Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album

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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>Template:Cite 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>Template:Cite 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

1996 winner and three-time nominee Shania Twain is the first and so far only non-American winner.
Dixie Chicks the most awarded performers with four wins.
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.
2009 winner George Strait
Taylor Swift received three nominations in this category. Her album, Fearless won, including Album of the Year in 2010.
Lady Antebellum, three-time nominees and 2011 and 2012 winners
Two-time winner Kacey Musgraves. Her album Golden Hour has also won Album of the Year in 2019.
Two-time recipient Miranda Lambert
Three-time winner Chris Stapleton
Beyoncé is the first black artist to win the award. Her album, Cowboy Carter also won Album of the Year in 2025.
YearTemplate:Ref Recipient(s) Work Nominees Ref.
1965 Roger Miller Dang Me/Chug-a-Lug Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy1965>Template:Cite web</ref>
1966 The Return of Roger Miller Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy1966>Template:Cite 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>Template:Cite web</ref>
1999 The Chicks Wide Open Spaces Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy1999>Template:Cite web</ref>
2000 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>Template:Cite 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>Template:Cite web</ref>
2008 Vince Gill These Days Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy2008>Template:Cite web</ref>
2009 George Strait Troubadour Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy2009>Template:Cite web</ref>
2010 Taylor Swift Fearless Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy2010>Template:Cite web</ref>
2011 Lady Antebellum Need You Now Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy2011>Template:Cite news</ref>
2012 Own the Night Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy2012>Template:Cite web</ref>
2013 Zac Brown Band Uncaged Template:Smalldiv <ref name=Grammy2013>Template:Cite web</ref>
2014 Kacey Musgraves Same Trailer Different Park Template:Smalldiv <ref>2015 Nominees</ref>
2015 Miranda Lambert Platinum Template:Smalldiv <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016 Chris Stapleton Traveller Template:Smalldiv <ref>Template:Cite 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>Template:Cite web</ref>
2021 Miranda Lambert Wildcard Template:Smalldiv <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2022 Chris Stapleton Starting Over Template:Smalldiv <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2023 Willie Nelson A Beautiful Time Template:Smalldiv <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024 Lainey Wilson Bell Bottom Country Template:Smalldiv <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2025 Beyoncé Cowboy Carter Template:Smalldiv <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2026 Template:TBA Template:TBA Template:Smalldiv <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Template:Note Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Artists with multiple wins

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4 wins

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3 wins

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2 wins

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Artists with multiple nominations

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8 nominations
6 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations

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3 nominations

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2 nominations

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See also

References

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General
Specific

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