Stream-Only Music Can Now Win Grammys

It looks like major, stream-only releases from artists like Chance the Rapper will finally be eligible for a Grammy award. Adapting to the new digital age and movement, The Recording Academy have introduced a brand new set of rules and standards for the forthcoming 59th edition of the Grammy awards. In an official statement breaking down the new rules, Senior Vice President of Awards for The Recording Academy Bill Freimuth says:

“The GRAMMYs aren’t just peer-awarded, they’re peer-driven…Throughout the year, members of the music community come to us asking to make changes to the Awards process, and we work with them to figure out how those changes might work. I’m proud of this year’s changes because they’re a testament to the artists, producers and writers — the people who rolled up their sleeves to shape the proposals and, in turn, the future of the GRAMMYs. It’s exactly what they should be doing. It’s their award.”

As 2DBZ notes, part of The Recording Academy’s recent decision comes partly due to the recent Chance the Rapper-supported petition. Responding to the announcement, Chance responded with the following tweet:

The victory this morning isn’t about me, it’s about all the Soundcloud albums that may now be recognized for excellence.

— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) June 16, 2016