Updated on Thursday, July 14: The air date for the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, has been announced. The 2023 GRAMMYs will air live Sunday, Feb. 5, from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Nominations for the 2023 GRAMMYs will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Big news for fans of deep songwriting, meditative sounds, video game soundtracks, spoken word poetry, socially conscious songs, classical & opera, and everything in between: The 2023 GRAMMYs have your back.

On June 9, the Recording Academy announced some exciting, new changes going into effect at the 2023 GRAMMYs, including the introduction of five new GRAMMY Awards categories: Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical; Best Alternative Music Performance; Best Americana Performance; Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media; and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.

As we head into the 2023 GRAMMYs season, learn more about these significant changes.

In the meantime, GRAMMY.com is breaking down six key takeaways from these newly announced categories and changes you'll see unfold at the 2023 GRAMMYs.

The 2023 GRAMMY nominations are officially here. See the complete list of nominees across all 91 GRAMMY categories.

Songwriters & The Art Of Songwriting Are Being Elevated — Deservedly

It's time for songwriters to get more shine! While the Recording Academy has honored producers and artists with GRAMMYs for decades, songwriters are getting a much-deserved standalone category next year: Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical.

In effect, the Songwriter Of The Year category serves to further highlight the arts in "National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences," celebrating professional songwriters behind the curtain of the songs that have changed our lives.

"We want people to understand that there are people behind these songs, who create a piece of art from nothing," Susan Stewart, Managing Director of the Recording Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing, told GRAMMY.com. "We want to make sure they're recognized. It's an amazing profession."

Read More: Why The New Songwriter Of The Year GRAMMY Category Matters For The Music Industry And Creator Community

Alternative & Americana Music Are Getting More Room For Celebration

By the looks of the 2022 GRAMMYs winners and nominees — Brandi Carlile, Glass Animals, Japanese Breakfast, St. Vincent, Yola, et al — we're in a boom period for Americana and alternative music.

The Recording Academy reflected this by expanding both fields, introducing the categories of Best Alternative Music Performance and Best Americana Performance.

Gaming Is Massive, And The Academy Is Taking Notice

Video games have generated massive revenue since their invention, but the market is particularly exploding today — partly due to the pandemic. According to Bloomberg, global games market revenue is forecast to reach $219 billion by 2024.

The world is coming around to the depth of artistry in video game music, too, as reflected at the 2021 GRAMMYs when the 8-Bit Big Band's Charlie Rosen and Jake Silverman won the GRAMMY for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella for "Meta Knight's Revenge" from "Kirby Superstar."

Ever perceptive of the rise of gaming and gaming-related music, the Recording Academy is introducing a new GRAMMY category for Best Score Soundtrack For Video Games And Other Interactive Media.

Who will take home the GRAMMY in 2023 and beyond? Let the (video) games begin!

Socially Conscious Music Is Getting More Space Than Ever

Socially conscious songs by artists like Childish Gambino ("This Is America") and H.E.R. ("Fight For You") have dotted GRAMMY nominations and winners lists in recent years.

And while those songs wholly deserved their places in categories like Song Of The Year, the current sociopolitical landscape demands that songs with a social-justice tint get their own breathing room to flourish at the GRAMMYs.

For the 2023 GRAMMYs, the Recording Academy is introducing a brand-new Special Merit Award: Best Song For Social Change. Determined by a Blue Ribbon Committee and ratified by the Recording Academy Board of Trustees, this honor celebrates songs that address timely social issues and promote understanding, peace-building and empathy.

Given that the Recording Academy is spearheading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as industry leaders in music, the institution of the Best Song For Social Change category makes total sense. For not only does it reflect the values of the Recording Academy — it reflects the world we live in today.

A Win For Meditative Music Of All Stripes

Does "Best New Age Album" fully encapsulate the spectrum of meditative and atmospheric music? Clearly, a larger blanket was needed — for artists ranging from traditional chant to beguiling ambient soundscapes and everything in between.

Thus, the Academy has renamed and redefined the GRAMMY field and category to celebrate all of the expansive genre: New Age, Ambient Or Chant.

In a world of enhanced awareness of mental health and wellness, immerse yourself in this sphere in all its multitudes — with a little help from the GRAMMYs.

Read More: 15 Songs That Directly Address Mental Health, From The Beatles To Ariana Grande To Encanto

Elevating Classical & Musical Theater Musicians Of All Practices

Notice anything different about the Classical categories in this week's announcement?

To recap: Category definitions in the Classical Field have been updated to award composers and librettists in addition to artists, producers and engineers.

In the Musical Theater Field, the category definitions have been updated to award composers and lyricists of more than 50 percent of the score of a new recording.

(Elsewhere, the Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media category will now recognize principal artists and in-studio producers.)

With all of these combined updates, even more creators of diverse roles and backgrounds will now be represented and celebrated in the GRAMMYs sphere.

But for now, let's dive into the 2023 GRAMMY season with an enhanced view and understanding of music, musicians, and all music people — all of which are represented in the Recording Academy's updated categories and fields.

New Categories For The 2023 GRAMMYs Announced: Songwriter Of The Year, Best Video Game Soundtrack, Best Song For Social Change & More Changes

The 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, returns to Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT.

The eligibility period for the 65th GRAMMY Awards is Friday, Oct. 1, 2021 – Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. All eligible awards entries must be released within this timeframe.

The Recording Academy and GRAMMY.com do not endorse any particular artist, submission or nominee over another. The results of the GRAMMY Awards, including winners and nominees, are solely dependent on the Recording Academy’s Voting Membership.