The Weeknd has called out the Grammys for being “corrupt” after he didn’t receive a single nomination for the 2021 awards show.
“The Grammys remain corrupt,” he tweeted on Tuesday. “You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”
The Weeknd had been at the top of most experts’ prediction lists this year after his music dominated 2020. His single “Blinding Lights” was the biggest chart hit of the year, breaking the record for the most weeks on the Billboard Top 10. Similarly, his fourth studio album, “After Hours,” received critical and commercial acclaim upon its release in March. Plus, the Canadian singer will headline the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show the weekend after the 2021 Grammys.
And yet, The Weeknd was shut out of all nominations on Tuesday. It’s a snub that many are comparing to Taylor Swift not being nominated for Album of the Year for “Reputation” or “Lover,” and Harry Styles not earning any nods for his debut album back in 2018.
“We understand that The Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated. I was surprised and can empathize with what he’s feeling. His music this year was excellent, and his contributions to the music community and broader world are worthy of everyone’s admiration. We were thrilled when we found out he would be performing at the upcoming Super Bowl and we would have loved to have him also perform on the GRAMMY stage the weekend before,” Recording Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement Tuesday night. “Unfortunately, every year, there are fewer nominations than the number of deserving artists. But as the only peer-voted music award, we will continue to recognize and celebrate excellence in music while shining a light on the many amazing artists that make up our global community. To be clear, voting in all categories ended well before The Weeknd’s performance at the Super Bowl was announced, so in no way could it have affected the nomination process. All GRAMMY nominees are recognized by the voting body for their excellence, and we congratulate them all.”
The Weeknd has received nine nominations since 2014, winning three awards. His most recent Grammy win was in 2018, when his album “Starboy” took home the prize for Best Urban Contemporary Album.
Beyoncé leads all artists for the 2021 Grammy nominations, snagging nine total, followed by Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch and Taylor Swift each earning six. Even with the coronavirus pandemic putting the touring industry on hold, the Academy received a record 23,207 entries for a single year.
A spokesperson for the Recording Academy has not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment. “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah will host the 63rd Annual Grammys, which will air on CBS on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET.
See The Weeknd’s tweet below.
The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) November 25, 2020
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