Can you guess who won the first Grammy for Best New Artist? It was actually none other than Bobby Darin who claimed the prize at the second Grammy ceremony in 1959. Let’s take a look back at ever winner of this prize, including the year when the award was vacated in 1989, the only time that has happened at the Grammys. Note that no award was given in this category in 1967 and no reason has been given as to why.
Of all the categories that are currently handed out at the Grammy Awards, the Best New Artist honor is one that truly stands out from all the others. One of the reasons for this is that it’s the only category that is awarded for an artist’s cumulative work and doesn’t cite a specific album, composition, or performance. The other is because, theoretically, an artist should only be eligible in this category once. However, some artists have received nominations after being submitted into the category as members of another group such as Lauryn Hill, who was previously a member of The Fugees, and Sisqó, previously of Dru Hill.
Many different kinds of acts have won Best New Artist since it was first awarded during the second Grammy ceremony but the most common winners have been solo female singers, who have claimed the prize 33 times. Groups or collaborative acts have won the honor 18 times over the years and solo male performers have only won 12 times.
The category is also sometimes thought to be have a bit of a curse on it. Some acts that have won have either not gone on to any more success or have had great difficulty in trying to achieve the same level of success with subsequent work. Acts that have fallen victim to this include Starland Vocal Band, A Taste of Honey and Christopher Cross. At the same time, however, many have gone on to successful careers like The Beatles, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Mariah Carey and Adele.
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Chappell Roan (2025)
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy She became the 33rd solo female artist to win this award. She was nominated across the big four general field categories, but this was the only award she won.
2025 Best New Artist Nominees:
Benson Boone
Sabrina Carpenter
Doechii
Khruangbin
Raye
Chappell Roan
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims -
Victoria Monet (2024)
Image Credit: Michael Buckner for Billboard She became the 32nd solo female artist to win this award, but this was a rare achievement for an R&B female artist. The last such winner was Alicia Keys. She also won Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
2024 Best New Artist Nominees:
Gracie Abrams
Fred Again
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Coco Jones
Noah Kahan
Victoria Monet
The War and Treaty -
Samara Joy (2023)
Image Credit: Francis Specker/CBS She became the 31st solo female artist to win this award, but this was a rare achievement for a jazz artist. She also won Best Jazz Vocal Album.
2023 Best New Artist Nominees:
Anitta
Omar Apollo
Domi and JD Beck
Samara Joy
Latto
Muni Long
Maneskin
Tobe Nwigwe
Molly Tuttle
Wet Leg -
Olivia Rodrigo (2022)
Image Credit: Brian Friedman for Variety She became the 30th solo female artist to win this award and the third youngest to win the award at age 19. LeAnn Rimes won she was 14, and Billie Eilish won at age 18. Rodrigo also won Best Pop Solo Performance (“Drivers License”) and Best Pop Vocal Album (“Sour”).
2022 Best New Artist Nominees:
Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid LAROI
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie -
Megan Thee Stallion (2021)
Image Credit: Francis Specker/CBS She became the 29th solo female artist to win this award and the first female rapper (depending on whether you count Lauryn Hill, who was primarily categorized as an R&B artist when she won in 1999). Megan won three total awards on Grammy night, also including Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for “Savage (Remix)” featuring Beyonce. That made her and Beyonce the first women ever to win the gender-neutral Rap Performance category.
2021 Best New Artist Nominees:
Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion -
Billie Eilish (2020)
Image Credit: CBS Eilish became the 28th solo female artist to claim this awards since it was introduced at the second Grammy ceremony in 1959. At age 18, she was also the second youngest winner of all-time after LeAnn Rimes, who was 14 when she prevailed in 1997. She won five awards that night, also including Album, Record and Song of the Year. That made her only the second artist in history to win all four of those awards in one night, following Christopher Cross in 1981.
2020 Best New Artist Nominees:
Black Pumas
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Maggie Rogers
Rosalia
Tang and the Bangas
Yola -
Dua Lipa (2019)
Image Credit: CBS Pop singer Dua Lipa became the 27th solo female artist to claim this awards since it was introduced at the second Grammy ceremony in 1959. She was also the first to win after the recording academy expanded the top four general field categories to eight nominees apiece.
2019 Best New Artist Nominees:
Chloe x Halle
Luke Combs
Greta Van Fleet
H.E.R.
Dua Lipa
Margo Price
Bebe Rexha
Jorja Smith -
Alessia Cara (2018)
Image Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock Alessia Cara became the 26th solo female singer to claim this awards since it was introduced at the second Grammy ceremony in 1959.
2018 Best New Artist Nominees:
Alessia Cara
Khalid
Lil Uzi Vert
Julia Michaels
SZA -
Chance the Rapper (2017)
Image Credit: CBS Chance the Rapper’s victory for Best New Artist was no small feat. It’s relatively rare for male solo artists to win the prize, and it’s even rarer for rap artists to win. Before Chance prevailed the only hip-hop winners were Arrested Development (1993), Lauryn Hill (1999), and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (2014). That night Chance won two other awards: Best Rap Album for his breakthrough hit “Coloring Book” and Best Rap Performance for “No Problem” with Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz.
2017 Best New Artist Nominees:
Kelsea Ballerini
The Chainsmokers
Chance the Rapper
Maren Morris
Anderson Paak -
Meghan Trainor (2016)
Image Credit: Jim Smeal/REX/Shutterstock Trainor was no stranger to the Grammys when she won this prize. She had been nominated the previous year for both Record and Song of the Year for “All About That Bass.” Because her album had not yet been released when the qualifying had ended for the previous year’s awards, she was still eligible to compete for the New Artist award the following year.
2016 Best New Artist Nominees:
Courtney Barnett
James Bay
Sam Hunt
Tori Kelly
Meghan Trainor -
Sam Smith (2015)
Image Credit: Paul Buck / Epa/REX/Shutterstock Smith was the big winner at that year’s Grammy ceremony where he took home four awards. Along with New Artist he won Pop Vocal Album for “In the Lonely Hour” and Record and Song of the Year for “Stay with Me.” “Lonely Hour” also received a nomination for Album of the Year. The following year he won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for “The Writing’s on the Wall” from the James Bond film “Spectre.”
2015 Best New Artist Nominees:
Iggy Azalea
Bastille
Brandy Clark
Haim
Sam Smith -
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (2014)
Image Credit: Paul Buck / Epa/REX/Shutterstock The Seattle based rap duo won a total of four trophies during their first trip to the Grammys. Along with New Artist, they also won Rap Album for “The Heist” and Rap Performance and Rap Song for “Thrift Shop.” They scored nominations for Album of the Year for “The Heist” and Song of the Year for “Same Love” along with featured vocalist Mary Lambert.
2014 Best New Artist Nominees:
James Blake
Kendrick Lamar
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Kasey Musgraves
Ed Sheeran -
fun. (2013)
Image Credit: Paul Buck/REX/Shutterstock The pop-rock group hit it big with their second album “Some Nights” and also won the Grammy for Song of the Year for their song “We Are Young” which featured Janelle Monáe. The group scored an additional four nominations at their first Grammy ceremony including Album of the Year for “Some Nights” and Record of the Year for “We Are Young.” While each band member is currently working on their own projects, they have not split up.
2013 Best New Artist Nominees:
Alabama Shakes
fun.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean -
Bon Iver (2012)
Image Credit: Paul Buck / EPA/REX/Shutterstock The independent alternative folk group not only claimed this prize but also the one for Alternative Music Album for their self-titled sophomoric album. They also scored surprise nominations for Record and Song of the Year for their single “Holocene.” They have been nominated in the Alternative Music Album for their follow-up effort, “22, A Million.”
2012 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex -
Esperanza Spalding (2011)
Image Credit: Paul Buck / EPA/REX/Shutterstock Spalding’s left everyone in shock as she beat out a lineup of chart topping acts. Even though she was only 26 when she won, it was something she had been working for her whole life as she began playing violin professionally at the age of five. The jazz-vocalist and double bass player has had big commercial and critical success since her win and won three more trophies: Jazz Vocal Album for “Radio Music Society” in 2012 and two for Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist for “City of Roses” in 2012 and “Swing Low” in 2013.
2011 Best New Artist Nominees:
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence + the Machine
Mumford & Sons
Esperanza Spaulding -
Zac Brown Band (2010)
Image Credit: Andrew Gombert / EPA/REX/Shutterstock After forming in 2002, the ensemble country band hit it big with their single, “Chicken Fried.” The band has released several albums since then and picked up an additional two Grammys to their name: Country Collaboration with Vocals for “As She’s Walking By” with Alan Jackson in 2010 and Country Album for “Uncaged” in 2012.
2010 Best New Artist Nominees:
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings
Zac Brown Band -
Adele (2009)
Image Credit: Matt Sayles/AP/REX/Shutterstock Adele had a pretty good evening at her first Grammy ceremony as she also picked up Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Chasing Pavements.” In the eight years since then she hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down. Three years later she would tie Beyoncé’s record for most Grammys won by a woman at a single ceremony. Among her wins that evening were Album of the Year and Pop Vocal Album for “21” and Record and Song of the Year for “Rolling in the Deep,” making her only the second person (after Christopher Cross) to win all four general field categories. She’s also sold close to 100 million records worldwide and won an Oscar and Golden Globe for her theme to the James Bond film, “Skyfall.”
2009 Best New Artist Nominees:
Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan -
Amy Winehouse (2008)
Image Credit: Richard Young/REX/Shutterstock Even though she couldn’t be at the ceremony as her visa was not processed in time, Winehouse (pictured with her mother Janis) celebrated her wins from London. After her performance the night culminated with her also taking Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Rehab” and Pop Vocal Album for “Back to Black.” Sadly, Amy died in 2011 from alcohol and would win one last Grammy for Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Body and Soul” with Tony Bennett the following February.
2008 Best New Artist Nominees:
Feist
Ledisi
Paramore
Taylor Swift
Amy Winehouse -
Carrie Underwood (2007)
Image Credit: Str / EPA/REX/Shutterstock Underwood became the only winner of “American Idol” to take home a Grammy in the general field when she took this honor. She also won Female Country Vocal Performance for “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” In the past decade, she’s sold over 65 million records around the world and collected five more Grammys. Among her subsequent wins were two more for Female Country Vocal (“Before He Cheats” in 2007 and “Last Name” in 2008) and two for the merged category Country Solo Performance (“Blown Away” in 2012 and “Something in the Water” in 2014).
2007 Best New Artist Nominees:
James Blunt
Chris Brown
Imogen Heap
Corinne Bailey Rae
Carrie Underwood -
John Legend (2006)
Image Credit: Jim Smeal/BEI/REX/Shutterstock Legend scored this award along with two other trophies during his first year at the Grammys: R&B Album for “Get Lifted” and Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Ordinary People” which was also nominated for Song of the Year. Since then he’s won another seven Grammys including a second R&B Album prize for “Wake Up!” with The Roots in 2010. He also would win an Oscar and a Golden Globe with Common for Best Original Song for “Glory” from the movie “Selma” in 2014.
2006 Best New Artist Nominees:
Ciara
Fall Out Boy
Keane
John Legend
Sugarland -
Maroon 5 (2005)
Image Credit: Jim Smeal / BEI/REX/Shutterstock Kanye may have threatened to crash the winner’s speech if he didn’t win Best New Artist, but instead he just gave Adam Levine a big hug as he made his way to the stage with his bandmates. The group has since sold over 90 million records and won two other trophies, both for Pop Performance by a Duo or Group: “This Love” (Live – Friday the 13th) in 2005 and “Makes Me Wonder” in 2007.
2005 Best New Artist Nominees:
Los Lonely Boys
Maroon 5
Joss Stone
Kanye West
Gretchen Wilson -
Evanescence (2004)
Image Credit: KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/AP/REX/Shutterstock The rock group (pictured with 50 Cent crashing the stage) got attention with their hit single “Bring Me to Life” featuring Paul McCoy. They also took home the Grammy for Hard Rock Performance for that single. They were nominated for Album of the Year as well for “Fallen” which would sell 17 million copies worldwide. The band’s lineup has changed a bit since their win but they’re still recording and touring all over.
2004 Best New Artist Nominees:
Evanescence
50 Cent
Fountains of Wayne
Heather Headley
Sean Paul -
Norah Jones (2003)
Image Credit: KATHY WILLENS/AP/REX/Shutterstock Like her predecessor, Jones has gone on to have enormous success in the years since her win. The daughter of Ravi Shankar earned four other trophies that evening: Album of the Year and Pop Vocal Album for “Come Away with Me” and Record of the Year and Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Don’t Know Why.” That single also won Song of the Year for songwriter Jesse Harris. Since then she has sold over 50 million albums all across the globe and won four more Grammys including repeat trophies for Record of the Year (“Here We Go Again” with Ray Charles in 2004) Album of the Year (featured artist on “River: The Joni Letters” in 2007).
2003 Best New Artist Nominees:
Ashanti
Michelle Branch
Norah Jones
Avril Lavigne
John Mayer -
Alicia Keys (2002)
Image Credit: KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/AP/REX/Shutterstock Keys is one of the most successful winners ever in this category. She won four other trophies at her first Grammys: Song of the Year, R&B Song and Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Fallin’” and R&B Album for “Songs in A Minor.” Since then she has sold over 65 million records and collected an additional 10 trophies. Her haul has included four for Female R&B Vocal Performance, two for R&B Album and two for R&B Song. She also earned nominations for Album of the Year for “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” Song of the Year for “If I Ain’t Got You” (both in 2004) and Record of the Year for “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z in 2010.
2002 Best New Artist Nominees:
India.Arie
Nelly Furtado
David Gray
Alicia Keys
Linkin Park -
Shelby Lynne (2001)
Image Credit: MARK J. TERRILL/AP/REX/Shutterstock Lynne found it odd that she won this particular category. During her speech she remarked that it had only taken “Thirteen years and six albums to get here.” She had also won Top New Female Artist at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1990. It’s her only Grammy to date but Lynne has continued to tour and record new material.
2001 Best New Artist Nominees:
Shelby Lynne
Brad Paisley
Papa Roach
Jill Scott
Sisqó -
Christina Aguilera (2000)
Image Credit: BEI/REX/Shutterstock Christina unleashed her thunderous vocals on us with her debut single “Genie in a Bottle” and “What a Girl Wants.” She has gone on to sell over 50 million records all around the world and win four more Grammys. Her additional wins included two wins for Female Pop Vocal Performance: “Beautiful” in 2003 and “Ain’t No Other Man” in 2006.
2000 Best New Artist Nominees:
Christina Aguilera
Macy Gray
Kid Rock
Britney Spears
Susan Tedeschi -
Lauryn Hill (1999)
Image Credit: BEI/REX/Shutterstock Hill had already won two Grammys with The Fugees in 1996 for Best Rap Album (“The Score”) and R&B Performance by a Duo or Group (“Killing Me Softly with His Song”) but was allowed to compete in the New Artist category for her solo debut. She won four other trophies that evening, setting a record for female artists that would stand until Beyoncé topped it by winning six trophies at the 2009 ceremony. She also won Album of the Year and R&B Album for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” and R&B Song and Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Doo Wop (That Thing).” She also took an Album of the Year trophy the following year as a producer of Santana’s “Supernatural.” While she hasn’t released a follow-up album of new material, she has continued to tour but also spent time in jail for tax fraud in 2013.
1999 Best New Artist Nominees:
Backstreet Boys
Andrea Bocelli
Dixie Chicks
Lauryn Hill
Natalie Imbruglia -
Paula Cole (1998)
Image Credit: MARK LENNIHAN/AP/REX/Shutterstock Cole started by being a backup vocalist for Peter Gabriel in 1992. Her second album, “This Fire,” became a huge hit with its debut single “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” along with its follow up “I Don’t Want to Wait.” Best New Artist was her only win though she did score nods for Album of the Year along with Record and Song of the Year for “Cowboys.”
1998 Best New Artist Nominees:
Fiona Apple
Erykah Badu
Paula Cole
Hanson
Puff Daddy -
LeAnn Rimes (1997)
Image Credit: KATHY WILLENS/AP/REX/Shutterstock Rimes is the youngest person to ever win the Best New Artist trophy when she claimed victory at age 14. She also won Female Country Vocal Performance for “Blue,” which also scored a Song of the Year nomination for Bill Mack. Her next single, the smash hit “How Do I Live,” was nominated for Female Country Vocal Performance but, in a Grammy first, she lost to the same song being performed by Trisha Yearwood.
1997 Best New Artist Nominees:
Garbage
Jewel
No Doubt
LeAnn Rimes
The Tony Rich Project -
Hootie & the Blowfish (1996)
Image Credit: REED SAXON/AP/REX/Shutterstock The rock group broke through in a huge way in 1995 with their debut album “Cracked Rear View.” The album would go on to sell over 16 million copies and spawn several hit singles including “Let Her Cry,” “Only Wanna Be with You” and “Hold My Hand.” In addition to their win for Best New Artist, the group also took home the award for Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for “Let Her Cry.” The group’s lead singer, Darius Rucker, would go on to win his own trophy in 2013 for Country Solo Performance for his song “Wagon Wheel.”
1996 Best New Artist Nominees:
Brandy
Hootie & the Blowfish
Alanis Morissette
Joan Osborne
Shania Twain -
Sheryl Crow (1995)
Image Credit: MARK J. TERRILL/AP/REX/Shutterstock This icon of 1990s pop-rock first took the country by storm with her debut album “Tuesday Night Music Club.” Along with this prize, she also won Record of the Year and Female Pop Vocal Performance for “All I Wanna Do.” She has gone on to win six more trophies including two for Rock Album for “Sheryl Crow” in 1996 and “The Globe Sessions” in 1998; and four for Female Rock Vocal Performance: “If it Makes You Happy” in 1996, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” in 1999, “There Goes the Neighborhood” (Live) in 2000 and “Steve McQueen” in 2002. She also scored nods for Record of the Year for “Everyday is a Winding Road” in 1997 and Album of the Year for “The Globe Sessions” in 1998. To date she has sold over 50 million albums.
1995 Best New Artist Nominees:
Ace of Base
Counting Crows
Crash Test Dummies
Sheryl Crow
Green Day -
Toni Braxton (1994)
Image Credit: RON FREHM/AP/REX/Shutterstock The R&B vocal diva claimed this award and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Another Sad Love Song” at her first Grammys in 1993. Since then she has gone on to sell over 67 million records and collected five more Grammys. Three have been in the Female R&B Vocal category: “Breathe Again” in 1994, “You’re Makin’ Me High” in 1996 and “He Wasn’t Man Enough” in 2000. She also won Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1997 for “Un-Break My Heart” and R&B Album in 2014 with Babyface for “Love, Marriage & Divorce.”
1994 Best New Artist Nominees:
Belly
Blind Melon
Toni Braxton
Digable Planets
SWV -
Arrested Development (1993)
Image Credit: REED SAXON/AP/REX/Shutterstock The alternative hip hop group from Atlanta became the first rap act to win in the general field. They also took home Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for their hit song, “Tennessee.” The group did disband in 1996 but would partially reunite in 2000 and have since continued to tour and record new music.
1993 Best New Artist Nominees:
Arrested Development
Billy Ray Cyrus
Sophie B. Hawkins
Kris Kross
Jon Secada -
Marc Cohn (1992)
Image Credit: Billy Farrell/BFA/REX/Shutterstock The folk rock singer hit it big with his breakthrough single, “Walking in Memphis.” In addition to his win in this category, “Memphis” was nominated for Song of the Year and Male Pop Vocal Performance. Even though none of his subsequent material reached the notoriety level of “Walking in Memphis,” Cohn is still recording and touring.
1992 Best New Artist Nominees:
Boyz II Men
C+C Music Factory
Marc Cohn
Color Me Badd
Seal -
Mariah Carey (1991)
Image Credit: Anonymous/AP/REX/Shutterstock Carey not only won this prize but also Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Vision of Love.” The song also was nominated for Record and Song of the Year and her eponymous album was nominated for Album of the Year. She would continue scoring Grammy nods including Album of the Year for “Daydream” and Record of the Year for “One Sweet Day” with Boyz II Men, both in 1995. She wouldn’t win another Grammy until 2005 when she won three trophies: Best Contemporary R&B Album for “The Emancipation of Mimi” and Best R&B Song and Female R&B Vocal Performance for “We Belong Together.” The album and song was also nominated for Album, Record and Song of the Year.
1991 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Black Crowes
Mariah Carey
The Kentucky Headhunters
Lisa Stansfield
Wilson Phillips -
Milli Vanilli (1990)
Image Credit: NICK UT/AP/REX/Shutterstock It may seem silly now but Milli Vanilli (Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus) was one of the biggest acts of 1989. Their debut album, “Girl You Know It’s True,” spent eight weeks on top the Billboard 200 and was the 10th highest selling album of 1989. The album also spawned three number one singles: “Baby Don’t Forget My Number,” “Blame it on the Rain” and “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You.” But everything came crashing down in December of 1990 when it was revealed that the Fab and Rob were not the real voices of the group. The Recording Academy revoked the honor, the only time that has ever been done. After none of the other nominees that year wanted to claim the honor instead, NARAS left the category for that year vacant. The duo tried releasing material with their own vocals but the efforts flopped. Since then, Fab has gone on to have a successful career on his own as a performer and DJ. Rob, unfortunately, struggled with substance abuse problems for years and died of an accidental alcohol and pill overdose in 1998.
1990 Best New Artist Nominees:
Neneh Cherry
Indigo Girls
Milli Vanilli
Soul II Soul
Tone Lōc -
Tracy Chapman (1989)
Image Credit: MARTIN CLEAVER/AP/REX/Shutterstock In addition to Best New Artist, at her first Grammys, Chapman took home the trophies for Best Contemporary Folk Album for her self-titled work and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Fast Car.” She also scored nominations for Album, Record and Song of the Year with the latter two also being for “Fast Car.” She scored nominations for Record and Song again in 1996 for “Give Me One Reason” which also won the Grammy for Best Rock Song that year.
1989 Best New Artist Nominees:
Rick Astley
Tracy Chapman
Take 6
Toni Childs
Vanessa Williams -
Jody Watley (1988)
Image Credit: SKY MAGAZINE/REX/Shutterstock Watley began her career as a dancer on “Soul Train” and a member of the R&B group Shalamar in 1977. In 1987 she released an eponymous solo debut that would include the hits “Looking for a New Love,” “Don’t You Want Me” and “Some Kind of Lover.” While she continues to have great success she has yet to win another Grammy Award.
1988 Best New Artist Nominees:
Breakfast Club
Cutting Crew
Terence Trent D’Arby
Swing Out Sister
Jody Watley -
Bruce Hornsby and the Range (1987)
Image Credit: Ian Dickson/REX/Shutterstock Bruce Hornsby and the Range entered the music scene with their hit song “The Way It Is” and the album of the same name. Because of the genre limitations that his band provided, Hornsby disbanded the group in the early 1990s. Since then Hornsby has won two more Grammys: Best Bluegrass Recording in 1989 “The Valley Road” with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1993 for “Barcelona Mona” with Branford Marsalis. He also was nominated for Song of the Year in 1989 for co-writing the Don Henley song “The End of Innocence.”
1987 Best New Artist Nominees:
Glass Tiger
Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Nu Shooz
Simply Red
Timbuk3 -
Sade (1986)
Image Credit: CROLLALANZA/REX/Shutterstock The eponymous band fronted by Sade Adu gained fame in the U.S. with their hit single “Smooth Operator.” Though the award was their only of the evening, the band has gone on to continued success both commercially and at the Grammys with four additional trophies including one for Best Pop Vocal Album for “Lovers Rock” in 2001.
1986 Best New Artist Nominees:
a-ha
Freddie Jackson
Katrina and the Waves
Julian Lennon
Sade -
Cyndi Lauper (1985)
Image Credit: Andre Csillag/REX/Shutterstock Cyndi Lauper broke through with her debut album “She’s So Unusual.” The album was nominated for Album of the Year and she also received nominations for Song of the Year (“Time After Time”), Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (both for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”). She would win her second Grammy in 2013 for Best Musical Theater Album for the soundtrack to “Kinky Boots” which she also won a Tony Award. She also won an Emmy for Comedy Guest Actress for “Mad About You” in 1995.
1985 Best New Artist Nominees:
Sheila E.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Corey Hart
The Judds
Cyndi Lauper -
Culture Club (1984)
Image Credit: Alan Davidson / Silverhub/REX/Shutterstock The Boy George fronted British pop band first hit it big in 1982 with their debut album “Kissing to be Clever” which had the hit single “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me.” The following year saw their biggest hit, “Karma Chameleon.” The band would break up several years later due to declining sales, George’s drug problems and relationship issues with drummer Jon Moss. The band would go on to do several reunion tours.
1984 Best New Artist Nominees:
Big Country
Culture Club
Eurythmics
Men Without Hats
Musical Youth -
Men at Work (1983)
Image Credit: AP/REX/Shutterstock The Australian rock group hit it big with their smash hit songs “Down Under” and “Who Can it Be Now?” which both hit number one in the U.S. This trophy would be their only Grammy win. The group broke up in 1986 but reformed in 1996 only to disband again in 2002.
1983 Best New Artist Nominees:
Asia
Jennifer Holliday
The Human League
Men at Work
Stray Cats -
Sheena Easton (1982)
Image Credit: DOUG PIZAC/AP/REX/Shutterstock The Scottish singer (pictured with The Pointer Sisters) gained fame in the UK with her singles “Modern Girl” and “9 to 5” before hitting it big internationally for the James Bond theme “For Your Eyes Only.” She won a second Grammy in 1984 in the Best Mexican-American Performance category for “Me Gustas Tal Como Eres” with Luis Miguel. To date she has sold over 20 million albums and singles across the world.
1982 Best New Artist Nominees:
Adam and the Ants
Sheena Eason
The Go-Go’s
James Ingram
Luther Vandross -
Christopher Cross (1981)
Image Credit: Anonymous/AP/REX/Shutterstock Cross made a huge splash at the Grammys when he became the first person to win all four general field categories in the same year. He also won Album of the Year for his self-titled debut and Record and Song of the Year along with Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist for “Sailing.” While those five would be the only Grammys of his career he would go on to win an Oscar and a Golden Globe the following year for “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from “Arthur.”
1981 Best New Artist Nominees:
Irene Cara
Christopher Cross
Robbie Dupree
Amy Holland
The Pretenders -
Rickie Lee Jones (1980)
Image Credit: STEPHEN CHERNIN/AP/REX/Shutterstock The singer-songwriter came into the music scene with her hit single, “Chuck E.’s in Love,” which also received a Song of the Year nomination for Jones. She’s gone on to a very successful career and won a second Grammy Award in 1989 for Best Jazz Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for “Makin’ Whoopee” with Dr. John.
1980 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Blues Brothers
Dire Straits
Rickie Lee Jones
The Knack
Robin Williams -
A Taste of Honey (1979)
Image Credit: Wally Fong/AP/REX/Shutterstock The disco group (named after Herb Alpert’s 1965 Record of the Year winner) took this prize following the success of their single, “Boogie Oogie Oogie.” The band released a couple more albums into the 1980s but eventually went in their separate directions in the middle of the decade.
1979 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Cars
Elvis Costello
Chris Rea
A Taste of Honey
Toto -
Debby Boone (1978)
Image Credit: LM/AP/REX/Shutterstock The daughter of singer Pat Boone made a name for herself with the song “You Light Up My Life” from the film of the same name. It became the biggest song of the 1970s, won an Oscar and spent a then-record ten weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. After this success, Boone (on the left with her father Pat) stuck mainly to country and Christian music and won two more Grammys: Best Inspirational Performance in 1980 for “With My Song I Will Praise Him” and Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group in 1984 for “Keep the Flame Burning” with Phil Driscoll.
1978 Best New Artist Nominees:
Stephen Bishop
Debby Boone
Shaun Cassidy
Foreigner
Andy Gibb -
Starland Vocal Band (1977)
Image Credit: Razor & Tie The band scored one of the biggest singles of the year with “Afternoon Delight,” which finished at #12 on the year-end Billboard charts. The single was also nominated for Record of the Year and won the trophy for Best Arrangement for Voices. The group was never able to recreate their initial success and broke up in the early 1980s. Group member, Taffy Danoff, has said that she believes the Best New Artist win was “the kiss of death and I feel sorry for everyone who’s gotten it since.”
1977 Best New Artist Nominees:
Boston
The Brothers Johnson
Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
Starland Vocal Band
Wild Cherry -
Natalie Cole (1976)
Image Credit: AP/REX/Shutterstock The same year that saw Cole take this prize she also won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “This Will Be.” She would go on to win another seven Grammys in her career including Record of the Year for “Unforgettable” (with her late father, Nat King Cole) and Album of the Year for “Unforgettable…with Love” in 1991. Her last Grammy win was for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2008 for “Still Unforgettable” before she passed away in 2015.
1976 Best New Artist Nominees:
Morris Albert
Amazing Rhythm Aces
Brecker Brothers
Natalie Cole
KC and the Sunshine Band -
Marvin Hamlisch (1975)
Image Credit: Chris Capstick/REX/Shutterstock The future EGOT winner made a big splash at his first Grammy Awards. In addition to his win for New Artist, he won three other trophies: Song of the Year for “The Way We Were,” Best Pop Instrumental Performance for “The Entertainer” and Best Score Written for a Motion Picture for “The Way We Were.” That same year he would win three Oscars: Best Original Dramatic Score and Best Song (both for “The Way We Were”) and Best Original Song Score for Best Picture champ, “The Sting.”
1975 Best New Artist Nominees:
Bad Company
Johnny Bristol
David Essex
Graham Central Station
Marvin Hamlisch
Phoebe Snow -
Bette Midler (1974)
Image Credit: Harold Filan/AP/REX/Shutterstock The same year the entertainment icon got her start, she also scored nominations for Album of the Year (“The Divine Miss M”) and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”). She has since won two other Grammys: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “The Rose” in 1980 (also nominated for Record of the Year) and Record of the Year for “Wind Beneath My Wings” in 1989. She’s also won three Emmys including Individual Variety Performance for her farewell performance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” in 1992 and has been nominated for two Best Actress Oscars for “The Rose” in 1978 and “For the Boys” in 1990.
1974 Best New Artist Nominees:
Eumir Deodato
Maureen McGovern
Bette Midler
Marie Osmond
Barry White -
America (1973)
Image Credit: Warner Bros/WEA The group, consisting of Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley, launched with their self-titled album which included their most memorable song, “A Horse with No Name.” They would also score hits with “I Need You” and “Ventura Highway.” This was the only Grammy they received.
1973 Best New Artist Nominees:
America
Harry Chapin
The Eagles
Loggins and Messina
John Prine -
Carly Simon (1972)
Image Credit: David F. Smith/AP/REX/Shutterstock Simon came on to the scene in 1971 with her self-titled album featuring her first hit “That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard it Should Be.” She would go on to receive nominations for Record and Song of the Year for “You’re So Vain” in 1973. Her James Bond theme “Nobody Does it Better” was nominated for Song of the Year in 1977 but was for the songwriters Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager. She would win her only other Grammy for Best Song From a Motion Picture for “Let the River Run” from “Working Girl,” which also netted her an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
1972 Best New Artist Nominees:
Chase
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
Carly Simon
Bill Withers -
The Carpenters (1971)
Image Credit: Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock The pop duo consisting of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter became superstars with their breakthrough album “Close to You.” That same ceremony also saw the group win Best Contemporary Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for the album. They also scored nominations for Album of the Year and Record of the Year for “(They Long to Be) Close to You.” They scored an Album of the Year nod the following year for their self-titled album which also won Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
1971 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Carpenters
Elton John
Melba Moore
Anne Murray
The Partridge Family -
Crosby, Stills & Nash (1970)
Image Credit: PETER SANDERS/REX/Shutterstock Prior to forming this group, the three members had had success with other bands. David Crosby was with The Byrds, Stephen Stills was a member of Buffalo Springfield and Graham Nash was in The Hollies. The group still performs together and is sometimes joined by Neil Young. While they did score a nomination for Album of the Year for their self-titled debut and another one the following year with Young in the mix for “Déjà Vu,” it’s the only career Grammy the three men have ever won.
1970 Best New Artist Nominees:
Chicago
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Led Zeppelin
The Neon Philharmonic
Oliver -
José Feliciano (1969)
Image Credit: Harold Matosian/AP/REX/Shutterstock Feliciano (on the left with that year’s Album of the Year winner, Glen Campbell) gained international attention with his breakthrough album “Feliciano!” In addition to this win he also won Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Male for “Light My Fire” and was nominated for Album of the Year. To date he has won another five Grammys: four for Best Latin Pop Performance (“Me Enamore” in 1983, “Le Lo Lai” in 1986, “Cielito Lindo” in 1989 and “Por Que te Tango Que Olvidar?” in 1990) and one for Best Tropical Latin Album (“Señor Bachata” in 2008).
1969 Best New Artist Nominees:
Cream
José Feliciano
Gary Pucket & The Union Gap
Jeannie C. Riley
O.C. Smith -
Bobbie Gentry (1968)
Image Credit: AP/REX/Shutterstock Gentry gained fame for being one of the first women to write and perform her own material in country music. In addition to her win here, she also scored nominations for Album, Record and Song of the Year for “Ode to Billy Joe” and won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Female Solo Vocal Performance for the same recording. She retired in the late 1970s and has been living outside the public eye ever since.
1968 Best New Artist Nominees:
Lana Cantrell
The 5th Dimension
Bobbie Gentry
Harpers Bizarre
Jefferson Airplane -
Tom Jones (1966)
Image Credit: Valley Music Ltd./REX/Shutterstock Jones has been a force of nature in the music industry since he started and the Grammys noticed it right away with their Best New Artist trophy. Even though he would go on to sell over 100 million records and receive a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, he never won another Grammy Award.
1966 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Byrds
Herman’s Hermits
Horst Jankowski
Tom Jones
Marilyn Maye
Sonny & Cher
Glenn Yarbrough -
The Beatles (1965)
Image Credit: AP/REX/Shutterstock The Beatles are undoubtedly one of, if not the most, successful performers to have ever won Best New Artist. At the same ceremony they won Best Performance by a Vocal Group for “A Hard Day’s Night” which also received a nod for Song of the Year and a nomination for Record of the Year for “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” They would go on to earn five Album of the Year nominations, winning for “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967) an additional two nods for Record of the Year (“Hey Jude” in 1968 and “Let it Be” in 1970) and a win for Song of the Year for “Michelle” (1966).
1965 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Beatles
Petula Clark
Astrud Gilberto
Antonio Carlos Jobim
Morgana King -
Ward Swingle (1964)
Image Credit: Associated Newspapers/REX/Shutterstock Swingle lead the French vocal group, The Swingle Singers, which did jazz versions of classical compositions and is the only credited winner of the category that year, according to the Grammy database. The Swingle Singers would also win two consecutive awards for Best Performance by a Chorus: “Bach’s Greatest Hits” (1963) and “The Swingle Singers Going Baroque” (1964). Ward Swingle would also win another two trophies in the late 1960s.
1964 Best New Artist Nominees:
Vikki Carr
John Gary
The J’s with Jamie
Trini Lopez
Ward Swingle -
Robert Goulet (1963)
Image Credit: Evening News /REX/Shutterstock Goulet initially won hearts for his performance as Sir Lancelot in the Lerner and Loewe musical “Camelot” in 1960 with his signature song, “If Ever I Would Leave You.” The following year he found his way on to the Billboard charts with such singles as “Too Soon,” “Don’t Be Afraid of Romance” and “What Kind of Fool Am I?” While this was his only career Grammy he would also win a Tony Award in 1968 for Best Actor in a Musical for the Kander and Ebb show “The Happy Time.”
1963 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Four Seasons
Robert Goulet
Vaughn Meader
The New Christy Minstrels
Peter, Paul and Mary
Allan Sherman -
Peter Nero (1962)
Image Credit: Associated Newspapers/REX/Shutterstock Nero earned the honor after putting out his first album as a pop pianist. He would win one other career Grammy the following year in the category of Best Performance by an Orchestra or Instrumentalist with Orchestra – Primarily Not Jazz or for Dancing for “The Colorful Peter Nero.”
1962 Best New Artist Nominees:
Ann-Margret
Dick Gregory
The Lettermen
Peter Nero
Timi Yuro -
Bob Newhart (1961)
Image Credit: Associated Newspapers/REX/Shutterstock Several comedians have been nominated for Best New Artist over the years but Bob Newhart is the only one to actually triumph. At the same ceremony Newhart also picked up trophies for Album of the Year for “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” and Best Comedy Performance for “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!”
1961 Best New Artist Nominees:
The Brothers Four
Miriam Makeba
Bob Newhart
Leontyne Price
Joanie Sommers -
Bobby Darin (1959)
Image Credit: Ed Widdis/AP/REX/Shutterstock The famous crooner (pictured on the right receiving his trophy from host, Meredith Wilson) picked up the first ever prize for Best New Artist at the second Grammy ceremony where he also picked up Record of the Year for “Mack the Knife.” Those would be Darin’s only two wins during his brief career.
1959 Best New Artist Nominees:
Edd Byrnes
Bobby Darin
Mark Murphy
Johnny Restivo
Mavis Rivers
