Lady Gaga Prompts Grammy Change

Lady Gaga's ineligibility for the 2009 Best New Artist Grammy has prompted a change in the rules going forward.

This rule came under scrutiny last year, when Lady Gaga – without doubt, 2009's biggest breakout act – proved ineligible for the Grammy that celebrates such success. Because Gaga's first single, Just Dance, was nominated for best dance recording in 2008, she no longer qualified as a new artist. Instead, the Zac Brown Band took home the big prize. It was "extremely challenging to change the rules", an academy spokesperson said. Under the revised rules, artists will now be eligible for the award unless they have previously released an album or already won a Grammy. Although it's too late for Lady Gaga, this is great news for Atlanta's Janelle Monáe, whose Many Moons single was nominated for (and lost) a 2009 Grammy. Her debut LP, The ArchAndroid, was released this year.

There was a time when winning Best New Artist was considered the kiss of death: Debby Boone, A Taste of Honey, Starland Vocal Band, Rickie Lee Jones, Christopher Cross....all essentially gone from the charts once they won.