The prestigious 66th edition of the Grammy Awards organized by the Recording Academy in the US held its awards ceremony on Sunday 4th February 2024 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
The awards which honor great talents and achievements typically in the US music industry, recently created the Best African Music Performance category to recognize Africa artistes and their music.
Nonetheless, some critics contend that despite this historic step—which is expected to give African music the credit it deserves and represent a significant advancement for the genre—breaking news about the genre “becoming a part of pop music” ought to be relegated to the past.
Notably, adding the Best African Music Performance category highlights how popular African music is around the world.
The Grammy Awards nominations featured prominent African musical talents like Davido, Burna Boy, and Ayra Starr, alongside debutants Tyla, Olamide, and Asake, showcasing the growing influence of African artists on the world stage.
South African singer Tyla won the inaugural Best African Music Performance category for her viral song ‘Water’. The 2023 track solidified the rise of Amapiano and made her the highest-charting African female solo act after reaching No.10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
It was a disappointing outing for Nigerian Afrobeats stars at the 66th Grammy Awards as Burna Boy, Davido, Tems, Ayra Starr, Olamide and Asake failed to win from 10 nominations across five categories.
Below is the full list of winners of the 66th Grammy Awards:
Best African Music Performance
Amapiano – Asake and Olamide
City Boys – Burna Boy
Water – Tyla WINNER
Unavailable – Davido Featuring Musa Keys
Rush – Ayra Starr
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Sittin’ On Top Of The World – Burna Boy Featuring 21 Savage
Attention – Doja Cat
All My Life – Lil Durk Featuring J. Cole WINNER
Spin Bout U – Drake & 21 Savage
Low – SZA
Best Global Music Album
Epifanías — Susana Baca
History — Bokanté
I Told Them… — Burna Boy
This Moment – Shakti WINNER
Timeless — Davido
BEST RAP ALBUM
Her Loss – Drake & 21 Savage
Michael – Killer Mike WINNER
Heroes & Villains – Metro Boomin
King’s Disease III – Nas
Utopia – Travis Scott
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Jack Antonoff – WINNER
Hit Boy
Metro Boomin
Daniel Nigro
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Shane McAnally
Theron Thomas – WINNER
Justin Tranter
Best Global Music Performance
Shadow Forces – Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily
Alone – Burna Boy
Pashto – Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia WINNER
FEEL – Davido
Milagro Y Desastre – Silvana Estrada
Abundance In Millets – Falu & Gaurav Shah (Featuring PM Narendra Modi)
Best Album Notes
Evenings At The Village Gate: John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy (Live)
Best Album Notes
Evenings At The Village Gate: John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy (Live)
Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos – WINNER
I Can Almost See Houston: The Complete Howdy Glenn
Mogadishu’s Finest: The Al Uruba Sessions
Playing For The Man At The Door: Field Recordings From The Collection Of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971
Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package
The Collected Works Of Neutral Milk Hotel
Gieo
For The Birds: The Birdsong Project – WINNER
Inside: Deluxe Box Set
Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition
Best Music Film
How I’m Feeling Now -Lewis Capaldi
Live From Paris, The Big Steppers Tour – Kendrick Lamar
Moonage Daydream – David Bowie WINNER
I Am Everything – Little Richard
Dear Mama – Tupac Shakur
Best Music Video
In Your Love – Tyler Childers
I’m Only Sleeping – The Beatles WINNER
What Was I Made For – Billie Eilish
Count Me Out – Kendrick Lamar
Rush – Troye Sivan
Best Song Written For Visual Media
Barbie World [From “Barbie The Album”]
What Was I Made For? [From “Barbie The Album”] – WINNER
Dance The Night [From “Barbie The Album”]
I’m Just Ken [From “Barbie The Album”]
Lift Me Up [From “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From And Inspired By”]
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
Call Of Duty®: Modern Warfare II – Sarah Schachner
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Stephen Barton & Gordy Haab WINNER
God Of War Ragnarök – Bear McCreary, composer
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical – Montaigne, Tripod & Austin Wintory, composers
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Ludwig Göransson
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny – John Williams
Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson WINNER
Barbie – Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt
The Fabelmans – John Williams
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
Aurora
Barbie The Album – WINNER
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3: Awesome Mix, Vol. 3
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Best Comedy Album
I Wish You Would – Trevor Noah
I’m An Entertainer – Wanda Sykes
What’s In A Name? – Dave Chappelle – WINNER
Selective Outrage – Chris Rock
Someone You Love – Sarah Silverman
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
History
Jaguar II – WINNER
Multitudes
The Record
Best Immersive Audio Album
God Of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack)
Act 3 (Immersive Edition)
The Diary Of Alicia Keys – WINNER
Blue Clear Sky
Silence Between Songs
Best Historical Album
Fragments – Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17
Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos – WINNER
The Moaninest Moan Of Them All: The Jazz Saxophone of Loren McMurray, 1920-1922
Playing For The Man At The Door: Field Recordings From The Collection Of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971
Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition
Best Tropical Latin Album
Voy A Ti – Luis Figueroa
Siembra: 45º Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo… – Rubén Blades… WINNER
Niche Sinfónico – Grupo Niche Y Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia
VIDA – Omara Portuondo
MIMY & TONY – Tony Succar, Mimy Succar
Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así – Carlos Vives
Best Gospel Album
I Love You – Erica Campbell
Hymns (Live) – Tasha Cobbs Leonard
The Maverick Way – Maverick City Music
All Things New: Live In Orlando – Tye Tribbett WINNER
My Truth – Jonathan McReynolds
Best Roots Gospel Album
Tribute To The King – The Blackwood Brothers Quartet
Echoes Of The South – Blind Boys Of Alabama WINNER
Songs That Pulled Me Through The Tough Times – Becky Isaacs Bowman
Meet Me At The Cross – Brian Free & Assurance
Shine: The Darker The Night The Brighter The Light – Gaither Vocal Band
Best Rap Album
Her Loss – Drake & 21 Savage
MICHAEL – Killer Mike WINNER
HEROES & VILLIANS – Metro Boomin
King’s Disease III – Nas
UTOPIA – Travis Scott
Best R&B Album
Girls Night Out – Babyface
JAGUAR II – Victoria Monét WINNER
What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe) – Coco Jones
Special Occasion – Emily King
CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP – Summer Walke
Best Remixed Recording
Alien Love Call
New Gold (Dom Dolla Remix)
Reviver (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)
Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix) – WINNER
Workin’ Hard (Terry Hunter Remix)