The Recording Academy’s 2025 new member class showcases a diverse blend of talent, with the likes of Addison Rae, KATSEYE, and Nikki Glaser receiving invitations. This exciting announcement reflects the Academy’s ongoing efforts to broaden its horizons and embrace a wider range of voices across the music industry.
This year, the Recording Academy extended invitations to nearly 3,600 music professionals, aiming to enhance its membership base with a variety of disciplines. “For today’s music creators, Grammy membership opens up an incredible set of opportunities,” noted Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. in a statement. This initiative not only allows voting members to recognize their peers with Grammy nominations but also provides members with unique experiences and career development opportunities.
As the Academy emphasized, new members will join forces to make significant strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), particularly through the organization’s Dream Initiative. This aligns with the Academy’s commitment to diversifying its voting body, a priority highlighted after previous criticisms over lack of diversity.
The Academy has made notable progress in recent years. According to the 2024 Membership report, there has been a 27 percent increase in women voting members since 2019. The 2025 class itself consists of 49 percent women and 56 percent people of color, with 60 percent of invitees under the age of 40. Prospective members must formally accept to participate fully and become eligible to vote in the upcoming Grammy Awards.
Beyond Addison Rae, KATSEYE, and Nikki Glaser, other notable invitees include Grupo Firme, Joey Bada$$, and Mariah The Scientist. Rae, who recently released her debut album, expressed her excitement: “I am so lucky to be surrounded by talent and poise that inspires me to create fearlessly and help encourage others to do so as well.”
KATSEYE celebrated their invitation following their Billboard 200 top 10 entry with Beautiful Chaos. “It’s exciting to stand alongside such inspiring artists and be part of a community that truly champions music, artistry, and diversity,” they shared in a statement.
Nikki Glaser, whose Grammy Awards appearance went viral, humorously acknowledged her invitation: “This is the greatest thing the Grammys have given me since the half of Benson Boone’s tuxedo I kept after last year’s show,” she joked. “This is a role I’m going to take very seriously and as a comedian, it’ll be nice to finally have one thing I do in earnest.”