John Mellencamp Takes Aim at the Grammys With Brutal Remark

Winning a Grammy Award is the milestone most singers dream of. For some, they work their entire careers to land on the Grammy stage only to fall short. But for John Mellencamp, he seemed to care little about the Grammy Awards. And when asked about thoughts on the coveted prize, he admitted that “it means less than nothing.” 

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Thanks to hits like “Hurts So Good” and “Cherry Bomb”, Mellencamp produced a career in the music industry that continues today. He released his last album, Orpheus Descending, in 2023. Recording over two dozen albums in the career, the singer landed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018. 

Appearing on the Club Random podcast with Bill Maher, Mellencamp didn’t hold back when it came to the Grammy Awards. Often labeled one of music’s biggest nights, the singer insisted, “I have never been to the Grammys in my life.” 

Although some might believe he is missing out, Mellencamp saw the awards as meaningless. Even when Maher noted how he went to the Golden Globes, the hitmaker insisted, “Do you know what a Golden Globe is or a Grammy? It’s f***ing nothing. It means nothing… It means less than nothing.”

[RELATED: Watch Pete Townshend, John Mellencamp & Other Stars Perform Classic Songs at a Recent Pre-Grammy Awards Party]

How Many Grammy Awards Does John Mellencamp Have?

Mellencamp criticized the Grammy Awards, but he remains a strong supporter of the Grammy Museum. With locations in Nashville, Cleveland, Mississippi, and Los Angeles, the singer has consistently encouraged the preservation of music. 

For those wondering, Mellencamp received more than a few Grammy nominations in his career. Nominated a total of 14 times, the singer won his first and only Grammy for the 1983 classic “Hurts So Good.” Bringing home the award for Best Male Rock Performer, fans are left wondering what happened to the award and if Mellencamp displayed it in his home. 

But no matter what Mellencamp thought of the Grammys, fans believed the criticism added to his persona. “John is what u call a human being set in his ways.”

Decades into a Hall of Fame career, the rock icon clearly cares more about the music than the trophies that come with it. And judging by his blunt take, Mellencamp seems perfectly fine letting the Grammys have their moment while he keeps doing things his way.

(Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)