Best New Artist rule changes

COME AGAIN? The eligibility rules in the Grammys’ much-discussed Best New Artist category have been amended, effective immediately, the Recording Academy announced this morning. “The current eligibility requirements state that the artist must have released, as a featured performing artist, at least one album but not more than three; and the artist must not have been entered for Best New Artist more than three times, including as a performing member of an established group,” the release explains. “Any previous Grammy nomination for the artist as performer precludes eligibility in the Best New Artist category (including a nomination as an established performing member of a nominated group.) These rules remain in effect, with the following exception: If an artist/group is nominated (but does not win) for the release of a single or as a featured artist or collaborator on a compilation or other artist's album before the artist/group has released an entire album (and becomes eligible in this category for the first time), the artist/group may enter this category in the eligibility year during which his/her/their first album is released.” (7/7a)