Music

The Grammys’ New Best Progressive R&B Album Category Is Here, And It’s Awesome

Getty Image / Uproxx Studios The new category revamps the Academy’s previous attempts at honoring hip-hop-influenced R&B. …

The Grammys have a new category this year. In an effort to better recognize the increasing breadth and variety of modern R&B, they’ve split the R&B Album category into two: Best Progressive R&B and Best R&B. The new range allows them to nominate more artists — five each — and give the nod to non-traditional contemporary R&B artists who aren’t forced to compete with genre mainstays like Alicia Keys and John Legend.

Although the Grammys have tried similar moves in the past, this year’s move is timely, as the style of some R&B has been reshaped by contributions from alt-rock, ambient music, hip-hop, EDM, trap, and other styles to make it something far more futuristic but still rooted in the tenets of the sound established in the late ’80s and early ’90s. From 2003 to 2011, more hip-hop-influenced albums could be found under Best Contemporary R&B Album, but they were shifted back to the main category after 2011. The new category was created as Best Urban Contemporary Album, but that name was phased out as a result of longstanding criticisms and the industry-wide revamping of “Urban” classifications after this summer’s “Blackout Tuesday.”

According to the Recording Academy, the new category “is intended to highlight albums that include the more progressive elements of R&B and may include samples and elements of hip-hop, rap, dance, and electronic music. It may also incorporate production elements found in pop, euro-pop, country, rock, folk, and alternative.” For its inaugural clutch of nominees, the Academy has acknowledged Chloe X Halle, Jhené Aiko, Free Nationals, Robert Glasper, and Thundercat. The traditional category includes Ant Clemons, Giveon, Gregory Porter, John Legend, and Luke James.

Speaking of Robert Glasper, the accomplished pianist/producer is planning his eighth annual Grammy Jam to coincide with 2021 Grammy Awards, gathering together some of the biggest names in R&B, jazz, and hip-hop for a special night of music. Check out the video from the 2020 edition above.

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Artist Spotlight

Alwyn Morrison explores betrayal, judgment, and survival on new EP “Trial”

Life isn’t always a straight line, and Alwyn Morrison explores that in “Trial,” a four-track EP that goes beyond the familiar territory of love and heartbreak. The project blends pop, rock, and singer-songwriter influences, exploring themes of betrayal, false accusations, emotional pain, self-defense, and survival. Each track is inspired by courtrooms and is a step in a personal journey of understanding, acceptance, and ultimately freedom.

The first track, “Puzzle Piece,” is Morrison’s raw, heavy alternative rock sound, fitting the weight of betrayal and false accusations. The song has a sense of tension, putting you in the shoes of someone trying to understand a difficult situation. Followed by “Everybody Bleeds,” which follows that emotional path, creating a song about confusion, openness, and the struggles we all face, and it’s an emotional listen, with hard truths and personal experiences laid bare.

Alwyn Morrison

The project’s focus track, “Monster,” goes into more personal territory. It explores what happens when we are judged or condemned for the choices we make, and it carries a message that goes far beyond Morrison’s own experience. The central theme will strike a chord with anyone who has felt misunderstood, unfairly labeled, or defined by others’ opinions.

Alwyn Morrison

The EP closes with “Fireflies,” a track that shifts the mood, contrasting childhood innocence and memories with the realities of adult life. The sequence moves the story toward resilience, survival, and earned acceptance. Alwyn Morrison spins a musical tale of hard life experiences put to the test. The courtroom concept gives the four songs real purpose to move on without letting past experience dictate the future.

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Artist Spotlight

Fanny Alexandra explores emotional recovery and self-discovery on “Ceasefire”

Not every fight ends a relationship, and there could be long-term emotional damage, with questions about identity, attachment, and the difficult path to moving on. “Ceasefire” is a ghostly alternative rock ballad in which Fanny Alexandra navigates difficult terrain, exploring emotional dependency and the search for selfhood after a toxic relationship.

“Ceasefire” is full of sad melodies and hints of atmospheric rock, making it a dark, cinematic listen. The song’s alt-rock pivot provides an emotionally charged foundation, and it’s about the internal battle, especially when your identity has been so tied to another person.

Fanny Alexandra’s ethereal vocal approach suits the song, lending real emotional weight to the exploration of self-loss and internal tension. “Ceasefire” is a reflective track, with atmospheric instrumentation and deeply personal songwriting that capture feelings that can linger long after a tough chapter closes.

It’s about finding yourself again, and its emotional arc moves from openness and dependence to the hard-earned discovery that personal freedom is more than just walking away. Fanny Alexandra’s love for dark, emotional alternative music inspired “Ceasefire.” Her art is about intimate storytelling, cinematic atmosphere, and making music that explores the quieter struggles people tend to keep inside. In this record, she turns the fallout from a toxic relationship into a meditative reflection on the long road to selfhood.

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