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Grammy AwardsThe Grammy Awards are considered the music industry's most prestigious prize. Given by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Grammys—named so because of their gramophone-shaped trophy—honor those who have made a remarkable contribution to the industry over the preceding year.
In addition to prestige, winning a Grammy can have a major effect on an artist's commercial success. Singer Samara Joy's album sales jumped a whopping 319% after winning best new artist and best jazz vocal album in 2023.
The first Grammy Awards were held in 1959 and included 28 categories, including album of the year, composition, genre performances (like best jazz performance), and more. The number of categories swelled over the decades to an all-time high of 110 in 2008-09. A restructuring in 2012 narrowed them down to 78; as of 2025, there are 94 categories.Explore Grammy Awards
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J Lo's infamous green dress at the 2000 Grammy Awards led to Google ImagesMarie Claire rounded up some of the wildest, most infamous Grammys controversies, ranging from wardrobe malfunctions to ill-gotten awards. See events like Kanye and Taylor reconciling, Adele having mic issues, shocking wins, and other historic moments. Marie ClairePeople have tied for Grammy Awards at least 34 timesBecause of the Grammys voting structure, it's possible for two artists (or songs or producers, etc.) to receive the same vote totals. What happens then? Two Grammys! It has led to some funny moments, including in 1981, when classical musician Itzhak Perlman tied with … himself, for best classical performance as a soloist. Total Music AwardsHow the Grammy Awards are madeThe Grammy Awards aren’t just trophies—they’re handcrafted works of art. Since 1959, each Grammy has been meticulously made from a custom metal alloy called “grammium.” From its origins to the process behind every award, here’s a look at the craftsmanship behind music’s most prestigious honor. 1440After Beyoncé won the Grammy for best country album, the Grammys created a new categoryThe singer took home the award for best country album in 2025 for "Cowboy Carter." Months after the awards, and some criticism from the country community, the Grammys announced a new category for 2026: best contemporary country album. Ostensibly, that makes room for the genre's traditionalists and its innovators, though the distinction between the two categories is vague. Taste of CountryIn 2025, Beyoncé finally took home the album of the year awardBeyoncé has the most individual Grammy wins, but for many years, she never won the coveted album of the year prize, leading to much rancor among her fan base. That changed in 2025 with her album "Cowboy Carter," which took home the top honor. TODAY.comAn 'EGOT' is one of the most sought-after achievements in entertainmentEGOT stands for "Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony," an informal title for the performers who've won all four awards. Liza Minnelli, Elton John, and others have earned the title, though other superstars, like Bruce Springsteen, are just one award away from joining the exclusive club. ABC NewsSpringsteen is considered one of rock's greatest songwritersSpringsteen is considered one of rock's greatest songwritersThe New Jersey native has sold over 150 million albums, won 20 Grammy Awards, and influenced several generations of heart-on-sleeve songsmiths. In 1999, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rock & Roll Hall of FameOzzy Osbourne was never comfortable with being called 'metal'Despite being called a forefather of the genre, the Prince of Darkness said he never understood why his music was called "heavy metal." "Back in the day, it was always just rock music," he told SPIN in 2013. "It’s still just rock music." SPINThe Latin Grammys first began in 2000For many years, the Grammy Awards honored Spanish-language artists during the main ceremony. Over time, though, these artists became so popular that the decision was made to spin off a separate awards show: the Latin Grammys. The Latin Grammys honor music recorded in Spanish or Portuguese, but the voting process is much the same as it is for the traditional Grammys. American SongwriterBillie Eilish broke records at the 2020 GrammysAlternative pop star Billie Eilish had a fascinating rise to fame. She cemented her album "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" in Grammys history by becoming the first woman and youngest person to win all the Big Four awards in the same night. Rebel GirlsCritics believe Grammy expert panels primarily benefit legacy artistsWhen the expert review panels for the Big Four awards were disbanded, it was with the hope that the decision would lead to a broader range of nominees and winners. But, in practice, it's not clear that it's playing out that way. BillboardGrammy snubs and losses have generated controversy over the yearsWhile there’s always some friction when major award nominees are announced from those who believe a favorite has been snubbed, the Grammys have attracted quite a bit of pushback in the last few years. Much of the controversy centers around the show’s purported unequal treatment of artists of color, particularly Black artists. The Boston Political ReviewThe album of the year award is the most prestigious GrammyThe Big Four awards—song of the year, album of the year, record of the year, and best new artist—are the only Grammy categories that are genre-agnostic. Some people are confused by the difference between awards, especially song and record. The record of the year primarily honors the performing artist. Song of the year honors the songwriter. (Some users may experience a paywall.) VoxThe duties and importance of Grammy expert panels have shifted over the yearsThe anonymous expert panels were first introduced into the Grammys voting process in the '90s to counteract claims that the awards weren't "with it" anymore—basically, that they were biased toward more traditional music acts. Of course, that was also the argument for disbanding some of them in 2022: Many people thought the panels were introducing their own bias into the nominations. Now, they exist mainly to ensure genre nominations are correctly categorized. (Some users may experience a paywall.) VoxMichael Jackson didn't perform at the Grammys at the height of his careerIn 1984, the Grammys faced a problem: Michael Jackson, the world's biggest star and nominated for 12 awards, did not want to perform at the ceremony. Like many artists before and since, Jackson felt that the Grammys had not treated him fairly in the past. Interestingly enough, the Jackson-less telecast became the most-watched Grammys ceremony ever. BillboardThe first Grammys acknowledged only 4 genresAt the first Grammys, there were six awards presented in four genres: classical, jazz, country, and R&B. But over time, it became clear that plenty of music didn't fit neatly into those categories. Now there are more than a dozen genres recognized, spanning multiple cultures and continents. BillboardTaylor Swift is one of the world's most successful artistsSwift is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. She has sold more than 200 million records and won multiple Grammy Awards. Known for her storytelling and ability to reinvent her music, she’s expanded her career from country roots to global pop stardom. 1440Watch Taylor Swift write a songTaylor Swift is one of the most famous and successful entertainers of the modern era, whose music wins fans and Grammy awards, and secures billions of streams on Spotify. In this clip from the Netflix documentary Miss Americana, Taylor lets cameras film her in the process of writing a song. Still Watching Netflix
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