Grammy Award vs Certificate: What's the difference?

Here are the key differences between a Grammy award and a participation certificate.

There has been a misconception where fans often categorised a Grammy participation certificate (certification) as an award win. It is important to note that they both symbolize different things and as such names of artists who have received the participation certificate don't often appear on the award winners page.

The Grammy Awards Plaque

What is a Grammy Award?

The Grammy Award is one of the most prestigious honors in the global music industry. These awards are determined through a voting process conducted by members of the Recording Academy, which includes qualified professionals across various fields of music.

Winners receive a gold-plated Grammy trophy, symbolizing excellence, innovation, and impact in recorded music.

What is a Grammy Participation Certificate (Certification)?

In contrast, a Grammy Participation Certificate is not a competitive award but a formal recognition. It is given to individuals who contributed to a project that was either nominated for or won a Grammy Award.

This includes background vocalists, session musicians, engineers, songwriters, or producers who may not have been listed as primary recipients of the award.

While they do not receive the Grammy trophy, they are awarded an official certificate from the Recording Academy acknowledging their role in a Grammy-recognized work.

What is the difference between a Grammy Award and Participation Certificate?

The key difference lies in the nature of recognition. A Grammy Award signifies a win in a specific category, placing the recipient among the top talents in the industry.

A participation certificate, on the other hand, serves as an acknowledgment of contribution, showing that the individual was part of a Grammy-nominated or Grammy-winning project, even if they didn’t receive the main honor.

Both are commendable achievements, but only the Grammy Award confers the title of "Grammy winner." A Grammy participation certificate is always applied and paid for by the participant of a nominated or award-winning project.

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Tems

Nigerian artists who have won a Grammy award

1. Sade Adu: Best New Artist (1986), Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "No Ordinary Love" (1994), Best Pop Vocal Album for Lovers Rock (2002), Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Soldier of Love" (2011)
2. Seal: Three Grammys in 1996 (Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance) for "Kiss From a Rose" and another in 2011 for "Imagine"
3. Lekan Babalola: Grammy in 2006 for his percussion contributions on Ali Farka Touré's In the Heart of the Moon
4. Chamillionaire: Grammy in 2007 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Ridin’" (with Krayzie Bone)
5. Siriku Adepoju: Two Grammys—1991 for Best Contemporary World Music Album with Planet Drum, and 2009 for Best Contemporary World Music Album with Global Drum Project
6. Kevin Olusola: Three Grammys with Pentatonix—2015 (Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella for "Daft Punk"), 2016 (Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella for "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"), and 2017 (Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Jolene" featuring Dolly Parton)
7. Burna Boy: Grammy in 2021 for Best Global Music Album for Twice As Tall
8. Wizkid: Grammy in 2021 for Best Music Video for his collaboration with Beyoncé on "Brown Skin Girl"
9. Tems: 2023 – Best Melodic Rap Performance for her feature on Future’s track "Wait for U" (feat. Drake); 2025 – Best African Music Performance for "Love Me Jeje"

Nigerian artists who have received Grammy participation certificate

According to the information provided by the contributors themselves, here are the Nigerian artists who have received a Grammy participation certificate:

1. Wizkid
2. Kel P
3. Rexxie

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