It is fun sometimes to look in the archive – and when it comes to new age music, the golden 1980s have a lot to offer. New Age Music became a Grammy category in 1986.

The paper Ottawa Citizen had in December 1986 and article about this, starting with:

Yuppies, rejoice! Some of your favorite music has been given its own Grammy Awards category. Though there still are about as many definitions of New Age Music as there are artists performing it, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences board of trustees has voted to include New Age in the 29th annual Grammy Awards.

And more:

Generally considered the person most responsible for getting New Age accepted is Fred Catero, a San Francisco record company owner who spent three years trying to convince the academy to add the category.

“ I love the music,” said Catero, whose company primarily produces jazz, but also has some New Age product. “I think it’s a viable form of music – an extension of jazz and classical. I also think it’s a very creative form, especially now that it’s gotten out of its wind chimes and tinkling bells and whale sounds phase.”

I am not sure IF the genre has come out of this phase – but do read the whole article here (to the left). And be sure to check out the ads too, since you might get to buy a VHS player for only 999 dollars. 1986 dollars mind you.

But who won the first Grammy for New Age Music? Our friend Andreas Vollenweider with the excellent album Down to the Moon.