The Grammy Awards, established in 1959, are the music industry's most prestigious peer-based awards ceremony, presented annually by The Recording Academy. Originally created as the music industry's equivalent to the Oscars, the Grammys began with 28 categories and have expanded to recognize excellence across 94 categories spanning all genres. The ceremony celebrates outstanding achievements in recording arts and sciences, honoring performers, songwriters, producers, and engineers. The iconic gold-plated gramophone statuette has become synonymous with musical excellence and career achievement.