Grammy Award for Best R&B Album

The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards,^[1] to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by The Recording Academy 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".^[2]

Grammy Award for Best R&B Album
Jaguar II by Victoria Monét is the most recent recipient
Awarded for	Quality R&B music albums
Country	United States
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded	1995
Currently held by	Victoria Monét, Jaguar II (2024)
Website	grammy.com

According to the category description guide for the 54th Grammy Awards, the award is reserved for albums "containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded contemporary R&B vocal tracks" which may also "incorporate production elements found in rap music".^[3]

From 2003 to 2011, a separate category was formed, the Best Contemporary R&B Album, meant for R&B albums that had modern hip-hop stylings to them, while more traditional and less electronic-styled R&B music still fell under the Best R&B Album category. After the 2011 Grammy season, the Best Contemporary R&B Album category was discontinued and recordings that previously fell under this category were shifted back to the Best R&B Album category. This was part of a major overhaul of the Grammy Award categories.^[4] In 2020, a sister category titled Best Progressive R&B Album was debuted.

The award goes to the artist, producer and engineer/mixer, provided they are credited with at least 50% of playing time on the album. A producer or engineer who are responsible for less than 50% of playing time, as well as the mastering engineer, can apply for a Winners Certificate.^[5]

Alicia Keys and John Legend are the biggest recipients in this category with three wins. TLC, D'Angelo and Robert Glasper have won the award twice. Mary J. Blige holds the record for the most nominations, with six in total. In 2015, Norwegian singer Bern/hoft became the first non-American artist to be nominated.

Recipients

Boyz II Men were the first recipients of the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 1995.

For her work on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album as well as Album of the Year.

Two-time recipient D'Angelo.

2002, 2005 and 2014 award winner, Alicia Keys

Three-time nominee and 2003 award winner India.Arie

To date, John Legend has earned eleven Grammy Awards for his work, including three for Best R&B album.

2009 award winner Jennifer Hudson

2012 award winner Chris Brown

2022 award winner Jazmine Sullivan

Year[I]	Performing artist(s)	Work	Nominees	Ref.
1995	Boyz II Men	II	Anita Baker – Rhythm of Love Tevin Campbell – I'm Ready Gladys Knight – Just for You Me'Shell NdegéOcello – Plantation Lullabies Luther Vandross – Songs	[6]
1996	TLC	CrazySexyCool	Mary J. Blige – My Life D'Angelo – Brown Sugar Prince – The Gold Experience Barry White – The Icon Is Love	[7]
1997	Tony Rich	Words	Oleta Adams – Moving On Maxwell – Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite Curtis Mayfield – New World Order Me'Shell NdegéOcello – Peace Beyond Passion	[8]
1998	Erykah Badu	Baduizm	Babyface – The Day Mary J. Blige – Share My World Boyz II Men – Evolution Patti LaBelle – Flame Whitney Houston – The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album	[9]
1999	Lauryn Hill	The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill	Erykah Badu – Live Brandy – Never Say Never Aretha Franklin – A Rose Is Still a Rose Maxwell – Embrya	[10]
2000	TLC	FanMail	Mary J. Blige – Mary Whitney Houston – My Love Is Your Love R. Kelly – R. Brian McKnight – Back at One	[11]
2001	D'Angelo	Voodoo	Boyz II Men – Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya Toni Braxton – The Heat Joe – My Name Is Joe Jill Scott – Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon	[12]
2002	Alicia Keys	Songs in A Minor	Aaliyah – Aaliyah India.Arie – Acoustic Soul Mary J. Blige – No More Drama Destiny's Child – Survivor	[13]
2003	India.Arie	Voyage to India	Joe – Better Days Musiq – Juslisen Raphael Saadiq – Instant Vintage Remy Shand – The Way I Feel	[14]
2004	Luther Vandross	Dance with My Father	Erykah Badu – Worldwide Underground Blu Cantrell – Bittersweet Aretha Franklin – So Damn Happy The Isley Brothers – Body Kiss	[6]
2005	Alicia Keys	The Diary of Alicia Keys	Anita Baker – My Everything Al Green – I Can't Stop Prince – Musicology Jill Scott – Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2	[15]
2006	John Legend	Get Lifted	Fantasia – Free Yourself Earth, Wind & Fire – Illumination Alicia Keys – Unplugged Stevie Wonder – A Time to Love	[16]
2007	Mary J. Blige	The Breakthrough	Jamie Foxx – Unpredictable India.Arie – Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship Prince – 3121 Lionel Richie – Coming Home	[17]
2008	Chaka Khan	Funk This	Ledisi – Lost & Found Musiq Soulchild – Luvanmusiq Jill Scott – The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 Tank – Sex, Love & Pain	[18]
2009	Jennifer Hudson	Jennifer Hudson	Eric Benét – Love & Life Boyz II Men – Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA Al Green – Lay It Down Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It	[19]
2010	Maxwell	BLACKsummers'night	Anthony Hamilton – The Point of It All India.Arie – Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics Ledisi – Turn Me Loose Charlie Wilson – Uncle Charlie	[20]
2011	John Legend and The Roots	Wake Up!	Raheem DeVaughn – The Love & War MasterPeace Fantasia – Back to Me Jaheim – Another Round Monica – Still Standing	[21]
2012	Chris Brown	F.A.M.E.	El DeBarge – Second Chance Ledisi – Pieces of Me Kelly Price – Kelly R. Kelly – Love Letter	[22]
2013	Robert Glasper Experiment	Black Radio	Anthony Hamilton – Back to Love R. Kelly – Write Me Back Tamia – Beautiful Surprise Tyrese – Open Invitation	[23]
2014	Alicia Keys	Girl On Fire	Faith Evans – R&B Divas John Legend – Love in the Future Chrisette Michele – Better TGT – Three Kings	[24]
2015	Toni Braxton & Babyface	Love, Marriage & Divorce	Bernhoft – Islander Aloe Blacc – Lift Your Spirit Robert Glasper Experiment – Black Radio 2 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – Give The People What They Want	[25]
2016	D'Angelo & The Vanguard	Black Messiah	Leon Bridges – Coming Home Andra Day – Cheers to the Fall Jazmine Sullivan – Reality Show Charlie Wilson – Forever Charlie	[26]
2017	Lalah Hathaway	Lalah Hathaway Live	BJ The Chicago Kid – In My Mind Terrace Martin – Velvet Portraits Mint Condition – Healing Season Mýa – Smoove Jones	[27]
2018	Bruno Mars	24K Magic	Daniel Caesar – Freudian Ledisi – Let Love Rule PJ Morton – Gumbo Musiq Soulchild – Feel the Real	[28]
2019	H.E.R.	H.E.R.	Toni Braxton – Sex & Cigarettes Leon Bridges – Good Thing Lalah Hathaway – Honestly PJ Morton – Gumbo Unplugged (Live)	[29]
2020	Anderson .Paak	Ventura	BJ the Chicago Kid – 1123 Lucky Daye – Painted Ella Mai – Ella Mai PJ Morton – Paul	[30]
2021	John Legend	Bigger Love	Ant Clemons – Happy 2 Be Here Giveon – Take Time Luke James – To Feel Love/d Gregory Porter – All Rise	[31]
2022	Jazmine Sullivan	Heaux Tales	Snoh Aalegra – Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies Jon Batiste – We Are Leon Bridges – Gold-Diggers Sound H.E.R. – Back of My Mind	[32]
2023	Robert Glasper	Black Radio III	Mary J. Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe) Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe) Lucky Daye – Candydrip PJ Morton – Watch the Sun	[33]
2024	Victoria Monét	Jaguar II	Babyface – Girls Night Out Coco Jones – What I Didn't Tell You (Deluxe) Emily King – Special Occasion Summer Walker – Clear 2: Soft Life EP
2025	TBA	TBA	Chris Brown – 11:11 (Deluxe) Lalah Hathaway – Vantablack Muni Long – Revenge Lucky Daye – Algorithm Usher – Coming Home	[34]

^{^[I]} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Artists with multiple wins

3 wins Alicia Keys John Legend

2 wins TLC D'Angelo Robert Glasper

Artists with multiple nominations

6 nominations Mary J. Blige 4 nominations Boyz II Men India.Arie Alicia Keys Ledisi PJ Morton

3 nominations D'Angelo Babyface Erykah Badu Toni Braxton Leon Bridges Chris Brown Robert Glasper Lalah Hathaway R. Kelly John Legend Lucky Daye Maxwell Musiq Soulchild Prince Jill Scott

2 nominations Anita Baker BJ the Chicago Kid Fantasia Aretha Franklin Al Green H.E.R. Anthony Hamilton Whitney Houston Joe Me'Shell NdegéOcello Raphael Saadiq Jazmine Sullivan TLC Luther Vandross Charlie Wilson

See also

• List of Grammy Award categories
• List of R&B musicians
• Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums

References

General

• "Past Winners Search". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2011.

Specific

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9. "Complete List of Academy Voter Picks". Los Angeles Times. January 8, 1998. p. 15. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
10. Kot, Greg (January 6, 1999). "10 Nominations Put Lauryn Hill Atop Grammy Heap". Chicago Tribune. p. 10. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
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15. "Grammy Award nominees in top categories". USA Today. December 7, 2004. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
16. "Complete list of Grammy Award nominations". USA Today. December 8, 2005. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
17. "Winners and Nominees: Major Categories". People. February 9, 2007. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
18. "2008 Grammy Award Winners and Nominees". The New York Times. February 9, 2008. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
19. "Grammy 2009 Winners List". MTV. Viacom. February 8, 2009. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
20. Bruno, Mike (May 15, 2011). "Grammy Awards 2010: The winners list". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
21. "Grammy Nominees 2011". AOL Music. Archived from the original on February 6, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
22. "2011 - 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees And Winners: R&B Field". The Recording Academy. November 30, 2011. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
23. List of 2013 nominees Archived 2012-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
24. "2014 Nominees" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-16. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
25. "List of Nominees 2015" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-02-11. Retrieved 2014-12-08.
26. "Billboard.com, 7 December 2015". Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
27. Unterberger, Andrew (6 December 2016). "Here Is the Complete List of Nominees for the 2017 Grammys". Billboard. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
28. Lynch, Joe (November 28, 2017). "Grammys 2018: See the Complete List of Nominees". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
29. "Grammy.com, 7 December 2018". Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
30. "Grammy.com, 22 November 2019". Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
31. "2021 Nominations List" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
32. "2022 Nominations List". Archived from the original on 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
33. "2023 Nominations List". Archived from the original on 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2022-11-16.
34. Monroe, Jazz (2024-11-08). "Grammy Nominations 2025: See the Full List Here". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2024-11-08.

External links

• Official site of the Grammy Awards Archived 2014-05-07 at the Wayback Machine