Do The Grammys Have A Race Problem? The 2015 Grammys The Whitest In 35 Years

Just like the Oscars, conversation has been stirring about the whitewashing of the Grammys. In the past six years, Best Rap Album has gone to a white guys four times: three wins for Eminem, the other to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. In the big four categories, there were no black artists (or artists of any color) up for Best New Artist, Record of the Year or Song of the Year (Album of the Year included Beyonce and Pharrell).

While it's hard to base a statement on representation presented from one year, the folks at Vocativ have put together a chart monitoring the nominees in these four categories starting in 1960. The trend lines show the Grammys are the whitest they have been in 35 years.

Vocativ looked further than the Recording Academy, examining the disparity in race on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Starting in 1965, the chart shows extremely similar movement, heavily white in its earlier years, balancing out in the late '90s and early 2000s, climbing back towards where it started through 2015.

http://www.huffingtonpost...ertainment

(While I disagree with Kanye using Beck as a jumping off point for this issue, I think this is pretty serious! I grew in the Late 90's early 00's, I definetly notice the trend since then of popular music becoming more whitewashed. The question is why?)

Interesting MJ angle.

I don't think the Grammys are racist. I think its a bit deeper than that.

Its more like the state of the recording industry.

TommorowNeverKnows said:

Interesting MJ angle.

I don't think the Grammys are racist. I think its a bit deeper than that.

Its more like the state of the recording industry.

You have set up a discussion about peoples observation of white privilege and dominance in the music industry and dismissed racism from being mentioned in that debate.

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You ask why culture is whitewashed but refuse to discuss or accept the possibility of racism or prejudice.

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[Edited 2/12/15 1:18am]

Beck winning a Grammy over Beyonce?

Grammies are voted by music industry professionals. There are more people that make music for a living that like to listen to Beck than those that like to listen to Beyonce.

Billboard dominated by white perfomers?

Pop music has been dumbed down systematically for decades. It's mostly young and dumb people that buy pop music anymore. Young and dumb people have a need to see themselves in the performers whose recordings they are going to spend money on. There are some exceptions, but not enough of them.

Mystery solved.

[Edited 2/12/15 1:51am]

novabrkr said:

Beck winning a Grammy over Beyonce?

Grammies are voted by music industry professionals. There are more people that make music for a living that like to listen to Beck than those that like to listen to Beyonce.

Billboard dominated by white perfomers?

Pop music has been dumbed down systematically for decades. It's mostly young and dumb people that buy pop music anymore. Young and dumb people have a need to see themselves in the performers whose recordings they are going to spend money on. There are some exceptions, but not enough of them.

Mystery solved.

[Edited 2/12/15 1:51am]

But problem not fixed.

So that theory then says people purchase music sub-conciously on how similar that artist is. e.g Race.

When it comes to voting this also plays a part, this manifests into all parts of society, employment, promotions when employed, how police target citizens ect ect.

That theory is very disheartening, what chance do minorities stand?

All we can hope for is to live vicariously through the success of the few among us?

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Black artists (black people in general) are succesfull when they can offer something that white people cant do, but once they are able to replicate it themselves the need for the black artist is redundant.

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[Edited 2/12/15 4:18am]

hausofmoi7 said:

novabrkr said:

Beck winning a Grammy over Beyonce?

Grammies are voted by music industry professionals. There are more people that make music for a living that like to listen to Beck than those that like to listen to Beyonce.

Billboard dominated by white perfomers?

Pop music has been dumbed down systematically for decades. It's mostly young and dumb people that buy pop music anymore. Young and dumb people have a need to see themselves in the performers whose recordings they are going to spend money on. There are some exceptions, but not enough of them.

Mystery solved.

[Edited 2/12/15 1:51am]

But problem not fixed.

So that theory then says people purchase music sub-conciously on how similar that artist is. e.g Race.

When it comes to voting this also plays a part, this manifests into all parts of society, employment, promotions when employed, how police target citizens ect ect.

That theory is very disheartening, what chance do minorities stand?

All we can hope for is to live vicariously through the success of the few among us?

.

Black artists (black people in general) are succesfull when they can offer something that white people cant do, but once they are able to replicate it themselves the need for the black artist in redundant.

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[Edited 2/12/15 2:30am]

I'm not going to criticize you on anything that you wrote above, because you've got it right.

However, if it's of any consolation, these type of problems exist just at "the lowest level of cultural production" and I don't think most people that really are into music are concerned about race at all. I do wish that people into genres like "indie rock" would broaden their views a bit more though. Their views on "black music" can be sometimes a bit naive.

Sure, the same type of problems exist in politics, employment and so on. The general public these days worships successful people (success over personal integrity). As long as we keep idolizing schmucks just because they're successful and think that we can have at least some of their success for ourselves by replicating their behaviour the problem persists.

btw, a variation of the "seeing ourselves in them" factor is "seeing ourselves as partners" of those people.

BlackCat1985 said:

Let's just be honest. The black artist of today just aren't as good as the ones in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. There's no MJ, Janet, Whitney, etc. The black artist of today consists of Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye, etc. Now compare those newer artist with the older ones. Their just not putting out good music PERIOD.

not true.

The artists you mention that you prefer to listen to have already been replicated.

So black artists that have continued their musical tradition have no need to be recognised.

I can name heaps of great black artists in the vein of Whitney, Janet and MJ but you dont need them when you have the Adele's, Sam Smith's & Justin Timberlake's

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[Edited 2/12/15 4:42am]

hausofmoi7 said:

BlackCat1985 said:

hausofmoi7 said:

not true.

The artists you mention that you prefer to listen to have already been replicated.

So black artists that have continued their musical tradition have no need to be recognised.

I can name heaps of great black artists in the vein of Whitney, Janet and MJ but you dont need them when you have the Adele's, Sam Smith's & Justin Timberlake's

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[Edited 2/12/15 4:42am]

Adele, Sam Smith, and Justin Timberfake ain't got shit on MJ, Janet, and Whitney. #sorrynotsorry And we as black people do need such artist to represent us. Both Sam and Justin have basically taken the place of the R&B soul male artist. [Edited 2/12/15 5:00am]

agree, but the grammy's are not going to recognise them.

They have white artists now who have mastered what those artists do so they sub-conciously are now drawn to the artist who looks like them.

soul r&b has been co-opted, its the sound of modern pop. They call it pop nowadays.

hip-hop is being co-opted but not fully there yet.

There is only room for the black artist that offers something they can not do.

Do they want a black country artist?

nah, they got that on lock and if they do it would only be for the novelty/token factor.

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note; Country music is the blues whitewashed.

Once it has been whitewashed completely the need for the black artist is redundant.

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[Edited 2/12/15 5:28am]

BlackCat1985 said:

Let's just be honest. The black artist of today just aren't as good as the ones in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. There's no MJ, Janet, Whitney, etc. The black artist of today consists of Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye, etc. Now compare those newer artist with the older ones. Their just not putting out good music PERIOD.

White artists today aren't as good as the ones from the 70s, 80s, and 90s either.

Out of curiosity, how many white artists were represented at the BET Awards this year?

BlackCat1985 said:

Let's just be honest. The black artist of today just aren't as good as the ones in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. There's no MJ, Janet, Whitney, etc. The black artist of today consists of Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye, etc. Now compare those newer artist with the older ones. Their just not putting out good music PERIOD.

Iv'e been saying it for years, from when I was 15 years old during the summer of 1987,

authentic black music expression has been destroyed by the Pop Ascension, which in turn has ruined the very fabric of all music

real R&B was eradicated by the end of the 80s....it was already gone by then

Theme music for this thread.

"I heard she sang a lullaby

I heard she sang it from the heart
When I found out thought I would die, because that lullaby was mine.

I heard her face was white as rain" - The remix/remake.

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[Edited 2/13/15 7:50am]

deluded said:

Out of curiosity, how many white artists were represented at the BET Awards this year?

Probably the same as the amount of black artists represented at the Country Music Awards. I believe the BET Awards often times recognizes Eminem and Justin Timerlake. I have absolutely no idea why, but they do.

hausofmoi7 said:

BlackCat1985 said:

hausofmoi7 said: Adele, Sam Smith, and Justin Timberfake ain't got shit on MJ, Janet, and Whitney. #sorrynotsorry And we as black people do need such artist to represent us. Both Sam and Justin have basically taken the place of the R&B soul male artist. [Edited 2/12/15 5:00am]

agree, but the grammy's are not going to recognise them.

They have white artists now who have mastered what those artists do so they sub-conciously are now drawn to the artist who looks like them.

soul r&b has been co-opted, its the sound of modern pop. They call it pop nowadays.

hip-hop is being co-opted but not fully there yet.

There is only room for the black artist that offers something they can not do.

Do they want a black country artist?

nah, they got that on lock and if they do it would only be for the novelty/token factor.

.

note; Country music is the blues whitewashed.

Once it has been whitewashed completely the need for the black artist is redundant.

.

[Edited 2/12/15 5:28am]

alllllllll true everything u said, which shows further proof that the Pop Ascension movement, staring in 1987 has destroyed authentic black cultural expresion...it's all over....

Very white, but extremely diverse. English, Scottish, Welsh, French, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, etc. The audience looked like the UN!!

People just vote for whatever song they recognize. If the only rap song they know is something by Eminem, then that's what they vote for. You don't even need to hear all of the nominees. Just go with what you know! That's why Sam Smith won in so many categories. I don't think anyone voted for him because he is White. They voted for him because he was all over radio, apparently. I don't listen to radio so I don't know what's popular.

If you really want some white r&b, Jarrod Lawson is where it's at. He got shafted by the Grammys too. My faves NEVER win!!

MidniteMagnet said:

Very white, but extremely diverse. English, Scottish, Welsh, French, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, etc. The audience looked like the UN!!

People just vote for whatever song they recognize. If the only rap song they know is something by Eminem, then that's what they vote for. You don't even need to hear all of the nominees. Just go with what you know! That's why Sam Smith won in so many categories. I don't think anyone voted for him because he is White. They voted for him because he was all over radio, apparently. I don't listen to radio so I don't know what's popular.

If you really want some white r&b, Jarrod Lawson is where it's at. He got shafted by the Grammys too. My faves NEVER win!!

Labels also play a big role in pushing their artists for votes with the acadamy voting members

kitbradley said:

Probably the same as the amount of black artists represented at the Country Music Awards.

That's not really the same thing as Black Entertainment Television. CMA isn't race specific, it's just that there aren't that many black performers going into country music. It's like expecting to see a lot of Chinese & Arab acts at a polka music awards or a Rennaisance Faire. The Latin Grammys are geared towards a certain ethnicity though even though Latino isn't really a race.

Also BET awards is mainly geared towards R&B/rap and maybe some gospel. They don't award people just because they're black. You'd never see BET giving an award to Johnny Mathis, Kathleen Battle, Tracy Chapman, or Shemekia Copeland.

MickyDolenz said:

The Latin Grammys are geared towards a certain ethnicity though even though Latino isn't really a race.

The Latin Grammys are pretty open to non-latin artists appearing and presenting and even performing (e.g. last year they invited the guy who sings "Why you gotta be so rude" and two years ago Natalie Cole performed one of the spanish songs her father did many years ago.. which was really well received).

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And one year Romeo Santos performed a great song with Usher there...

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lezama said:

The Latin Grammys are pretty open to non-latin artists appearing and presenting and even performing (e.g. last year they invited the guy who sings "Why you gotta be so rude" and two years ago Natalie Cole performed one of the spanish songs her father did many years ago.. which was really well received).

I wonder if Morrissey has been invited since he's supposed to be really popular in Mexico.