The History of the Grammy Award
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences established the Grammy Awards in 1958, modeled after awards in the motion picture and television industries, to recognize the achievements of singers, songwriters and other professionals within the music industry. The Academy selected the name "Grammy" through a national contest and then designed the Grammy statue as a 9-inch antique gramophone. Though initially held as private dinners, the Grammy Awards have become nationally televised ceremonies that draw a live audience of more than 13,000 annually.
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Recording Academy
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In the mid-1950s, a small group of record label representatives established the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) as a way to recognize achievement within the music and recording industry. The Academy christened the new award the "Grammy," and the first Grammy Awards were held as private dinner ceremonies in Beverly Hills and New York City in 1959. Close to 150 artists, songwriters and studio professionals were nominated for the 1959 Grammy Awards in 28 categories, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
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Award Ceremonies
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Between 1963 and 1970, the Academy televised pre-recorded performances of Grammy-winning music on the show "The Best On Record." The 13th Annual Grammy Awards, in 1971, became the first ceremony to be broadcast on live television from the Hollywood Palladium. Over 500 musicians and industry professionals were in attendance. In the ensuing years, the awards ceremony would be held alternately in Beverly Hills and New York City, with the exception for 1973, when it was telecast from Nashville, Tennessee.
Grammy Honors
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To reflect the evolving music industry, the Academy regularly adjusted and changed awards categories for the Grammys, such as the short-lived award for Best Disco Album, which was only awarded in 1980. The Academy has also added awards to recognize exceptional achievements by either musicians or music industry professionals. The Lifetime Achievement Award, for example, was established in 1962 to recognize artistic excellence over a lifetime. Similarly, the Grammy Legend Award was introduced in 1990 to honor major ongoing contributions to the recording industry.
Academy Expansion
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During the 1980s, the Academy established two charitable organizations, The Grammy Foundation and the MusiCares Foundation, to support music education programs and to provide emergency assistance to musicians. In the late 1990s, the Academy also created an Advocacy and Government Relations office to represent musicians and music industry professionals in matters of government policy. The Academy created, as well, the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, to recognize the widespread achievement in Spanish-language recordings. The first Latin Grammy Awards were held in 2000.
Half Century
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During the first 50 years of its existence, the Academy gave more than 7,500 Grammy Awards for musical achievement. The number of awards grew to over 100 categories, with more than 500 recordings nominated for the Grammys every year. Since the first televised ceremony in 1971, close to 600 artists have performed live during the annual awards. In 2007, the Academy was recognized with an Award of Excellence star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The following year, the Grammy Awards celebrated its 50th Anniversary with the opening of the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.
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