Sabrina Carpenter could be nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards

Sabrina Carpenter has an exciting schedule ahead with the release of her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweetnext August 23, and the long-awaited Grammy nominations to be announced on November 8.

Carpenter is in a unique position in that she could be considered for all four major categories: album, record and song of the yearin addition to best new artist.

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Eligibility for Best New Artist

You might wonder how it is possible that An artist with six albums can be nominated for best new artist.

The Recording Academy determines eligibility based on the moment when an artist “achieves a breakthrough in the public consciousness”more than in the number of releases it has had.

The rules for the 67th Grammy Awards state that, although there is no maximum number of launchesthe Selection Committee decides if the artist has achieved great success before the year of eligibilitywhich could result in disqualification.

The year of eligibility for the next Grammys started September 16, 2023. At that time, Carpenter had already managed to enter the Billboard Hot 100 with two singles: Skinwhich debuted at number 48 in February 2021, and Nonsense, which peaked at number 56 in February 2023.

The resurgence of Sabrina Carpenter

Even though before this year of eligibility Carpenter had never charted higher than #48 on the Hot 100has had a notable resurgence in recent months. Her most recent single, Please, Please, Pleasedebuted at #2 last week and rose to #1 this week.

Since the start of the Grammy eligibility year, Carpenter has had five albums or EPs on the Billboard 200three of which made it to the top half of the list: Eyes Wide Open (43rd place in May 2015), Evolution (ranked 28th in November 2016), and Emails I Can’t Send (ranked 23rd in July 2022).

None of these titles had been certified gold by the RIAA before September 16, 2023, although Emails achieved gold status on March 1, 2024.

Challenges in the Best New Artist category

The best new artist category has always been difficult to define, which explains why its description is longer than the other major categories. Carpenter has not previously been nominated for a Grammy, which would generally be a requirement for disqualification in this category. Furthermore, she has not been entered in the best new artist contest more than three times, a factor that could also disqualify her. Carpenter has been registered twice: in 2017 and 2024, which meets the standards.

The Recording Academy Selection Committee will evaluate all of these factors to decide whether Carpenter can compete for best new artist. The primary criterion is that this category recognizes an artist whose releases during the year of eligibility have made a breakthrough in the public consciousness and have had a significant impact on the music landscape.

Success Stories and Precedents

Historically, the Selection Committee has sought to include artists in this category whenever possible, recognizing that new artists can develop and achieve success at their own pace. Notable examples include Shelby Lynne, who won the award in 2001 for her sixth album, “I Am Shelby Lynne,” and David Gray, who was nominated for his fifth album. Others such as Meghan Trainor, Maren Morris, Tobe Nwigwe, Anitta, Molly Tuttle, The War and Treaty, and Jelly Roll have also released multiple projects before being nominated for Best New Artist.

In the past, the Academy was stricter on artists who were slow to achieve success, disqualifying figures such as Whitney Houston and Richard Marx for minor activities prior to their debuts. However, in recent years, the Academy has been more inclusive, as seen with Lauryn Hill, who won best new artist in 1999 despite having previously won two Grammys with Fugees.

If the Selection Committee decides to accept Carpenter, this could open the door for other similar cases, such as Megan Moroney and Chappell Roan, who are also in borderline situations regarding their eligibility.

The selection process is not yet finalized, and the Recording Academy remains focused on carefully evaluating each case to ensure that the nominated artists are representative of the Academy’s musical impact during the eligibility year. Sabrina Carpenter, with her recent rise and the anticipation generated by her upcoming album, has a lot going for her as she awaits the final decision.