full list of 2024 GRAMMYs nominees will then be published on live.GRAMMY.com and GRAMMY.com immediately following the livestream event.
After the nominations are announced, stay tuned for an exclusive GRAMMY Nominations Wrap-Up Show. Co-hosted by "Entertainment Tonight" correspondents Cassie DiLaura and Denny Directo, the Wrap-Up Show will break down all the notable news and top stories from the 2024 GRAMMYs nominations. The GRAMMY Nominations Wrap-Up Show will stream live on live.GRAMMY.com as well as the Recording Academy's YouTube channel, X profile, Twitch channel, TikTok page, Instagram profile, and Facebook page.
Watch the 2024 GRAMMYs nominations livestream event and make sure to use #GRAMMYs to join the conversation on social media as it unfolds live on Friday, Nov. 10.
The schedule for the 2024 GRAMMYs nominations livestream event is as follows:
GRAMMY Nominations Pre-Show
7:45 a.m. PT / 10:45 a.m. ET
Nominations Livestream Event
8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET
Nominations Livestream Event Ends & Full Nominations Revealed
8:25 a.m. PT / 11:25 a.m. ET
GRAMMY Nominations Wrap-Up Show
8:25 a.m. PT / 11:25 a.m. ET
^All times are approximate and subject to change.
Who's Announcing The 2024 GRAMMY Nominations?
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. will be joined by GRAMMY winners Arooj Aftab, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Jimmy Jam, Jon Bon Jovi, Samara Joy, Muni Long, Cheryl Pawelski, Kim Petras, Judith Sherman, St. Vincent, Jeff Tweedy, and "Weird Al" Yankovic, along with "CBS Mornings" co-hosts Gayle King, Nate Burleson, and Tony Dokoupil, to announce all the nominees for the 2024 GRAMMYs.
When Are The 2024 GRAMMYs?
The 2024 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards, will air live on Sunday, Feb. 4, at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Music's Biggest Night will air live on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+.
Mark your calendars now for the 2024 GRAMMY nominations happening Friday, Nov 10.
With additional reporting by Morgan Enos.
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Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.
Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.
A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.
This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system.
"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."
Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!
He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.
"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.
"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."
To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood."
Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.
Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes.
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Image courtesy of the Recording Academy
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The Recording Academy And CBS Announce “A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop” Live Concert Special Featuring Performances By Common, LL COOL J, Queen Latifah, Questlove, De La Soul, Remy Ma & More; Airing Dec. 10
The star-studded tribute will take place Wednesday, Nov. 8, at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. Tickets are on sale now; the live concert special will air on Sunday, Dec. 10, on CBS and Paramount+.
Updated Friday, Oct. 27, and Wednesday, Nov. 8, to include information about newly announced performers.
The Recording Academy, Jesse Collins Entertainment and CBS have announced “A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop,” a once-in-a-lifetime live concert special celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Airing Sunday, Dec. 10, at 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+, the two-hour tribute special will feature exclusive performances from hip-hop legends and GRAMMY-winning artists including Black Thought, Bun B, Common, De La Soul, Jermaine Dupri, J.J. Fad, Talib Kweli, The Lady Of Rage, LL COOL J, MC Sha-Rock, Monie Love, The Pharcyde, Queen Latifah, Questlove, Rakim, Remy Ma, Uncle Luke, and Yo-Yo. Newly announced performers include rap icons and next-gen hip-hop superstars 2 Chainz, T.I., Gunna, Too $hort, Latto, E-40, Big Daddy Kane, GloRilla, Juvenile, Three 6 Mafia, Cypress Hill, Jeezy, DJ Quik, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shanté, Warren G, YG, Digable Planets, Arrested Development, Spinderella, Black Sheep, and Luniz
The “A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop” live concert will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. The concert will then air on Sunday, Dec. 10, as a live concert TV special celebrating the profound history and monumental cultural impact that hip-hop has made around the world.
The “A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop” live concert is open to the public. Tickets are on sale now.
Full concert details are below:
Concert:
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 (tonight)
Doors: 6 p.m. PT
Concert: 7 p.m. PT
Venue:
YouTube Theater
1011 Stadium Dr.
Inglewood, CA 90305
Full List Of Confirmed Performers:
2 CHAINZ
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
BIG DADDY KANE
BLAQBONEZ
BLACK SHEEP
BLACK THOUGHT
BOOSIE BADAZZ
BUN B
COMMON
CYPRESS HILL
D-NICE
DE LA SOUL
DIGABLE PLANETS
DJ DIAMOND KUTS
DJ GREG STREET
DJ QUIK
DJ TRAUMA (HOUSE DJ)
DOUG E. FRESH
E-40
GLORILLA
GUNNA
JERMAINE DUPRI
JEEZY
JJ FAD
KOOL DJ RED ALERT
LATTO
LL COOL J
LUNIZ
MC LYTE
MC SHA-ROCK
MONIE LOVE
PUBLIC ENEMY
QUEEN LATIFAH
QUESTLOVE
RAKIM
REMY MA
RICK ROSS
ROXANNE SHANTE
SPINDERELLA
TALIB KWELI
THE LADY OF RAGE
THE PHARCYDE
THREE 6 MAFIA
T.I.
TOO $HORT
TYGA
UNCLE LUKE
WARREN G
WILL SMITH & DJ JAZZY JEFF
YG
YO-YO
^Names in bold indicate newly added artists.
Stay tuned to GRAMMY.com for more news and updates about "A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop."
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Jesse Collins, Shawn Gee, Dionne Harmon, Claudine Joseph, LL COOL J, Fatima Robinson, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson for Two One Five Entertainment serve as executive producers and Marcelo Gama as director of the special.
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Photo Courtesy of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum
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25 Semifinalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award
Twenty-five music teachers, from 25 cities across 17 states, have been announced as semifinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. One ultimate recipient will be honored during GRAMMY Week 2024.
Twenty-five music teachers have today been announced as semifinalists for the Music Educator Award, an annual award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, that supports and celebrates music education and music educators across the U.S. The 25 semifinalists, who hail from 25 cities across 17 states, were selected from a pool of more than 2,000 initial nominations from across all 50 U.S. states. Finalists will be announced in December, and the ultimate recipient of the 2024 Music Educator Award will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2024, days ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs.
Nominations for the 2025 Music Educator Award are now open.
Presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The Award is open to current U.S. music teachers. Anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators — while teachers are also able to nominate themselves; nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.
Each year, the recipient of the Music Educator Award, selected from 10 finalists, receives a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for their school's music program. The nine additional finalists receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining 15 semifinalists, among the group announced today, will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.
The Music Educator Award program, including honorariums, is made possible by the generosity and support of the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.
Read More: 5 Organizations And Scholarships Supporting Music Education
The full list of the 2024 Music Educator Award semifinalists is as follows:
Name | School | City | State |
---|---|---|---|
Dawn Amthor | Wallkill Senior High School | Wallkill | New York |
Jeremy Bartunek | Greenbriar School | Northbrook | Illinois |
William Bennett | Cane Bay High School | Summerville | South Carolina |
Meg Byrne | Pleasant Valley High School | Bettendorf | Iowa |
Ernesta Chicklowski | Roosevelt Elementary | Tampa | Florida |
Michael Coelho | Ipswich Middle and High School | Ipswich | Massachusetts |
Drew Cowell | Belleville East High School | Belleville | Illinois |
Marci DeAmbrose | Lincoln Southwest High School | Lincoln | Nebraska |
Antoine Dolberry | P.S. 103x Hector Fontanez | Bronx | New York |
Jasmine Fripp | KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School | Nashville | Tennessee |
J.D. Frizzell | Briarcrest Christian School | Eads | Tennessee |
Amanda Hanzlik | E.O. Smith High School | Storrs | Connecticut |
Michael Lapomardo | Shrewsbury High School | Shrewsbury | Massachusetts |
Ashleigh McDaniel Spatz | Rising Starr Middle School | Fayetteville | Georgia |
Kevin McDonald | Wellesley High School | Wellesley | Massachusetts |
Coty Raven Morris | Portland State University | Portland | Oregon |
Trevor Nicholas | Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School | Chicago | Illinois |
Vicki Nichols | Grandview Elementary | Grandview | Texas |
Annie Ray | Annandale High School | Annandale | Virginia |
Bethany Robinson | Noblesville High School | Noblesville | Indiana |
Danni Schmitt | Roland Park Elementary/Middle School | Baltimore | Maryland |
Kevin Schoenbach | Oswego High School | Oswego | Illinois |
Matthew Shephard | Meridian Early College High School | Sanford | Michigan |
Alice Tsui | New Bridges Elementary | Brooklyn | New York |
Tammy Yi | Chapman University | Orange | California |
Learn more about the Music Educator Award and apply to the 2025 Music Educator Award program now.
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