Grammy Awards voting begins with expanded membership and notable artist absences

First-round voting for the 69th annual Grammy Awards begins on October 12, featuring a significantly expanded voting body. The Recording Academy has added more than 2,300 new voting members, a class that is 53% people of color, 54% aged 39 or under, and 33% women.

Notable artists are making headlines for their absence from the ballot. Drake is not submitting his recent albums, Iceman, Habibti, or Maid of Honour, continuing a pattern of not participating in the awards. Additionally, K-pop groups BTS and Stray Kids have declined to enter the newly established Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, stating a desire to avoid being pigeonholed by regional or linguistic categorization.

The 69th Grammy Awards will be held on February 7 and will feature 100 awards, the highest number since 2011. The ceremony will also transition to new broadcasting platforms, including ABC, Disney+, and Hulu, following a long-standing run on CBS.