The Grammys have announced the talented recipients of their Lifetime Achievement Awards for next year’s ceremony, including Talking Heads, Selena, and more.
Following last month’s controversial nominations, the Grammys Recording Academy have just released all the honourees for their Lifetime Achievement Awards, just in time for next year’s ceremony.
Up until recently, the Grammys had been considered the Holy Grail of music. However, the Academy were in hot water for their racist classification of particular genres and their snub of huge artists, such as The Weeknd. This stellar list of inductees may just be their redemption.
Last night, The Recording Academy announced that Salt-N-Pepa, Selena, Talking Heads, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, opera singer Marilyn Horne, and late jazz genius Lionel Hampton would all receive the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Recording Academy® has announced the honorees for its 2021 Special Merit Awards. Honoring Selena the Lifetime Achievement Award alongside with Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Lionel Hampton, Marilyn Horne, Salt-N-Pepa, and Talking Heads! @RecordingAcad pic.twitter.com/NCvpcUSU27
— Selena (@SelenaLaLeyenda) December 22, 2020
The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates performers who have made special contributions to the recording industry throughout their careers.
Talking Heads’ award is particularly surprising, considering that the household name have never won a Grammy award before. Their one, and only, nomination was for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group back in 1984, for their hit track Burning Down the House.
Other Special Merit Awards will be given out on the night, with Ed Cherney, Benny Golson, and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds all receiving the Trustee Award and Daniel Weiss winning the Technical Grammy Award.
The Trustee and Technical Grammy Awards recognise the “significant contributions, other than performance, to the field of recording.”
Congratulations to 2 of my Lifelong Best Friends @ChrisFrantzTTC and Tina Weymouth of The Talking Heads (and Tom Tom Club) on their upcoming Lifetime Achievement Grammy!!! #risd https://t.co/CoaGplhUNr
— Mary Lambert (@TheMaryLambert) December 23, 2020
“As we welcome the new class of Special Merit Award honorees, it gives us a chance to reward and recognize the influence they’ve had in the music community regardless of genre,” Recording Academy Interim President and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said.
“As a music creator and music lover, I am grateful that we are able to look back at our influences and see the impact that they have made on our community. In a year where music has helped keep us together, I look forward to honouring this iconic group of music creators.”
The Special Merit Awards will be presented alongside the annual Grammy winners on Sunday, January 31st.
