GRAMMY SNUBS + BIAS
Halsey, The Weeknd, BTS Left Out? 4 Real?
Death. Taxes. And yearly snubs.
From the Emmy’s to the ESPYs, award shows have seen their fair share of omissions when it comes to nominees, let alone the reactions for the eventual victor.
Celebrities have had a tough go in capturing that illustrious gold to much fanfare. They often turn to humor when faced with loss and fans’ angst. (On behalf of Leonardo DiCaprio, we’re looking at you, Oscars.) Yet no show has shouldered more public scrutiny for its voting choices than the Grammys. And this year is no different.
Artists like Harry Styles, Pop Smoke, BTS, and The Weeknd failed to get nods in major categories despite their efforts. For example, BTS’ hit single Dynamite was number one on the Hot 100, the group’s first one to date. The late Pop Smoke failed to land a posthumous Best New Artist bid, despite his rapid ascent over the past year. And the list goes on and on. Though the award show has slated fewer awards/nominees and now prioritizes specific genres, some artists always seem to reign true in fans’ eyes. And, singers that include Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj always respond to the reveals.
Minaj was snubbed in 2012’s Best New Artist category and tweeted a not-so-subtle response. Justin Bieber tweeted his thanks to the academy for the recognition, despite remaining in the Pop category rather than R&B.
PROVOKR favorite Halsey wasn’t nominated for her stellar album Manic, which came out in January of this year. The artist spoke out about the snubs, not only hers, but other people’s lack of presence in the nominations. The musician even implied bribery and said it’s all about the private performances and who you know.
However, the biggest snub yielded the biggest soundbite. The Weeknd, who put out possibly the most popular song of 2020, Blinding Lights, received no nominations. The Canadian pop star called the academy “corrupt,” because he focused on the Super Bowl and its possible scheduling conflict with the Grammys ceremony.
Since then, the Academy’s CEO responded in kind: “We would have loved to have him also perform on the Grammy stage the weekend before the Super Bowl.”
In defense of the academy, he added: “voting in all categories ended well before The Weeknd’s performance at the Super Bowl was announced, so in no way could it have affected the nomination process.”
Ultimately, between personal conflict and the flaws within the seemingly-outdated voting categories, the outcry for the snubs has reached a tipping point, and the artists fighting for musical excellence recognition will stand for it no more.
