The Recording Academy has announced a significant change to its voting process for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. For the first time, all entries on the first-round ballot will be presented in a randomized order, moving away from the traditional alphabetical listing. This new system will be implemented when voting opens on October 3, 2025.
Key Takeaways
- The Recording Academy will randomize all entries on the Grammy ballot starting with the 68th awards cycle.
- This change replaces the long-standing practice of listing entries alphabetically by artist, song, or album title.
- The primary goal is to promote a more equitable review process and encourage voters to consider all submissions thoroughly.
- While the ballot is randomized, voters will still have access to a search tool and a downloadable PDF of entries in alphabetical order.
- The update was proposed and supported by the Academy's Board of Trustees to align with standard voting best practices.
A Fundamental Shift in the Voting Experience
Beginning October 3, Grammy voters will encounter a completely redesigned digital ballot. Instead of scrolling to a specific letter to find an artist or title, they will see a uniquely randomized list of submissions. According to the Recording Academy, no two voters will see the entries in the same order, as each ballot is individually personalized.
This update is designed to level the playing field for all artists, regardless of where their name falls in the alphabet. The Academy hopes this will encourage voters to explore the full range of submissions rather than defaulting to familiar names that were previously easy to locate.
Background on the Previous System
For decades, Grammy ballots listed entries alphabetically. Songs were sorted by title, while albums and artist-specific categories were sorted by the artist's last name. This system was straightforward but raised concerns that it might inadvertently favor artists and titles beginning with letters early in the alphabet, or make it too easy for voters to select familiar names without reviewing other contenders.
Ruby Marchand, Chief Awards and Global Industry Officer for the Recording Academy, explained the reasoning behind the change. She emphasized that the new system is about procedural integrity and fairness.
"This ballot update brings our process in line with standard voting best practices … and further ensures the process is fair and equitable for all entries," Marchand stated.
The Academy acknowledges that this change will require an adjustment period for its voting members. To assist with the transition, resources and support will be available to help voters navigate the new format.
Impact on High-Entry Categories
The randomization will have the most significant impact on categories with a large number of submissions. In previous years, these categories could be challenging to navigate, and the alphabetical system provided a clear structure. Now, voters will need to be more deliberate in their search.
By the Numbers: Last Year's Entries
The scale of the challenge for voters is clear when looking at the number of submissions in major categories from the previous year:
- Song of the Year: 978 entries
- Record of the Year: 780 entries
- Album of the Year: 707 entries
In total, 14 categories had over 300 entries each, making a comprehensive review a time-consuming task.
Under the old system, finding a submission like Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" or Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" was a simple matter of navigating to the correct letter. With the new randomized ballot, these entries could appear anywhere on a list of hundreds of titles. This structural change forces a more active review process, which the Academy believes will lead to more considered voting.
Tools to Assist Voters
The Recording Academy has confirmed that voters will not be left without navigational aids. Despite the randomization, the online voting platform will include essential tools to help members find specific entries:
- A Search Function: A built-in search tool will allow voters to look up entries directly by artist, song, or album title.
- Downloadable PDF List: Members can download a comprehensive PDF document that lists all entries in alphabetical order for reference.
These tools are intended to provide a balance, offering the benefits of randomization while still allowing voters to efficiently locate specific works they intend to support.
Guidance and Preparation for Members
The Recording Academy is actively communicating the changes to its membership to ensure a smooth transition. The first-round voting period is scheduled from October 3 to October 15, 2025. Members are being encouraged to start the process early and not wait until the final day.
In a Q&A on the official Grammy website, Marchand advised members on how to approach the new ballot. "The key is to approach the process with preparation and patience," she said. "Start early, set a reasonable pace, and plan for multiple visits to the ballot."
She also stressed the importance of using the provided resources and tools. "Don’t wait until the last day – or worse, the last hour – to submit, as technical issues can derail your vote," Marchand added.
Educational Webinar for Voters
To provide direct guidance, the Academy will host a webinar for all voting members on September 29 at 2 p.m. ET. The session, titled "Your Ballot at a Glance," will feature key Academy figures, including:
- Harvey Mason jr., Recording Academy CEO
- Ruby Marchand, Chief Awards and Global Industry Officer
- Michael Almanza, Senior Director, Awards
- Nick DiFruscia, Senior Director, Awards
The webinar will cover how to navigate the voter portal, explain the randomized ballot in detail, and offer strategies for effective voting. The goal is to equip members with the knowledge needed to participate confidently in the 68th Grammy Awards voting process.
The number of categories in which members can vote remains unchanged. Voters are permitted to cast votes in up to 10 categories across a maximum of three genre fields, in addition to all categories in the General Field, which includes Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.
