Why The Weeknd Is Boycotting The Grammys

Over the past few years, Canadian artist Abel Tesfaye, popularly known as “The Weeknd”, has dominated music culture. With hit songs like Blinding Lights, Starboy, and I Feel It Coming, he’s become a household name. 

Partnering RNB with catchy pop, The Weeknd’s unique flow has undoubtedly been represented in the charts, as he’s become cemented as one of the top artists worldwide, with Blinding Lights earning a Billboard top 10 ratings for 52 weeks straight. 

Recently, however, the singing star has broadcasted a public opposition to massive music awards show The Grammys, announcing that his record label is no longer allowed to submit his music for any Grammy nominations. 

The Grammys have been the centerpiece of music awards for decades but are coming under fire for alleged bias, a lack of transparency, and erratic decisions. 

The Weeknd’s outspokenness came from what many news outlets call a massive nomination snub, with neither Blinding Lights nor his hit album After Hours receiving any nominations. However, they’ve received worldwide acclaim for their success. 

As a reason, he cites the “secret committees” which decide who gets nominated. Recording Academy employs a council of unknown members to determine who gets nominated in decisions for essential awards. 

Many have argued that these decisions are corrupt, with other stars including Drake, Kanye West, Frank Ocean, and Zayn Malik speaking out about a lack of transparency during the nomination process and accusing Record Academy of playing favorites. Similarly, many African-American songwriters have spoken out about a potential racial bias within the voting, with Malik including that the nomination method “creates and allows favoritism, racism, and networking politics to influence the voting process.”

Similarly, he noted, “Unless you shake hands and send gifts, there’s no nomination considerations.” This elaborates previous allegations of networking politics playing a significant role in who gets a nomination. 

Because the committee’s members are unknown, the public has no way to see what transpires within their meetings, and that lack of repercussions may be influencing biased decisions. 

The Weeknd’s outrage has received widespread support, which may lead to future changes in Recording Academy’s nomination methods.