For many artists, the GRAMMY Awards are the ultimate recognition of their musical accomplishments, showcasing the admiration of their peers. However, the music industry can be a challenging and complex arena to navigate. To succeed, one must be familiar with the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), a non-profit organization responsible for organizing the GRAMMY Awards. NARAS boasts over 12,000 voting members and more than 3,000 professional non-voting members, including record labels, publishers, agents, lawyers, industry writers, and music educators, who support music creators.

The voting members of NARAS are responsible for selecting the nominees and winners of the prestigious GRAMMYs each year. Aspiring musicians hoping to establish themselves in the music industry would benefit from joining NARAS, according to Margie Hauser, a professional songwriter and long-standing voting member of the Recording Academy. However, membership in NARAS requires a highly selective recommendation process, where two peers within the music industry must vouch for the aspiring artist’s talents before they can become members. In addition, Margie Hauser notes applicants must provide a comprehensive career profile detailing their involvement in the music industry.

Margie Hauser believes that winning or being nominated for a GRAMMY can have a significant impact on an artist’s career, regardless of whether they have signed with a major record label or achieved chart-topping success. With over 90 GRAMMY Awards categories, recognition is available to musicians at all levels of their career.

The history of the GRAMMY Awards traces back to the mid-1950s, when the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce formed a committee to establish the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The committee enlisted the help of major recording industry executives to compile a list of music industry figures deserving of a star on the Walk of Fame. However, the committee quickly realized that there were more deserving musicians than available stars. In response, the music committee established an association and award to honor musicians’ achievements, which would later become the prestigious GRAMMY Awards.

Follow Margie Hauser on Facebook: http://Facebook.com/margie.hauser.1