The Recording Academy has unveiled its 2025 Special Merit Awards recipients, recognizing influential figures who have shaped the music industry across multiple genres and decades.
Soul legend Frankie Beverly, punk pioneers The Clash, gospel icon Dr. Bobby Jones, blues master Taj Mahal, the late musical innovator Prince, hip-hop trailblazer Roxanne Shante, and pop sensation Frankie Valli will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
Award winners represent diversity
The honorees represent a diverse cross-section of musical excellence. Beverly, who passed away in September as founder of the R&B group Maze, brought soul music to new heights with hits like “Before I Let Go.” The Clash revolutionized punk rock with their politically charged anthems and genre-bending experiments. Jones transformed gospel music television with “Bobby Jones Gospel,” while Taj Mahal’s innovative approach helped preserve and modernize traditional blues.
Prince, who passed away in 2016, left an indelible mark on popular music through his masterful fusion of funk, rock, R&B, and pop. Roxanne Shante broke barriers as one of hip-hop’s first female MCs, while Frankie Valli’s distinctive falsetto with The Four Seasons created a sound that defined an era.
The Trustees Awards, recognizing significant contributions to music beyond performance, will honor the late jazz pianist Erroll Garner, legendary record producer and engineer Glyn Johns, and contemporary classical composer Tania León.
Dr. Leo Beranek, a pioneering acoustician who revolutionized concert hall design and audio technology, will be awarded the Technical GRAMMY Award posthumously.
The Special Merit Awards ceremony will be held during GRAMMY Week, leading up to the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Feb. 2, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The main ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
The Recording Academy established the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1962 to honor performers who have made outstanding contributions to the recording field. Previous recipients include The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, and Miles Davis.
