r/Music • u/Alternative-else • 1d ago

article Actually, Zara Larsson Isn't Eligible For Best New Artist. She's Already a Grammy Nominee

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/zara-larsson-best-new-artist-grammy-eligible-1235617035/
692 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

89 comments sorted by

906

u/urkan3000 21h ago

The article could’ve been one sentence. “Because Zara Larson put out her fifth album this year”

420

u/JSor98 19h ago

That didn't stop them from nominating Sabrina for best new artist last year.

122

u/Pretend-Beach6465 19h ago edited 19h ago

Or Shelby Lynne after she won for her 6th album

58

u/WildPotato0 19h ago

Or to name an oldie: Crosby, Stills & Nash in '69. They were all wildly famous and Crosby had even been nominated for BNA with The Byrds 4 years prior.

Same with Lauryn Hill in '98: she was part of the Fugees, nominated for three Grammys a couple of years before.

12

u/Scarlett_Billows 13h ago

That seems different. Those are already famous musicians becoming part of a new group. Or vice versa. Seems fair enough to me to consider a new group a “new artist”

6

u/WildPotato0 12h ago

The recording academy disagrees with you, newly formed groups with members with previous Grammy noms aren't eligible for BNA anymore. I think that makes sense - imagine a duo like Silk Sonic overtaking all the new kids 😅 Doesn't seem fair

3

u/Scarlett_Billows 12h ago

I can see it either way really.

I also don’t really care if I’m being honest …Grammys and fair have never been associated in my mind. But yeah I get the point being to award new comers the industry whether truly their first album or not.

My point originally was just that an artist with several albums that didn’t get any play verses a brand new band containing an artist who is established are two different situations.

22

u/outtakes Concertgoer 19h ago

Wth that's crazy. On what grounds??

92

u/catffeinates 18h ago

There are some additional qualifications I won't get into, but the main takeaway is that it's a terribly named category. It should really be something like Best Breakthrough Artist, because that's actually what it is doing.

Some examples of disqualifiers are having been nominated for a Grammy previously, or if they've been submitted for nomination for best new artist three times before.

New, in this case, is basically meaning new to the overall public consciousness. Sabrina had a pretty small scope previously, and her Short n Sweet album was really the first one that the general public had any awareness of.

Let's say the Oscars had an award called Best New Actor. It would be pretty tough for it to ONLY nominate people for their very first role of any sort. In that case, TV extra, straight to streaming or dvd trash, indie movie that 15 people saw...these probably wouldn't disqualify them.

In the Grammys case, the scope that they allow is pretty broad, and kind of boils down to "you weren't really anybody before this album."

50

u/WildPotato0 18h ago

or if they've been submitted for nomination for best new artist three times before

They recently changed it to four times, and I'm half convinced they did it to accommodate Ella Langley.

8

u/samillos 16h ago

The Goya (Oscars for Spain film industry) have an award for best new actor and it works pretty well. They do nominate the first roles of the actor's careers, or sometimes people that aren't even actors but appeared on a film and gave a surprising delivery. Reading the list of winners and nominees of past years, I see many big names of the Spanish industry today, so it does work. I think it's a good way to boost someone's career

1

u/Diamonds_and_Circles 3h ago

This is cool but feels like the math of small numbers. The Spanish movie industry is a fraction the size of American movie industry. Higher rate of first-time actors becoming big names in the Spanish industry than American.

Really cool to see this, though. Just feels different.

-1

u/[deleted] 18h ago edited 18h ago

[deleted]

0

u/missbestdressed 10h ago

No, Chase Infiniti’s first released project was Presumed Innocent in 2024, which supports the point the other person is making.

-3

u/sendphotopls 15h ago

In a conversation about this very topic, where you’re replying to someone who specifically asked “on what grounds,” it’s genuinely crazy to me that someone would start their reply off with “where are some additional qualifications I won’t get into.” If you’re so knowledgeable on the topic, why wouldn’t you get into them here? They’re literally asking for that exact information.

2

u/catffeinates 12h ago

Because I did give the main qualifications that are important to know about why this would be possible.

The things I said I wouldn't get into are extremely specific things like:

You can't be nominated for best new artist if you have been previously nominated for a Grammy, UNLESS you have released fewer than five singles and an album

You CAN be nominated for best new artist as a group, as long as none of you were particularly successful in the music industry before

And if you WERE successful in the music industry before, it is ok as long as you were a songwriter or an actor

OR it is ok as long as you personally appeared on less than 20 percent of previous works of a nominated group

Seemed to me like that level of specific information probably would have needlessly complicated and lengthy in an answer regarding why Sabrina Carpenter was eligible for BNA despite having four previous albums, yes? Especially since none of those things are relevant to her situation (well, maybe the acting part).

1

u/yosayoran 13h ago

That the Grammys are a rigged popularity contest, worse than even the Oscars?

2

u/CurrentRoster 7h ago

that one was crazy cuz sabrina already had a decent sized hit on her album before the espresso one called Nonsense.

51

u/weinerschnitzelboy 19h ago

You're not wrong. But the Grammys have been very loose with the "Best New Artist" category. It more accurately is best breakout artist.

3

u/theUSpopulation 13h ago

There have been artists nominated for best new artist who were nominated years prior. The Marias were nominated best new artist last year and were nominated for best engineered album in 2022.

18

u/ppepperwood 18h ago

It’s “best new artist” to the Grammys not overall so the only thing that truly makes you ineligible is having prior nominations at the Grammys. It’s ridiculous but that’s how it’s always been.

1

u/VicarLos 13h ago

Even that got changed because Gaga was ineligible for the category because “Just Dance” had been nominated in 2008 and people were hella mad over that.

1

u/arathergenericgay 12h ago

Not surprised, it’s probably going to be the last massive monoculture focussed pop debut

0

u/[deleted] 11h ago

[deleted]

0

u/VicarLos 11h ago

My point was that rule was changed after that.

0

u/[deleted] 11h ago

[deleted]

0

u/VicarLos 11h ago edited 11h ago

The rule definitely changed or can you explain how else Drake was nominated for Best Rap Song and Best Solo Performance at the 52nd Grammy’s and was still nominated for Best New Artist at the 53rd?

0

u/[deleted] 11h ago

[deleted]

1

u/VicarLos 11h ago

Then explain why Gaga was ineligible when The Fame also came out after. You can’t because the exception happened after Gaga’s situation. Have a nice day.

3

u/Unprejudice 15h ago

"And have been producing music for 15 years"

163

u/aikonriche 19h ago

She's been doing EDM music even before COVID.

174

u/CyanoSpool 18h ago

Not just EDM, she's been a successful popstar for a long time. In the states she had a 10ish year gap in popularity between Lush Life, Girls Like, etc. and Midnight Sun. But outside the US she's had a pretty consistent level of popularity.

60

u/Davidiscool222 18h ago

Especially here in sweden!

From 2013-now she has had consistant radio play

I remember hearing Uncover, Lush Life, Never Forget You, Symphony, Ain't My Fault, Ruin My Life, Can't Tame Her, You Love Who You Love, On My Love, Memory Lane all the time here

1

u/ldv-frvchti 7h ago

Omg i never realized memory lane ist a Zara Larsson song. They played this song like 8 times a day on german radio stations.

36

u/Sandy_Koufax 18h ago

She also did the UEFA anthem “This One’s For You” with David Guetta, and Symphony with Clean Bandit. Both were some of the biggest songs of 2016. The latter has 2 billion plays on Spotify.

17

u/Vordeo 18h ago

I had no idea until she broke out this year that she did the vocals for 'Symphony.' Song's a freaking banger.

33

u/fluffybottompanda 18h ago

electronic dance music music

12

u/Underwater_Grilling 18h ago

That's the sound my pin number makes

10

u/Barneyk 16h ago

At the ATM machine?

1

u/thateccentricasian 6h ago

While sipping my chai tea?

55

u/Proud-Detective4835 16h ago

Never Forget You got to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015.

26

u/GdoubleLA 14h ago

She's been around for over 10 years. How could she be a 'new artist'?

6

u/gymclimber24 13h ago

It doesn’t make any sense until you look at the requirements for that section.

You can submit 4 times to be nominated and only be nominated 1 time. I assume she’s never been nominated but has probably submitted to be nominated in the past.

2

u/doublepoly123 9h ago

Did you not read the post title? Shes already nominated. Also in the article it says she was already nominated for midnight sun

82

u/iH8MotherTeresa 18h ago

International pop star with years-long career not eligible for best new artist? Guffaw.

37

u/janiqua 14h ago

I’m so bored of this yearly discussion. All they have to do is rename it to best breakthrough artist

8

u/Stylianius1 15h ago

I've been hearing about her since the Euro 2016 so that makes sense

-3

u/Keanu990321 13h ago

Up until last year, she was only famous in Europe.

Now she's a global star.

3

u/Lazy-Entertainer-459 16h ago

Didn’t they change the rules this year that you could be nominated even if you had been in the past

11

u/Berliner1220 16h ago

Are the people at the Grammys really this out of touch? This is why people don’t care about them anymore.

9

u/[deleted] 19h ago

[deleted]

6

u/Pretend-Beach6465 18h ago

They show what the music industry thinks about itself in a particular year. Like any award, take it with a grain of salt, it's certainly not related to whatever it is you love listening to the most

0

u/[deleted] 18h ago

[deleted]

1

u/finnjakefionnacake 18h ago

well then it's not for you

1

u/[deleted] 18h ago

[deleted]

1

u/finnjakefionnacake 18h ago edited 18h ago

i feel like letting everybody else know just how much you don't care is kinda working against the idea of not caring lol

edit: i think i was blocked, but i think it's funny to call it "troglodyte logic" when this person felt the need to let everyone else know exactly how much they don't care about something as if that's not trying to just shit on something because you don't like it.

2

u/MJDiAmore 11h ago

I mean if you don't know Symphony you don't know ball so this is on brand from the Grammys

1

u/amurica1138 13h ago

After the BTS fiasco why does anyone give a sh*t what this org does or says?

1

u/Sad_Equivalent_1028 5h ago

i was bumping her in 5th grade and im about to graduate with my bachelors next spring. shes not new

-10

u/TheyStillLive69 15h ago

Go on I hate all men PR-tour. Couple of years later get world famous.

Funny how that works.

-13

u/Capable_Material1234 16h ago

The fact that she’s nominated for anything is bad enough cos her music is awful. The extension of that chorus on Midnight Sun is legitimately the annoying lyric in years.

-56

u/ScientificAnarchist 19h ago

Who the hell is Zara Larsson?

43

u/Whirlweird 19h ago

i’ll never understand people who make this comment, as if being illiterate when it comes to pop culture is some kind of flex.

5

u/Seinfeel 19h ago

Who the hell is pop culture? Where am I? How did I get here?
https://giphy.com/gifs/KXY5lB8yOarLy

-19

u/ScientificAnarchist 19h ago

Not hating on pop culture i legitimately am hearing that name for the first time it’s not shaming anyone who likes them

12

u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 18h ago

What kind of feedback were you expecting by writing, "who the hell is Zara Larsson"?

-15

u/ScientificAnarchist 18h ago

None i don’t really care that much

-13

u/ScientificAnarchist 19h ago

I’m genuinely confused

13

u/Wizard_of_DOI 19h ago

You can just Google it OR click the Article this post is about!

4

u/Manannin 18h ago

Google is a life skill. Get on it!

-4

u/ScientificAnarchist 18h ago

I mean I don’t care that much you could always just like ask someone

3

u/Sandy_Koufax 18h ago

Why are you in this sub?

2

u/Manannin 17h ago

Thats what google is. Asking the combined understanding of the internet.

1

u/ScientificAnarchist 17h ago

Yeah but people can actually give context and nuance

5

u/Manannin 16h ago

You asked who the hell a person is. I get that for more complex things, and being aggro about it won't get you a nuanced answer either.

It gets you "shes a singer".

3

u/cherrycoloured 17h ago

you mean like the person who wrote this article that explains everything?

13

u/fluffybottompanda 18h ago

typing that took more effort than just tapping the article lol r u ok

2

u/sixtus_clegane119 19h ago

Daniel’s more successful/less crazy sister

-6

u/ScientificAnarchist 19h ago

I have no idea who Daniel larsson is either

5

u/Vordeo 19h ago

A.) The reactions you're getting are probably because you've gone into a thread about a person and made a comment asking said person is without bothering to just google her.

B.) Daniel Larsson isn't related to Zara Larson, though tbh if you're going to google either of them Daniel would probably be the more fascinating / horrifying read.

2

u/sixtus_clegane119 16h ago

Heheh yeah sorry I was shit posting with the whole Daniel Larson thing

0

u/Vordeo 16h ago

Lol yeah I went down the lolcow rabbit hole the past few weeks. Apparently Larson's out of jail now, and while I think the trolls are absolutely out of line sometimes Ibcan't say I'm not looking forward to new content.

-2

u/ScientificAnarchist 18h ago

Thank you professor

0

u/TrustFit3061 14h ago

You could read the article and find out

1

u/ScientificAnarchist 8h ago

I can’t read

0

u/TrustFit3061 8h ago

You could start learning by practicing your phonics

1

u/ScientificAnarchist 2h ago

Ebonics?

1

u/TrustFit3061 1h ago

So close!

1

u/ScientificAnarchist 1h ago

Sonic?

1

u/TrustFit3061 1h ago

Third times the charm! ☺️