Billboard reported this week that a record 52% of this year’s Grammy winners were independent artists. These musicians represented fourteen independent labels and won in 19 different categories, including one of the coveted “Big Four” Grammys. Some notable mentions include 300 Entertainment’s Meghan Thee Stallion, who won best new artist, best rap song (“Savage Remix”), and best rap performance (“Savage Remix”), and ATO Record’s Brittany Howard, who won best rock song (“Stay High”).
This impressive number is up from 38% in 2020 and 36.9% in 2019, and represents an exciting shift in the role of independent artists in the mainstream music marketplace. With the music industry becoming increasingly accessible and the public gaining familiarity with independent work, this year’s Grammys demonstrated that the sky truly is the limit for independent artists.