The Recording Academy is issuing invitations to more than 4,000 music creators and industry pros to join its membership. The invitations are going out on Thursday (July 9). This is the third consecutive year that the Academy has invited 3,500 or more new members — and the largest class of invitees to date.
It’s part of a concerted push to expand and diversify its membership. This year’s class includes more than 3,100 who are invited to join as voting members and more than 900 who are invited to join as non-voting Professional members. In terms of demographics, 50% are under 40, 43% are women and 55% are people of color.
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To put these numbers in context, the Academy currently has nearly 15,000 voting members and over 3,700 professional members. (These totals do not include those invited this year. As the Academy points out, “Invitations must be formally accepted for invitees to become Grammy members.”)
“Every year, we look forward to welcoming a new group of dedicated music creators and professionals through our membership invitations,” Grammys CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. “Our membership is the engine of the Grammys, and we’re excited for invitees to join our vibrant community, engage with their peers and help shape the future of the music industry.”
(The Recording Academy has lately taken to calling Mason the “Grammys CEO.”)
The Academy is announcing its invitations for its new member class about two weeks after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced its own invited class of 529 artists and executives (down slightly from 534 individuals the year before). That means the Recording Academy invited more than seven times as many people to join its ranks this year compared to the Motion Picture Academy. The Motion Picture Academy’s peak year for invitations was 2018, when it invited 928 new members.
In 2025, the Recording Academy extended its annual membership invitations to nearly 3,600 music professionals. That total included about 2,600 who were invited to join as voting members and about 1,000 who were invited to join as professional members.
In 2024, over 3,900 people were invited (3,000+ to become voting members and 900+ to become professional members).
In 2023, the academy invited more than 3,650 new members (2,800+ to become voting members and 850+ to become professional members).
In 2022, it invited more than 2,600 new members (2,000+ new voting members and 600+ professional members).
The Recording Academy introduced its new membership model in June 2019. Under that model, the academy invites large new member classes to join, in an effort to boost the numbers of women, people of color and people under 40 in the Academy.
Thus, the voting membership that delivered album, record and song of the year to Adele in 2017 and those same three awards to Bruno Mars in 2018 is much different today. We started to see a shift in voting patterns in February 2019, even before the new membership model was introduced, when Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” became the first hip-hop hit to win record or song of the year. (It won both.) At the 2025 Grammys, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” became the second hip-hop hit to win record or song of the year. (Again, it won both.) At the 2026 Grammys, Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first Spanish-language album to win album of the year.
The Online Entry Process, where all eligible recordings and videos are submitted for consideration for the Grammy Awards, opened on July 7 and runs through Aug. 21. To participate in the Online Entry Process for the upcoming Grammy Awards, invitees must accept membership by July 31.
A comprehensive report on the Recording Academy’s 2026 new member class, along with a detailed breakdown of the overall membership demographics and crafts, will be released later this year following the deadline for 2026 invitees to join the academy.
The Recording Academy offers three types of membership: voting membership for music creators, professional membership for music business professionals and GRAMMY U for those aspiring to a career in the music industry.
The first-round voting period for the 69th Grammy Awards opens on Oct. 12 and closes on Oct. 22. Nominations will be announced on Nov. 16. Final-round voting runs from Dec. 10 to Jan. 7, 2027. The telecast is set for Feb. 7, 2027, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The 2026 Grammy telecast, the last to be hosted by Trevor Noah, was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for outstanding variety special (live) on Wednesday (July 8). Four of the six Noah-hosted telecasts were nominated in that category.
Invitations to join the Academy were extended to EJAE, who won a Grammy this year for best song written for visual media as a co-writer of “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters; Lola Young, who won for best pop solo performance for “Messy”; Sombr, who was nominated for best new artist; and Paris Jackson, a budding artist and the daughter of 13-time Grammy winner Michael Jackson.
Here are comments, from a longer list provided by the Recording Academy, from some of those who were invited to join the Academy this year.
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EJAE: “As a songwriter and recording artist, I couldn’t be more excited to join the Recording Academy. It takes a village to record an album, produce and perform live shows for fans, and bring our ideas from pen and paper to release and stage. Coming together only strengthens our community, allows us to preserve our work and help us to advocate for ourselves and for one another. Music is my lifelong passion and I am honored to join my music industry peers across all countries, divisions and genres. Music is for everyone and forever worth celebrating.”
Lola Young: “I am so happy to be part of the Recording Academy New Member Class of 2026. As a recording artist, I believe the Grammys represent the most prestigious award you can receive. Being a member now means I am part of a community of incredibly talented people who champion real musicianship, diversity, and legacy.”
Sombr: “I’m extremely honored to be part of the Recording Academy’s 2026 New Member Class. Being nominated for Best New Artist and getting the chance to perform on the Grammy stage were moments I’ll never forget. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by so many artists I admire, and I’m excited to be part of a community that supports artists and songwriting.”
Griff: “Always grateful to be in a community of artists and songwriters. Thank you Recording Academy for having me!”
Paris Jackson: “I am grateful and honoured to stand alongside so many artists I love and respect.”
Cash Cobain: “Blessed to be a member of the Recording Academy/Grammys 2026 New Member Class. This is a huge moment in my career! Proud to be alongside the talented artists in this community and look forward to being involved in this chapter.”
Sampa the Great: “Honoured to join the Recording Academy Class of 2026. Standing tall with creators who push boundaries, speak truth, and champion diverse stories. Ku Chalo!”
Sleeping With Sirens: “It’s an incredible honor to join the Recording Academy’s 2026 New Member Class! Being acknowledged by a community that champions music, creativity, and inclusivity is particularly meaningful to us. We’re grateful to be surrounded by such inspiring talent and look forward to contributing to the future of music!”
Dodie: “I am beyond honoured to join the 2026 New Member Class, and grateful for the opportunity to champion authentic music in this ever expanding field!”
Ela Taubert: “Receiving an invitation to become a Recording Academy member is both an honor and a meaningful milestone in my career. As a Latin artist, it serves as a reminder of music’s ability to connect people across cultures, languages, and generations, while providing an opportunity to help shape the future of our industry alongside respected artists. I’m grateful for the chance to have a voice within the Academy, advocate for greater Latin representation, and contribute to conversations and ideas that support, inspire and elevate the next generation of artists.”
Elmiene: “I’m honoured to be part of the Recording Academy’s New Member Class. I grew up watching some of my musical heroes perform on the Grammy stage — artists like D’Angelo, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John, to name just a few. To now be part of this community is truly special. Excited for what the future holds and grateful for the journey ahead!”
Harv: “Being invited to join the Recording Academy means a great deal to me because it represents recognition from the music community I’ve dedicated my life to serving. It’s not only validation of my journey as a musician, producer, and creator, but also an opportunity to contribute to the culture, support fellow artists, and help move the industry forward.”
Morgan Jay: “I love music. The Recording Academy loves music. Feels like a no brainer to me. Happy to show my appreciation to an art form that has so dramatically changed my life.”
Rachel Chinouriri: “As a Brit it’s nice to be recognised across the seas! I’ve grown up watching the Grammys and wondering if I could ever play even a small part so this means more than many people will know. I’m grateful to start my Grammys journey as a new member and can’t wait for the future.”
Trivium: “We’ve been fortunate to experience music from so many different angles throughout our career — as songwriters, performers, collaborators, streamers, and lifelong fans. Whether we’re creating with Trivium, working on a soundtrack, collaborating with artists in other genres, or connecting with musicians through the community, it’s all driven by the same passion: a love for music and the people who create it. Joining the Recording Academy as Voting Members is an incredible honor because it represents that broader creative community. We’re excited to help recognize and celebrate artists across every genre and discipline, and to contribute to an organization that supports the craft, innovation, and dedication that go into making great music.”