Grammys Countdown: Will Skrillex win Best New Artist?

Grammys Countdown: Will Skrillex win Best New Artist?

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News:

Electronic dance music is enjoying its most successful period ever, whether you measure it in terms of commercial success, cultural credibility, or simply the diversity of music available across the spectrum from pop crossover to underground niche. Now, this Sunday, there’s a chance that EDM will make history once again. For the first time, an artist from electronic dance music’s ranks has been nominated for the Grammys’ Best New Artist award.

We’re talking about Skrillex, of course, who faces off against Bon Iver, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, and The Band Perry in vying for the honor. The Best New Artist nomination is just one of Skrillex’s five nominations—the others include Best Dance Recording, Best Dance/Electronica Album, Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical, and Best Short-Form Music Video—but it’s undoubtedly the one with the highest stakes, not just for his own career, but for the mainstream profile of electronic dance music in general.

Whatever the outcome, the Recording Academy has clearly decided that electronic dance music’s time has arrived. As part of the ceremonies this Sunday, there’ll be a dance tent set up outside the Staples Center, where the awards are being held, featuring performances from Deadmau5, David Guetta, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and, bizarrely, the Foo Fighters.

Tune in Sunday, February 12 at 8:30pm Pacific time (11:30pm ET) to watch the festivities; see grammy.com for more information.