More than four decades after Chuck Brown created the beat, the Go - Go genre has finally been added as a Grammy sub-category.
In the 64th Grammy Awards Rules and Guidelines, which are available here, Go - Go now appears under the “Best Regional Roots Music Album” category. The new screening criteria reads: “This category recognizes recordings of regional roots styles of music, including Cajun, Hawaiian, Native American, Second Line Brass band, Polka, Zydeco, Go-Go, Swamp Pop and others, with production and sensibilities distinctly different from a pop approach.”
Go-go artists can thank D.C.-based producer and artist Kokayi, who sits on the Recording Academy’s Awards and Nominations Committee. Earlier this year, he approached committee head Bill Freimuth about adding Go - Go to the “Regional Roots” category. “Go-Go is neither hiphop or R&B,” says Kokayi. “It is the indigenous music of Washington, D.C., and just as second line and zydeco are important to the culture of New Orleans, Go - Go is important to the culture of Washington D.C.”
It is definitely worth noting that “Regional Roots” is an album category, which means a single song can't win. The Recording Academy’s eligibility criteria stipulates that any recordings submitted must consist of new material and have been commercially released between September 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021. An album must consist of either five tracks or a playing time of 15 minutes or longer.