SANTA MONICA, Ca. — A record-breaking 2,400+ diverse music creators have joined the Recording Academy as part of the organization’s 2023 New Member Class. In a demonstration of the Academy’s commitment to remaking its overall membership, 50% of the new class are people of color, 46% of this year’s class are under the age of 40, and 37% are women. Full statistics surrounding the demographics of the new class can be found here, and a snapshot of the Recording Academy’s 2023 DEI initiatives can be found here.
Like the GRAMMY Awards, the Recording Academy’s membership model is community-driven and peer-reviewed to create a more diverse and engaged membership base that represents all corners of the music industry. Since implementing the new member model in 2019 which refined the new member submission process, membership among people of color has risen from 24% to 38%, and the percentage of women members has increased from 26% to 30%. The Recording Academy is now 98% of the way to reaching its goal of adding 2,500 women Voting Members by 2025 and is set to achieve this milestone a year ahead of schedule, in 2024.
“I’m proud as our organization continues to evolve and build a membership body that reflects the diverse talents and backgrounds that make up our music community,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “Our commitment to diversity and inclusivity, however, is an ongoing effort. While we celebrate our progress, we also acknowledge that there’s still more work that must be done. Our members play a crucial role in everything we do, so representation is integral to our mission of supporting and uplifting music makers. I’m thrilled to welcome this year’s new class and look forward to watching them engage with our Academy for years to come.”
The Recording Academy offers three types of membership: Voting Membership for recording creators, Professional Membership for music businesspeople, and GRAMMY U for the next generation aspiring to a career in the music industry.
The final round of voting for the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards is open from Dec. 14, 2023 – Jan. 4, 2024, and determines the winners of the GRAMMY Awards across all 94 Categories. Voting Members, including those welcomed in the 2023 new class, are eligible to vote for the GRAMMY Awards.
In addition to voting in the GRAMMY Awards process, members can submit product for GRAMMY Awards consideration, propose amendments to GRAMMY Awards rules, run for a Recording Academy Board position or Committee, vote in Chapter elections, support fellow musicians through advocacy efforts and MusiCares, engage with our Producers & Engineers Wing, Songwriters & Composers Wing, Black Music Collective, and more.
For more information on the Recording Academy’s membership process and requirements, visit here.
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