Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox award

The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards,<ref name=Grammy>Template:Cite news</ref> to recording artists for quality albums in the country music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".<ref name=Overview>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The award was first presented under the name of Best Country & Western Album in 1966 to Roger Miller for Dang Me/Chug-A-Lug and was discontinued the following year. In 1995 the category was revived and was presented as Best Country Album until 2025 before receiving its current denomination at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026 alongside the debut of a sister category Best Traditional Country Album.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

According to the category description guide for the 68th Grammy Awards (2026), the award "recognizes contemporary country music recordings, both vocal and instrumental, which utilize a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content, and/or musical presentation to create a sensibility that reflects the broad spectrum of contemporary country style and culture. The intent is to recognize country music that remains reminiscent and relevant to the legacy of country music’s culture, while also engaging in more contemporary music forms."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Chicks are the most awarded performers in this category with four wins, followed by Chris Stapleton who has three wins. Two-time award winners include Roger Miller, Lady A, Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert. Canadian singer Shania Twain is the only non-American winner in this category, to date. Trisha Yearwood holds the record for most nominations, with eight. Yearwood also holds the record for most nominations without a win. The current holder of the award is Beyonce, the first black artist, who won at the 67th Grammy Awards with her eighth studio album Cowboy Carter.

Recipients

File:ShaniaTwain3.jpg

1996 winner and three-time nominee Shania Twain is the first and so far only non-American winner.

File:DixieChicksMSG062003.jpg

Dixie Chicks the most awarded performers with four wins.

File:Vince Gill.png

Vince Gill received the award in 2008 as has eight additional nominations in this category. He is, to date, the most awarded male country artist at the Grammys.

File:George Strait on stage.jpg

2009 winner George Strait

File:Taylor Swift Sydney.jpg

Taylor Swift received three nominations in this category. Her album, Fearless won, including Album of the Year in 2010.

File:Lady A - Charlotte 12-27-12-39.jpg

Lady Antebellum, three-time nominees and 2011 and 2012 winners

File:Kacey Musgraves - Palace Theatre St. Paul (46248441824) (cropped).jpg

Two-time winner Kacey Musgraves. Her album Golden Hour has also won Album of the Year in 2019.

File:Miranda Lambert.jpg

Two-time recipient Miranda Lambert

File:Stapleton ACL 20161002005.jpg

Three-time winner Chris Stapleton

File:Beyoncé - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - 1st June 2023 (10 of 118) (52946364598) (best crop).jpg

Beyoncé is the first black artist to win the award. Her album, Cowboy Carter also won Album of the Year in 2025.

Year^{{{#if:[I]\|[I]\|[1]}}}	Recipient(s)	Work	Nominees	Ref.
1965	Roger Miller	Dang Me/Chug-a-Lug	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy1965>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1966	Roger Miller	The Return of Roger Miller	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy1966>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1995	Mary Chapin Carpenter	Stones in the Road	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy1995>Template:Cite news</ref>
1996	Shania Twain	The Woman in Me	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy1996>Template:Cite news</ref>
1997	Lyle Lovett	The Road to Ensenada	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy1997>Template:Cite news</ref>
1998	Johnny Cash	Unchained	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy1998>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1999	The Chicks	Wide Open Spaces	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy1999>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2000	The Chicks	Fly	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2000>Template:Cite news</ref>
2001	Faith Hill	Breathe	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2001>Template:Cite news</ref>
2002	Various artists Template:Dot Bonnie Garner, Luke Lewis and Mary Martin, producers	Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2002>Template:Cite news</ref>
2003	The Chicks	Home	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2003>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004	Various artists Template:Dot Carl Jackson, producer	Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2004>Template:Cite news</ref>
2005	Loretta Lynn	Van Lear Rose	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2005>Template:Cite news</ref>
2006	Alison Krauss & Union Station	Lonely Runs Both Ways	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2006>Template:Cite news</ref>
2007	The Chicks	Taking the Long Way	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2007>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	Vince Gill	These Days	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2008>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2009	George Strait	Troubadour	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2009>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010	Taylor Swift	Fearless	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2010>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011	Lady Antebellum	Need You Now	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2011>Template:Cite news</ref>
2012	Lady Antebellum	Own the Night	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2012>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2013	Zac Brown Band	Uncaged	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2013>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014	Kacey Musgraves	Same Trailer Different Park	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>2015 Nominees</ref>
2015	Miranda Lambert	Platinum	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2016	Chris Stapleton	Traveller	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2017	Sturgill Simpson	A Sailor's Guide to Earth	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2018	Chris Stapleton	From A Room: Volume 1	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2019	Kacey Musgraves	Golden Hour	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Grammy.com, 7 December 2018</ref>
2020	Tanya Tucker	While I'm Livin'	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2021	Miranda Lambert	Wildcard	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2022	Chris Stapleton	Starting Over	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2023	Willie Nelson	A Beautiful Time	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2024	Lainey Wilson	Bell Bottom Country	Template:Smalldiv	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2025	Beyoncé	Cowboy Carter	Template:Smalldiv	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2026	Template:TBA	Template:TBA	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>