Every year, Grammy night delivers surprises, debates, celebrations, and sometimes outrage. While fans argue over snubs and wins, one question keeps resurfacing: how are Grammy winners actually chosen? Contrary to popular belief, chart position, streaming numbers, or fan votes do not decide who takes home a Grammy.

The process is more structured and more exclusive than many people realize.The journey to a Grammy begins with submission. Record labels and independent artists submit eligible recordings to the Recording Academy during a specified entry period.

To qualify, a song, album, or performance must be officially released within the Academy’s eligibility window and meet category-specific requirements. This stage is not automatic; if a project is not submitted, it cannot be considered.

Once submissions close, the process moves to screening. Expert committees made up of music professionals review thousands of entries to ensure they are placed in the correct categories. This step is crucial because it prevents misclassification and ensures that works compete against similar recordings. Importantly, these screening committees do not choose winners, they only organize entries.

After screening comes the first round of voting. Voting members of the Recording Academy (artists, producers, songwriters, engineers, and other qualified music professionals) cast ballots in categories within their areas of expertise.

From this round, the top five nominees in most categories are selected. In major categories like Album of the Year, additional review committees may also be involved.

The final round of voting determines the winners. Voting members once again submit ballots, choosing one nominee per category. The nominee with the highest number of votes wins the Grammy. The entire process is conducted confidentially, and results are kept secret until Grammy night.

One of the most persistent myths is that popularity equals victory. While commercial success may influence visibility, the Grammys are officially judged on artistic merit, technical skill, and overall excellence, not sales figures or streaming dominance. This is why critically acclaimed but less commercially successful projects sometimes win over chart-topping hits.

For African and Nigerian artists, understanding this process is important. Grammy recognition often reflects years of consistent quality, industry relationships, and global reach rather than viral moments alone.

This explains why artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Tems gained nominations and wins after sustained international presence, not overnight success.

In essence, the Grammys are decided by peers, not fans. Whether one agrees with the outcomes or not, the awards represent the Recording Academy’s collective judgment of excellence within a given year.

Knowing how winners are chosen adds context to the excitement and the controversy surrounding music’s biggest stage.

What do you think about this selection process?