Grammys drops 'urban' term for awards categories

Grammys drops 'urban' term for awards categories

The Grammys has dropped the term ‘urban’ in its awards categories.

The Recording Academy said that the latest changes to the rules and guidelines for the awards reflected its “ongoing commitment to evolve with the musical landscape”.

The Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album will now be renamed best progressive R&B album. Lizzo won the category this year for Cuz I Love You.

Republic Records has already announced that it will no longer use ‘urban’ to describe music departments, job titles and music genres.

“We encourage the rest of the music industry to follow suit as it is important to shape the future of what we want it to look like, and not adhere to the outdated structures of the past,” said a statement from the Universal Music company.

The UK’s Black Music Coalition has this week called for use of the term to be halted across the music industry.

The Grammys announcement on the Best Urban Contemporary album category was part of a series of changes for the 63rd edition of the awards.

"I’m excited to announce our latest changes, as we're constantly evaluating our awards process and evolving it to ensure the Grammy Awards are inclusive and reflect the current state of the music industry," said Harvey Mason Jr, chair & interim president/CEO of the Recording Academy. "The Academy accepts proposals for rule changes from members of the music community throughout the year that are carefully reviewed and, if accepted, ultimately ratified at our annual board meeting, a process that we are proud to have continued in this challenging year."

"As a peer-driven and peer-voted award, members of the music community are directly involved in the growth and preservation of the Grammys process,” said Bill Freimuth, chief awards officer at the Recording Academy. "Each year we receive a number of rule change proposals from artists, producers and songwriters asking us to reevaluate our process to better reflect the current state of the music industry and how it's evolved over the past 12 months."

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