Musicbusinessworldwide.com
The Recording Academy has invited more than 4,000 music creators and industry professionals to join its 2026 New Member Class, continuing its efforts to expand and diversify the membership behind the Grammy Awards.
Invitations were sent on July 9 to professionals spanning multiple genres and sectors of the music business as part of the Academy’s membership initiative, which was overhauled in 2019 to introduce a peer-reviewed, community-driven admissions process.
Among this year’s invitees are artists and creators including Lola Young, sombr, Cash Cobain, Raveena Aurora, Sleeping With Sirens and songwriter EJAE, who co-wrote several tracks for Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” soundtrack and provided the singing voice for the film’s lead character, Rumi.
Lola Young and sombr both earned Best New Artist nominations at the 68th Grammy Awards earlier this year.
The Academy’s membership overhaul was introduced in response to longstanding criticism over diversity and representation within the Grammy voting body. Since implementing the new admissions model in 2019, the organization says it has added more than 8,700 voting members, with approximately 66% of the current Grammy electorate joining under the revised system.
It also surpassed its goal of adding 2,500 women voting members by 2025, reaching more than 3,000 a year ahead of schedule.
The Recording Academy currently has approximately 30,000 members across its Voting, Professional and Grammy U membership categories. Invitees have until July 31 to accept membership in time to participate in this year’s Grammy Online Entry Process, which runs through Aug. 21 ahead of the 2027 Grammy Awards.
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