Is it possible that the Grammys are actually moving backwards? America’s steep racial divide is not some radical new development, and like most other institutions built on prestige, the Grammys have always been an exceptionally white enterprise. But at a time when the continuing separation between blacks and whites in America is becoming impossible for comfortable white people to ignore — be it through the court system letting white policemen off the hook for murdering unarmed black people, or Chris Rock writing incisively on Hollywood’s unbearable whiteness, or Ta-Nehisi Coates making a reasonable case for reparations — it’s hard not to notice the overt segregation in this year’s nominations.
The Record Of The Year nominees: All white. The Song Of The Year nominees: All white. The Best New Artist nominees: All white. When the Album Of The Year picks come out tonight on what promises to be a gloriously corny Grammys Christmas special, odds are they’ll be almost entirely ivory too. Maybe the major sales and massive critical orgy around Beyoncé’s (seriously excellent) self-titled album will be enough to snag her a nomination, but maybe not; and even if she does get nominated, does she really stand a chance against Ed Sheeran or Sam Smith? Should we even have to question whether the world’s biggest pop star’s critically acclaimed blockbuster album will be nominated for a Grammy because she’s black? I don’t know, but it feels like we have to. Even last year’s Grammy hero, Pharrell, saw his G I R L relegated to the “Urban Contemporary” no flex zone.
Again, this is not a new phenomenon, and it’s hardly limited to the Grammys. But it feels especially grating this year to see black artists siphoned off into their own category-ghettos, partially because of the cultural context, and partially because the major categories the white artists are running rampant through seem so especially mediocre this year. It’s increasingly difficult to believe that Lauryn Hill and OutKast actually took home Album Of The Year honors in 1999 and 2004, respectively. Adding insult to injury is the assurance that the white artists who sneak into the traditionally black categories are all but guaranteed a victory. It’s not hard to picture thrice-nominated Iggy Azalea will be reliving last year’s Macklemore controversy as The New Classic claims Best Rap Album (though honestly this year’s weak field reflects the dearth of quality major rap albums), and Eminem’s “Rap God” certainly has a shot at winning Best Rap Song. This isn’t an outrage on par with the American justice system, but it still sucks.
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It’s possible to imagine an alternate, more appealing but still honest Record Of The Year race with Ariana Grande’s “Problem,” Clean Bandit’s “Rather Be,” and Tove Lo’s “Habits (Stay High)” in the mix — but no, the nominations we got are on-point, from a cultural saturation standpoint. So maybe we as a culture are actually moving backwards too?
Maybe the major sales and massive critical orgy around Beyoncé’s (seriously excellent) self-titled album will be enough to snag her a nomination, but maybe not; and even if she does get nominated, does she really stand a chance against Ed Sheeran or Sam Smith? Should we even have to question whether the world’s biggest pop star’s critically acclaimed blockbuster album will be nominated for a Grammy because she’s black?
Didn't I say this this morning and people came for me?
I don't think they are racist but this years nominations are and not diverse at all.
It's like they are saying "only white Pop music matters"
The nominations used to include all genres not just Pop and 1 country
I don't see the lie. The whole general field was all white. If Bey gets nominated for album of the year, she will be the token black in the general field.
This is such ********. They are not nominating based on race, seeing as though BEYONCÉ who is the most nominated female EVER by them is black. Makes no ****ing sense. Throwing race into every argument.
and not diverse at all. 
