The Grammys have faced criticism over the years for focusing too hard on aging white men, particularly in the award show’s rock categories. But this year, the Recording Academy is making history: for the first time, every artist nominated in the Best Rock Performance category is either a woman or a female-fronted group.
Fiona Apple’s “Shameika,” Phoebe Bridgers’s “Kyoto,” Haim’s “The Steps,” Brittany Howard’s “Stay High,” Grace Potter’s “Daylight” and “Not” by the band Big Thief (which is fronted by Adrianne Lenker) were all nominated for the honor on Tuesday. Last year, the category was won by Gary Clark Jr. for “This Land.”
The last time Best Rock Performance was won by a female-fronted group was in 2016, when Howard’s band Alabama Shakes took home the award for “Don’t Wanna Fight.”
Apple, Bridgers, Howard and Big Thief were all also nominated in the Best Rock Song category, a songwriter’s award, along with Tame Impala. Bridgers’s Punisher, Howard’s Jaime and Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters are all also up for Best Alternative Music Album.
The Grammys will be held on Jan. 31, 2021 and hosted by Trevor Noah. You can check out a complete list of the nominees here.
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