Grammys CEO Harvey Mason Jr. Fully Committed to Overhaul Awards Show Integrity
Harvey Mason Jr., the Chief Executive Officer of the Recording Academy, is leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to restore the credibility of the Grammy Awards, scheduled for its 66th edition on February 4 in Los Angeles. Mason, 55, is dedicated to revamping the show’s image after the controversy that rocked the Recording Academy in 2019, involving allegations of misconduct, including sexual harassment, and a restructuring that resulted in a financial settlement with former CEO Deborah Dugan.
Mason, who assumed the role of Recording Academy CEO in May 2021, is determined to bring about significant changes. Forbes reports that the nonprofit organization has transformed, discarding secret voting practices and broadening its membership, which now includes 19% Black representation among its 11,000 voting members.
“We’re a very different organization than we were four or five years ago,” Mason states. “I hope we’re starting to build that relevance back.”
A Boston native, Mason’s deep-rooted connection to music began at a young age, influenced by his father, Harvey Mason Sr., a drummer for the jazz band Fourplay. The Grammy CEO, who moved to Los Angeles as a child, boasts an impressive career, having worked with iconic figures such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin.
Mason emphasizes the importance of not compromising in the music industry, citing the legends he worked with. “They don’t settle. They don’t compromise. Michael absolutely did that. He thought, ‘OK, you’ve done your best. Now erase all that, start over, and do your best plus ten.'”
As the Grammys face declining viewership over the past few years, with last year’s average of 12.4 million viewers, Mason acknowledges the changing landscape of media and content consumption. Despite the dip in viewership, CBS, which has been airing the Grammys for over 50 years, continues to generate nearly $100 million in advertising revenue, making it the second-most-watched awards show behind the Oscars.
“The future of media and content is quickly evolving,” Mason notes. “People aren’t generally sitting around watching TV the way they used to, and we can see something in the future that would potentially be a multiplicity of ways somebody could watch the show. All that will need to be worked out.” As the Grammys approach, Mason’s unwavering commitment suggests a thorough overhaul to reclaim the show’s prestige.
View the video to hear more from the Recording Academy CEO.
