Submission
Recording Academy members and record companies enter recordings and music
videos released during the eligibility year which they consider worthy of
recognition in the GRAMMY Awards process.
Screening
Reviewing sessions by more than 150 experts in various fields are held to
ensure that entered recordings meet specific qualifications and have been
placed in appropriate fields such as Rock, R&B, Jazz, Country, Gospel, New
Age, Rap, Classical and Latin, among others. The purpose of screenings is
not to make artistic or technical judgments about the recordings, but
rather to make sure that each entry is eligible and placed in its proper
category.
Nominating
First-round ballots with lists of eligible recordings in all
fields, except those voted on by special nominating committees, are sent
to voting members who return their ballots to the independent accounting
firm of Deloitte for tabulation. To help ensure the quality of the voting,
members are directed to vote only in their fields of expertise; they may
nominate in the four general categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The
Year, Song Of The Year and Best New Artist) and in no more than nine out
of 31 fields on their ballots.
Special Nominating
Committees In craft and other specialized categories, final nominations
are determined by national nomination review committees comprised of
voting members from all of The Academy's Chapter cities.
Final Voting
Lists of the finalists are sent to voting members with their second round
ballots. The finalists determined by the special nominating committees are
also included on these lists. In this final round, Recording Academy
members may vote in the four general categories and in no more than eight
of the 31 fields. Ballots again are tabulated in secrecy by the
independent accounting firm, Deloitte.
Results
Results of members' voting are not known until the GRAMMY Awards
presentation ceremony when names of the winners are delivered by Deloitte
in sealed envelopes. GRAMMY Award winners are revealed during the GRAMMY
Awards telecast.
Pat Farrell 6 Time Grammy Contender