Recording Academy Chief Discusses Diversity, AI, and the Grammys' Future

Harvey Mason Jr. talks about the evolution of the Grammy Awards and the Recording Academy's efforts to better reflect the music industry.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 6:55pm

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In an interview, Recording Academy President and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. discusses the organization's efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion within its membership and voting bodies. He highlights the significant changes made in recent years, including adding nearly 15,000 voting members, 60% of whom are people of color and 30% identify as women. Mason also addresses the academy's stance on AI-generated music, the move to broadcast the Grammys on ABC/Disney platforms, and the importance of the organization's work beyond just the awards show.

Why it matters

The Recording Academy's efforts to diversify its membership and voting processes are seen as crucial to ensuring the Grammys remain relevant and reflective of the evolving music industry. As music becomes more global and technology like AI plays a growing role, the academy's decisions on how to handle these changes will impact the awards' credibility and standing.

The details

Over the last six years, Mason has overseen major changes at the Recording Academy, including appointing two co-presidents, adding the organization's first chief diversity inclusion officer, launching a songwriters and composers wing, forming a partnership with GLAAD, and implementing measures to increase transparency in the Grammy nomination and voting process. The academy's voting membership has grown from 11,000 in 2020 to nearly 15,000 today, with 49% under age 39, 60% people of color, and 30% identifying as women. The influx of new, more diverse voters has already had an impact, with artists like Beyoncé and Bad Bunny earning historic nominations and wins.

  • In 2020, the Recording Academy's voting membership was 11,000.
  • Over the last four to five years, 66% of the academy's voters are new.
  • In 2022, the academy added 2,000 new members, 49% of whom are 39 or younger, 60% are people of color, and 30% identify as women.
  • The academy extended an invitation in 2021 to members of the Latin Recording Academy to join and vote for the Grammys, with 1,000 accepting.

The players

Harvey Mason Jr.

The President and CEO of the Recording Academy, who has been in the role for the past six years and has overseen major changes to increase diversity and transparency within the organization.

Alison Brown

A Grammy-winning banjo player, the president of the Nashville chapter of the Recording Academy, the co-founder of Compass Records, and an adjunct faculty member at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music.

Beyoncé

A multiple Grammy winner who finally won the Album of the Year award in 2022 for 'Cowboy Carter', after having been nominated four times previously in that category without a victory.

Bad Bunny

The Puerto Rican superstar who became the first Spanish-language artist in Grammy history to earn simultaneous nominations for Album, Song and Record of the Year in 2022.

Fab Morvan

The surviving member of the vocal duo Milli Vanilli, who is nominated this year in the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category, marking a full-circle Grammy moment.

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What they’re saying

“The evolution of our membership and voting bodies is extremely important for us. And our voting membership, and who votes, is going to continue to evolve and change. It's not a stagnant number. We don't reach a certain threshold and say: 'Great, we're done.'”

— Harvey Mason Jr., President and CEO, Recording Academy (baltimoresun.com)

“The academy is definitely evolving. The academy is always looking at the best way to represent the way the music industry is now, and they are very attentive to diversity and inclusivity. The academy has engaged everybody and made sure nobody is marginalized.”

— Alison Brown, President, Nashville Chapter of the Recording Academy (baltimoresun.com)

What’s next

The Recording Academy will continue to monitor changes in the music industry and adjust its membership and voting processes accordingly to ensure the Grammys remain representative and relevant.

The takeaway

Under Harvey Mason Jr.'s leadership, the Recording Academy has undergone a significant transformation to better reflect the diversity of the modern music industry. By expanding its voting membership and implementing measures to increase transparency, the organization is working to ensure the Grammys remain a credible and impactful celebration of musical excellence.