Grammys 2021: Recording Academy criticised for ‘disaster’ Album of the Year nominations

BTS, Lady Gaga and The Weeknd were left out of selection

Grammy trophies during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards on 28 January 2018, in New York

(DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)

The Recording Academy has come under criticism after unveiling nominees for the 2021 Grammys.

This year’s Album of the Year category has become a topic of controversy on social media, where some have expressed their disappointment and confusion.

Up for the coveted award are Taylor Swift for her album Folklore, Dua Lipa for Future Nostalgia, Post Malone for Hollywood’s Bleeding, Haim for Women in Music Pt III, Coldplay for Everyday Life, Jacob Collier for Djesse Vol 3, Black Pumas for Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition), and Jhené Aiko for Chilombo.

While fans of the nominated artists rejoiced, others wondered why acts such as BTS, Lady Gaga, or The Weeknd weren’t included in the selection.

BTS’s Map of the Soul: 7 was released in February 2020, during the eligibility period for next year’s Grammys, to considerable commercial success.

Gaga’s Chromatica, which came out in May 2020, also met the eligibility criteria, as did The Weeknd’s After Hours, released in March this year.

The 2021 Grammys will take place on 31 January with Trevor Noah hosting the ceremony. For a full list of nominations, click here.