Grammys add new Best African Music Performance category

Next year’s Grammy Awards will feature three new categories, among them the Best African Music Performance, as the awards head towards reflecting the popularity of Afrobeats, the organisers announced on Wednesday.

The newly added category recognises recordings that utilise unique local expressions all across the African continent, the organiser added in a statement.

The Recording Academy’s board of trustees voted to introduce the Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording categories back in May.

“These changes reflect our commitment to actively listen and respond to the feedback from our music community, accurately represent a diverse range of relevant musical genres, and stay aligned with the ever-evolving musical landscape,” said Harvey Mason Jr, the Recording Academy’s CEO.

Afrobeats is a pulsating, fusion sound from West Africa and the African diaspora, the music genre has been growing globally and gaining a footing in Western pop culture.

Afrobeats artists have been garnering fame in mainstream pop after collaborations with Beyoncé, Drake, Ed Sheeran, and others. Afrobeats artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Tems have gotten Grammy nominations, with Burna Boy winning one in 2021 for his album Twice as Tall.

The UK’s Official Charts Company also launched an Afrobeats singles chart in 2020, while Billboard launched a UK-based Afrobeats chart in 2022.