The Recording Academy has announced its 2025 Special Merit Awards recipients, with music legends Prince and The Clash among those selected for prestigious Lifetime Achievement Grammy Awards.
The awards ceremony will take place on February 1, 2025, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, recognizing outstanding contributions to the recording industry.
Along with Prince and The Clash, this year's Lifetime Achievement honorees include Frankie Valli, Frankie Beverly, Dr. Bobby Jones, Taj Mahal, and Roxanne Shante. Several awards will be presented posthumously, including those to Prince, who died in 2016, and The Clash's Joe Strummer, who passed away in 2002.
Both Prince and The Clash have previously received major industry recognition. Prince was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and received a BET Awards lifetime achievement honor in 2010. The Clash entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
The ceremony will also celebrate Trustees Award recipients Erroll Garner, Glyn Johns, and Tania León, while Dr. Leo Beranek will receive the Technical Grammy Award.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. praised the diverse group of honorees, noting their lasting impact on music history. "Each recipient has left an indelible mark on music, from paving the way for others to innovation that forever has changed the trajectory of the musical landscape," he said.
The Special Merit Awards ceremony marks a highlight of Grammy Week 2025, celebrating pioneers and innovators across multiple genres and aspects of the recording industry.
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