World Music Album category changed to Global Music Album in Grammy Awards

Nov 03, 2020

Washington [US], November 3 : After extensive deliberation, the Recording Academy has decided to change the World Music Album category to Global Music Album.
According to Variety, the letter that announced the changing of name read, "As we continue to embrace a truly global mindset, we update our language to reflect a more appropriate categorisation that seeks to engage and celebrate the current scope of music from around the world."
"Over the summer we held discussions with artists, ethnomusicologists, and linguists from around the world who determined that there was an opportunity to update the World Music Album category toward a more relevant, modern, and inclusive term."
"As a result," the letter continued in bold type, "the decision was made, alongside the community, to change the World Music Album category to Global Music Album.
"The change symbolises a departure from the connotations of colonialism, folk, and 'non-American' that the former term embodied while adapting to current listening trends and cultural evolution among the diverse communities it may represent.
Global Music will continue to provide a home for influential music from all parts of the globe yet bringing with it a fresh perspective fueled by authenticity, diversity, and direct inclusion into our process."
Variety reported that the change follows the Academy's decision last spring to cease using the term "urban" in its awards and language, along with updates to the Best New Artist category, Latin, R&B and Rap Fields. Nominations Review Committees, the Recording Academy will make the Grammy Awards rules and guidelines book publicly available for the first time.