The Grammys
have announced its decision to change the name of their World Music Album
category to Global Music Album to avoid “connotations of colonialism”.
The world music album category was first introduced in 1991 to highlight "international non-Western classical music, international non-American and non-British traditional folk music,
international cross-cultural music based on the previously mentioned genres as well as international recordings of world beat, world jazz (with a higher percentage of world than jazz music), world pop, and cross-cultural music."In a new
statement from the Recording Academy, the institution said the category needed
to be updated to "a more relevant, modern and inclusive term."
It was also
noted that the change "symbolizes a departure from the connotations of
colonialism, folk, and ‘non-American’ that the former term embodied."
The statement
read: “As we continue to embrace a truly global mindset, we update our language
to reflect a more appropriate categorization that seeks to engage and celebrate
the current scope of music from around the world.
“Over the
summer we held discussions with artists, ethnomusicologists, and linguists from
around the world who determined that there was an opportunity to update the
best world music album category toward a more relevant, modern, and inclusive
term.”
“The change
symbolizes a departure from the connotations of colonialism, folk, and
‘non-American’ that the former term embodied while adapting to current
listening trends and cultural evolution among the diverse communities it may
represent.”
“Global Music
will continue to provide a home for influential music from all parts of the
globe yet bringing with it a fresh perspective fueled by authenticity,
diversity, and direct inclusion into our process.”
The move met
with approval from two artists including Nigerian music executive and singer,
Bankulli.
Bankulli, who
is featured on Beyonce’s “Lion King” album, said: “Global Music provides a more
inclusive awards platform to artists from relevant new genres. The term is
encompassing of what is happening today and looks to the future for better
representation.”
Haitian
DJ-producer Michael Brun added, “Global Music is the future of music. As the
world continues to become more interconnected, music culture no longer has
borders. The fusion of sounds breeds innovation, and global music artists are
at the forefront of that movement. I’m happy to see the Recording Academy
working to adapt to the changing landscape and celebrate excellence from around
the globe.”
The Grammys
created the best world music album category in 1992, with winners since
including Ravi Shankar, Gilberto Gil, and three-time recipient Angélique Kidjo. The nominations for the 2021 Grammys will be
announced on 24 November.
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