Steve Jobs Wins Special Grammy

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs will be awarded a special Grammy in 2012, as the man behind iTunes and the iPod is honored by an industry once skeptical of his intentions.

The Recording Academy will announce the awards for Jobs at the Special Merit Awards the night before the television ceremony next February. The former CEO of Apple will be awarded the Trustee Award, an honor given to non-performing contributors in the music industry.

"He took technology and turned it into art, becoming a key player and leader in the entertainment world, particularly music, and changing the way we all use the Internet and consume music, TV, movies, books, graphics, and more," the Recording Academy said.

The Academy also called the late Jobs a visionary, pioneer and a genius, all high praise, considering he was once vilified by the same industry giving him this award.

Several artists and record labels once frowned upon Jobs' implementation of iTunes in the music world, as many believed it opened the door to further piracy. However, the Recording Industry Association of America came around once iTunes began to show big revenues and profits for the industry, slowly realizing Jobs was an ally and an asset to the business.

Some artists and labels still discredit Jobs' contributions to the music industry, refusing to allow their music on iTunes because they feel something is lost in the transition to digital downloads. However, the decision to award Jobs with a Grammy is proof that a majority of people in the music business believe he played a positive role in the industry's darkest hour.

Jobs introduced iTunes at a time when many users were downloading music illegally through programs like the first iteration of Napster. He believed people would purchase music digitally if it were set up in the proper medium and made easy, and his conviction paid off for Apple and the record business.

Music and CD sales may never again reach their heyday, but considering the position the industry would be in if Jobs never made iTunes a reality, his Grammy is well-deserved.

Steve Jobs Wins Special Grammy originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:37 pm.

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