Grammys CEO shares criteria used to select winners in throwback video, amid backlash from Nigerians

In the aftermath of Nigerians feeling disfavored, an old video of American record producer and Recording Academy chairman Harvey Mason Jr. describing the criteria used by the Academy to choose award winners has reappeared online.

Davido’s defeat at the 66th Grammy Awards, despite receiving three nominations, has remained a hot subject among his followers.

In a popular video, some of Davido’s 30BG followers reported the Recording Academy’s social media account to express their anger.

Amid the internet outrage, the Grammy Awards’ CEO acknowledged in a rediscovered video that sales and chart-topping achievements are not among the requirements for receiving the prized music honour award.

Harvey emphasised that even having a large worldwide audience and selling millions of albums does not guarantee winning the coveted award.

According to him, living in the United States of America and being a member of the GRAMMY Academy are prerequisites for receiving an award.

He emphasised that fellow musicians who are members of the Recording Academy vote for their peers once nominations are received.

His words:

“First you have to understand, that the only way to win a Grammy is to have the Membership of the Academy vote for you,”

“In order to be a member of the Academy you have to be a music professional working in the United States, for now. For now, it’s only in the United States of America, hopefully, we grow then. Right now, if you are a working professional in the USA you can become a member of the Recording Academy

“Once you are a member of the Academy, all the music is submitted the members listen to it and they evaluate it based on the quality of the art not the sales, not the streams not on the followers or how many fans… it is purely on the art.

“It’s purely on the opinion and as you all know it is very hard because it is subjective. There is no best song, best record it is just the opinion of the Membership in that particular year. That is how you win a Grammy and that is it.

“The voters vote, there is no committee, there is no journalist, no labels just music professionals voting for their peers, period,”