Grammys boss denies awards ceremony has a race problem

A black artist hasn't won Album of the Year since 2008

(Getty)

Following the Grammy Awards on Sunday evening, the Internet was understandably outraged that Adele beat Beyoncé to win the coveted Album of the Year award.

The 25 singer seemed overwhelmed by the decision, speaking about the huge impact Lemonade has had on culture in her acceptance speech.

Many people believe there is a race problem among Grammy voters; a black artist hasn’t won Album of the Year since 2008 when Herbie Hancock won with River: The Joni Letters.

Speaking to Pitchfork, the president of the Recording Academy, Neil Portnow, said he doesn't “think there’s a race problem at all”.

“Remember, this is a peer-voted award,” he told the publication. “So when we say the Grammys, it’s not a corporate entity - it’s the 14,000 members of the Academy.”

After explaining how the nature of the awards is subjective thanks to so many voters, he continued: “We don’t, as musicians, in my humble opinion, listen to music based on gender or race or ethnicity. When you go to vote on a piece of music - at least the way that I approach it - is you almost put a blindfold on and you listen.

“It’s a matter of what you react to and what in your mind as a professional really rises to the highest level of excellence in any given year. And that is going to be very subjective. That’s what we ask our members to do, even in the ballots.

“Now here’s the other interesting part of the process, and we stand 100 percent behind the process: It’s a democratic vote by majority. So somebody could either receive or not receive a Grammy based on one vote. It could be that tight.”

Speaking about how the Oscars have changer their membership, Portnow said: “Well, they may have had a problem. We don't have that kind of an issue in that same fashion.”

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Despite Beyoncé not winning the Album of the Year award, her performance at the ceremony has been widely congratulated thanks to its stunning choreography.