The Recording Academy announced last Thursday, the 5th, that Nirvana will be one of the honorees of the Lifetime Achievement Award , which is part of the Grammy Awards . The award ceremony, called the Special Merit Awards , will take place on February 4th, one day before the main ceremony, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, also in Los Angeles.
The award recognizes the significant body of work of these artists. The Academy's president, Harvey Mason Jr. , even commented in a press release : “The Academy is proud to celebrate this diverse roster of influential figures in music spanning multiple genres and crafts. Each creator has made an impact on our industry – from technical to creative achievements – representing the breadth of the diverse music community. We are excited to celebrate this group of legends next month who continue to inspire and shape the world of music.”
Nirvana, with 75 million albums sold, “continues to be a unique inspiration for generations of fans and musicians worldwide.” The album Nevermind (1991), which features the track “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” not only reached number one on the world charts but also rekindled the love for rock.
The other highlight of the night is sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson , of Heart . Nominated four times for a Grammy , they broke the Billboard for the longest time in the top ten albums by a female band. "Heart's influence can be felt palpably everywhere from rock and heavy metal to hip hop and pop. As a result, their music resonates in almost every corner of pop culture."
The list of honorees, however, doesn't end there and includes names like The Supremes , Nile Rodgers , Ma Rainey , Bobby McFerrin , and Slick Rick .
Finally, the Special Merit Awards will also present the Trustees Award and the Technical Award , which recognize, respectively, individuals and organizations that have contributed to the technical aspects of the recording. Music that has sparked social change will also be celebrated.
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