The Recording Academy

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The Recording Academy
Formation1957
Type Learned academy
Headquarters Santa Monica, California, United States
Location
CEO
Harvey Mason Jr.
Key people
Panos Panay
Affiliations The Latin Recording Academy
MusiCares
Website recordingacademy.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is widely known for its Grammy Awards, which recognize achievements in the music industry of songs and music which are popular worldwide. The Recording Academy is a founding partner of the Grammy Museum, a non-profit organization whose stated mission is preserving and educating about music history and significance. The Recording Academy also founded MusiCares, a charity with the stated goal of impacting the health and welfare of the music community. The Recording Academy's advocacy team lobbies for music creators' rights at the local, state, and federal levels.

Contents

History

The Recording Academy's former headquarters in Santa Monica, California National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.JPG
The Recording Academy's former headquarters in Santa Monica, California

The origin of the academy dates back to the beginning of the 1950s Hollywood Walk of Fame project. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce asked the help of major recording industry executives in compiling a list of people in the music business who should be honored by Walk of Fame stars. [1] [2] The music committee, made up of these executives, compiled a list, but as they worked, they realized there were many more talented industry people who would not qualify to be recognized with a Hollywood Boulevard bronze star.

The founding committee members included Jesse Kaye, MGM Records; Lloyd Dunn and Richard Jones, Capitol Records; Sonny Burke and Milt Gabler, Decca Records; Dennis Farnon, RCA Records; and Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, and Doris Day from Columbia Records. [3] This was the start of the academy and also of the Grammy Awards. [4] [5] [6]

The Recording Academy was formally established in 1957.

The 1st Annual Grammy Awards was held simultaneously in two locations on May 4, 1959 – Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills California, and Park Sheraton Hotel in New York City, [7] and 28 Grammys were awarded. The number of awards given grew and fluctuated over the years with categories added and removed, at one time reaching over 100. [8] The second Grammy Awards, also held in 1959, was the first ceremony to be televised, [9] but the ceremony was not aired live until the 13th Annual Grammy Awards in 1971. [10]

In 1997, the Recording Academy under Michael Greene launched The Latin Recording Academy , which produces the Latin Grammy Awards. Neil Portnow later served as president and CEO of the academy from 2002 to 2019. [11] Deborah Dugan was his replacement, taking over on August 1, 2019. [12] and is the first woman to lead the organization. [12] Dugan was removed from her position on January 16, 2020 after organizational claims of misconduct against her assistant, though she claimed she was ousted while experiencing conflicts in trying to reform the organization and other matters were revealed to her, including a sexual assault claim from an artist against Portnow. [13] Harvey Mason Jr. held interim president/CEO duties for the organization from 2020 to 2021. [14] He was named CEO in June 2021.

Since Mason's tenure, the Recording Academy has established the following initiatives:

In June 2021, The Recording Academy named Valeisha Butterfield Jones and Panos A. Panay as Co-Presidents, the first time the Academy has had multiple leaders in its history. [23]

In 2022, The Academy endorsed the bipartisan Promoting Peace, Education, and Cultural Exchange (PEACE) Through Music Diplomacy Act. [24] In September 2023, it co-launched the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative in partnership with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department. [25] [26]

Grammy Awards

Josh Knight and his Grammy Award (2012) Josh Knight with Grammy Award.jpg
Josh Knight and his Grammy Award (2012)
Patricia Price at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards Patricia Price 8va.jpg
Patricia Price at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awards presented by The Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the music industry. [27] The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and the presentation of those awards that have a more popular interest. The Grammys are one of three major music awards held annually, the other two being the American Music Awards and the Billboard Music Awards. [28]

Organization

Producers and Engineers Wing

According to The Recording Academy, The Producers and Engineers Wing (P&E Wing) is a part of the academy made up of producers, engineers, mixers, and other technically involved professionals. [29] [30] The producers and engineers wing addresses various aspects of issues facing the recording profession. The P&E Wing also advocates for the use of professional usage of recording technology as well as the preservation of recordings.[ citation needed ]

The members of this division make up a large portion of those who vote on the Grammy Awards each year.[ citation needed ]

Grammy University Network

According to The Recording Academy, The Grammy University Network (Grammy U) is an organization for college students who are pursuing a career in the music industry. It offers forms of networking, interactive educational experiences and programs, advice from music professionals, and internship opportunities.[ citation needed ]

MusiCares

The Recording Academy supports the MusiCares Foundation, a philanthropic organization which provides money and services to musicians in an emergency or crisis.[ citation needed ]

Chapters

The academy has twelve chapters in various locations throughout the United States. The twelve chapters are in Atlanta, Chicago, Florida, Los Angeles, Memphis, Nashville, New York City, the Pacific Northwest, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Texas, and Washington D.C. [31] Tammy Susan Hurt is the first LGBT Chapter President to have served on the board of the Atlanta Chapter since 2005. [32] The Washington branch organized the 2018 event Grammys on the Hill to coordinate passage of the Music Modernization Act in Congress. [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grammy Awards</span> American award for achievements in music

The Grammy Awards, or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious and significant awards in the music industry worldwide. They were originally called the Gramophone Awards, as the trophy depicts a gilded gramophone. The Grammys are the first of the Big Three networks' major music awards held annually, and are considered one of the four major annual American entertainment awards with the Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards, and the Tony Awards. The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4, 1959, to honor the musical accomplishments of performers for the year 1958. After the 2011 ceremony, the Recording Academy overhauled many Grammy Award categories for 2012. In 2023, the Grammys faced signficant backlash for debuting a new award called the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, named in honor of prolific domestic abuser Dr. Dre. The 66th Annual Grammy Awards, featuring a total of 94 categories, was presented February 4, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latin Grammy Awards</span> Accolade by the Latin Recording Academy for music in Spanish and Portuguese

The Latin Grammy Awards are an award presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been released in Ibero-America. Ibero-America, as defined by the Latin Recording Academy, encompasses Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the Latino population in Canada and the United States. Submissions of products recorded in languages, dialects or idiomatic expressions recognized in Ibero America, such as Catalan, Basque, Galician, Valencian, Nahuatl, Guarani, Quechua or Mayan may be accepted by a majority vote. Both the regular Grammy Award and the Latin Grammy Award have similar nominating and voting processes, in which the selections are decided by peers within the Latin music industry.

MusiCares Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1989 and incorporated in 1993 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn in times of financial, personal, or medical crisis, its primary purpose is to focus the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues which directly impact the health and welfare of the music community. The foundation's programs include emergency financial assistance, addiction recovery, outreach and leadership activities, and senior housing. MusiCares also offers hearing clinics backstage at several major festivals around the U.S. to help musicians protect their ears. Since 1989, MusiCares has distributed more than $48 million to artists in need.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Portnow</span> American music industry executive

Neil R. Portnow is an American music industry executive who served as the chairman and CEO of The Recording Academy and MusiCares from 2002 to 2019. Prior to that, Portnow was the vice-president of the West Coast division of Jive Records and Arista Records.

Person of the Year is an annual gala presented by MusiCares, a 501(c)(3) public charity and affiliate of The Recording Academy, to raise funds for MusiCares’ mission and to honor recording artists for their creative achievements and their dedication to philanthropy. Chosen by the MusiCares Foundation, award recipients are honored during "Grammy Week". Person of the year gala consistes of a seated dinner and start-studded tribute concert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Tranter</span> American singer-songwriter

Justin Drew Tranter is an American songwriter, singer, and activist. Frequently co-writing with Julia Michaels, Tranter has written songs for artists such as Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Linkin Park, Kelly Clarkson, Sara Bareilles, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, DNCE, Citizen Queen, Kesha, Imagine Dragons, The Knocks, Fifth Harmony, 5 Seconds of Summer, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Raye, Bea Miller, Demi Lovato, Dua Lipa, Måneskin, and Fall Out Boy. From 2004 to 2014, Tranter was the lead singer of Semi Precious Weapons, a rock band based in New York. Since February 2017, they have been a board member of GLAAD, an organization that promotes LGBT acceptance in the entertainment and news industries. Tranter's songs have garnered over 50 million single sales and 40 billion streams on Spotify and YouTube as of May 2021.

The Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year is an award presented annually by the Latin Recording Academy, the same organization that distributes the Latin Grammy Awards, to commend musicians for their "artistic achievements in the Latin music industry as well as their humanitarian efforts". Award recipients are honored during "Latin Grammy Week", a string of galas just prior to the annual Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. Until 2023, the award was only presented to artists of Ibero-American heritage, when Laura Pausini became the first Italian artist to be presented with the honor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Greene (arts executive)</span> American arts executive

Mike Greene, also known as Charles Michael Greene, is an American arts executive who served as head of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) from 1988 to 2002, and the president and CEO of Artist Tribe and myMuse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Bandier</span> American music executive (born 1941)

Martin N. Bandier is an American music industry executive who was the CEO/Chairman of Sony/ATV Music Publishing for 11 years from 2007 until 2019. Prior to that he was the chairman and CEO of EMI Music Publishing Worldwide from 1991 to 2006. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dina LaPolt</span> American entertainment lawyer and former musician

Dina LaPolt is an American entertainment lawyer and artist rights advocate based in Los Angeles, California. After an early career in the music industry, she became an entertainment lawyer in 1997. She is the founder and owner of LaPolt Law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panos Panay (music executive)</span> Entrepreneur

Panos Andreas Panay is a Cyprus-born entrepreneur, executive and author. Panay currently holds the post of President of the Recording Academy alongside CEO Harvey Mason Jr. Previously he was the Senior Vice President of Global Strategy & Innovation at Berklee College of Music. He founded Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship, and founded the online platform Sonicbids, which was later acquired by Backstage Magazine. Panay is a Fellow at MIT Connection Science at the MIT Media Lab, and also founded the Open Music Initiative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">60th Annual Grammy Awards</span> 2018 ceremony of the Grammy Awards

The 60th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 28, 2018. The CBS network broadcast the show live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The show was moved to January to avoid coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, as was the case in 2010 and 2014. James Corden returned as host.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">62nd Annual Grammy Awards</span> 2020 edition of the Annual Grammy Awards

The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 26, 2020, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from October 1, 2018, to August 31, 2019. Alicia Keys hosted the ceremony, having hosted the previous year's ceremony as well.

Deborah Dugan is an American executive who was the first female president and CEO of the Recording Academy, which presents the Grammy Awards, in 2019 and 2020. She served as the president of Disney Publishing Worldwide from 2002 to 2006, having been at the company a total eight years, and CEO of Entertainment Rights North America from 2007 to 2009, and CEO of (RED) from 2011 to 2019. In April 2022, she became CEO of diabetes nonprofit Beyond Type 1.

Tammy Hurt is an American drummer, producer, and music advocate. Hurt's music project, Sonic Rebel, was featured as the cover story for the June 2021 print and digital edition of Atlanta's Creative Loafing. She is also known for her work with the Recording Academy.

MusiCares' COVID-19 relief effort was a charitable initiative aimed at providing financial and other forms of assistance to musicians and music industry professionals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative was established by MusiCares, a non-profit organization that was founded in 1989 by the Recording Academy, the organization behind the GRAMMY Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grammy Award for Best Global Music Performance</span> Honor presented to recording artists

The Grammy Award for Best Global Music Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for influential music from around the globe at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".

Valeisha Butterfield is an American businesswoman who is Vice President of Partnerships & Engagement at Google, Inc and was formerly co-president of The Recording Academy.

The Leading Ladies of Entertainment is an honor presented annually by the Latin Recording Academy, the same organization that distributes the Latin Grammy Awards, to commend women "excelling in the arts and sciences, and who have made indelible impressions and contributions to the Latin entertainment industry." Award recipients are honored during "Latin Grammy Week", a string of galas prior to the annual Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. The accolade was established by the organization to acknowledge the gender gap in the Latin entertainment industry. Then-president of the Latin Recording Academy, Gabriel Abaroa explained: "Women face a myriad of difficulties in the entertainment industry, but despite those obstacles, the women we are honoring have continually demonstrated perseverance, fortitude, and grace under pressure." A portion of the sponsorships on the events are used to fund scholarships to young women studying in music. The awards were first presented to Marcella Araica, Leila Cobo, Erika Ender, Rebeca Leon, and Gabriela Martinez. The event was held twice in 2019, the first as a Mexican edition in June and again during the Latin Grammy Week in November.

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