All Grammys are the same, but it’s vastly harder to win some than others. There are a record 1,160 entries this year for record of the year, this year’s category with the most entries. There are just 41 entries for best regional roots music album, this year’s category with the fewest entries.
It’s a little like the U.S. Senate. Wyoming and California each have two U.S. senators, even though California has about 70 times more residents. (And sometimes it seems like every single one of them is vying for a parking space at my local Trader Joe’s.)
Here are the 15 categories with the most and fewest entries in this year’s Grammy process. (Note: This research excludes six categories where the nominees are determined by special craft committees: best recording package, best boxed or special limited edition package, best album notes, best historical album, best remixed recording and best immersive audio album.)
First, the 15 categories with the most entries.
1. record of the year (1,160)
2. song of the year (1,104)
3. best music video (838)
4. album of the year (789)
5. best instrumental composition (481)
6. best engineered album, non-classical (479)
7. best American roots performance (431)
8. best rock performance (389)
9. best pop solo performance (374)
10. best arrangement, instruments and vocals (372)
11. best American roots song (364)
11. best classical instrumental solo (364)
13. best arrangement, instrumental or acapella (355)
14. best pop duo/group performance (337)
15. producer of the year, classical (336)
Now, the 15 categories with the fewest entries.
1. best regional roots music album (41)
2. best large jazz ensemble album (42)
3. best gospel album (43)
4. best Latin jazz album (44)
5. musical theater album (52)
6. best classical compendium (52)
7. best tropical Latin album (53)
8. best country duo/group performance (54)
9. best bluegrass album (58)
10. best contemporary blues album (59)
11. best country album (60)
12. best compilation soundtrack for visual media (62)
13. best contemporary Christian music album (66)
13. best roots gospel album (66)
15. best children’s music album (70)
