In the 65 years since its creation, the Grammys have left behind a legacy. A legacy that celebrates culture through the lens of music. A legacy that congratulates the world’s talents. And most importantly, the Grammys have left behind a legacy of discrimination and bias.

Year in and year out, the Grammy’s have proven to be a source of controversy in society. Fans tend to voice frustrations when their favorite artists don’t win any of the 4 major awards, those being Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. While a lot of criticisms can be explained with fandom-induced bias, one thing remains true: women and people of color are almost always excluded.

According to Impact, women made up just 14% of Grammy nominees from 2013 to 2023. These recent lopsided results have been attributed to a bias amongst voters. Former CEO of The Recording Academy Deborah Dugan took note of this disparity between genders, alleging that the voting process was corrupt and unfair towards women.

There seems to be a similar bias against artists of color amongst voters as well. Since the first Grammys ceremony in 1957, only 11 African Americans have won the album of the year award. From 2012 to 2020, artists of color received just 26% of nominations. Many prominent celebrities, such as Tyler, The Creator, Frank Ocean, and The Weeknd, have criticized the organization for their apparent bias against the community. 

However, with the announcement of the 2025 Grammy nominees, there is a growing hope that this internal discrimination from voters is changing. Female artists have been making historic dominance in all aspects of the Grammys. Beyoncé became the most nominated artist of all time, receiving her 99th award for her 2024 record “Cowboy Carter.” Artists like Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, and Doechii are being given great consideration for the major 4 awards. While there is still much work to be done from the Grammys, it seems like a progressive future is in place for them.