Today the Recording Academy extended its annual membership invitations to nearly 3,600 music professionals spanning, in its words, “diverse backgrounds, genres and disciplines.” According to the academy, this year’s class of invitees is 49% women, 56% people of color and 60% under the age of 40.

That 3,600 total includes about 2,600 who are being invited to join as voting members and about 1,000 who are being invited to join as non-voting professional members.

To put that 3,600 figure into perspective, the Academy reported last year that it has 16,000+ total members, of which 13,000+ were voting members.

The academy has invited thousands of new voting members in recent years in a concerted move to expand and diversify its membership.  This year’s total number of invitations is down slightly from last year, when 3,900 people were invited (3,000+ to become voting members and 900+ to become professional members.) According to the academy, 2,800+ accepted those invitations.

 In 2023, the academy invited 2,800 new voting members. In 2022, it invited more than 2,000 new voting members – as well as more than 600 professional, non-voting members.

Invitations this year were extended to, among others, Addison Rae, Chase Rice, Chrisette Michele, Ella Langley, Grupo Firme, Joey Bada$$, KATSEYE, Kelli O’Hara, Mariah The Scientist and Nikki Glaser.

Rae, Langley, KATSEYE and Mariah the Scientist are viewed as credible contenders for best new artist nominations. Glaser, who received her first Grammy nomination late last year for best comedy album, hosted the Golden Globes in January and is set to host that show again next year.

Invitations must be formally accepted for invitees to become Recording Academy members. To participate in the Online Entry Process (OEP) for the upcoming Grammy Awards, invitees must accept by July 31.

The academy announced its invitations for the new member class about two weeks after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced its own invited class of 534 individuals. That means the Recording Academy invited nearly seven times as many people to join its ranks this year as the Motion Picture Academy did.

The Motion Picture Academy’s peak year for invitations was in 2018, when it invited 928 new members.

A comprehensive report on the Recording Academy’s 2025 new member class, along with a detailed breakdown of the overall membership demographics and crafts, will be released later this year following the deadline for 2025 invitees to join the academy.

The Recording Academy released its 2024 Membership Report on Oct. 3, 2024, one day before first-round voting opened for the 67th annual Grammy Awards. The most eye-popping statistic: 66% of the current Grammys electorate has joined since the Recording Academy introduced its new membership model in June 2019. Under that model, the academy invites large new member classes to join, with an eye on boosting the numbers of women, people of color and people under 40 in the academy.

Thus, the voting membership that delivered album, record and song of the year to Adele in 2017 and those same three awards to Bruno Mars in 2018 is much different today. We started to see a shift in voting patterns in February 2019, even before the new membership model was introduced, when Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” became the first hip-hop hit to win record or song of the year. (It won both.) At the Grammys earlier this year, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” became the second hip-hop hit to win record or song of the year. (Again, it won both.)

The Recording Academy’s membership model is community-driven and peer-reviewed to create a more diverse and engaged membership base.

The Recording Academy offers three types of membership: voting membership for music creators, professional membership for music business professionals and GRAMMY U for those aspiring to a career in the music industry. (GRAMMY U follows a distinct application process.)

Each year, interested musicians and professionals must apply for membership by March 1. Their submissions are reviewed in the spring by a peer review panel comprised of existing Recording Academy members active in the music industry. If approved, candidates are invited to join the Recording Academy.

Recording Academy voting members — artists, songwriters, producers, engineers and others active in the music industry — are eligible to vote for the annual Grammy Awards. In addition, members can submit product for Grammy Awards consideration, propose amendments to Grammy Awards rules, run for a Recording Academy board position or committee, vote in chapter elections, support fellow musicians through advocacy efforts and MusiCares, and engage with the academy’s Producers & Engineers Wing, Songwriters & Composers Wing, Black Music Collective and more.

“For today’s music creators, Grammy membership opens up an incredible set of opportunities,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “Not only do voting members get the chance to honor their peers with Grammy nominations and awards, Academy members get access to hands-on experience, skill development to advance their careers, exposure to peers and mentors in the music industry and be part of an organization shaping the future of music.”

The first-round voting period for the 68th Grammy Awards opens on Oct. 3 and closes on Oct. 15. Nominations will be announced on Nov. 7. Final-round voting runs from Dec. 12 to Jan. 5, 2026. The telecast is set for Feb. 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Comedian Trevor Noah has hosted the last five Grammy ceremonies. If he is asked to host again, he’ll join Andy Williams, who hosted the first seven Grammy telecasts, and John Denver, who hosted six times, as the most frequent Grammy hosts.

The 66th Grammy Awards, which aired in February 2024, received a Primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding variety special (live). We’ll find out if this year’s show is nominated in that marquee category in one week (Tuesday, July 15).

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Fans of Samsung’s tech, rejoice. The beloved brand currently has some must-shop deals going on during Amazon Prime Day 2025.

We’re talking up to 45% off on a slew of innovative tech, from curved computer monitors and Bluetooth earbuds to high-tech AI rings that track the wearer’s health status. But you’ll want to act fast. These sale products, and so much more, can be found on Amazon until the end of the day on July 11, when Prime Day concludes. In the meantime, we’re helping you make the most well-informed decision possible before you buy by breaking down some of the best Prime Day deals on Samsung’s most raved-about pieces.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, 512GB Smartphone

$1,099.24 $1,419.99 23% off

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A smartphone with a stilus wand.

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The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra can run you up to $1,400, depending on where and when you purchase the smartphone. Right now, you can get the coveted tech for just $1,099.24. In case that doesn’t sell you, this Samsung smartphone features the most advanced camera system yet. If you’re into taking pictures or video, the phone comes equipped with a 200MP wide-angle lens and an upgraded 50MP ultra-wide lens for crisp and clear detail in every frame. You’ve also got a longer battery life and a durable water-resistant titanium frame that not only looks good, but keeps your phone lasting longer too.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds

$189.99 $249.99 24% off

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Bluetooth wireless earbuds with AI capabilities.

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You can’t get a quality listening experience without good tech. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro should be the pick for the audio fanatics who want to jam out to their favorite tunes with the highest quality sound possible.

The neatest feature attributed to these earbuds is the Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, thanks to Samsung’s Galaxy AI². This feature means that your buds will automatically adapt to your surroundings so you can tune into your music without interference. The Adaptive Equalizer feature also prioritizes optimum sound so you can get the most out of your listening experience every time. If you’re afraid of losing or breaking your buds, Amazon is offering an exclusive two-year warranty when you buy during Prime Day.

Samsung Galaxy Ultra 47mm LTE AI Smartwatch

$359.99 $649.99 45% off

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A smart watch with AI capabilities.

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This isn’t just a watch. It’s much more than that. While this Samsung tech may help tell time, it comes jam-packed with other unique capabilities that are harnessed through the power of AI. For those looking to get on their wellness journey, the Ultra 47mm LTE AI Smartwatch comes equipped with a health tracker that tracks your activity so you can perform at your best every day. The watch offers extremely precise readings on heart rate and shares wellness tips to help you better yourself. What’s more, this do-it-all watch is currently available for $359.99, 45% off its original price.

Samsung 27″ Essential S3 (S36GD) Series FHD 1800R Curved Computer Monitor

$164.99 $179.99 8% off

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A curved computer monitor perfect for gaming.

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This is for our PC gamers. Samsung’s 27-inch Essential S# Series FHD 1800R Curved Computer Monitor is currently on sale for $164.99. The curved construction is meant to enhance visuals by wrapping more closely around your field of vision, creating a wider view that minimizes peripheral distractions. For those long gaming sessions, the monitor includes built-in eye comfort technology that reduces strain. Additionally, the 100Hz refresh rate reduces lag and motion blur. You’ll be gaming like a pro in no time.

Samsung PRO Plus Sonic The Hedgehog SD Card

$94.99 $116.99 19% off

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A Sonic the Hedgehog inspired SD card.

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Here’s something for Sonic the Hedgehog fans to celebrate. Samsung’s Pro Plus Sonic the Hedgehog SD Card is currently on sale for $94.99. This themed tech was practically made for gamers. It includes storage of 128GB up to 1TB, so you can upgrade your gaming library with ease. If you’re not the gaming type but you’re looking for an SD card with ample storage, this Samsung tech can also hold high-res files, photos and 4K videos. The SD card is compatible with a slew of devices, including Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, GoPro, tablets and smartphones. If you’re prone to accidents, this SD card is also able to withstand water damage and extreme temperatures. It’s nifty tech with a gamer theme.

Samsung Galaxy AI Smart Ring

$299.99 $399.99 25% off

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An AI smart ring that tracks a slew of health-related data.

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This Samsung Galaxy AI Smart Ring is like something out of the Star Trek universe. Retailing for $299.99, this ring acts as a sleep monitor, heart rate monitor and activity tracker. Compatible with Android smartphones, the tech works by continuously analyzing and compiling your body’s activity and frequent patterns to create an algorithm that you can comprehend without lifting a finger. The ring is lightweight, durable and sleek, acting as a fashionable accessory and a fitness tracker all in one.

Thirty-five years ago, in their one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco, college student Erin Kelly-Burkett and punk frontman Michael John Burkett invited 10 friends to celebrate their new record company’s first seven-inch single. Because they were out of money for artwork, the assembled group doodled on the record’s label. 

“We had Burgie beer and sat around in this big pile with markers,” Kelly-Burkett recalls. “I ended up doing a lot of the mail-order by myself in our kitchen. I didn’t expect to really make any money off it. It was just something we did for fun.”

On Wednesday (July 9), Kelly-Burkett and Burkett, the NOFX singer known as Fat Mike, will step back from Fat Wreck Chords, the label they founded in 1990 – a move made possible by a new partnership with fellow indie punk label Hopeless Records. (Neither side would disclose the financial terms of the deal.) In a unique arrangement, Hopeless will acquire Fat Wreck’s catalog of master recordings, while Fat Wreck will leave its more than 100 artists debt-free by wiping out their unrecouped balances (according to Burkett, the total amount of unrecouped balances being forgiven totals $3.5 million).

Additionally, Hopeless will be disallowed from signing new artists to Fat Wreck, and Burkett and Kelly-Burkett will retain ownership of Fat Wreck’s logo and trademark.

“Erin, towards the end of the deal, said, ‘I don’t want to give up what we built,’” Burkett says. “Say Louis sold it, and he sold the Fat Wreck Chords logo, any label or any other person could put out other bands on the label. We ensure that it’s pure. I don’t want any band on my label — that’s my namesake — that I don’t like.”

“We’ll be working with them on a ton of different things. They’ll be as involved as they want to be,” adds Louis Posen, who founded Hopeless – home of All Time Low, New Found Glory, Avenged Sevenfold and others – a year after directing a video for NOFX’s “Bob” in 1992. “I expect them to want to continue putting a spotlight on everything that they built.”

Fat Wreck Chords, which began as a means for Fat Mike to put out NOFX’s music, has, over the years, released albums by landmark punk bands such as Rise Against, Against Me! and Descendents, becoming known for a certain loud-guitar sound that draws from the Sex Pistols and the Clash but frequently adds pop melodies and a sarcastic, word-playing sense of humor.  Its current roster includes Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Sick of It All and No Use for a Name.

“It’s very pure. It’s a punk-rock label where we’ve never got sued in 35 years,” Burkett says. “There were a couple of audits, but they didn’t lead to anything. No one can say that s–t.”

Kelly-Burkett and Burkett began discussing a partnership with Posen and Hopeless about a year ago. The former couple, who divorced in 2010 after 18 years of marriage, wanted to ease out of day-to-day label-management duties while finding a way to “give back to the bands and have them participate in this partnership deal,” Kelly-Burkett says. The Fat Wreck duo had conversations with a few other labels, she adds, but quickly chose Hopeless because Posen was “not wanting to change this 35-year legacy that we’ve built.”

Fat Wreck Chords is a profitable indie whose model is based on its long-running mail-order system. Overhead is more than $1 million annually, according to Burkett, including employees, insurance and warehouse space. “There is something to be said for volume,” says Burkett, whose band NOFX retired last October, “and we put out a lot of records over 35 years.” Kelly-Burkett adds: “Punk rockers love their vinyl, they love their collectibles, they love their one-of-a-kind. Streaming is the market share now, but not as much as you would think.”

With today’s announcement, the labels will release new albums by well-known Fat Wreck bands: Bad Cop/Bad Cop’s Lighten Up; a NOFX rarities album, A to H; and Strung Out‘s Exile in Oblivion. “It was important we didn’t announce, ‘Oh, there’s a partnership and acquisition,’” Posen says. “We wanted to have new releases and show this is an active partnership.” 

Moving forward, Burkett and Kelly-Burkett plan Fat Wreck-branded pop-up shops and festivals. “I can leave some of the stress of running the daily business and just focus on celebrating it,” Kelly-Burkett says.

HYBE Latin America is turning the spotlight on the future of Latin pop with Santos Bravos, its newest project designed to discover and shape the next Latin pop group.

Officially announced on Wednesday (July 9), Santos Bravos is both the name of the new project and the final group that will emerge from it. This initiative is HYBE’s first venture into applying its globally recognized pop artist development system — the same one responsible for launching K-pop superstars including BTS, SEVENTEEN, and ENHYPEN — within a Latin American setting.

Beginning this August, the initiative will bring together 16 rising artists from across Latin America — including Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Spain — and the U.S., giving them the opportunity to showcase their talent as they compete to form the new group.

“Our goal is not just to create a group, but to guide young Latin artists through a real transformation — artistically and personally,” said Bang Si-Hyuk, chairman of HYBE, in a press release. “Santos Bravos is about authenticity, emotion, and connection.”

Earlier this year, Telemundo and HYBE Latin America teamed up to launch music competition show and discover the next regional Mexican band with Pase a la Fama, featuring a star-studded panel of judges, including Ana Bárbara, Adriel Favela and Horacio Palencia.

Throughout the Santos Bravos competition, the 16 artists will undergo an intensive creative boot where their “musical, emotional, and performance abilities” will be put to the test. Ultimately, five finalists will become the members of Santos Bravos, also the name of the new Latin pop group “that reflects the voice of a generation and showcases talent on the global stage,” says the press release.

An international team of creative mentors will lead the process, including creative director Kenny Ortega (High School Musical, Michael Jackson), music producer Johnny Goldstein (Shakira, Daddy Yankee), vocal coach, RAab Stevenson (Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, SZA), and showrunner Jaime Escallón (The X Factor, Survivor, Wendy Perdida pero Famosa).

Meet the 16 participants below: