It was possible to discover which artists benefited from the expansion because their names were absent from an early version of the “final nominations list” that had been created several days before the announcement and included only eight names in those categories.
The expansion in the top categories comes after the academy has trumpeted a new era of openness and transparency in its awards process.
Mason defended the move to add more nominees as a sign of a newly nimble, responsive Recording Academy, and said that the added names brought new sounds, styles and faces to the top categories.
In the record of the year category, Lil Nas X’s “Montero ” and Abba’s “I Still Have Faith in You” joined tracks by Rodrigo, Bieber, Bennett and Gaga, Batiste, Doja Cat, Eilish, Silk Sonic and Brandi Carlile.
For song of the year, which recognizes songwriters, the change brought in Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More,” which features SZA, and “Right on Time” by Carlile, who was already on the list for another song, “A Beautiful Noise,” with Alicia Keys.
In an interview on Wednesday, Mason said that the expansion had been considered for years, but that this year’s change was inspired by his visit last week to the Latin Grammys, at which as many as 12 artists competed in some top categories.