One of the more controversial Grammy Awards year in and year out has been Best New Artist. Some of the issues have arisen over questions like: What defines an artist as new? How is their worth as an artist determined?
Well, the Grammys decided to make their 66-page rulebook public for the very first time and it sheds some light on what criteria voters should be judging on.
On the Best New Artist category the rule book states in part: âThe primary element to consider is the artistâs performance. If the artist wrote most or all of the songs, this may be a secondary consideration. Production elements of the recording should not be considered.â
While this still doesnât address the controversy around why certain artists with several years as a professional musician under their belt are sometimes nominated for Best New Artist, it does make it clear why winners should be chosen.