I think Harry’s situation might be a little bit different. He’s in a unique situation — he’s not new because he’s had prominence as a member of an incredibly successful worldwide phenomenon, One Direction, with a huge fan base. Now he’s stepped out of that world and is creating his own personal vision, and musically it’s quite different, even in terms of image and the audience. So one could maybe say it’s a transitional period, and for our voters the question is, has he reached the level of excellence that at this point would merit a nomination? It didn’t happen this year — but [he could have lost out] by just one vote. It’s a democratic situation, and I can’t tell you there wasn’t support within the membership for the work that he’s doing, and that’s just where things stand this year — he seems to be the kind of artist who will have a long career.
Neil Portnow, CEO of the Recording Academy, Variety Magazine