​​The Recording Academy may be recognized globally for the GRAMMY Awards, but the Academy works hard to support artists beyond the GRAMMY stage. Year round, the Recording Academy and its members advocate for the rights of music creators in Washington, D.C. and across the entire country. Many of your favorite artists have made it a priority to be an advocate for the music community. Here are some of this year's GRAMMY nominees who have taken their passion for music and used it to spark change:

*Singer, songwriter Victoria Monét attends Grammys On The Hill: Awards Dinner at The Hamilton on April 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)*

Victoria Monét

Victoria Monét has not only been rising in the music industry as an artist, but she has also been rising as a music advocate.  Monét attended the most recent GRAMMYs on the Hill in 2023 where she met with Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT), Ron Estes (R-KS), and Jim Clyburn (D-SC) to discuss legislation that would affect creators.

Monét, whose nominations for the 2024 GRAMMYs include Best New Artist, may be new to the music and advocacy scene but she has already become passionate about fighting for the rights of songwriters and music creators. Coming from a background of songwriting, she personally believes that they are an under-appreciated group within the industry and is dedicated to utilizing her platform to carry out change.

Jessie Jo Dillon

Singer and songwriter Jessie Jo Dillon has been nominated for two GRAMMY Awards this year including Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical.  In addition to being an accomplished songwriter, Jessie Jo Dillon has used her career to help advocate for creators' rights.

Her journey as an advocate for creators includes serving as Chapter Governor for the Recording Academy's Nashville Chapter, where she also serves on the local Songwriters and Composers Wing Committee.  In 2022 Dillon attended GRAMMYs on the Hill in Washington where she met with Representative Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) and Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) to discuss music legislation including the PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act, which became law in late 2022. Most recently, Jo Dillon continued her advocacy efforts by participating in the Recording Academy's District Advocate Day on October 5, 2023.

*Lupita Infante attends GRAMMYs On The Hill Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill on April 28, 2022 in Washington, DC. Photo: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for The Recording Academy*

Lupita Infante

Lupita Infante is a two-time GRAMMY nominee, including this year's nomination for Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano), and she has used her platform to advocate for artists across the world. In 2022, Infante joined the Recording Academy in Washington, DC for GRAMMYs on the Hill where she met with Members of Congress such as then-Majority Whip Clyburn to advocate for issues such as fair pay for music creators. Infante also uses her lyrics as a powerful source of advocacy, especially in support of women's rights and empowerment.

*Panos A. Panay, President of the Recording Academy, U.S. Representative Darrell Issa, Juan Winans, and Rico Love attend Grammys On The Hill: Advocacy Day on April 27, 2023 in Washington, DC. Photo: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for The Recording Academy*

Juan Winans

Juan Winans is a three-time GRAMMY nominee, who is currently nominated for Best Gospel Song/Performance. Winans comes from a long line of Gospel singers, all starting with his grandparents Pop and Mom Winans. The Winans family has been involved in the Gospel music scene for years, and many members of the family have been nominated for and won GRAMMY Awards. Winans started his career singing but has since moved on to mostly writing with a few vocal projects here and there.

This past year Winans worked with Lalah Hathaway and released the song "NOW". This song is an advocacy anthem focusing on various issues from civil and human rights to women's rights. The music video also featured the late Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), who was a major advocate for civil rights. In addition, Winans has worked closely with the Recording Academy when it comes to his advocacy efforts. Earlier this year, he participated in the 2023 GRAMMYs on the Hill and advocated for numerous issues facing the music community including freedom of expression. He also frequently participates in the Recording Academy's District Advocate Day where he and other music creators meet with their Members of Congress in their districts.

Pierce Freelon

Pierce Freelon is a two-time GRAMMY nominee who focuses his work on promoting Black Culture in Children's Music. This year, he is nominated for Best Children's Music Album. In April of this year, Freelon participated in the Recording Academy's GRAMMYs on the Hill where he met with lawmakers across the aisle including Rep. Sydney Kamlager Dove (D-CA) and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH).

Freelon's advocacy goes beyond creating his own music. He is also the founder of the Beat Making Lab, an Emmy Award-winning web series that focuses on activism. Freelon is also an elected Council Member of the City of Durham, putting him in a position to enact change locally.

Nnenna Freelon

Nnenna Freelon is a seven-time GRAMMY nominee and most recently was nominated for Best Children's Album. Freelon is not only a music creator, but a dedicated advocate for creators. She has participated in numerous Recording Academy Advocacy activations including the 2022 GRAMMYs on the Hill where she met with lawmakers including Senators Durbin, Blackburn, and Padilla.

Freelon also uses her platform to promote change and has focused her efforts on education. Freelon was the headliner at the Asia Pacific Economic Summit, a White House Event hosting leaders from around the world and has won awards for her outstanding artistry and her dedication to education.

Tarriona "Tank" Ball

Tarriona "Tank" Ball is the lead vocalist of the group "Tank and the Bangas" who are currently nominated for Best Global Music Performance. Ball has previously been nominated for Best New Artist and Best Progressive R&B Album. Outside of her multiple GRAMMY nominations, Ball has spent time being an advocate for the music community. In April of this year, Ball joined the Academy in DC for GRAMMYs on the Hill. During the GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards Dinner, Ball performed alongside Nile Rodgers in a tribute to Pharrell, the evening's honoree. The following day, she joined other Academy members on Capitol Hill to advocate for music creators everywhere.

She also joined fellow Memphis Chapter Academy members in the Louisiana Music Advocacy Day 2021. Throughout the day, Ball performed the national anthem for the Louisiana House and Senate and spent the rest of the day attending key meetings with legislators to talk about music advocacy.

*Poet J. Ivy attends Grammys On The Hill: Awards Dinner at The Hamilton on April 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Recording Academy*

J. Ivy

J. Ivy, a two-time Grammy winner, is nominated this year for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. Beyond his success as an artist, J. Ivy has a long history of dedicating his time to advocating for music creators. Ivy, who serves on the Recording Academy's Board of Trustees, annually participates in the Recording Academy's District Advocate Day where he and other artists meet locally with their Member of Congress to raise awareness and gain support for issues facing the music community. This year, he also joined the Recording Academy for GRAMMYs on the Hill to advocate for artists issues on Capitol Hill.

Marc Whitmore

Marc Whitmore is a GRAMMY Award-winning producer and sound engineer who is currently nominated for Album of the Year. Whitmore has worked alongside the Recording Academy to spread the word the need for advocacy within the music community. Last fall, Whitmore and Todd Dupler, Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer of the Recording Academy, participated in a Twitter Spaces (now X) to highlight those needs. Whitmore has also participated in the Recording Academy's District Advocate Day where he and other artists local to New Mexico spent their day meeting locally with Members of Congress.

How District Advocate Day 2023 Uplifted Music People And Expanded With Its First Ever GRAMMY Advocacy Conference

Beware of venom: Megan Thee Stallion is not biting her tongue on her new album, simply titled Megan.

The GRAMMY winner's first full-length release in two years is also the first to drop under her own control. Fans have been ready for this release even before the first single, "Cobra," came out in November. The second single, "Hiss," followed in January and brought the star her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard’s Hot 100 and Global 200 charts. These songs, as well as the third single, "BOA," foreshadowed a certain slithery theme that helped shape the album.

Megan was released on June 28 and features guest stars such as GloRilla, Victoria Monét, Big K.R.I.T. and Kyle Richh as well as her longtime ace producers like Juicy J (who made "Hot Girl Summer" among other calling cards) and LilJuMadeDaBeat, who produced Stallion anthems like "Big Ole Freak," "Body" and "Thot S—."

Here’s what we learned from listening and vibing to the latest work by three-time GRAMMY winner Megan Thee Stallion.

A Theme Snakes Through Megan

As could have easily been predicted from the first three singles "Cobra," "Hiss" and "BOA," and now the album track "Rattle," there is a hint of a snake theme that wends its way through the album from beginning ("Hiss") to end ("Cobra").

In several songs, she denounces all the snake behavior that she has encountered from former lovers, friends, and haters who support those who have caused actual harm to her. In the music video for "Cobra," Megan literally sheds her old skin to reveal a shining new layer.

Megan Is Calling The Shots This Time 

"I feel like Biggie, 'Who Shot Ya?’/But everybody know who shot me, bitch/ So now, let’s stop speaking on the topic," she rapped in "Who Me (feat. Pooh Shiesty)" off her 2022 album Traumazine. MTS was referencing the July 2020 incident in which rapper Tory Lanez shot her in the foot, and was subsequently charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. 

Turns out, she wasn’t done referencing the topic. Now, she’s one taking the shots. MTS takes aim at less-talented women rappers on "Figueroa" (named for a Los Angeles street known for prostitution), and at Lanez on "Rattle," when she suggests that his male supporters should schedule a conjugal visit with him in prison. (Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence while simultaneously going through a divorce with wife Raina Chassagne.)

Inspiration Comes From Everywhere

The star and her collaborators incorporate unexpected musical influences on Megan via creative sampling. Megan Thee Stallion speeds up and flips Teena Marie's 1984 ballad "Out on a Limb" for "B.A.S." — a song she co-produced with her longtime ally LilJuMadeDaBeat. "BOA" is cleverly crafted from sounds in the first solo hit by Gwen Stefani, 2004’s "What You Waiting For?" 

UGK are reunited from across the heavenly divide on the Juicy J-produced "Paper Together," with Bun B contributing new work and the late Pimp C joining in lyrical spirit. This is especially significant when considering that Juicy J produced "Intl’ Players Anthem (I Choose You)," UGK’s 2007 hit with Outkast. Juicy J also made the beats for Megan’s famous song "Hot Girl Summer." 

That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to samples waiting to be discovered on Megan. There are many more riffs and other musical notions that the sample bank in our brains have yet to detect.

Self-Love Is Queen 

Whether she’s affirming, "I’m worthy, not worthless" on "Worthy," or literally touching herself in the auto-erotic "Down Stairs DJ" (which joins masturbation masterpieces like Divinyls’ "I Touch Myself" and Tweet’s "Oops"), Megan is grounded in songs that promote self-love as the best kind of love. 

She does admit that this is sometimes a challenge to embody, as when she talks about lingering depression on "Moody Girl." But the album generally moves towards the light.

She Loves Japan 

One of the big surprises on Megan is that she raps in two languages. She rhymes beautifully in Japanese on "Mamushi" with Yuki Chiba, a seasoned rapper from Japan who is influenced by the Southern swag. (Just take a look at the Memphis moves and Houston rhyme schemes of his viral song "Team Tomodachi.") 

On "Otaku Hot Girl," she raps about the manga series "Naruto" and drops other anime references to show her love of Japanese pop culture. 

Learn more: 10 Neo J-Pop Artists Breaking The Mold In 2024: Fujii Kaze, Kenshi Yonezu & Others 

Megan's Game Is Tight 

Megan is the first album to be released on Megan Thee Stallion’s own label. It follows her split from 1501 Certified Entertainment, a record label with which she was engaged in a protracted and ugly legal battle for earnings. 

She now has the muscle of the major label Warner Brothers as a partner for her independent venture, Hot Girl Productions. She also recorded an Amazon Original song called "It’s Prime Day" for a commercial, as well as an exclusive Amazon edition of Megan. 

It’s safe to say that this album represents a new level of business freedom and acumen for Megan Thee Stallion.

Those pre-summer Fridays just keep rolling on. With each release day, the music community fills our hard drives, playlists and record shelves with more aural goodness.

Granted, to wrangle it all in one place is impossible — but GRAMMY.com can provide a healthy cross-section of what's out there. From here, venture forth into new releases by Luke Combs (Fathers & Sons), Normani (Dopamine), Moneybagg Yo (Speak Now), Jelly Roll ("I Am Not Okay"), and more.

For now, here are nine new songs or albums to explore.

After previously released single "Please Don't Fall in Love With Me," Khalid is back with another luminous ode to romantic disconnection, where he calls for healing amid broken ties.

"Thousand miles apart and you're still in my heart/ Can we take it back?" Khalid pleads in the hook. "I'm waiting at the start/ Fly me to the moon and now I'm seeing stars when we touch."

Khalid hasn't released a full-length album since 2019's Free Spirit. But he's been teasing a new project for a minute: two weeks ago, he shared an Instagram carousel with the caption "5 years later. Here we go again." And the yearning "Adore U" certainly sets the tone for what's to come in Khalid's world.

TWICE's NAYEON is shifting gears towards her highly anticipated solo comeback with the release of NA, a project that spans pop, dance, and more. The follow-up to her debut solo album, 2022's IM NAYEON, NA provides a glimpse into the TWICE member's transition from being daunted by a solo career to finding comfort in the act.

One highlight is the shimmering "Butterflies," which NAYEON described to Rolling Stone as "one of my favorite songs" yet "one of the harder ones to record, actually." Another is the brassy "Magic," which she calls "a very self-confident song." All in all, NA winningly cements NAYEON's identity — irrespective of her main gig.

In light of its 25-year anniversary, Mariah Carey revisits her iconic 1999 album, Rainbow, which featured collaborations with fellow household names like Jay-Z, USHER, and Missy Elliott. The new anniversary edition boasts a plethora of remastered and remixed tracks — a treasure trove for Carey acolytes.

One new track is "Rainbow's End," produced by David Morales; Carey described it as "a hopeful ending to an emotional roller-coaster ride." Elsewhere, there's "There For Me," a love letter to her fans that didn't make the album; a new remix of "How Much" by Jermaine Dupri, and some intriguing live recordings and a cappella tracks.

Since at least their debut album, 2018's I Want to Die in New Orleans, rap duo $UICIDEBOY$ have expertly cataloged the bugs beneath the rock of the human experience: addiction, depression, the whole nine yards. New World Depression is a further distillation of their beautifully filthy aesthetic and worldview.

In highlights like "Misery in Waking Hours" and "Transgressions," MCs $crim and Ruby da Cherry's chroniclings of misery are barer than ever: "Hurts too much to give a f— / Demoralized, always lying, telling people I'll be fine," they rap. Who hasn't felt like this, at one point or another?

At 82, Velvet Underground violist, multi-instrumentalist and co-founder John Cale is still a tinkerer, a ponderer, an artist in flux rather than stasis. In 2023, when GRAMMY.com asked when he felt he came into his own as an improviser, he immediately replied "Last year."

That interview was centered around that year's solo album, Mercy, another gem in a solo discography full of them. Now, he's already back with a follow-up, POPtical Illusion.

While POPtical Illusion maintains its predecessors' foreboding, topical nature — and then some — tracks like "Laughing in My Sleep" and "Funkball the Brewster" couch these morose topics in a more playful, irreverent aural palette.

The Twisters soundtrack continues to be a whirlwind of great tunes. The latest dispatch is Tanner Adell's "Too Easy," a country-pop dance floor banger — its video even featuring a performance by dance troupe the PBR Nashville Buckle Bunnies.

"Too Easy" is the fourth song to be released from the Twisters soundtrack, following Tucker Wetmore's "Already Had It," Megan Moroney's "Never Left Me," Bailey Zimmerman's "Hell or High Water," and Luke Combs' "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma." The full album — which features a hoard of country stars, including Lainey Wilson, Thomas Rhett, Tyler Childers and more — will be available on July 19 when the movie hits theaters.

We've clearly caught Ghanian Afropop star Stonebwoy in a jubilant mood. In a teaser for his new song, "Your Body," the singer born Livingstone Satekia undulates on a saturated, red-and-blue backdrop, foreshadowing the sticky summer days we'll spend jamming the tune.

And the full song certainly doesn't disappoint. Interweaving strains of pop, R&B and reggae, with Stonebwoy deftly switching between singing and rapping, "Your Body" will get your body moving.

Rapper Toosii last teased his upcoming eighth mixtape, JADED, with "Suffice," its lead single released back in November. In the interim, he's been "locked in perfecting a new look a new sound new everything!" as he shared in an Instagram reel. "I just hope you're ready," he added with star and smile emojis.

Said teaser pointed toward a melancholic, weighty ballad, which ended up being the next release from JADED, "Where You Been." Riding a multidimensional, brain-flipping beat, the song is an immersive, thoughtful banger not to be missed.

The latest Star Wars show on Disney+, "The Acolyte," is getting rave reviews — and three-time GRAMMY winner Victoria Monét is now part of its musical universe. She's contributed an original song, "Power of Two," to the end credits of the Lucasfilm series.

Over an ethereal, melancholic beat, the lyrics detail emotions ripe for either terra firma or a galaxy far, far away: "You thought your soul was a necklace/ That you could wear and take off/ That you could rip and break off/ That you could trade in the dark/ But you're mine."

Bring these killer tunes straight into your weekend — and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more brand-new New Music Friday lists!

Victoria Monét's Evolution: How The "On My Mama" Singer Transitioned From Hit Songwriter To Best New Artist Nominee

American musician Pierce Freelon first attended the GRAMMY Awards in the '90s when his mother, jazz artist Nnenna Freelon, received her first nominations. More than two decades later, Pierce and Nnenna shared a full-circle moment at the 2024 GRAMMYs award ceremony when they received a joint nod for their children's album, AnceStars.

"It's not something you can make happen. It's not something you can make up," Nnenna said in an interview for the newest episode of Family Matters.

They spurred the idea for AnceStars after they presented at the 2022 GRAMMY Awards: "It was such an awesome experience, we said, 'You know what? We need to do a record together." When they heard they received a nomination for their project, there were "tears of joy."

"I'm bursting with pride," Nnenna declares. "This is a moment." His mother shared the sentiment adding, "I'm proud of Mom. It's cool to be in a career that is purpose-aligned."

Nnenna and Pierce also introduced their next generation to the beauty of collaboration. Pierce's daughter, Stella, appeared on AnceStars and had the opportunity to attend the ceremony with her father and grandmother, as Pierce did in the '90s.

Press play on the video above to learn more about Nnenna and Pierce Freelon's nomination for Best Children's Album at this year's GRAMMY ceremony, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Family Matters.

2024 GRAMMYs Nominees Who've Stepped Up As Advocates: Nnenna And Pierce Freelon, Tank Ball, Juan Winans & More

The Recording Academy has partnered with leading online learning platform Coursera on GRAMMY GO, a new online initiative to offer classes tailored for music creators and industry professionals.

This partnership empowers the next generation of the music community with practical, up-to-the moment digital content that provides wisdom for both emerging and established members of the industry. Continuing the Academy’s ongoing mission to serve all music people, courses cover a variety of specializations tailored to creative and professional growth. 

GRAMMY GO on Coursera includes courses taught by Recording Academy members, featuring GRAMMY winners and nominees and offers real-life lessons learners can put to work right away.

Starting today, enrollment is open for GRAMMY GO’s first Coursera specialization, "Building Your Audience for Music Professionals," taught by Joey Harris, international music/marketing executive and CEO of Joey Harris Inc. The course features Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and five-time GRAMMY winner Jimmy Jam, 10-time GRAMMY nominee Janelle Monáe and three-time GRAMMY winner and the 2024 GRAMMYs Best New Artist Victoria Monét. This foundational specialization will help participants gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to build a strong brand presence and cultivate a devoted audience within the ever-changing music industry. 

The partnership’s second course, launching later this summer, aims to strengthen the technological and audio skills of a music producer. "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song" will be taught by Carolyn Malachi, Howard University professor and GRAMMY nominee, and will include appearances by GRAMMY winner CIRKUT, three-time GRAMMY winner Hit-Boy, artist and celebrity vocal coach Stevie Mackey, five-time GRAMMY nominee and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., and 15-time GRAMMY winner Judith Sherman. Pre-enrollment for "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song" opens today.

"Whether it be through a GRAMMY Museum program, GRAMMY Camp or GRAMMY U, the GRAMMY organization is committed to helping music creators flourish, and the Recording Academy is proud to introduce our newest learning platform, GRAMMY GO, in partnership with Coursera," said Panos A. Panay, President of the Recording Academy. "A creator’s growth path is ongoing and these courses have been crafted to provide learners with the essential tools to grow in their professional and creative journeys."

"We are honored to welcome GRAMMY GO, our first entertainment partner, to the Coursera community," said Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer at Coursera. "With these self-paced online specializations, aspiring music professionals all over the world have an incredible opportunity to learn directly from iconic artists and industry experts. Together with GRAMMY GO, we can empower tomorrow's pioneers of the music industry to explore their passion today."

GRAMMY GO also serves as the music community’s newest digital hub for career pathways and editorial content that provides industry insights for members of the industry; visit go.grammy.com for more. For information and enrollment, please visit the landing pages for "Building Your Audience for Music Professionals" and "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song."

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