Grammy Award for Best New Artist
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The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1960 (except in 1967)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "for a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist." Since 2022, the award is presented by the previous year's winner during the televised ceremony.
The Best New Artist award has a reputation for being given to artists whose music industry success ends up being short-lived; it is sometimes asserted, with varying degrees of sincerity, that the award itself brings a curse.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This viewpoint was expressed by Taffy Danoff, a former member of Starland Vocal Band (known for "Afternoon Delight"), in an interview for VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders: "We got two of the five Grammys – one was Best New Artist. So that was basically the kiss of death and I feel sorry for everyone who's gotten it since."<ref>Template:Cite video</ref>
The category is also notable for being the only category to date in which a Grammy Award has been revoked: this occurred in 1990, when Milli Vanilli originally won the award, but band members Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus later admitted that they did not contribute their own vocals on their album Girl You Know It's True.<ref name="Revoked">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The award was subsequently vacated.<ref name="Vacated">Template:Cite news</ref>
Further information
Of the 65 acts who have won the award since its inception, 34 are solo female artists, 19 are duos or groups, and 12 are solo male artists. Of the solo male artists, half were given the award in its first decade; since 1970, only six solo male artists have won the award, the most recent being Chance the Rapper in 2017. From 1997 to 2003, and again from 2018 to 2025, all the winners were solo female artists.
Only five artists have won both Best New Artist and Album of the Year in the same year: Bob Newhart in 1961, Christopher Cross in 1981, Lauryn Hill in 1999, Norah Jones in 2003, and Billie Eilish in 2020. Of these, Cross, Jones, and Eilish had songs winning Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the same year, with Cross as the sole songwriter, Eilish as co-writer, and Jones lacking songwriting credit, which therefore made her miss out on completing the single year big four Grammy achievement, a feat that only Cross and Eilish attained; while Adele was the only artist to win all General field Grammys from separate occasions. Only two artists have lost Best New Artist yet won Album of the Year in the same year: Vaughn Meader in 1963 and Alanis Morissette in 1996.
For the award's first several years of existence, comedians and comic acts were regularly nominated, and one, Bob Newhart, won the award. However, this ended abruptly after 1963, and since then, only one comedian has been nominated for the award: Robin Williams in 1980. (That same year, the semi-comic act The Blues Brothers was also nominated.) Of all the winners, only three have been country artists. In 1997, LeAnn Rimes became the first country artist and (at age 14) the youngest artist to win the award.<ref name="Grein">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Country Grammy moments">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She was followed by Carrie Underwood in 2007<ref name="Country Grammy moments" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Zac Brown Band in 2010.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Additionally, 2017 marked the first time that two country artists were nominated in this category in the same year, in which Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini were both nominated.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1990, Tone Lōc became the first rap artist to be nominated. In 2012, Skrillex became the first electronic-music artist to be nominated.
Eleven female rappers have been nominated for the award; Neneh Cherry, Lauryn Hill, Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, Saweetie, Latto, Ice Spice and Doechii; with 2021 marking the first time that multiple female rappers were nominated in the same year, when Chika, Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion were all nominated. Hill and Megan Thee Stallion are the only winners.
The Judds, The Chicks, Haim, Chloe x Halle and Katseye are the only all-female groups to be nominated for the award.
The Beatles, Tom Jones, Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills & Nash; Culture Club, Sade, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Sam Smith and Dua Lipa are the only British or English winners. Anne Murray, Men Without Hats, Corey Hart, Glass Tiger, Crash Test Dummies, Shania Twain, Alanis Morrisette, Nelly Furtado, Avril Lavigne, Feist, Drake, Justin Bieber, Alessia Cara and Kaytranada are the only Canadian artists to be nominated with Cara winning in 2018, the only woman to win a major category that year. Sheena Easton and Big Country are the only Scottish artists to bo nominated, with Easton winning in 1981. Lana Cantrell, Men at Work, Natalie Imbruglia, Iggy Azalea, Courtney Barnett and The Kid Laroi are the only Australian artists to be nominated, with Men at Work winning in 1983. The Swingle Sisters and Domi Louna from Domi & JD Beck; are the only French artists to be nominated, with the former winning in 1966, also the first foreign act to do so.
Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Eumir Deodato, Morris Albert and Anitta are the only Brazilian artists to be nominated. Neneh Cherry and Ace of Base are the only Swedish artists to be nominated. Andrea Bocelli and Måneskin are the only Italian artists to be nominated.
In 1961, Miriam Makeba became the first South African artist to be nominated. In 1969, José Feliciano became the first Puerto Rican and blind artist to be nominated and win the award. In 1986, A-ha became the first Norwegian artists to be nominated while Sade became the first Nigerian to be nominated and win. In 1993, Jon Secada became the first Cuban to be nominated. In 2004, Sean Paul became the first Jamaican to be nominated. In 2012, Nicki Minaj became the first Trinidadian to be nominated. In 2020, Rosalía became the first Spanish and first all Spanish-language artist to be nominated. In 2021, Kaytranada became the first Haitian to be nominated. In 2022, Arooj Aftab became the first Pakistani artist to be nominated. In 2026, Sophia, Yoonchae and Manon from Katseye, became the first Philippine, South Korean and Swiss artists to be nominated.
1984 marked the first time that all of the nominees were from outside the United States (winner Culture Club, Eurythmics, Musical Youth, and Big Country were from the United Kingdom, and Men Without Hats were from Canada).<ref name="Grammy1984">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>
Natalie Cole, A Taste of Honey, Jody Watley, Tracy Chapman, Mariah Carey, Arrested Development, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Esperanza Spalding, Chance the Rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, Samara Joy and Victoria Monét are the only African Americans to win the award.
Boy George of Culture Club, Tracy Chapman, Sam Smith, Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, Victoria Monét, and Chappell Roan are the only LGBT+ artists to win the award.
David Crosby and Carl Palmer hold the distinction of being the only artists to be nominated twice for this award. Palmer was nominated both times as a member of a supergroup: Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Asia, while Crosby was nominated as a member of The Byrds and won as a member of the supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Eight artists who have been nominated for Best New Artist have later been awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award: The Beatles (1965, 2014), Chicago (1970, 2020), Cream (1969, 2006), Jefferson Airplane (1968, 2016), Antônio Carlos Jobim (1965, 2012), Led Zeppelin, (1970, 2005), Leontyne Price (1961, 1989), and John Prine (1972, 2020).
Process
From 1995 to 2021, members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences nominated their choices for the best new artist. A list of the top twenty artists was given to the Nominations Review Committee, a specially selected group of anonymous members, who initially selected the top five artists to gain a nomination in the category in a special ballot; the number of nominated artists was increased to eight in 2018.<ref>Behind Grammy's Closed Door</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The rest of the members then vote on a winner from the final nominees.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2021, it was announced that the Nomination Review Committees would be disbanded, and the final nominees for best new artist would be decided by votes from members.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Starting in 2022, the number of nominees in the category increased to 10.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, the decision to expand the number of nominees in this category was made 24 hours before the nominees were announced after an early version of the nominations list had already been circulated. This allowed Baby Keem and Arooj Aftab to be nominated as they were the artists who received the most votes besides the other eight nominees.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of the 2024 ceremony, the number of nominees has been reduced to eight.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Rules changes
Over the years, the eligibility rules for this category have changed several times. In 2010, Lady Gaga's exclusion from the Best New Artist category caused the Recording Academy to change eligibility requirements for the next ceremony. She was ineligible for the nomination because her hit "Just Dance" had been nominated in 2008. The new rule stated that an artist may be nominated as long as that artist has not previously released an entire album and has subsequently not won a Grammy.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In June 2016, the Grammy organization amended the Best New Artist rules once again, to remove the album barrier "given current trends in how new music and developing artists are released and promoted".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> To be eligible in the category of Best New Artist, the artist, duo, or group:
- Must have released a minimum of five singles/tracks or one album (until 2020 there was a maximum of 30 singles/tracks or three albums, but this maximum limit was removed for the 2021 awards season)
- May not have entered into this category more than three times, including as a performing member of an established group.
- Must have achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and impacted the musical landscape during the eligibility period.
These new rules were put in effect with the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. The category was then expanded to include eight nominees in 2019.<ref>Recording Academy Announces 61st GRAMMY Awards Update</ref> Starting in 2021, screening committees were charged with determining whether the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence prior to the eligibility year. Such a determination would result in disqualification.<ref>Grammy.com, 10 June 2020</ref>
Recipients
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year.
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1960s
1970s
| YearTemplate:Ref | Performing Artist | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Crosby, Stills & Nash | |
| Chicago | |||
| Led Zeppelin | |||
| Oliver | |||
| The Neon Philharmonic | |||
| 1971 <ref name=Grammy1971>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}Template:Dead link</ref> |
The Carpenters | |
| Elton John | |||
| Melba Moore | |||
| Anne Murray | |||
| The Partridge Family | |||
| 1972 <ref name=Grammy1972>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}Template:Dead link</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Chase | |||
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | |||
| Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds | |||
| Bill Withers | |||
| 1973 <ref name=Grammy1973>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
America | |
| Harry Chapin | |||
| Eagles | |||
| Loggins and Messina | |||
| John Prine | |||
| 1974 <ref name=Grammy1974>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Eumir Deodato | |||
| Maureen McGovern | |||
| Marie Osmond | |||
| Barry White | |||
| 1975 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Bad Company | |||
| Johnny Bristol | |||
| David Essex | |||
| Graham Central Station | |||
| Phoebe Snow | |||
| 1976 <ref name=Grammy1976>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Morris Albert | |||
| Amazing Rhythm Aces | |||
| Brecker Brothers | |||
| KC and the Sunshine Band | |||
| 1977 <ref name=Grammy1977>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}Template:Dead link</ref> |
Starland Vocal Band | |
| Boston | |||
| The Brothers Johnson | |||
| Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band | |||
| Wild Cherry | |||
| 1978 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Stephen Bishop | |||
| Shaun Cassidy | |||
| Foreigner | |||
| Andy Gibb | |||
| 1979 <ref name=Grammy1979>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
A Taste of Honey | |
| The Cars | |||
| Elvis Costello | |||
| Chris Rea | |||
| Toto | |||
1980s
| YearTemplate:Ref | Performing Artist | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 <ref name=Grammy1980>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| The Blues Brothers | |||
| Dire Straits | |||
| The Knack | |||
| Robin Williams | |||
| 1981 <ref name=Grammy1981>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Irene Cara | |||
| Robbie Dupree | |||
| Amy Holland | |||
| The Pretenders | |||
| 1982 <ref name=Grammy1982>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Adam and the Ants | |||
| The Go-Go's | |||
| James Ingram | |||
| Luther Vandross | |||
| 1983 <ref name=Grammy1983>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Men at Work | |
| Asia | |||
| Jennifer Holliday | |||
| The Human League | |||
| Stray Cats | |||
| 1984 <ref name=Grammy1984/> |
Culture Club | ||
| Big Country | |||
| Eurythmics | |||
| Men Without Hats | |||
| Musical Youth | |||
| 1985 <ref name=Grammy1985>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Sheila E. | |||
| Frankie Goes to Hollywood | |||
| Corey Hart | |||
| The Judds | |||
| 1986 <ref name=Grammy1986>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Sade | |
| A-ha | |||
| Freddie Jackson | |||
| Katrina and the Waves | |||
| Julian Lennon | |||
| 1987 <ref name=Grammy1987>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname & The Range | |
| Glass Tiger | |||
| Nu Shooz | |||
| Simply Red | |||
| Timbuk3 | |||
| 1988 <ref name=Grammy1988>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Breakfast Club | |||
| Cutting Crew | |||
| Terence Trent D'Arby | |||
| Swing Out Sister | |||
| 1989 <ref name=Grammy1989>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Template:Sortname | |
| Rick Astley | |||
| Toni Childs | |||
| Take 6 | |||
| Vanessa L. Williams | |||
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Notes
<templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^[I]{{#if:| }} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
<templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^[II]{{#if:| }} The Grammy Award for Best New Artist was not presented during the 9th Grammy Awards.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web
}}</ref>
<templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^[III]{{#if:| }} Milli Vanilli were originally presented with the award on February 21, 1990, but the award was revoked on November 19, 1990, following an admission by band members Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus that they were not the actual singers on the album.<ref name="Revoked" /> The category was declared vacant for 1990.
See also
References
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External links
Template:Grammy Award for Best New Artist Template:Grammy Award years Template:Grammy Award categories