In a bold statement against the music industry's competitive nature, rising country star Zach Bryan has decided to withdraw his music from consideration for the 2025 Grammy Awards. Apparently Mr. Zach Bryan is uncomfortable with awards shows that treat music as a competition, emphasizing that art should not be pitted against art. With voting for the Grammys officially opening on October 4, his choice to abstain sends a powerful message.
Bryan's decision places him alongside other notable artists who have previously distanced themselves from the Grammy process. Drake famously boycotted the awards in 2021 and 2022, only to return last year with his album Her Loss, which lost to Killer Mike. The Weeknd has also refused to submit his work since his album After Hours was snubbed in 2021. Other artists like Frank Ocean, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and Silk Sonic have echoed similar sentiments about the Grammys.
Despite his absence from the nominations, Bryan has had a stellar year, releasing the EP Boys of Faith in September 2023, featuring collaborations with Bon Iver and Noah Kahan, and his latest album, The Great American Bar Scene, which hit No. 2 on the Billboard 200. With four Grammy nominations and a win for Best Country Duo/Group Performance alongside Kacey Musgraves, Bryan's boycott highlights the growing discontent with the industry's award narrative.
As the conversation around music awards continues to evolve, it raises questions about whether other artists will follow suit in rejecting a system they feel undermines genuine creativity.
