The Global Music Performance category has exploded in popularity, emerging as one of the most competitive fields heading into the 2026 GRAMMY Awards®. According to data obtained by WMV from The Recording Academy, the category has seen an unprecedented surge in entries — rising from 205 submissions in 2022 to 525 in 2025, a 156% increase in just three years. In 2023 280 submissions were made and 456 in 2024.
This growth reflects both the expanding global influence of non-Western genres and the Academy’s increasing recognition of international sounds, from Afrobeats and reggae fusion to Indian classical, Latin crossover, and beyond.
Music producer Alexx Antaeus offered insight into why the competition has become so fierce — and why reggae artists still struggle to break through in this field:
“Global Music Performance is a highly competitive category, dominated mainly by Indian and African artists,” Antaeus explained.
“Over the years, I haven’t seen many reggae acts succeed there. Even established names like Sagi and The Marleys haven’t been nominated when they submit singles — because this category is about songs, not albums.”
He added that the underlying issue runs deeper:
“A lot of the people who vote in that category aren’t reggae voters. Unless more reggae fans and industry professionals become voting members of the Academy, we’re not going to see greater support for reggae across the other categories either.”
Elsewhere, 1,015 songs were submitted for Song of the Year consideration at the upcoming 2026 Grammys. Only eight songs are expected to receive nominations.
One of the songs submitted to that category is Shake It To The Max by MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng and Shenseea. it is also submitted for Record Of The Year where 894 songs were submitted for that category.
“In terms of taking to the max i have no idea why they didn’t submit there that is a project that could have done very well there but anyway maybe they have a plan that i’m not aware of they have submitted in two
