He’s Carrying The Flag Into Battle!

Though it’s unfortunate to say, the hard rock and heavy metal community have what you would call a checkered past with the Grammys. For years and years hard rock and heavy metal music seem to have been snubbed more often than not in favor of other genres. Fans and critics have noticed this to be a systemic problem with the Grammys, and while it’s up for debate, many could argue that hard rock and heavy metal simply have no place at the Grammys.

In fact many rock and metal bands who are nominated for a Grammy choose not to attend simply out of protest for the seemed lack of care for the genre(s).

TOPSHOT – Taylor Swift poses in the press room at the The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. AFP PHOTO/MARK RALSTON / AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

With all of that said, there are many rock and metal legends who are willing to take the fight to Grammys. One such iconic musician is Dave Mustaine of Megadeth who recently just joined a Grammy chapter in Nashville to help influence a growth in the appreciation for all things hard rock and heavy metal music in the Recording Academy.

In fact, during a recent interview with 107.7 The Bone Radio, Dave spoke openly about joining the chapter and what he expects from the Grammys, particularly in 2020. Here is what he had to say…

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 12: Musician Dave Mustaine (L) and David Ellefson of Megadeth accepts the Best Metal Performance award for ‘Dystopia’ onstage at the Premiere Ceremony during the 59th GRAMMY Awards at Microsoft Theater on February 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/WireImage)

“I joined the Grammy chapter out in Nashville to address that exact thing. I joined the Grammy chapter because we have one metal category and I think they’ve got a dozen polka categories.”

“I stopped going to the Grammys because you’d have to sit through, like, 30 Latin jazz records, and then you’d have to sit through another 30 jazz Latin records. And it’s, like, ‘What?’ So a couple of years ago, the guy that produced our record ‘Th1rt3en’, Johnny K, and a couple of other guys at the Grammys tried to get another [heavy metal] category, and they were so close, but it failed.”

“And I called them up and I said, ‘We’re doing this.’ So 2020, we’re fighting — we’re getting all of the metal labels that we know, we’re trying to get them all together to petition the Grammys to give us another metal category.”

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 12: Dave Mustaine of Megadeth poses in the press room at the 59th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

What do you folks think, are you with Dave here? Do you think that he’s going about the right steps to try and make the Grammys more inclusive to hard rock and heavy metal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!