The Recording Academy has made several changes and amendments to its awards process, including an increase in the number of nominees in the "Big Four" General Field categories: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist, increasing from five to eight.
According to the official memo, "This change will better reflect the large number of entries in these categories and allow voters greater flexibility when selecting this year's best recordings."
Additionally, the The Recording Academy's memo also (attempted) to clarify some of the category definitions and guidelines, including the always nebulous definition of "Best Alternative Music Album," which reads:
"To address confusion surrounding this category, the criteria and definition have been broadened and updated as follows: Alternative is defined as a genre of music that embraces attributes of progression and innovation in both the rock or a more intense version of pop and is typically regarded as more original, eclectic, or musically challenging. It may embrace a variety of sub-genres or any hybrids thereof and may include recordings that don't fit into other genre categories."
The term 'Alternative' seems to mean something a little different to anyone you ask, though we (most of us) know it when we hear it. What do you think of the Recording Academy's definition?