Grammys 2021 postponed due to the impact of coronavirus

News

The 2021 Grammy awards have been postponed after “thoughtful conversations with health experts”.

The 63rd annual edition of the awards ceremony, which was due to take place on the 31st January, will now take place in March due to severity of coronavirus cases in Los Angeles.

Speaking in a joint statement with CBS, the Recording Academy said that “the deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do.”

The statement, which is signed by CEO of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason jr, and stated that “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show.”

Shortly before releasing the statement, Recording Academy added the date to their official calendar for the March 21st 2021.

In November, it was announced that The Best World Music Album category is being renamed Best Global Music Album at the Grammy Awards going forward, to avoid, the Recording Academy says, “connotations of colonialism”. The change to the category’s name followed on from the Recording Academy’s decision to also remove the word “urban” from its award categories, with categories like Best Urban Contemporary Album becoming Best Progressive R&B Album.

In the running for March’s upcoming awards are UK duo Disclosure, who have been nominated for a Grammy for their album track ‘My High’, which features Aminé and slowthai, alongside Jayda G’s ‘Both Of Us’, and Kaytranada and Kali Uchis’ ‘10%’. Diplo & SIDEPIECE have also recieved a nomination, as has Australian bass artist Flume.

Elsewhere, in the Best Dance/Electronic Album, Venezuelan artist Arca has been nominated for her recent project ‘KICK I’, and Baauer’s ‘Planet Mad’, released via LuckyMe in June this year, has also recieved a nod. Kaytranada and Disclosure are both up for best album as well as recording, for ‘Energy’ and ‘Bubba’ respectively, with Madeon’s ‘Good Faith’ completing the category.