Updated on Thursday, July 14: The air date for the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, has been announced. The 2023 GRAMMYs will air live Sunday, Feb. 5, from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. 2022 Nominations for the 2023 GRAMMYs will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

The Recording Academy has announced five new GRAMMY Awards categories to be awarded at the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, including the newly added Songwriter Of The Year (Non-Classical) and Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media categories, among other new categories and changes.

Additionally, a new Special Merit Award will be given out for Best Song For Social Change. Other amendments include changes to the GRAMMY Awards entry and voting processes and more.

All new category additions, process amendments, and updates go into effect immediately for the 2023 GRAMMYs.

These changes come through the Recording Academy's annual process of accepting proposals from the music creators and professionals that make up its membership body, and as part of the organization's commitment to evolve with the ever-changing musical landscape. 

"We're so excited to honor these diverse communities of music creators through the newly established awards and amendments, and to continue cultivating an environment that inspires change, progress and collaboration," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said. "The Academy's top priority is to effectively represent the music people that we serve, and each year, that entails listening to our members and ensuring our rules and guidelines reflect our ever-evolving industry."

The 65th GRAMMY 2022 nominations are officially here. See the complete list of nominees across all 91 GRAMMY categories.

NEW GRAMMY AWARDS CATEGORIES ADDED: 

Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical
Recognizes the written excellence, profession and art of songwriting honoring the most prolific non-performing and non-producing songwriters for their body of new work released during an eligibility year. 

Best Alternative Music Performance
A track and single Category that recognizes the best recordings in an alternative performance by a solo artist, collaborating artists, established duo, or established group.

Best Americana Performance
A track and single Category that recognizes artistic excellence in an Americana performance by a solo artist, collaborating artists, established duo, or established group.

Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media
Recognizes excellence in score soundtrack albums comprised predominately of original scores and created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current video game or other interactive media released within the qualification period.  

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
An album Category that recognizes excellence in spoken word albums specific to the performance of poetry with or without music.

SPECIAL MERIT AWARD ADDITION:

Best Song For Social Change This Special Merit Award will be determined by a Blue Ribbon Committee and ratified by the Recording Academy Board of Trustees. Submissions must contain lyrical content that addresses a timely social issue and promotes understanding, peacebuilding and empathy.

GRAMMY AWARD VOTING PROCEDURAL UPDATES: 

Charging Fees For Entry Submissions
All Recording Academy members will receive five courtesy entries every year. For additional entries, members will pay $40 (Early Bird Fee); $75 (Standard Fee); or $125 (Final Deadline Fee) per additional entry. Registered media companies will pay a fee of $65 (Early Bird Fee); $95 (Standard Fee); or $125 (Final Deadline Fee) per entry. Considerations will be made for artists/members experiencing financial hardships. Any member who would be burdened by the entry fees can request the fees be waived by reaching out to the Recording Academy Awards Department.

Album Eligibility

To be eligible for GRAMMY Award consideration, an album must contain greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded (within five years of the release date), previously unreleased recordings. The previous eligibility rule was 50%. (Note: Best Compilation Soundtrack, Best Historical Album, Best Immersive Audio Album, Best Recording Package, Best Special Package, and Best Album Notes accept albums of recordings that are not newly recorded.)

Note: The updated album eligibility rule was approved in 2021, but is going into effect for the 2023 GRAMMYs cycle.

ADDITIONAL CATEGORY AMENDMENTS: 

Classical Field: Creation of Craft Committees in Select Classical Categories
Three Categories within the Classical Field will now be determined by highly specialized Craft Committees: Producer Of The Year (Classical), Best Engineered Album (Classical) and Best Contemporary Classical Composition.  

Classical Field: Recognition of Composers and Librettists in Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Compendium Categories
Category definitions have been updated to award composers and librettists in addition to artists, producers and engineers.

New Age, Ambient Or Chant Field: Renamed And Redefined Field and Category Name
The Category formerly known as "Best New Age Album" has been renamed "Best New Age, Ambient Or Chant Album" and the Field name has also been updated to reflect that change.

Musical Theater Field: Recognition of Composers and Lyricists in Best Musical Theater Album Category
Category definition has been updated to award composers and lyricists of more than 50% of the score of a new recording.

Music For Visual Media Field (Includes Film, TV, Video Games, And Other Visual Media): Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
Some language in the criteria for this Category, which had been removed, has now been restored to recognize principal artists and in-studio producers.

Production Field: Updated Definition of Best Remixed Recording Category
The newly amended definition of the Best Remixed Recording Category helps to reflect the remix craft as it currently stands in the industry: the creation of a new, full-track, unique performance created by a remixer from a previously released recording.

Spoken Word Field: Updated Category Name and Definition
The Category formally known as Spoken Word Album has been renamed Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording. This Category recognizes excellence in spoken work albums (not including Spoken Word Poetry).

2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominations List

The 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, returns to Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT.

The eligibility period for the 65th GRAMMY Awards is Friday, Oct. 1, 2021 – Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. All eligible awards entries must be released within this timeframe.

The Recording Academy and GRAMMY.com do not endorse any particular artist, submission or nominee over another. The results of the GRAMMY Awards, including winners and nominees, are solely dependent on the Recording Academy’s Voting Membership.

Editor’s Note: Updated Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, to reflect voting and awards information for the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated and republished on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, to reflect information about Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

The annual GRAMMY Awards voting process is more transparent than it's ever been. Every year, the Recording Academy continues to fine-tune this process to its purest form: a peer-to-peer vote, from one member of the global music community to another.

The GRAMMY is the music industry's highest honor. As the only peer-recognized award in music, the GRAMMY represents the recognition and respect that can only come from within the family of music people. Your vote is important. Beyond recognizing and celebrating your fellow peers, your GRAMMY vote has a practical and real-life impact on the music world and its creators.

We've already covered the nuts and bolts of the GRAMMYs voting process with a detailed guide explaining everything you need to know about Final Round GRAMMY Voting for the upcoming 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards. Today, we're taking a deep dive into some of the many reasons why your GRAMMY vote matters this year and every year.

The Power Is In Your Hands

No matter the context in which you vote — from state fairs all the way to presidential elections — does it ever feel like your ballot is just one drop in a vast ocean? To a degree, this is understandable: One vote can seem minor when placed among hundreds or thousands of other votes.

Through the lens of the annual GRAMMYs voting process, don't forget this reality: Every GRAMMY vote truly counts and every Recording Academy Voting Member matters. Your vote directly determines the outcome of the GRAMMY Awards, including all GRAMMY winners and GRAMMY nominees. This has been proven throughout the decades, and it's about to be underlined again.

Without your input, and that of the Recording Academy's wider Voting Membership, the GRAMMYs cannot happen — period. Becoming a Recording Academy Voting Member — stepping up to that responsibility — is no small assignment. By doing so, you become a steward of this important tradition and honor, and you continue the legacy of music's only peer-voted award.

But other than just keeping an awards show running, why is GRAMMY voting such an awesome responsibility?

Learn More: The Impact Of A GRAMMY Win: Life After The Award

Your Vote Can Influence The Future Of Music

Whether you've been a Recording Academy Voting Member for months or for decades, you undoubtedly know that the impact of a GRAMMY Award continues far beyond GRAMMY night. Your vote can make a career-defining difference in the lives of artists and creators and inspire future generations to evolve the music industry at large.

Every year, the annual list of GRAMMY nominees and GRAMMY winners creates ever-lasting, industry-shifting ripple effects across music, and it often dictates what happens next through your speakers and on stages. In fact, the so-called "GRAMMY Effect," a well-established music industry phenomenon in which many GRAMMY nominees and GRAMMY winners experience significant music sales boosts following GRAMMY night, has positively impacted the careers of past winners like Jon Batiste, Olivia Rodrigo and Chris Stapleton, among many others.

When it comes to music, you can make a difference across the music industry and in the lives of today's artists and creators with your GRAMMY vote. Just take a look at the artists leading music today; they partly got there because of people just like you and your GRAMMY vote. 

Your Vote Can Make GRAMMY History

Every vote has the potential to make GRAMMY history, and that's no different when it comes to the 2025 GRAMMYs. Your vote in every GRAMMY Category will contribute to these special moments in GRAMMY history.

Voting Allows All Voting Members To Be Heard

You're a member of the Recording Academy because of your genuine contributions to the music world and the distinct perspective you bring to this society of music creators. Your dedication to your craft is distinct, your voice is unique, and your GRAMMY vote is critical.

The fact of the matter is, we need you as a Voting Member to execute and evolve the annual GRAMMY Awards voting process. Our members are what make the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Awards special and impactful. Your GRAMMY vote represents your voice within the Academy, and its impact will influence the music industry at large for years to come.

Plus, for new members who just joined the Recording Academy, voting allows you to make your voices heard right away!

Voting Advances Diversity Across Music

The Recording Academy's 2024 New Member Class, initiated this year, reflects the organization's ongoing commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion across the ethnicities, genres and crafts that power the music industry, a pillar held true all year long.

Recording Academy Voting Members are responsible for representing the music community and celebrating the creative accomplishments of their peers, especially within their direct genres and communities. To help ensure the quality of voting every GRAMMY season, members are directed to vote only in their areas of expertise and those in which they are a peer. Your vote represents and impacts your direct community of artists and creators. Thus, by becoming a member and by actively voting, you are ensuring the GRAMMY Awards truly reflect the diversity of our global music industry. 

Voting Is Not Just An Opportunity — It's A Responsibility

Being a Recording Academy Voting Member comes with many amazing perks: You can advocate to protect the rights of music makers and advance creators' interests on important policy matters via our Advocacy department; you can connect with fellow members through member-only initiatives and programs; you can run for a Recording Academy Board and/or participate on advisory committees; you can vote in Chapter elections; and so much more.

Some of the most impactful Recording Academy membership perks are directly tied to the GRAMMYs. As a Recording Academy Voting Member, you can participate in the GRAMMY Awards process on multiple levels, including: submitting your work and art for GRAMMY consideration; proposing rule changes to the awards process; and voting for the nominees and winners at the annual GRAMMY Awards.

Recording Academy Voting Members share an obligation to participate in the annual GRAMMY Awards voting process to help fulfill a vital part of the Academy's mission: to celebrate music and its makers. Ultimately, GRAMMY voting allows you to push our music industry forward and contribute to the ongoing evolution and legacy of the GRAMMY Awards.

Just like Recording Academy membership itself, GRAMMY voting is not just a privilege; it's a major responsibility each Voting Member holds. So, use your GRAMMY vote to make the impact you wish to see across the music industry.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated and republished on Monday, Dec. 2, to reflect information about Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Now that the 2025 GRAMMY nominations have been announced, the final phase of the GRAMMY voting season is in full swing. Ahead of the 2025 GRAMMYs, which take place Sunday, Feb. 2, live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, GRAMMY voters will vote on the artists, creators and releases who will take home the coveted GRAMMY Award on Music's Biggest Night.

This month, GRAMMY voters enter the final step in the GRAMMY Awards voting process: Final Round Voting. Taking place from Thursday, December 12, 2024, through Friday, January 3, 2025, Final Round Voting will ultimately determine the GRAMMY winners across all 94 Categories to be awarded at the 2025 GRAMMYs.

The Recording Academy, the organization behind the annual GRAMMY Awards, encourages our Voting Members to educate themselves on the GRAMMY voting process each year as they prepare to cast their ballots when GRAMMY voting opens. To help guide Voting Members through the GRAMMY voting process, we've put together a thorough and informative guide outlining all the key dates, deadlines and voting guidelines to know this year.

Here's everything you need to know about Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards.

Learn More: Who Are The Top GRAMMY Awards Winners Of All Time? Who Has The Most GRAMMYs?

ROAD TO THE 2025 GRAMMYs

As a member of the Recording Academy, you may be asked questions about the GRAMMY voting process. Equip yourself with the knowledge to explain the complete GRAMMY Awards process by visiting our interactive online resource, which breaks down the full GRAMMY Awards journey from beginning to end.

Below is an overview of the complete GRAMMY Awards process as related to the 2025 GRAMMYs.

KEY DATES: 2025 GRAMMYs

Key dates for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season are as follows:

Sept. 16, 2023 – Aug. 30, 2024
Product Eligibility Period
The period by which recordings are submitted for GRAMMY consideration. All releases must be available for sale, via general distribution, to the public by this date and through at least the date of the current year's voting deadline (final ballot) to be eligible for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards.

July 8, 2024 – Aug. 23, 2024
Media Company Registration Period
Media companies must apply for registration with the Recording Academy to submit recordings.

July 17, 2024 – Aug. 30, 2024
Online Entry Period
All eligible recordings must be entered prior to the close of the Online Entry Period, regardless of the public release date.

Oct. 4, 2024 – Oct. 15, 2024
First Round Voting
First Round Voting determines all the GRAMMY nominees for each GRAMMY Awards year.

Nov. 8, 2024
Nominees Announced for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards
Announcing the official nominees list for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Dec. 12, 2024 – Jan. 3, 2025
Final Round Voting
Determines the GRAMMY winners across all categories revealed on GRAMMY night.

Feb. 2, 2025
2025 GRAMMY Awards
Music's Biggest Night, recognizing excellence in the recording arts and sciences.

Learn More: How Much Is A GRAMMY Worth? 7 Facts To Know About The GRAMMY Award Trophy

HOW DOES GRAMMY VOTING WORK?

THE GRAMMYS ONLINE ENTRY PROCESS

The annual GRAMMY Awards journey begins with the Online Entry Process (OEP). During OEP, which this year took place from July 17 through Aug. 30, Media Companies and Recording Academy members submitted recordings, music videos/films and releases for consideration to be included on the 2025 GRAMMY Awards ballot. Submissions that were not formally submitted during OEP were not considered for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Eligible releases must have been released during the Product Eligibility Period, which this year comprised the period between Sept. 16, 2023, through Aug. 30, 2024; all releases must be available for sale, via general distribution, to the public by this date and through at least the date of the current year's voting deadline (final ballot) to be eligible for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards.

SUBMISSIONS SCREENING

After the Online Entry Process, the Recording Academy's Awards Department and genre screening committees manually reviewed all entries to ensure they were categorized in the appropriate GRAMMY Categories. The purpose of genre screening committees is not to make artistic or technical judgements about the submissions, but rather to ensure each entry is eligible and placed in its proper Category.

FIRST ROUND VOTING & FINAL ROUND VOTING

Following OEP, the GRAMMY voting process begins with First Round Voting, which this year took place in October and determined the nominees at the 2025 GRAMMYs.

The annual GRAMMY voting process is divided into two phases: First Round Voting, which determines all the GRAMMY nominees for each GRAMMY Category each year, and Final Round Voting, which ultimately determines the GRAMMY winners across all Categories revealed on GRAMMY night. It is crucial for all Recording Academy Voting Members to actively participate in both First Round Voting and Final Round Voting. This will ensure that all eligible artists, musicians and creators are fairly evaluated based on their artistic and technical merits and will help the wider music community determine the leading music of the year, as voted on by their peers.

The ballots GRAMMY voters submit during Final Round Voting this month will determine the GRAMMY winners at the 2025 GRAMMYs, which will be announced live on the GRAMMY stage on Sunday, Feb. 2. Thus, it's essential for all GRAMMY voters to be involved.

WHO VOTES FOR THE GRAMMYS?

As the only peer-voted award in music, the GRAMMY Award is the highest honor in all of music. That's because GRAMMY nominees and GRAMMY winners are determined by Voting Members, who are composed of vetted and venerable performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, instrumentalists, and other creators currently working in the recording industry. Every GRAMMY vote affirms this prestige and strengthens the highest excellence in music and the recording arts and sciences.

Final Round Voting ballots are provided to Voting Members in good dues standing. To ensure the quality of GRAMMY voting, members are directed to vote only in their areas of expertise and those in which they are a peer: up to 10 GRAMMY Categories across three Fields, plus the six General Field Categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best New Artist, Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical). This process ensures the quality of the voting during the full GRAMMY Awards process.

Learn more about Recording Academy Membership and how to become a member.

Voting Members represent and celebrate the accomplishments of their peers in their genre. By voting only in Categories where they are a peer, GRAMMY voters help ensure the GRAMMY Awards reflect the diversity and excellence of our music community.

GRAMMY voters were selected amongst thousands of applicants for their expertise, skill, and diverse background. Your vote represents your voice within the Academy, and its impact will influence music history.

Read More: Your Vote, Your Voice: 6 Reasons Why Your GRAMMY Vote Matters

VOTE TABULATION

To maintain integrity in the voting process, ballots are collected and tabulated by the independent accounting firm Deloitte.

HOW ARE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS DETERMINED?

After GRAMMY voters submit their votes, the top five finalists in each GRAMMY Category are nominated for a GRAMMY Award, except for the General Field Categories of Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist, where the top eight finalists are the nominees.

HOW TO VOTE IN THE 2025 GRAMMYS

Recording Academy Voting Members can access their Final Round Voting ballot for the 2025 GRAMMYs via their member dashboard starting at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 12, 2024. Final Round Voting closes at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on Friday, January 3, 2025.

Before voting opens, please make sure you have the correct email and password to login. If your credentials are invalid, reset your password. For further assistance, see the following contact info below:

VOTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT

PHONE: 866-992-9902 x403
EMAIL: grammys@yangaroo.com
HOURS: M-F, 5 a.m. — 5 p.m. PT / 8 a.m. — 8 p.m. ET (Note holiday schedule below.)

• Dec. 24 & Dec. 31: 6 a.m. PT – 1 p.m. PT / 9 a.m. ET – 4 p.m. ET

• Dec. 25, Dec. 26 & Jan. 1 – CLOSED

• Final Round Voting: Thursday, December 12, 2024 – Friday, January 3, 2025  

AWARDS, FYC (FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION) & NON-TECHNICAL SUPPORT:

PHONE: 833-789-8683
EMAIL: votersupport@grammy.com

HOURS: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT / noon – 8 p.m. ET (Note holiday schedule below.)

• Dec. 14, Dec. 15, Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 25 & Jan. 1 – CLOSED

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS:

PHONE: 866-794-3391
EMAIL: membership@grammy.com
HOURS 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT / noon – 8 p.m. ET

Learn More: The Impact Of A GRAMMY Win: Life After The Award

NEW CHANGES TO GRAMMY AWARDS CATEGORIES

In June, the Recording Academy shared a series of updates to the annual GRAMMY Awards process for the 2025 GRAMMYs, including adjustments to eligibility criteria, Category renaming, and submission guidelines updates for some Categories. All updates go into effect immediately at the 2025 GRAMMYs. Learn more about the GRAMMY Awards Categories changes as related to your areas of expertise ahead of casting your votes for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Read More: GRAMMY Awards Updates For The 2025 GRAMMYs: Here's Everything You Need To Know About GRAMMY Awards Categories Changes & Eligibility Guidelines

GRAMMY BALLOT ESSENTIALS

The search and flexibility enhancements recently added to GRAMMY voting ballots will return for this GRAMMY season. The Category selection tool, which minimizes scrolling time and creates an easy-to-use ballot for each voter, will return for Final Round Voting this year.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL GRAMMY VOTING

Every GRAMMY voting season is unique. To help GRAMMY voters prepare for Final Round Voting, we've compiled a helpful guide of GRAMMY voting tips.

LISTENING TO NOMINATED RECORDINGS

During Final Round Voting, Recording Academy Voting Members can stream submitted recordings on select streaming services. The Recording Academy encourages all Voting Members to listen to all submitted recordings in the Categories in which they are voting to ensure intentional listening and thoughtful voting. This process will encourage respect and consideration for all creators and their submitted works on behalf of GRAMMY voters.

Learn More: Recording Academy Renames Best Song For Social Change Award In Honor Of Harry Belafonte

GRAMMY VOTING & SOLICITATION GUIDELINES

Each year, Recording Academy Voting Members drive the GRAMMY Awards process. The Recording Academy respects its Voting membership body and trusts that each Voting Member will uphold the GRAMMY standard of excellence by voting with integrity and discipline.

All Voting Members should only cast their votes based on the artistic and technical merits of the submitted recordings and products. This will ensure that the annual GRAMMY Awards process is fair and ethical for all creators and submitted works. Read the Recording Academy's Voting and Solicitation Guidelines and Voter Code of Conduct for additional information before submitting your GRAMMY votes.

VOTE WITH THE NEW "MY ACADEMY HUB" MOBILE APP

The Recording Academy is proud to provide Final Round Voting ballot access within the new "My Academy Hub" mobile app.* Visit your member dashboard anytime, anywhere right at your fingertips. Download the mobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store today and be sure to set up biometric login so you'll never have to remember your password again^.

Having issues? For questions and technical support regarding the app, please contact us at app@recordingacademy.com.

*The GRAMMY Voting process remains unchanged, and members will now be able to access their Final Round Voting ballots directly in their member dashboards via the "My Academy Hub" mobile app.

^Members in almost all locations, domestic and international, can download and use the mobile app. Please note the app is not currently available to members in China.

Learn More: The Recording Academy Adds More Than 3,000 Women GRAMMY Voters Since 2019, Surpassing Its 2025 Membership Goal

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For more information about the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season, learn more about the annual GRAMMY Awards process; read our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section; view the official GRAMMY Awards Rules and Guidelines; and visit the GRAMMY Award Update Center for a list of real-time changes to the GRAMMY Awards process.

Cast your GRAMMY votes for the 2025 GRAMMYs once Final Round Voting opens Thursday, December 12, 2024, and make sure to watch Music's Biggest NightSunday, Feb. 2, to see who wins the GRAMMY gold.

Editor's note: This article was updated to include the latest information about Kendrick Lamar's 2024 album release 'GNX,' and up-to-date GRAMMY wins and nominations with additional reporting by Nina Frazier.

When the world crowns you the king of a genre as competitive as rap, your presence — and lack thereof — is palpable. After a five-year hiatus, Kendrick Lamar declaratively stomped back on stage with his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, to explain why the crown no longer fits him.

Two years later, Lamar circles back to celebrate the west on 2024's GNX, a 12-track release that revels in the root of his love for hip-hop and California culture, from the lowriders to the rappers that laid claim to the golden state.

“My baby boo, you either heal n—s or you kill n—s/ Both is true, it take some tough skin just to deal with you” Lamar raps on "gloria" featuring SZA, a track that opines on his relationship with the genre.

The Compton-born rapper (who was born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth) wasn't always championed as King Kendrick. In hip-hop, artists have to earn that moniker, and Lamar's enthroning occurred in 2013 when he delivered a now-infamous verse on Big Sean's "Control."

"I'm Makaveli's offspring, I'm the King of New York, King of the Coast; one hand I juggle 'em both," Lamar raps before name-dropping some of the top rappers of the time, from Drake to J.Cole.

Whether you've been a fan of Lamar since before his crown-snatching verse or you find yourself in need of a crash course on the 37-year-old rapper's illustrious career, GRAMMY.com answers nine questions that will paint the picture of Lamar's more than decade-long reign.

Who Discovered Kendrick Lamar?

Due to the breakthrough success of his Aftermath Entertainment debut (good kid, m.A.A.d city), most people attribute Kendrick Lamar's discovery to fellow Compton legend Dr. Dre. But seven years before Dre's label came calling, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith saw potential in a 16-year-old rapper by the name of K.Dot.

Lamar's first mixtape in 2004 was enough for Tiffith's Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) to offer the aspiring rapper a deal with the label in 2005. However, Lamar would later learn that Tiffith's impact on his life dates back to multiple encounters between his father and the TDE founder, which Lamar raps about in his 2017 track "DUCKWORTH."

How Many Albums Has Kendrick Lamar Released?

Kendrick Lamar has released six studio albums: Section.80 (2011), Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (2012), To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) DAMN. (2017),Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022), and GNX (2024). Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, To Pimp a Butterfly and DAMN. received both Rap Album Of The Year and Album Of The Year GRAMMY nominations. 

What Is Kendrick Lamar's Most Popular Song?

Across the board, it's "HUMBLE." The 2017 track is Lamar's only solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (he also reached No. 1 status with Taylor Swift on their remix of her 1989 hit "Bad Blood"), and as of press time, "HUMBLE." is also his most-streamed song on Spotify and YouTube.

How Many GRAMMYs Has Kendrick Lamar Won?

As of November 2024, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 57 GRAMMY nominations overall, solidifying his place as one of the most nominated artists in GRAMMY history and the second-most nominated rapper of all time, behind Jay-Z. Five of Lamar's 17 GRAMMY wins are tied to DAMN., which also earned Lamar the status of becoming the first rapper ever to win a Pulitzer Prize.

His most recent wins include three awards at the 2023 GRAMMYs, which included two for his album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, and Best Rap Performance for "The Hillbillies" with Baby Keem. 

Does Kendrick Lamar Have Any Famous Relatives?

He has two: Rapper Baby Keem and former Los Angeles Lakers star Nick Young are both cousins of his.

Lamar appeared on three tracks — "family ties," "range brothers" and "vent" — from Keem's debut album, The Melodic Blue. Keem then returned the favor for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, featuring on "Savior (Interlude)" and "Savior" as well as receiving production and writing credits on "N95" and "Die Hard."

Read More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Baby Keem On Inspiring Rap's Next Generation, Why "Producer Artists" Are The Best & The Likelihood Of A Kendrick Lamar Collab Album

Why Did Kendrick Lamar Wear A Crown Of Thorns?

Lamar can be seen sporting a crown of thorns on the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers album cover. He has sported the look for multiple performances since the project's release.

Dave Free described the striking headgear as, "a godly representation of hood philosophies told from a digestible youthful lens."

Holy symbolism and the blurred line between kings and gods are themes Lamar revisits often on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. He uses lines like "Kendrick made you think about it, but he is not your savior" and songs like "Mirror" to reject the unforeseen, God-like expectations that came with his King of Hip-Hop status.

According to Vogue, the Tiffany & Co. designed crown features 8,000 cobblestone micro pave diamonds and took over 1,300 hours of work by four craftsmen to construct.

Why Did Kendrick Lamar Leave TDE?

After five albums, four mixtapes, one compilation project, an EP, and a GRAMMY-nominated Black Panther: The Album, Kendrick Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) confirmed that Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was the Compton rapper's last project under the iconic West Coast label. 

According to Lamar, his departure was about growth as opposed to any internal troubles. "May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life's calling," Lamar wrote on his website in August 2021. "There's beauty in completion."

TDE president Punch expressed a similar sentiment in an interview with Mic. "We watched him grow from a teenager up into an established grown man, a businessman, and one of the greatest artists of all time," he said. "So it's time to move on and try new things and venture out."

Before Lamar's official exit from TDE, he launched a new venture called pgLang — a multi-disciplinary service company for creators, co-founded with longtime collaborator Dave Free — in 2020. The young company has already collaborated with Cash App, Converse and Louis Vuitton.

Has Kendrick Lamar Ever Performed at The Super Bowl?

Yes, Kendrick Lamar performed in the halftime show for Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles in 2022, alongside fellow rap legends Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, as well as R&B icon Mary J. Blige. Anderson .Paak and 50 Cent also made special appearances during the star-studded performance. As if performing at the Super Bowl in your home city wasn't enough, the Compton rapper also got to watch his home team, the Los Angeles Rams, hoist the Lombardi trophy at the end of the night.

Three years after his first Super Bowl halftime performance, Lamar will return to headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show on Feb. 9, 2025 — just one week after the 2025 GRAMMYs — at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. 

Is Kendrick Lamar On Tour?

Yes. Kendrick Lamar is currently scheduled to hit the road with SZA on the Grand National Tour beginning in May 2025. Lamar concluded The Big Steppers Tour in 2022, where he was joined by pgLang artists Baby Keem and Tanna Leone. The tour included a four-show homecoming at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena in September 2022, followed by performances in Europe,Australia, and New Zealand through late 2022. 

Currently, there are no upcoming tour dates scheduled, but fans should check back for updates following the release of GNX.

In a continuing commitment to nurture future Black music industry leaders, Amazon Music and the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective (BMC) have announced the return of the Your Future Is Now scholarship program for its fourth consecutive year. 

The program, which launched in 2021, provides students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with both financial support and direct, hands-on experience in the music industry.

This year, five HBCU students will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship each and have the chance to engage in a career-defining rotation with department leads at Amazon Music and the Recording Academy. Alongside the individual scholarships, the program will grant two HBCUs $10,000 each for music program equipment, further investing in institutional resources for budding artists and music professionals.

To celebrate the scholarship's renewal, "Amazon Music Live" featured an exclusive episode headlined by GRAMMY-nominated hip-hop heavyweight, Big Sean, sponsored by the all-new 2025 Nissan Kicks. This special live streamed performance included Big Sean performing alongside North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University's celebrated Blue and Gold Marching Machine and The Fellowship Gospel Choir, bringing a powerful, HBCU-rooted energy to the show.

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Following the concert, North Carolina A&T was announced as the first HBCU recipient of the $10,000 music equipment grant, with Amazon Music executives Phylicia Fant and Jameka Pankey, alongside Recording Academy representatives, presenting the donation to the university’s drumline coordinator, Harvey Thompson.

"Every Homecoming season, HBCU students and alumni come together not only to celebrate our community but also to strengthen the bonds that connect us," said Phylicia Fant, Head of Music Industry and Culture Collaborations at Amazon Music. "It’s that kind of meaningful impact on students’ lives that we set out to foster with this program."

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, echoed this sentiment, expressing pride in the scholarship’s impact. "The program’s effect on our student cohorts has been nothing short of remarkable, and I couldn’t be prouder," he said. "It’s crucial that we continue investing in the next generation of Black music creators and professionals, equipping them to lead and shape the future of the music industry."

The Your Future Is Now scholarship application is now open. Eligible students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently enrolled at an HBCU and pursuing a degree in music, music business, business administration, marketing, communications, or a related field. Requirements include a transcript, personal statement, a creative video showcasing their vision, and one recommendation. The application deadline is December 13, and recipients will be announced in early January.

To apply for the scholarship, visit here.

This scholarship announcement is part of Amazon Music’s wider Homecoming celebrations. Amazon Music recently hosted carnival-style pop-up events at HBCUs across the country, including North Carolina A&T, Florida A&M, Howard University, and Jackson State University, creating memorable experiences for students and alumni while connecting them with the music and traditions that define HBCU culture. Students and alumni were able to experience music from past AML performers, get pictures in intricate photo moments, and have a chance to win exclusive one-of-a-kind merch. Amazon Music customers everywhere can celebrate with "Homecoming SZN," a new playlist of music created specifically to soundtrack HBCU Homecoming Weekends.