Metro Weekly

The New Grammy Category Was Made For The Gays

The lineup of nominees for the first Best Pop Dance Recording Grammy are sure to be some singers that the gays can't get enough of.

Grammy Award
Grammy Award

The Recording Academy recently announced that at the upcoming 2024 Grammys, three new categories have been added to the prestigious lineup. These categories include Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording. While no one explicitly stated it, there is reason to believe that the addition of the latter category was aimed at bringing joy to the LGBTQ community, or at least that’s sure to be a consequence of doing so.

The Best Pop Dance Recording category is expected to be dominated by chart-topping hits that are known for their high-energy beats, making them perfect for dance floors and clubs. These are precisely the kind of catchy tunes that LGBTQ listeners adore the most.

In the past, several divas who have garnered immense adoration from the LGBTQ community have straddled the line between dance and pop genres. Many of them have been recognized with Grammy wins in either one or the other category. Iconic names such as Lady Gaga and Beyonce have taken home trophies from both dance and pop genres. On the other hand, artists like Madonna and Rihanna have found success in the dance fields, while pop accolades have been relatively elusive for them. At least two beloved pop icons among gay men, Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue, have only won a single Grammy each, and their trophies came in the dance category for songs that could arguably be classified as pop.

As the world eagerly awaits the 2024 Grammys, it is still too early to predict who will emerge as the winner of the inaugural Best Pop Dance Recording Grammy. However, there are already a handful of names that are likely to be in contention for a nomination, and many of them are favorites within the LGBTQ community.

Lady Gaga could find herself competing with her throwback hit “Bloody Mary.” The ever-iconic Kylie Minogue, who recently made a triumphant comeback with her smash hit “Padam Padam,” seems like a surefire nominee. Additionally, rising star Ava Max, who recently graced the cover of Metro Weekly, has a strong chance of earning her first Grammy nomination with the songs featured on her outstanding new album, Diamonds & Dancefloors.

When it comes to artists who specialize in electronic pop, things might get a bit confusing as they contemplate which category they fit into. They could choose the exciting new Best Pop Dance Recording field or opt for the more traditional categories of Best Pop Solo Performance or Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, depending on the number of individuals involved in a particular song. The Recording Academy may need to shuffle things around to ensure the right track finds its place in the appropriate category. Nonetheless, this reorganization means more nominees and more opportunities for recognition, which is undoubtedly a positive development for dance-pop acts that are often overlooked in the quest for the music industry’s most prestigious honor.

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