Jay Z holds a GRAMMY

Jay Z is the first rapper to enter the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Photo: John Shearer/WireImage.com

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Songwriters Hall to honor Jay Z, Alan Menken, Max Martin

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The Songwriters Hall of Fame will soon honor their latest slate of scribes whose songs stay with us
THE GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

On June 15 the Songwriters Hall of Fame will induct new members and bestow special honors, including their highest honor — the Johnny Mercer Award — named after the writer who first taught America to "Accentuate the Positive" as well as a founding member of The Recording Academy.

With his induction, Jay Z earns the distinction of being the first rapper to enter the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The 21-time GRAMMY winner has won the GRAMMY for Best Rap Song three times in his career, including the 2010 award for the modern classic "Empire State Of Mind" with Alicia Keys.

Fellow GRAMMY winner Alan Menken will receive this year's Johnny Mercer Award. Menken's name gives the words "Music by …" extra meaning, whether in the credits of Little Shop Of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Newsies, or more recently, Sausage Party.

The same can be said for the other songwriters who will be recognized at this year's ceremony. 2017 inductees include GRAMMY winners Jimmy Jam and Max Martin, who was awarded Best Song Written For Visual Media at the 59th GRAMMYs for co-authoring the Trolls tune "Can't Stop The Feeling!" Jam also appeared on the GRAMMY stage this February as a member of the Time for Bruno Mars' Prince tribute. Also fresh off the 59th GRAMMY stage, Ed Sheeran will receive the Songwriters Hall of Fame Hal David Starlight Award.

Watch Adele and Greg Kurstin's Song Of The Year acceptance speech "Hello"

 

 

'2018 GRAMMY Nominees' album
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'2018 GRAMMY Nominees' Album, Featuring 21 Hits, Available Now

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Get your copy of the genre-spanning compilation featuring 60th GRAMMY nominees Bruno Mars, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Pink, Kesha, Kenny Chesney, and more
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 12, 2018 - 6:30 am

Available now, the 2018 GRAMMY Nominees album features a 21-deep track listing reflecting the world's top recording artists and emerging talent.

The collection commemorating the 60th GRAMMY Awards nominees includes Album Of The Year nominees Childish Gambino, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, and Bruno Mars; and Song Of The Year nominees Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid, and Julia Michaels, among others. See the full track listing below.

1. Bruno Mars, "24K Magic"
2. Kelly Clarkson, "Love So Soft"
3. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Feat. Justin Bieber, "Despacito" (Remix)
4. Kendrick Lamar, "HUMBLE."
5. Lorde, "Green Light"
6. Childish Gambino, "Redbone"
7. Jay-Z, "The Story Of O.J."
8. Zedd & Alessia Cara, "Stay"
9. Lady Gaga, "Million Reasons"
10. Imagine Dragons, "Thunder"
11. Portugal. The Man, "Feel It Still" 
12. The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, "Something Just Like This" 
13. P!nk, "What About Us"
14. Logic Feat. Alessia Cara & Khalid, "1-800-273-8255"
15. Julia Michaels, "Issues"
16. Kesha, "Praying"
17. Chris Stapleton, "Broken Halos"
18. Little Big Town, "Better Man"
19. Thomas Rhett Feat. Maren Morris, "Craving You"
20. Lady Antebellum, "You Look Good"
21. Kenny Chesney, "All The Pretty Girls"  

Pick at your copy at any of the below links:

A portion of album proceeds benefits the year-round work of the GRAMMY Museum and MusiCares — two charitable organizations founded by the Recording Academy that focus on music education programs and critical assistance for music people in need.

The 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live on CBS Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.

New Year's 2018
Poll

What's Your New Year's Music Resolution?

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The New Year means a new you — how will you let music deeper into your life in 2018?
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 1, 2018 - 12:05 am

Each new year, millions of people make resolutions to be their best selves, put their past bad habits behind them and improve their lives. But why not make your resolution a musical one?

When the holiday parties are over, the confetti is swept up, and school and work resume, it's time to get back to work and make the most of 2018. The good news? Music can help!

From mastering an instrument to learning more about the craft and history of music, to supporting musicians through live shows, we want to know: What's your New Year's music resolution for 2018?

Polls

What's your New Year's music resolution for 2018?

Adele holding GRAMMY Awards

Adele

Photo: Robyn Beck/Getty Images

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What's The Difference? GRAMMY Record Of The Year Vs. Song Of The Year

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Ever wondered what distinguishes these two GRAMMY categories? Find out once and for all here
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Dec 26, 2017 - 10:41 am

Since the dawn of time, or at least since the 1st Annual GRAMMY Awards, casual music fans and uninitiated industry professionals alike have seemingly pondered the same GRAMMY question: What is the difference between Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year categories?

Adele wins Record Of The Year GRAMMY

If you've wondered this yourself, fear not, for you have arrived at the answer.

Simply put, Record Of The Year deals with a specific recording of a song and recognizes the artists, producers and engineers who contribute to that recording, while Song Of The Year deals with the composition of a song and recognizes the songwriters who wrote the song. That's it in a nutshell!

To dig a little deeper, let's look at the definition of each category, who it includes, and some recent examples.

Record Of The Year, Explained

The Record Of The Year GRAMMY goes to the artist(s), producer(s), and engineer(s) involved in crafting the specific recording (hence "record") of a song. For example, the winner at the 57th GRAMMY Awards for Record Of The Year was "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)" by Sam Smith. As the primary artist, Sam Smith received a GRAMMY, as did the three producers (including Rodney Jerkins a.k.a. "Darkchild) and the four engineers who worked on the recording, including those properly credited for recording, mixing, and mastering the record.

Sam Smith Wins Record Of The Year

Song Of The Year, Explained

The Song Of The Year award, on the other hand, goes to the songwriter(s) (hence "song) of new material (not including sampled or interpolated material) of a song. For example, at the 44th GRAMMY Awards, the winner of Song Of The Year was "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys, and as the sole writer of the song, Keys received the GRAMMY. For this reason, Song Of The Year is referred to as a songwriter's award, one of several across the 84 categories that recognize the songwriter.

"Fallin'" Wins Song Of The Year

Does that clear things up a bit? Hopefully, it does.

The Recording Academy strives to award excellence in many facets of the music creation process, thus necessitating the distinction between the year's best recording and its best song composition.

For bonus points, let's look at one more example from the 59th GRAMMY Awards. The GRAMMY for Record Of The Year went to "Hello" by Adele, earning GRAMMY gold for Adele as the artist as well as producer Greg Kurstin and the eight engineers who worked on the record. The GRAMMY for Song Of The Year also went to "Hello" — however, only the songwriters, Adele and Greg Kurstin, received the Song Of The Year GRAMMY.

So now, when you're watching the 60th GRAMMY Awards live on CBS Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, you'll be able to dazzle your friends with your insider knowledge. For a rundown of this year's nominees in both of these major categories, check out our Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year roundups.

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, 2017

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman

Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

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Eric Schneiderman: N.Y. Attorney General To Speak At Entertainment Law Event

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New York state Attorney General will speak at official GRAMMY Week event on Jan. 26 in New York City
Brian Haack
GRAMMYs
Dec 15, 2017 - 4:52 pm

New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will make a special appearance as a featured speaker during the 20th annual Entertainment Law Initiative Event & Scholarship Presentation on Jan. 26, 2018, two days prior to the 60th GRAMMY Awards.

As Attorney General, Schneiderman has led the fight to protect New Yorkers by suing to block the travel bans, leading a coalition to defend the Clean Power Plan, intervening to defend the Affordable Care Act, and defending the rights of sanctuary cities. His efforts curtailed ticket scalping in New York, protecting artists and fans and securing nearly $7 million in settlements from ticket brokers thus far. He is also an avid jazz enthusiast and music preservation advocate.

The event will also recognize this year's recipient of the ELI Service Award, Fox Rothschild LLP partner Michael Reinert, who is being saluted for his commitment to advancing and supporting the music community through service. Alongside Reinert, attorney Allen Grubman, partner at Grubman, Shire, Meiselas, & Sacks, P.C., will receive the Recording Academy President's Merit Award in recognition of his many years of work protecting the interests of creators.

Also honored at the 20th annual event will be two student winners of the annual ELI Writing Competition, which challenges students attending an ABA-approved law school to write a 3,000-word paper analyzing a compelling legal topic facing the music industry. The winning student will receive a $10,000 scholarship, airfare/hotel accommodations for two and two tickets to the 60th GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, and two tickets to GRAMMY Week activities including the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala honoring Fleetwood Mac, the official GRAMMY Awards after-party, and more. The student runner-up will receive a $2,500 scholarship. The results of the competition will be announced in January.

Individual tickets for the Entertainment Law Initiative event are now on sale. For more information on sponsorship and multiticket packages, contact Neil Crilly at neil.crilly@grammy.com.