The Weeknd slams the Grammys again

[TMC]

...-- he was reportedly set to perform at this year's ceremony and the Super Bowl a week later

https://variety.com/2020/music/news/...wl-1234840223/

“Collaboratively planning a performance for weeks to not being invited? In my opinion zero nominations = you’re not invited!” The Weeknd wrote on Instagram today, one day after calling the Recording Academy "corrupt" for his zero nominations. Here's why The Weeknd is upset, according to Variety's Jem Aswad: "Along with most of the rest of the world, The Weeknd’s team and Grammy organizers assumed that he would be one of the year’s biggest nominees and were in advanced discussions about his performance on the show. However, the negotiations became fraught when he was also offered the Super Bowl halftime spot, which takes place a week after the Grammys. Sources say the discussion became contentious and prolonged, but eventually it was agreed that he could perform on both shows — only to find out on Tuesday morning, along with the rest of the world, that he’d received no nominations at all. Not surprisingly, after weeks of laborious and doubtless expensive (considering that attorneys were probably involved) negotiations, the team’s reaction was said to be an exceedingly angry 'Are you kidding me?,' and suspected that the move was some form of revenge. However, that theory is complicated by the fact that sources say the two sides had come to an agreement and The Weeknd would be sure to draw many viewers to the show, so apart from pure spite, the Recording Academy would have no real motive to do such a thing."

Grammy chief responds to The Weeknd accusing the Recording Academy of "corruption"

“We understand that The Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated,” Harvey Mason Jr. wrote in a statement. “I was surprised and can empathize with what he’s feeling. His music this year was excellent, and his contributions to the music community and broader world are worthy of everyone’s admiration. We were thrilled when we found out he would be performing at the upcoming Super Bowl and we would have loved to have him also perform on the Grammy stage the weekend before. Unfortunately, every year, there are fewer nominations than the number of deserving artists. But as the only peer-voted music award, we will continue to recognize and celebrate excellence in music while shining a light on the many amazing artists that make up our global community. To be clear, voting in all categories ended well before The Weeknd’s performance at the Super Bowl was announced, so in no way could it have affected the nomination process."

ALSO:

• The Grammys is "on the fence" on whether they'll have an audience: "It really depends on what the medical professionals tell us we can do, and what the leaders of the city of L.A. and California allow us to do," says Recording Academy head Harvey Mason Jr. "We definitely have a location in Downtown L.A., we have live performances, live awards, great hosts. It’s gonna be a show that’s different from the other awards shows that have happened at this point, we’re going to determine as we get a little bit closer what we’re going to do with our audience, but we have some really cool and special things that are coming together for our show."
• The Killers respond to Grammys snub, Trump-style