How Do Grammys Nominate Best New Artists? Why Established Stars Qualify

Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey.

A group of seven singers received nominations for Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys, including Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and more.

The Grammy nominations were announced on Friday, November 8, where last year’s Best New Artist winner Victoria Monét revealed the next batch of honorees.

In addition to Carpenter, 25, and Roan, 26, other nominees included Benson Boone, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, Raye, Doechii and Khruangbin, all of whom also received nods in other categories.

But how is Best New Artist chosen — and how do seemingly established artists like Carpenter, who has been recording and performing for years, qualify? According to the official Grammys website, the category is meant to recognize “an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.”

Stars' First Grammy Appearances

Just like every Grammys category, Best New Artist is voted on by members of the Recording Academy. Since there can be a wide number of “new” musicians making an impact in the music industry, there are certain eligibility requirements one must meet in order to be considered. For example, a performer must have released at least five singles or a full-length album. Artists, however, can’t have previously released more than three albums or 30 singles.

Victoria Monét accepts the “Best New Artist” award onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Performers also cannot have achieved prior prominence ahead of the current eligible year or have been considered for the New Artist category at least three times.

“This also applies to solo artists who emerge from having performed as a member in previous groups,” an explanation on the Grammys website reads. “That’s right, being previously considered three times either as a solo artist, in a previous band, or some mixture of the two means an artist is not eligible for Best New Artist consideration.”

Victoria Monet Wins Best New Artist at the 2024 Grammys

While both Carpenter and Roan had released music prior to the 2025 eligibility window, their respective careers reached new heights this year.

“In such a weird way, I guess I’ve tried to do my best and be enjoying what I’m doing without being too aware of what’s going on,” Carpenter told Grammy.com in December 2023. “The love of what I do is in the actual making of things, so I’ve been making so much music and writing so much over the last year. Seeing this cool, organic reaction to it is great. But in the moment, it’s hard to grasp it.”

Carpenter also received four other nominations at the 2025 ceremony, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year. In addition to Carpenter’s album Short ’N Sweet being recognized as a whole, her singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” were also honored.

Fans will have to tune into CBS on Sunday, February 2, 2025, to discover which honoree will take home the Best New Artist award.