GRAMMY® Nominees, Winners, and Participants: Let’s Set the Record Straight
If you worked on a GRAMMY-nominated project, that does not automatically make you a GRAMMY nominee.
And if that project won, it does not necessarily make you a GRAMMY winner.
In this post, I clarify the real differences between nominees, winners, and participants, explain how craft categories actually work, and break down the 50% rule that determines who receives the statuette—and who doesn’t.
If you work in music and care about accuracy and credibility, this is a must-read.
PLATO, NOT PROZAC
Recently, while taking care of my ailing 90-year-old mother, I came across a dusty box tucked away in a small storage space. Inside were several old books of mine, relics from earlier chapters of life. One title immediately stood out: Plato, Not Prozac! by Lou Marinoff, Ph.D. I first read it over 25 years ago, and revisiting it now—at the threshold of 2026—felt less like nostalgia and more like necessity.
Marinoff’s premise is deceptively simple: before medicating distress or outsourcing meaning to professionals, we should engage in philosophical reflection. Not philosophy as abstraction, but philosophy as a practical operating system for life. In other words, thinking clearly before treating chemically.
Few industries could benefit more from this approach than the music business.
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR GRAMMY®
In recent years, about 100 GRAMMY® statuettes are awarded annually. Since the very first GRAMMY Awards ceremony in 1959, more than 12,000 of these golden gramophones have been handed out. That’s a lot of shiny trophies gracing people’s bookcases, recording studios, and specially designed display cases around the world.
One of them sits right beside my desk—on the right side, just below my trusted Yamaha NS-10 monitors. That’s where most of my music projects are born, before heading into the studio for recording and mixing.
The other day, I caught myself staring at my GRAMMY and realized… I had no clue how to properly clean it. Windex? Clorox? Metal Polish? Surely there had to be a “right” way.
Then I remembered—the GRAMMY Man. The very person who makes each and every trophy for the Recording Academy.
Navigate Your Music Release: A Complete Guide from Production to Marketing
Did you know that most new music releases never reach a meaningful audience? In today’s saturated and fast-moving music industry, knowing how to navigate the intricate landscape of production, distribution, and marketing is essential—not just for visibility, but for your creative survival.
Whether you're a first-time artist or a seasoned producer, a successful release requires more than great music—it demands a well-thought-out strategy.