The Weeknd Shockingly Shut Out of Grammy Nominations, and Other Snubs and Surprises

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorTaylor Swift’s new album isn’t the only surprise release of the week: Chris Cornell’s estate has dropped a full album of covers performed by the late Soundgarden frontman called “No One Sings Like You Anymore,” which the announcement describes as Cornell’s “handpicked collection of 10 cover songs, which he personally selected and sequenced to celebrate artists and songs that inspired him.”Recorded in 2016, the collection, which is his last fully completed studio

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn what is surely an unprecedented moment for the Grammy Awards Best Children’s Album category, three of the five 2021 nominees  are asking the Recording Academy to rescind their nominations.“We are deeply grateful to the Recording Academy and its voting members for the honor we’ve received, but we can’t in good conscience benefit from a process that has — both this year and historically — so overlooked women, performers of colors, and most especially Black

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorNew Grammy Awards executive producer Ben Winston says he is “looking to do something quite exciting with independent venues” either in or around the 2021 show, according to a comment in an interview with Billboard.Responding to a question about what might be new with the 2021 show, Winston responds, “I’m so struck by the independent music venues around the world, and I’m aware of how hard hit that side of the industry has been.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAfter actor Tiffany Haddish told Variety that she had been invited to host the Grammy Awards Premiere ceremony but turned down the offer after being told that she would have to pay her own way, Recording Academy interim chief Harvey Mason, jr. posted a public apology on social media, and said that he had apologized to her personally as well.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFor nearly 20 years, Yo La Tengo’s annual eight-night Hanukkah concert series has been a staple of the New York-New Jersey music scene. However, as with many events in 2020, this year’s celebration will be taking a slightly different form.On Friday, December 18 at 8 p.m.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorTo celebrate the (slightly more than) one-year anniversary of its release, The Weeknd and superstar Spanish singer Rosalía have teamed up for a remix of “Blinding Lights,” Variety’s Hitmakers Record of the Year and one of the biggest hits in recent memory.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” is indisputably one of the landmark songs of 2020 —and the only reason it isn’t even more dominant is because it was released on Nov.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Weeknd, Doja Cat, Ty Dolla $ign, Brandy, Bebe Rexha, Nav, Bryson Tiller, French Montana — that’s not the top of a 2020 singles or albums chart. Those are just a few of the artists handled by the rapidly growing Salxco, the management-and-more concern founded by Wassim “Sal” Slaiby.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAs they do at this time every year, Spotify has unveiled the top artists, albums, tracks, playlists and podcasts that its 320 million users streamed the most in its survey 2020.MUSIC (GLOBAL)PODCASTS (GLOBAL) Spotify 2020 Wrapped Global Top Lists:Most Streamed Artists GloballyMost Streamed Female ArtistsMost Streamed Albums GloballyMost Streamed Songs GloballyMost Popular Podcasts GloballyMost Popular Podcast Genres GloballySpotify 2020 Wrapped U.S. Top Lists U.S.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorDua Lipa’s “Studio 2054” livestream concert event drew a whopping 5 million-plus global views, according to an announcement from her reps — this tally is said to be a record for a paid livestream.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Thanksgiving break has done little to calm the anger over the Grammy Awards’ baffling shutout of The Weeknd and several other artists from the 2021 nominations, and on Saturday Halsey — who was herself shut out from nominations — took to Instagram to air her feelings on the issue, as have Drake, Elton John, Kid Cudi, Charlie Puth and others.In a social media post last week, The Weeknd accused the Recording Academy of being “still corrupt,” which prompted a

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Weeknd, who began sounding off on social media on Tuesday night over his being shockingly shut out of Grammy nominations in a year he dominated, kept up his criticism on Wednesday afternoon, posting a statement on Instagram that reads:“Collaboratively planning a performance for weeks to not being invited? In my opinion zero nominations = you’re not invited!”What that refers to, sources tell Variety, is the following:Along with most of the rest of the world, The

BTS made history on Tuesday as the first K-pop act to ever earn a Grammy nomination.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorToward the end of a dramatic day that saw The Weeknd, whose music has dominated 2020, shut out of all Grammy nominations, leading him to accuse the Recording Academy of corruption and a lack of transparency, Recording Academy chief Harvey Mason, jr.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Weeknd’s absence from all Grammy nominations in a year that he dominated the music scene and the charts has astonished nearly all observers, and the artist himself has leveled an accusation of corruption against the Recording Academy.“The Grammys remain corrupt,” he wrote on social media. “You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”The Grammys remain corrupt.

After Hours, spending several successful weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and being so dedicated to his art that he sported literal and and public appearances, didn't earn a single nomination. Not even in the pop categories, where he should have been a definite shoe-in.Imagine releasing the most streamed R&B album of all time and receiving ZERO Grammy nominations.

BTS, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles will be pleased after the nominations for the 63rd Grammy Awards were revealed. The announcement for the 63rd Grammy Award nominations took place on Tuesday 24 November via a livestream.Chair and interim Recording Academy president/CEO Harvey Mason Jr was joined by stars including Dua Lipa and Sharon Osbourne to read out the nominees.Swift, once a guaranteed presence at the Grammys, dealt with snubs for her albums Reputation and Lover.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorOn the day of the Grammy nominations, many observers were surprised at the big look Justin Bieber and his “Changes” album and its singles received — four nominations, including Best Pop Solo Performance (for “Yummy”), Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (“Intentions,” featuring Quavo), Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance (for his feature on Dan + Shay’s “10,000 Hours”).But on a day when such major R&B artists as The Weeknd, Alicia Keys, Summer

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Grammy Awards nominations are always a cascade of joy and tears, but this year is exceptional for a number of reasons.