HISTORY OF
THE GRAMMY AWARDS
 
|
Chronological
listings of various Grammy Award
categories.
Click on a category to get started
looking into the history of Grammy Award
winners.
| Album of the
Year |
Awarded since 1959,
this category's winners includes Henry
Mancini, Barbra
Streisand, Frank
Sinatra (3 wins), The Beatles, Stevie
Wonder, Michael
Jackson, U2, Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill, and Outkast. |
| Record of
the Year |
The first
winner in this category was Domenico
Modugno in 1959 followed
by others including Henry
Mancini, Simon
& Garfunkel, Roberta
Flack, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Whitney
Houston, Eric Clapton, U2, and Coldplay. |
| Song of the
Year |
This
category is awarded to the
songwriter and winners have
included John
Lennon, Paul Simon, Marvin
Hamlisch, Stephen
Sondheim, Sting, Lionel
Richie, Bruce
Springsteen, Shawn Colvin, and Alicia
Keys. |
| Best
New Artist |
First
awarded at the second Grammy
Awards, winning this category has
been viewed as a music career
curse - but some winners who
overcame the curse include The Beatles, Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Tracy
Chapman, Mariah Carey, Sheryl Crow, and Christina
Aguilera. |
| Pop |
| Best
Pop Vocal Performance - Female |
Ella
Fitzgerald first won
this category in 1959 (and the
next 2 years) followed by other
winners including Barbra
Streisand (5 wins), Olivia
Newton-John, Dionne
Warwick, Whitney
Houston, Bonnie
Raitt, Annie Lennox, and Sarah
McLachlan. |
| Best Pop
Vocal Performance - Male |
Multiple
winners in this category include
Jack Jones, Frank
Sinatra, Harry
Nilsson, Stevie
Wonder, James
Taylor, Phil
Collins, Michael
Bolton, Sting (4 wins), Eric Clapton, Elton John, and John
Mayer. |
| Best
Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or
Group |
Winners in this
category include Peter,
Paul & Mary, The Beatles, The
5th Dimension, The
Carpenters, The Eagles, Bee
Gees, The
Police, Manhatten
Transfer, R.E.M., Santana, U2, and No Doubt, |
| Best Pop
Vocal Album |
This
category started in 1995 with a
win by Bonnie
Raitt and has
also been won by Celine Dion, Madonna, Steely
Dan, Sade, and Justin
Timberlake. |
| Best Pop
Instrumental Performance |
Since this
category's debut in 1972, winners
have included Quincy
Jones, Marvin
Hamlisch, George
Benson, John
Williams, Herb
Alpert, Larry
Carlton, Neville
Brothers, Bruce
Hornsby, Brandford
Marsalis, Los
Lobos, Santana, Brian
Setzer Orchestra, and George
Harrison |
| Best
Pop Instrumental Album |
This category began
in 2001 - winners have included Joe
Jackson, Larry
Carlton & Steve
Lukather, Norman
Brown, and Ry
Cooder & Manuel
Galban. |
| Best
Pop Collaboration with Vocals |
Since the
creation of this category in
1995, winning collaborations have
included Al
Green & Lyle
Lovett, John
Lee Hooker &
Van
Morrison, Santana &
Rob Thomas, Christina
Aguilera, Lil'
Kim, Mya & Pink, Sting & Mary J.
Blige, and Ray
Charles & Norah
Jones. |
| Best
Traditional Pop Vocal Performance |
This category
finally gave Rod
Stewart his first Grammy
Award in 2005 along with other
winners including Natalie
Cole, Tony
Bennett (8 wins), Frank
Sinatra, Patti
Page, Joni
Mitchell, and Harry
Connick, Jr.. |
| Dance |
| Best Dance
Recording |
In 1980, Gloria
Gaynor won the only
Grammy ever given as Best Disco
Recording and it wasn't until
1998 that the category Best Dance
Recording could be won over the
years by Donna
Summer, Madonna, Cher, Janet
Jackson, Kylie
Minogue, and Britney
Spears. |
| Best
Electronic / Dance Album |
Basement
Jaxx won the first
Grammy Award in this category
started in 2005. Other winners
include Madonna and the Chemical
Brothers. |
| R&B |
| Best
R&B Vocal Performance -
Female |
Aretha
Franklin won the
first Grammy in this category in
1968 and continued to win until
1976, joining other winners
including Natalie
Cole, Donna
Summer, Dionne
Warwick, Chaka Khan, Anita
Baker, Patti
LaBelle, Toni Braxton, and Mary J.
Blige. |
| Best
R&B Vocal Performance - Male |
This
category began in 1968 - winners
have included Otis
Redding, B.B. King, Stevie
Wonder, Michael
Jackson, Marvin
Gaye, Bobby Brown, Luther
Vandross, R. Kelly, Usher, and Prince. |
| Best
R&B Vocal Performance by a
Duo or Group |
Winners in
this category have included Sam
& Dave, Isley
Brothers, The
Temptations, Gladys
Knight & The Pips, Earth,
Wind & Fire, Prince &
The Revolution, Boyz II Men, TLC, and
Destiny's
Child. |
| Best
R&B Recording |
This
category was awarded at the first
9 Grammy ceremonies (with Ray
Charles winning 5
of the years) before being
separated by gender. |
| Best
R&B Song |
Awarded to the
songwriter since 1960, winners
have included Otis
Redding, Stevie
Wonder, Boz
Scaggs, Leo
Sayer, Michael
Jackson, Prince, Anita
Baker, MC
Hammer, Janet
Jackson, Babyface, Luther
Vandross, and Alicia
Keys. |
| Best
Traditional R&B Vocal
Performance |
Winners of
this category, established in
1999, included Patti
LaBelle, Barry
White, The
Temptations, Gladys
Knight, Chaka Khan, Aretha
Franklin, and Prince. |
| Best
R&B Album |
It took
until 1995 before this category
was awarded, and winners have
included Boyz II Men, TLC, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo, Alicia
Keys, India.Arie, and Luther
Vandross. |
| Best
R&B Instrumental Performance |
Winners of this
category, established in 1999,
included The
Temptations, George
Benson, Earth,
Wind & Fire, Marvin
Gaye, Herbie
Hancock, Soul
II Soul, and Miles
Davis. |
| Best
Urban / Alternative Performance |
Started in
2003, winners have included India.Arie, Gnarls
Barkley, Outkast, and Jill
Scott. |
| Best
Contemporary R&B Album |
Also
started in 2003, winners have
included Ashanti, Beyoncé
Knowles, Mariah Carey, and Usher. |
| Country |
| Best
Country Vocal Performance -
Female |
Dottie
West was the first
female to win this award in 1965
- other winners included Tammy
Wynette, Lynn
Anderson, Olivia
Newton-John, Anne
Murray, Linda
Ronstadt, Emmylou
Harris, Dolly
Parton, Rosanne
Cash, Reba
McEntire, k.d. lang, Mary
Chapin Carpenter, LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Faith
Hill, and June
Carter Cash. |
| Best
Country Vocal Performance - Male |
Established in 1965,
winners in this category have
included Roger Miller,
Johnny Cash, Charley
Pride, Kenny
Rogers, Willie
Nelson, Ronnie
Milsap, Randy
Travis, Garth Brooks, Vince
Gill (8 wins), and Tim
McGraw. |
| Best
Country Vocal Performance by a
Duo or Group |
Winners in
this category have included Johnny Cash & June
Carter, Conway
Twitty & Loretta
Lynn, Pointer
Sisters, Waylon
Jennings & Willie
Nelson, Alabama,
The Judds, Brooks
& Dunn, Alison
Krauss & Union Station,
and the Dixie Chicks. |
| Best
Country Song |
Awarded to
the songwriter since 1965,
winners have included Roger
Miller, Kris
Kristofferson, Larry
Gatlin, Willie
Nelson, Dolly
Parton, K.T.
Oslin, Vince
Gill, Lucinda
Williams, Shania Twain, and Alan
Jackson. |
| Best
Country Album |
Established
in 1965 as 'Best Country &
Western Album' for 2 years and
then re-emerging in 1995 as Best
Country Album, winners have
included Roger Miller,
Mary Chapin Carpenter,
Shania Twain, Lyle
Lovett, Johnny Cash, Dixie Chicks, and Loretta Lynn.
|
| Rock &
Alternative |
| Best
Rock Vocal Performance - Female |
This
category was separated by gender
in 1980 (although it was combined
in 1988, 1992, 1994, and 2005),
winners have included Donna
Summer, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner, Bonnie
Raitt, Melissa
Etheridge, Alanis
Morissette, Sheryl Crow, and Pink. |
| Best
Rock Vocal Performance - Male |
This
category was separated by gender
in 1980 (although it was combined
in 1988, 1992, 1994, and 2005),
winners have included Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Michael
Jackson, Bruce
Springsteen, Robert
Palmer, Don Henley, Eric Clapton, Lenny
Kravitz, and Dave
Matthews. |
| Best
Rock Vocal Solo Performance |
This
category was awarded when the
rock category wasn't separated by
gender and winners have included Bruce
Springsteen, Bonnie
Raitt, and Meat
Loaf. |
| Best
Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo
or Group |
Since the
category was established in 1980,
winners have included The Eagles, The
Police, Dire Straits, U2, Aerosmith, Blues
Traveler, Dave
Matthews Band, Santana, and Coldplay. |
| Best
Rock Song |
Awarded to
the songwriter since 1992,
winners have included Sting, Eric Clapton, Bruce
Springsteen, Alanis
Morissette, Tracy
Chapman, Red Hot
Chili Peppers, Jack
White, and U2. |
| Best
Rock Album |
Begun in
1995, winners in this category
have included the Rolling
Stones, Alanis
Morissette, Sheryl Crow, John
Fogerty, Santana, Foo
Fighters, U2, Bruce
Springsteen, and Green Day. |
| Best
Hard Rock Performance |
When this
category began in 1989, Jethro
Tull was the
controversial winner - other
winners with less controversy
have included Living
Colour, Van Halen, Red Hot
Chili Peppers, Stone Temple
Pilots, Pearl Jam, Smashing
Pumpkins, Metallica, and Linkin
Park. |
| Best
Rock Instrumental Performance |
Winners in
this category have included The
Police, Sting, Yes, Frank
Zappa, Jeff Beck,
Stevie Ray Vaughan,
and Pink Floyd. |
| Best Metal
Performance |
Started in
1990, winners in this category
have included Metallica, Nine
Inch Nails, Ozzy
Osbourne, Rage
Against The Machine, Black
Sabbath, Korn, and Motorhead. |
| Best
Alternative Music
Performance/Album |
Alternative
artists weren't honored by the
Grammys until 1991, and with only
this lone category which has
included such winners as Sinéad
O'Connor, R.E.M., U2, Green Day, Nirvana, Radiohead, Beck, Coldplay, and The
White Stripes. |
| Rap |
| Best Rap
Solo Performance |
Winners in
this category established in 1991
(separated by gender in 2003 and
2004) have included MC
Hammer, L.L. Cool J, Dr.
Dre, Queen
Latifah, Will Smith, Nelly, Eminem, Missy
Elliott, and Jay-Z. |
| Best
Rap Performance by a Duo or Group |
Winners in
this category started in 1989
included D.J. Jazzy
Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Arrested
Development, Salt-N-Pepa, Bone
Thugs-N-Harmony, the Beastie Boys, Outkast, and Black
Eyed Peas. |
| Best Rap
Album |
Established
in 1996, winners in this category
have included Naughty By
Nature, Fugees, Puff Daddy, Jay-Z, Eminem, Outkast, and Kanye
West. |
| Best
Rap/Sung Collaboration |
Started in 2002,
winners in this category have
included Usher, Beyoncé
Knowles, Jay-Z, Nelly, and Eve. |
| Video |
| Best Music
Video, Short Form and Best Music
Video, Long Form |
This
category has had many names since
videos began to be honored in
1984 with winners including Duran
Duran, Michael
Jackson, David Bowie, Dire Straits, Weird
Al Yankovic, Madonna, Annie Lennox, Peter
Gabriel, Janet
Jackson, Korn, Fatboy
Slim, Alanis
Morissette, and The
Clash. |
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