As Adele’s 25 beat Beyonce’s Lemonade to the top prizes at this year’s Grammys, it was the latest in a series of controversial award-winners prompting backlash from some artists and viewers alike.
The ceremony was no exception, drawing criticism from those who feel the academy has consistently undervalued black artists. Following the ceremony, in an interview with Pitchfork Recording Academy president Neil Portnow responded to the question “do you think the Grammys has a race problem?”
Portnow added that the academy takes the work of expanding their membership to be more inclusive seriously.
“We are always working on increasing diversity in membership, whether it’s ethnicity, gender, genre, or age,” he said. “In order to maintain our relevance, we have to be refreshing all the time and we have to be doing that across the board.”
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com