The Recording Academy has unveiled five new categories set to debut at the 2027 Grammy Awards, broadening the range of musical styles and collaborative work honoured at music’s biggest night.
The newly created awards are Best Asian Pop Music Performance, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best Latin Song, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance, and Best Traditional Folk Album.
In a statement made, the Academy said the additions are intended to spotlight songwriting craft, genre traditions, and collaborative performances that have grown in cultural significance in recent years. The Best Asian Pop Music Performance award, for instance, will recognise contemporary pop recordings from artists across Asia, while Best Latin Song will single out standout songwriting within the Latin music industry.
The expansion is the latest step in an ongoing effort by the Academy to widen its recognition of music from around the world. It follows the 2024 introduction of the Best African Music Performance category, the first Grammy award dedicated specifically to African musical traditions and cultural expression. That category emerged as Afrobeats, amapiano, and other sounds from the continent built a rapidly growing international following.
South Africa’s Tyla was the inaugural winner of the African category in 2024, taking the prize for her global hit “Water.” The following year, Tems won the award for “Love Me JeJe,” becoming the category’s second recipient. Tyla then returned to win again at the 68th Grammy Awards with “PUSH 2 START,” making her the first artiste to claim the Best African Music Performance award twice.
The Academy described the 2027 additions as a continuation of that push toward broader, more inclusive recognition across genres and regions. The upcoming 69th Grammy Awards, scheduled for Febuary 7, 2027, will be the first ceremony to feature all five of the newly introduced categories.
