Submissions for the 2022 Grammy awards opened in July and the nominees will be announced today November 23.
The Recording Academy implemented changes to their voting policy, but the non-televised reggae category, by and large, has been left out of the conversation.
All reggae music between September 1,2020- September 30, 2021 including roots reggae, dancehall and ska music could be considered for nomination according to the Recording Academy criteria.
Over the years the Grammys select albums that simply do not connect to the contemporary reggae/dancehall culture, due to a lack a of genre representation during the voting process which requires active membership.
The Grammy’s voting process
The first round of submissions ended on July 29. The final round of submissions began on August 17, and ended on August 31.
The first round of voting commenced on October 22, 2021 and ended on November 5, 2021. Then the nominations are announced. After today’s nominations are announced, the final round of voting will commence on December 6, 2021 and end on January 5, 2022.
According to Grammy.com “Voting members are required to vote on four categories in the general field and may vote in 15 other categories based on the individuals’ area of expertise”.
An album must also contain at least 50% playing time of new music.
Whether artists win or not, the albums that will be nominated today may use the period to build public image in preparation for their next project.
The Grammy awards are not based on sales, it is based on voting among industry peers who are all members of the Recording Academy. All Grammy voting members must have creative or technical credits on at least six commercially released tracks on a physical music release whether cassette, vinyl or CD or 12 credits on digital releases. Voting members must also be in good standing with their dues.
Being a voting member or an associate of the Recording Academy offers tremendous networking opportunities from parties to conferences and private events.
Even if you do not meet the requirements to become a member, you may still apply at the recommendation of two eligible members of the Recording Academy.
All that Grammy voting process aside, this year there have been several reggae projects that meet the requirements for Best Reggae Album.
Based on the criteria here are 5 reggae albums that may be contenders for this year’s Grammy nomination:
- Pamoja by Etana
Etana’s African connection album “Pamoja” is penetratively sexy and melodious. She takes chances creatively and collaborates with some of the best new and established reggae and Afrobeat artists in the world. She mentioned mentioned on World Music Views Podcast that she is a member of the Grammy Board but is still learning the ins and outs of the system. Her album was independently released on her Freemind music label but the quality is that of any major label release. This would be her second nomination.
- 2 Rebelution – In The Moment
“In The Moment”, debuted at number 2 on the Reggae Billboard charts. Released under Easy Star Records, this was not the best reggae album going by the Jamaican roots rocking reggae standard, but it was one of the most successful reggae albums released this year.
- Ana Vee – Self Titled EP
Breakout Hawaiian reggae singer Ava Vee’s self titled sophomore EP has the ingredients for global reggae and musically she is a cut above the rest. With endorsements from Janet Jackson and a captive Hawaiian audience her have all right to be mentioned in the grammy nomination conversation. The album uses horns to create larger reggae sounds and her voice, strings, harmony and flow is indicative of reggae’s sultry future.
- Joe Mersa – Eternal EP
Traditionally the Marleys sweep the Reggae Album category once a family member release an album. Jo Mersa however is part of the third generation of Marleys who are yet to show their sweeping powers. His Ghetto Youths International release this year makes him the only Marley to drop an album this year. Going by the family’s history with the Grammys, it would be a surprise if he is not nominated. His album is an improvement on his previous work and he carries the Marley legacy well.
Spice- 10
Spice’s debut album “10” is executive produced by two time Best Reggae Album grammy winner Shaggy. The album has one hot single “Go Down Deh” featuring Shaggy and Sean Paul and the three made several appearances on America television and radio shows. If she win, she would be the first female dancehall artist to win a grammy for Best Reggae Album.
The 64th Annual Grammy Awards winners will be announced on CBS on January 31, 2022.
Bonus: Sizzla “On A High”
Sizzla is one of the most prolific reggae artist. He has been nominated before but has never won an award. On A High may not be his best album but he deserves to be included in the conversation around music’s highest honor.
Sean Paul: “Live N Livin”
Sean dropped one hardcore dancehall album this year with a slew of guest performers. If the album is nominated it would be a nod to the genre and an encouragement to the young artists featured on the project. Sean Paul definitely does not need the validation from the Recording Academy having sold over 30 million records but if his pet project pulls off a nomination and win, he’d see it as having more skin in the game.
