Which organization presents the Grammy Awards?

The Recording Academy presents the Grammy Awards. Officially known as the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization represents music professionals and oversees the awards’ voting, categories, and ceremonies.

The academy was established in the late 1950s as the music industry developed a major awards program comparable to the Oscars, Emmys, and Tonys. The first Grammy ceremony took place in 1959, honoring recordings and artists from the previous year. The awards were originally associated with the name “Gramophone Awards,” a reference to the trophy.

The Recording Academy does more than stage the televised ceremony. Its members participate in the nomination and voting process, and the organization advocates for music creators through initiatives involving creators’ rights, education, preservation, and professional development.

A frequent confusion is mixing up the Recording Academy with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which presents the Oscars, or the Television Academy, which presents the Emmys. The Grammys are specifically the Recording Academy’s awards for achievements in recorded music.