Grammy Winners – Albums Of The Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is an award presented 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, chart position, or critical reception.” Commonly known as “The Big Award”, Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammy Awards and been presented annually since the 1st Annual Grammy Awards in 1959.
Here is a list of all the winners starting in 1960.
2025, Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé
2024, Midnights – Taylor Swift
2023, Harry’s House – Harry Styles
2022, We Are – Jon Batiste
2021, Folklore – Taylor Swift
2020, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?- Billie Eilish
2019, Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
2018, 24K Magic – Bruno Mars
2017, 25 – Adele
2016, 1989 – Pop – Taylor Swift
2015, Morning Phase – Beck
2014, Random Access Memories – Daft Punk
2013, Babel – Mumford & Sons
2012, 21 – Adele
2011, The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
2010, Fearless – Taylor Swift
2009, Raising Sand – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
2008, River: The Joni Letters – Herbi Hancock
2007, Taking the Long Way – Dixie Chicks
2006, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb – U2
2005, Genius Loves Company – Ray Charles
2004, Speakerboxx/The Love – Outkast
2003, Come Away with Me – Norah Jones
2002, O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Various
2001, Two Against Nature – Steely Dan
2000, Supernatural – Santana
1999, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill
1998, Time Out of Mind – Bob Dylan
1997, Falling into You – Celine Dion
1996, Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette
1995, MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett – Tony Bennett
1994, The Bodyguard Soundtrack – Whitney Houston
1993, Unplugged – Eric Clapton
1992, Unforgettable… with Love – Natalie Cole
1991, Back on the Block – Quincy Jones
1990, Nick of Time – Bonnie Raitt
1989, Faith – George Michael
1988, The Joshua Tree – U2
1987, Graceland – Paul Simon
1986, No Jacket Required – Phil Collins
1985, Can’t Slow Down – Lionel Richie
1984, Thriller – Michael Jackson
1983, Toto IV – Toto
1982, Double Fantasy – John Lennon & Yoko Ono
1981, Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross
1980, 52nd Street – Billy Joel
1979, Saturday Night Fever – Various Artists
1978, Rumours – Fleetwood Mac
1977, Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder
1976, Still Crazy After All These Years – Paul Simon
1975, Fulfillingness’ First Finale – Stevie Wonder
1974, Innervisions – Stevie Wonder
1973, The Concert for Bangladesh – Various Artists
1972, Tapestry – Carole King
1971, Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel
1970, Blood, Sweat & Tears – Blood, Sweat & Tears
1969, By the Time I Get to Phoenix – Glen Campbell
1968, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles
1967, A Man and His Music – Frank Sinatra
1966, September of My Years – Frank Sinatra
1965, Getz/Gilberto – Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto
1964, The Barbara Streisand Album – Barbara Streisand
1963, The First Family – Vaughn Meader
1962, Judy at Carnegie Hall – Judy Garland
1961, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart – Bob Newhart
1960, Come Dance with Me – Frank Sinatra
Some facts:
Despite being the most nominated artist in Grammy history, until 2025, Beyonce had never before won in the top category, with the gong evading her four times previously. Just three women of colour have won album of the year before her, the last being Lauryn Hill 26 years ago.
Billie Eilish is the youngest main credit artist to win in the category, winning for her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in 2020 at age 18.
Beyoncé, Billy Joel, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift are the only performers with Album of the Year nominations for four consecutive studio albums.
Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was the first by a hip hop artist.
Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs was the first by indie rock artist.
Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories was the first by electronic music artist.
The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was the first by rock and roll artist.
Glen Campbell’s By the Time I Get to Phoenix was the first by a country artist.
Frank Sinatra’s Come Dance with Me! was the first album by a traditional pop artist to win.
Stan Getz’s & João Gilberto’s Getz/Gilberto was the first by jazz artist.
Stevie Wonder and Adele are the only artists to win the award for consecutive studio albums in this category, winning for Innervisions and Fulfillingness’ First Finale and Songs in the Key of Life; and 21 and 25, respectively.
Taylor Swift is the first performer to win the prize for album of the year four times.
