John Mellencamp made it plain and simple: the Grammys don’t mean a thing to him. In a recent appearance on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, the veteran rocker didn’t hold back, dismissing music’s most-publicized awards show with a bluntness few artists of his stature would ever openly express.
“I have never been to the Grammys in my life,” Mellencamp said, setting the tone for his critique. When host Bill Maher noted his own attendance at other award shows, Mellencamp didn’t waver. “Do you know what a Golden Globe is or a Grammy? It’s f—ing nothing,” he declared. “It means nothing… It means less than nothing.” His words were unmistakable: for him, the ceremony and its accolades carry no real weight.
Mellencamp isn’t speaking from ignorance. Over a decades-long career, he’s been recognized by the Recording Academy with numerous nominations — fourteen in total — and even won once back in 1983 when “Hurts So Good” took home the award for Best Male Rock Performance. Yet despite that history, he’s never stepped foot on the Grammy stage as a nominee or performer. His relationship with the awards has essentially been one of indifference.
While he expressed appreciation for aspects of Grammy-associated institutions — specifically the Grammy Museum, with locations in Los Angeles, Nashville and Cleveland — that does little to soften his opinion about the awards themselves. He made it clear that visiting the museum doesn’t change how he feels about the televised ceremony or what it represents.
Mellencamp’s comments land in the middle of a wider ongoing conversation about how artists view industry awards. In recent years, other musicians have voiced similar frustrations, saying that such shows reward politics, marketing budgets or industry clout more than actual artistry. And Mellencamp’s voice carries context: he’s one of rock’s enduring figures — a storyteller whose songs have become part of the American musical fabric, yet someone who refuses to view the Grammys as a key measure of success.
Looking ahead, Mellencamp is preparing for an extensive U.S. tour, promising to revisit many of his biggest hits live, including some songs he hasn’t played in years. In other words, while the Grammys may not register on his radar, his connection with audiences certainly does — and it’s that connection, forged on stages and in shared moments, that matters most to him.
