Grammy Awards 2027: New Categories, Expanded Eligibility, and ABC Broadcast

On February 7, 2027, the 69th Annual Grammy Awards will illuminate the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, a venue that has hosted the ceremony in recent years but never before on ABC. The network’s return to the show, the first since 1972, marks a historic moment for the Academy and its audience.

The broadcast is part of a ten‑year partnership announced by the Recording Academy on October 30 2024. Under the agreement, the ceremony will stream live on Disney+ and Hulu, ensuring the event reaches viewers on both traditional television and major streaming platforms. The deal places the Grammys alongside other high‑profile entertainment events that have embraced multi‑platform distribution.

In a bid to reflect the evolving musical landscape, the Academy has added five brand‑new categories for 2027. The new awards will recognize:

Best Asian Pop Music Performance – honoring K‑pop, J‑pop, and C‑pop recordings that feature one or more Asian languages; Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance – celebrating contemporary R&B works performed by duos, groups, or collaborative projects; Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance – spotlighting singles and tracks that maintain a traditional pop style distinct from current mainstream pop; Best Traditional Folk Album – acknowledging albums of traditional folk recordings; * Best Latin Song – rewarding newly written Latin songs with at least 51 % Spanish lyrics.

The Academy also renamed two existing categories to better align with industry terminology. The former Best R&B Performance is now Best R&B Solo Performance, while Best Folk Album becomes Best Contemporary Folk Album.

Eligibility for the 2027 awards covers recordings released between August 31 2025 and August 28 2026. Eligible releases must be available for sale through general distribution or on a recognized streaming service. The online entry window opened on July 7 2026 and closed on August 21 2026, giving artists and labels a 45‑day period to submit their work.

Voting follows a two‑stage process. First‑round voting ran from October 12 to October 22 2026, after which nominees were announced on November 16 2026. Final‑round voting took place from December 10 2026 to January 7 2027, culminating in the winners’ announcement at the February ceremony.

The Academy’s decision to broaden its categories was announced in June 2026. The move reflects a strategy to better represent niche and international markets that have grown in global prominence. By creating dedicated awards for Asian pop, traditional folk, and Latin music, the Grammys signal a commitment to inclusivity and to honoring genres that have previously been underrepresented.

For creators, the expanded eligibility window and new categories open additional avenues for recognition. Artists producing music in Asian pop, traditional folk, or Latin genres now have dedicated categories that may increase visibility and award potential. The broader voting and nomination process underscores the Academy’s intent to make the awards more representative of the diverse music that audiences consume worldwide.

In summary, the 69th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on February 7, 2027, featuring five new categories, revised category names, and a new broadcast and streaming arrangement. Artists and labels should note the August 21 2026 entry deadline and the eligibility period ending August 28 2026. The ceremony’s partnership with ABC, Disney+, and Hulu signals a new era in the awards’ distribution, while the expanded categories aim to bring greater recognition to a wider range of musical styles.