My highlights and classes realized from the 2024 Grammys. An excellent present, and it marks a turning level in music

66th GRAMMY Awards – Press Room

First, congratulations to Mexican Natalia Lafourcade who tied with Juanes for the Greatest Latin Rock/Various Album with De Todas Las Flores, and props  to Mexican Peso Pluma who received Greatest Música Mexicana Album for Génesis. Sadly, the prolific Mexican songwriter and producer Edgar Barrera was edged out by Theron Thomas for Songwriter of the 12 months, denying Mexico a trifecta.

Additionally congratulations to my good friend Guatemala-born Gaby Moreno for incomes the Grammy for Greatest Latin Pop Album for  X Mí (Vol. 1.)  And particular congratulations to Karol G who received the primary Grammy of her profession for the class of Greatest Música Urbana Album for Mañana Será Bonito.

The Latino record didn’t cease there. Rubén Blades, Gustavo Dudamel, 123Andrés,  Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo additionally  walked away with the golden gramophone. They’re the tip of the spear driving what the music trade bible Chartmaster reviews is the surging international enlargement of Latin Music, pushed by Latinas.  Chartmaster reviews that “ Latinas are already breaking data and disrupting the worldwide music scene.”  After Shakira’s breakout success together with her single “Bzrp Music Classes, Vol. 53”,” Karol G debuted Mañana Sera Bonito, at  the #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. An indication of rather more to return

However the true story on the Awards –  and in music typically worldwide – is that ladies  are dominating the music scene. Six of the ten prime international performers rated by Chartmetric are feminine – Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Rohana, Shakira, Karol G, and Miley Cyrus.  And the following 4 are additionally feminine – Selena Gomez, Beyonce, Billie Eilish, and Nicki Minaj. The #1 Spotify streaming album in 2023 was Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonio. Yep, ladies rule.

Sunday’s  Grammys marked  this turning level within the music trade with a bang. Ladies had been nominated for 7 of the 8 prime classes, and 5 of the 8 nominations for Greatest New Artist (which was received by a lady). All 4 prime prizes went to ladies –  Taylor Swift, for Album of the 12 months – her fourth,  Billie Eilish for Music of the 12 months, Miley Cyrus for Report of the 12 months,  and Victoria Monét for greatest new artist.

And simply to make the purpose that the occasions they’re a-changin’,  essentially the most shifting efficiency of the night time was a duet with nation singer Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman, singing her 1988 track  “Quick Automobile”, which has racked up 376 million streams for Combs. This was after an effusive video by Combs honoring Chapman as one of many best songwriters ever and his good friend – not one thing you’d have heard up to now from a white male nation singer a few black feminine artist.

Closing word about one other girl, the worldwide phenomenon often called Taylor Swift. She received her fourth Album of the 12 months Award, the one artist to attain that milestone. (Frank Sinatra, Stevie Marvel, and Paul Simon have every received the award thrice.) The opposite milestone she achieved just lately is billionaire – Forbes put the 33-year outdated’s internet value at $1.1 billion. And she or he made all of it together with her music – no aspect companies like clothes traces, alcohol, or  cosmetics. In contrast to the numerous male CEO/billionaires who made their cash by way of hidden charges, jacked up drug costs, exploiting employees, and killing off competitors, she earned her billion by making individuals pleased. We might use much more like her in enterprise in addition to in music.

Patrick O’Heffernan

Banner photograph: (L-R) Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker of Boygenius, winner of the “Greatest Rock Efficiency” award for “Not Sturdy Sufficient”, the “Greatest Rock Music” award for “Not Sturdy Sufficient”, and the “Greatest Various Music Album” award for “The Report”, within the press room throughout the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Enviornment on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Picture by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Photos for The Recording Academy. Printed with permission of the Recording Academy)