Out With the New, in With the Old?: How the Grammys Should Recognize Revived Hits

Earlier this year, Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” had another sudden resurgence — one of many since its release in 1998 — after social media users and celebrities spanning Drew Barrymore to Kevin Bacon used the song to showcase photos of what they looked like in the 1990s. By late September, the melancholy ballad had become a staple in the top 10 of the Spotify Global 50 chart, ranking ahead of freshly released singles
from Ariana Grande and BTS.

“Iris” is one of several songs that have had second (or third, or fourth) lives decades after their original release, joining tracks like Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” and the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” in a new school of hits from older eras. But as catalog tunes have become commonplace in contemporary culture (nearly half the songs on Global 50 were released before 2025), the question of what the Recording Academy
could — or should? — do to honor popular songs outside of the eligibility cycle has become a sticking point for artists with this type of renewed success.

The Grammys have long honored achievements in audio restoration with the best historical album award, while the Academy has celebrated classics and artists through the Grammy Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Award. But as TikTok has democratized music consumption and listeners care less about how old a song might be, some think that the Grammys could reconsider its eligibility rules for older songs, or perhaps offer a new category that reflects the shift in modern music.

“I think it’d be an amazing idea, especially if something is culturally happening now. Why not?” says Pat Magnarella, who has managed Goo Goo Dolls for the past 36 years. “Iris” was initially nominated for
record of the year and pop performance by a duo or group in 1999, but its resurgence cannot currently be acknowledged by the Grammys unless it’s submitted through a loophole, like with a cover, a live recording or new remix. “There’s this whole new generation that’s discovering ‘Iris,’ and the great thing now is with new music, there’s no more genre. So as a 14-year-old kid hears ‘Iris,’ it’s not like, ‘Oh, that’s an old song’ — it’s a new song to them.”

“There’s got to be some kind of recognition for that kind of thing,” adds Robert Reynolds, who has managed the Killers since the start of their recording career. “Mr. Brightside,” which was first released in 2003, had a surge similar to “Iris” over the past year, hitting No. 1 on Billboard’s Rock Streaming Songs chart in early August. “It feels like it is in the ballpark of the Academy. They already accept that the recording’s life extends beyond the release year [with] the Hall of Fame, historical categories. I think this just applies the same logic to the living streaming culture.” (A representative for the Recording Academy declined to comment on the issue.)

Across the industry, music-listening habits have gradually shifted in favor of older music over the past few years, particularly because of the nostalgia surrounding it. According to Luminate’s 2026 midyear report, 60% of Gen Z consumers favor music from the 1990s or earlier, a whopping escalation from 18% in 2021. The report credits nostalgia as a significant contributing factor, as 54% of Gen X and 49% of Gen Z cite it as a motivating factor when buying vinyl.

Adapting to the times, says Reynolds, is crucial for an institution like the Grammys to reflect the shifting tastes of consumers. “You have to stay relevant to the younger generations — they need to recognize this,” he adds. “It’s definitely time for them to look at this gap between what they’re rewarding and what’s actually happening. Focusing only on what’s come out within the last 12 months doesn’t jibe with how music is being consumed anymore.”