5 Shocking Reasons Why Artists Claim The Grammys Are Rigged (And The Major Rule Change That Followed)

As of December 13, 2025, the question of whether the Grammy Awards are "rigged" remains one of the most persistent and explosive controversies in the music industry. The debate is fueled by decades of perceived snubs, allegations of racial bias, and, most notably, the explosive 2020 lawsuit filed by the Recording Academy’s former CEO, Deborah Dugan, who claimed the nomination process was rife with conflicts of interest and corruption. The Recording Academy has always vehemently denied these claims, but the public outcry forced them to implement the most significant voting reforms in the modern era. The core of the "rigged" argument centers on a now-eliminated system involving anonymous "secret committees" that had the power to override the initial votes of the general Recording Academy membership. While this system was removed in 2021 to increase transparency, the shadow of past controversies and the continued occurrence of high-profile snubs in the 2023 and 2024 ceremonies ensure the public and artists continue to scrutinize the integrity of the world’s most prestigious music awards.

The Smoking Gun: What Led to the 'Rigged' Accusations?

The most damaging and specific allegations that the Grammys are "fixed" came from within the organization itself.

The Deborah Dugan Lawsuit and Conflicts of Interest

In January 2020, former Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan was ousted just days before the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. In a subsequent legal complaint, Dugan alleged a culture of corruption, sexual misconduct, and most relevantly, that the Grammy nomination process was "rigged." Her primary claim focused on the use of Nominations Review Committees, often dubbed the "secret committees." Dugan claimed that these committees were manipulated by select board members who had conflicts of interest, using their power to push forward artists they personally represented or had business ties with. This, she alleged, led to certain artists, who were not top vote-getters, being nominated over others. The Recording Academy categorically denied all of Dugan's claims, calling the allegations "spurious."

The Power of the 'Secret Committees'

For nearly 30 years, the Nominations Review Committees were a controversial, yet integral, part of the Grammy process. They existed to review the top 20 entries from the initial membership vote in the General Field (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) and several genre fields. The purpose of these committees, according to the Recording Academy, was to act as a "check-and-balance" system, ensuring that only high-quality, deserving work was nominated and preventing popularity-based voting from dominating the process. Critics, however, pointed out that the identities of these committee members were kept confidential, allowing them to operate with zero transparency and wield immense, unchecked power over the final nomination list. This opacity was the primary engine driving the "rigged" narrative.

The Artists Who Fired Back: Major Boycotts and Snubs

The public perception of a rigged system is heavily influenced by high-profile snubs and the resulting critiques from major artists.

The Weeknd's Boycott and "Corrupt" Claim

One of the most defining moments in the controversy occurred in late 2020 when The Weeknd received zero nominations for the 2021 Grammy Awards, despite his album *After Hours* and the massive hit "Blinding Lights" being critically and commercially dominant during the eligibility period. In response, The Weeknd called the Grammys "corrupt" and announced that he would officially boycott the awards show, stating he would no longer submit his music for consideration. His decision to boycott the Grammys was a direct protest against the lack of transparency in the selection process, lending massive weight to the claims made by Deborah Dugan.

The Growing List of Critics

The Weeknd is far from alone. The list of artists who have criticized the Recording Academy and its process is long and diverse, adding to the topical authority of the controversy:

• Drake: The rap superstar has frequently criticized the Grammys, withdrawing his music from consideration in 2022 after years of what he perceived as genre bias.
• Zayn Malik: The former One Direction member claimed the Grammys were rigged "unless you shake hands and send gifts."
• Jay-Z: While a frequent nominee, Jay-Z has publicly called for more diversity and transparency, and even boycotted the ceremony in the past.
• Kanye West (Ye): A long-time critic, Ye has often called out the awards for alleged racial bias and a failure to recognize innovative work.
• Halsey: The singer-songwriter publicly questioned the fairness of the nomination process following her own snubs.
• 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg: Both have voiced strong criticisms about the Academy's failure to recognize hip-hop artists fairly.

Allegations of Racial and Genre Bias

A consistent undercurrent to the "rigged" narrative is the accusation of racial bias. Critics argue that the Recording Academy, historically dominated by older, white, male voters, often overlooks groundbreaking work by Black and minority artists, particularly in the major General Field categories, favoring white artists in categories like Album of the Year. The repeated snubs of artists like Beyoncé, who holds the record for the most Grammy wins by any artist, in the Album of the Year category have intensified these claims.

The New Era of Transparency: How the Grammy Voting Process Has Changed (Post-2021)

In a landmark decision that validated many of the criticisms leveled against the awards, the Recording Academy announced a massive overhaul of its voting structure in 2021. This was a direct response to the pressure from artists like The Weeknd and the legal fallout from the Deborah Dugan allegations.

The Elimination of 'Secret Committees'

The most significant change was the elimination of the Nominations Review Committees for nearly all categories, including the four General Field awards. Under the new, more transparent system, all nominees are now determined solely by the votes of the Recording Academy's thousands of Voting Members. This change removed the powerful, anonymous intermediary layer that had been the source of the "rigged" claims and conflicts of interest. The process is now a direct, two-round vote by the membership:

1. First Round: Voting Members cast their ballots for the nominees in their chosen categories.
2. Second Round: The top vote-getters become the official nominees, and Voting Members cast their final ballots to determine the winners.

The Recording Academy has since focused on diversifying its membership, inviting thousands of new, younger, and more globally diverse music creators to join as Voting Members to ensure a broader perspective.

Why Controversy Persists in the Post-Reform Era

Despite the major reforms, the controversy has not completely disappeared, proving that the perception of bias is deeply ingrained. Recent Grammy ceremonies continue to spark debate:

• 2024 Snubs: The 2024 nominations generated significant conversation about artists who were overlooked. Notable omissions included artists like Morgan Wallen, Peso Pluma, Reneé Rapp, and PinkPantheress in key categories, prompting new discussions about the Academy’s taste and inclusion.
• The 'Popularity' vs. 'Quality' Debate: By removing the Nominations Review Committees, the Grammys shifted the power back to the large body of Voting Members. This raises a new question: Does the process now favor the most popular artists over critically acclaimed but less commercially successful works?

The current system is more transparent and less susceptible to the specific "conflicts of interest" alleged by Dugan, but the inherent subjectivity of art means that snubs and surprises will always lead to accusations of bias, even if the process is no longer technically "rigged."

Conclusion: Was the System Rigged?

Based on the evidence and the Recording Academy's own actions, the answer to "are the Grammys rigged" is complex. The system, as it existed before 2021, was undoubtedly flawed and susceptible to conflicts of interest, as alleged by former CEO Deborah Dugan and corroborated by the intense criticism from major artists like The Weeknd and Zayn Malik. The "secret committees" that had the final say on nominations were the weak point, creating an opaque environment that allowed the appearance, and potentially the reality, of manipulation. The subsequent decision by the Recording Academy to eliminate these committees is a tacit acknowledgment that the old process was broken. Today, the Grammy voting process is more transparent, relying solely on the thousands of Voting Members. While the awards may still be criticized for perceived bias, genre snubs, or questionable winners, the specific mechanism that was once accused of being "rigged" has been removed, ushering in a new, albeit still imperfect, era of accountability.