Like Taylor Swift, the Grammys have a pretty specific wish list.

The annual award show has a long index of rules that nominees must meet when submitting their music into categories for consideration. As the ceremony approaches at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 1, it’s the perfect time to review the most surprising qualifications the Recording Academy has adopted over the years.

One rule that is guaranteed to raise some eyebrows? In order for an album to be nominated in a genre category, that album must feature more than 50 percent playing time of that type of music.

“However,” the Recording Academy’s official rule book continues, “an album may be in one genre field while one or more tracks from the album may be in a different genre field.”

That’s why Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter, for example, took home Best Country Album at the 2025 show, while her track “Bodyguard” from the record was simultaneously nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance.