Music

Grammy award rules change after Lady Gaga snub

by Ciaran Thompson

At last year’s Grammy awards, the Zac Brown Band took home the prize for Best New Artist in the year that saw Lady Gaga top the pop/dance music scene with her catchy tunes and extravagant attire. A technicality barred Gaga from receiving Best New Artist, but the US recording academy have mended the rules so a not too familiar country band based in Atlanta will never ever beat out a rising eclectic singer with Madonna-esque similarities again.

Lady Gaga’s first single “Just Dance” was nominated in 2008 and therefore she no longer qualified as a new artist. Those selected for “Best New Artist” could not have previously appeared on any Grammy-nominated recording. “More and more, the first release of a new artist is as a featured artist on someone else’s album, or the new artist may release a single long before the release of [their] first album. It was extremely challenging to change the rules,” an academy spokesperson said.

The new rules state artists will be eligible in the Best New Artist category unless they have already been nominated for it or have already won a Grammy Award. Lady Gaga will never be able to claim the title as she has won awards for Best Dance Recording and Best Electronic/Dance Album. [Guardian]