The results are notable: There are 3,800 new Recording Academy members in 2025. Half — 50% — are 39 and under, 58% are people of color and 35% identify as women.
And in that group, there are approximately 2,900 new Grammy voting members. Nearly half, 49%, are 39 and under; 60% are people of color and 30% identify as women.
Over the last few years, Latin music has been skyrocketing in popularity, routinely celebrated as one of the fastest growing streaming genres in the United States.
“The addition of many Latin Recording Academy voting members underscores that music has no borders and that our mission to serve music people, regardless of where they are from, is stronger than ever,” Harvey Mason jr., academy president and CEO, wrote in a statement. “I can’t wait for our members’ passion and hard work to shine through in this year’s nominations.”
Reform at the Record Academy dates back to the creation of a task force focused on inclusion and diversity after a previous CEO, Neil Portnow, made comments belittling women at the height of the #MeToo movement. In the past, the Grammys have been criticized over a lack of diversity — artists of color and women left out of top prizes; rap and contemporary R&B stars ignored.
In 2024, Mason jr. told The Associated Press that the Recording Academy sought to increase its voting body by reaching out to different, underrepresented communities. “Let’s take the time to understand why those people aren’t engaging with us, figure out how we can fix that,” he said. “And once we fixed it, then let’s invite them or ask them if they would like to be a part of our organization. So, it was a multi-step process.”