What: 48th Annual Grammy Awards

When: Feb. 8, 2006

Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles

Broadcast: CBS, 8 p.m. EST/PST

Who decides? The Grammys are voted on annually by credited music industry professionals who belong to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (aka the Recording Academy).

What's the procedure? Members and record companies submit entries for consideration; academy member committees place qualifying entries in appropriate categories and genres. Academy members vote to determine nominees, then vote again to determine winners in more than 100 categories. Although record companies may make nominations, they are not permitted to vote.

Backstory: The Recording Academy was founded in 1957 as an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural conditions for music and its makers. The Grammys pride themselves on being the only peer-presented award that honors artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position. Originally known as the Gramophone Awards, the title was later shortened to Grammys.

The hardware: A golden gramophone.


Eligibility deadline: Albums released before Sept. 30, 2005, are eligible for nomination
Nominations announced: Dec. 8, 2005, 8 a.m. EST, New York City

Official site

Contact info
The Recording Academy
3402 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: 310-392-3777
Fax: 310-399-3090