Recording Academy Announces Grammy Week Changes Amid L.A. Fires

The Recording Academy has announced significant changes for its upcoming Grammy Week, canceling some of its industry events that would usually lead up to the Sunday awards while repurposing others to focus more heavily on relief efforts for the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.

“We understand how devastating this past week has been on this city and its people,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. “This is our home, it’s home to thousands of music professionals, and many of us have been negatively impacted. So after thoughtful consideration, and multiple assurances from state and local elected leaders, public safety agencies, and with support from our incredible artist community, we have decided to go ahead with the GRAMMY telecast and some select events. GRAMMY Week 2025 will not just be about honoring music, it will be about using the power of music to help rebuild, uplift and support those in need.”

Grammy Week is usually the music industry‘s buzziest week, with much of the industry typically flocking to Los Angeles for a victory lap while enjoying glitzy, lavish parties all over the city. This year, however, will be a much more muted affair, as the Palisades and Eaton Fires have destroyed thousands of homes, killed 25 people and forced more than 150,000 residents to evacuate. The music industry has come together to offer resources and relief to hundreds of L.A.-based artists and industry workers who’ve lost their homes, studios, and instruments.

Several companies, including all of the big three record companies, have already announced that they’d be canceling their Grammy parties, and the record companies are discussing reducing the number of staffers attending.

A rep for the Academy told Rolling Stone that six events were canceled overall, plus another 10 programs scheduled at Grammy House. Among those that were removed were previously announced events such as the Producers & Engineers Wing celebration as well as the Black Music Collective’s event honoring Kirk Franklin.

As the Academy had already confirmed on Tuesday, the MusiCares Person of the Year Charity Gala honoring the Grateful Dead is proceeding as planned. MusiCares, the Academy’s non-profit established to help the music community in times of struggle such as disasters or health care, has already raised $2 million in wildfire relief funds. Clive Davis’s annual star-studded Pre-Grammys Gala, is now a fundraising event, per the Academy.

The Academy’s announcement comes two days after Mason wrote a memo to Academy members confirming the Awards show would still proceed as planned on Feb. 2, hoping to use the Grammy platform to help the city.

“In challenging times, music has the power to heal, comfort, and unite like nothing else,” Mason wrote. “The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles.”

Outside of the Academy’s official events, FireAid, a major benefit concert organized by music industry mogul Irving Azoff and promoted by Live Nation and AEG, will take place during Grammy Week on Jan. 30. It’s expected to have a superstar lineup, though the performers haven’t been revealed yet.

From Rolling Stone US.