Grammys boss Harvey Mason Jr is “disappointed” Morgan Wallen was snubbed from the 2024 nominations again.
The controversial country singer is one of the biggest-selling artists in the US but failed to attract a single nod when the shortlist was announced on Friday (10.11.23), and though the Recording Academy CEO insisted the omission wasn’t a response to the star’s conduct, he admitted he is always upset when someone he feels is deserving misses out.
Harvey was asked by Variety: “Another sore spot: Morgan Wallen, one of the most commercially successful and controversial artists in the past year, was shut out again. Whenever it seems like there could be a deliberate snub, as the leader of the organization, do you sometimes feel you have to say, ‘Come on, we have to be fair here’?
He replied: “Well, I always believe that we’ve got to be fair and we have to be honest — I think that goes without saying. But music is subjective, and when you’re evaluating it, a lot goes into that.
“Our voters, I believe, take the task very seriously. I think they generally do a really good job, doing the work of listening and making decisions based on the music, but it is subjective.
“And when it comes to snubs, it absolutely disappoints me — I’m affected by it, for sure, because I’m a creator and a musician.
“And I know what it feels like to put all your heart and your soul into a project that you really believe that you believe is the best work.
“So it disappoints me, I always want to make sure we’re being representative and we’re being accurate. But it’s very subjective.”
But the executive was very pleased with the strong showing for female artists across the different categories this year.
He said: “I have to say that this representation for female artists is not only exciting, but also [impressive] because so many different genres are being represented across our ballot.”
In reference to artists appearing in multiple categories, such as Olivia Rodrigo featuring in both rock and pop, he added: “That shows that people are voting for the music as opposed to voting for people.
“The people in those genres’ [screening committees] are really experts, listening closely and evaluating the music. So if an artist has nominations across different genres, that means the people that work in those fields really respect it.”