The Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality vocal pop music albums. Awards in several categories are distributed 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."
The honor was first presented in 1968 at the 10th Grammy Awards as Best Contemporary Album to The Beatles for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The category was then discontinued until 1995 where it emerged with the new name Best Pop Album. In 2001, the category became known as Best Pop Vocal Album. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award is presented to artists that perform "albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded pop vocal tracks."
Until 2000, the award was given to the performing artist. Since 2001, the Grammy has also been awarded to the producer and engineer/mixer, provided they worked on more than 50% of playing time on the album. A producer or engineer/mixer who worked on less than 50% of playing time, as well as other personnel (e.g. the mastering engineer) do not win an award, but can apply for a Winners Certificate.
Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift are the only two-time winners of this award, and Clarkson was the first to win twice. Clarkson, Swift, and Ariana Grande lead all performers with six nominations.
Recipients
1960s Year Work Artist 1968 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles Insight Out The Association It Must Be Him Vikki Carr Ode to Billie Joe Bobbie Gentry Up, Up and Away The 5th Dimension
1990s Year Work Artist 1995 Longing in Their Hearts Bonnie Raitt I Love Everybody Lyle Lovett Seal Seal The Sign Ace of Base The Three Tenors in Concert 1994 José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti with Zubin Mehta 1996 Turbulent Indigo Joni Mitchell Bedtime Stories Madonna Daydream Mariah Carey Hell Freezes Over Eagles Medusa Annie Lennox 1997 Falling into You Celine Dion A Few Small Repairs Shawn Colvin Mercury Falling Sting New Beginning Tracy Chapman Secrets Toni Braxton 1998 Hourglass James Taylor The Dance Fleetwood Mac Surfacing Sarah McLachlan This Fire Paula Cole Travelling Without Moving Jamiroquai 1999 Ray of Light Madonna The Dirty Boogie Brian Setzer Orchestra Left of the Middle Natalie Imbruglia Let's Talk About Love Celine Dion Pilgrim Eric Clapton
2000s Year Work Artist 2000 Brand New Day Sting Believe Cher Millennium Backstreet Boys Mirrorball Sarah McLachlan Ricky Martin Ricky Martin 2001 Two Against Nature Steely Dan Inside Job Don Henley Music Madonna No Strings Attached NSYNC Oops!... I Did It Again Britney Spears 2002 Lovers Rock Sade All for You Janet Jackson Celebrity NSYNC Songs from the West Coast Elton John Whoa, Nelly! Nelly Furtado 2003 Come Away with Me Norah Jones Britney Britney Spears Let Go Avril Lavigne Missundaztood Pink Rock Steady No Doubt 2004 Justified Justin Timberlake Bare Annie Lennox Brainwashed George Harrison Motown Michael McDonald Stripped Christina Aguilera 2005 Genius Loves Company Ray Charles and Various Artists Afterglow Sarah McLachlan Brian Wilson Presents Smile Brian Wilson Feels like Home Norah Jones Mind Body & Soul Joss Stone 2006 Breakaway Kelly Clarkson Chaos and Creation in the Backyard Paul McCartney Extraordinary Machine Fiona Apple Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Gwen Stefani Wildflower Sheryl Crow 2007 Continuum John Mayer Back to Basics Christina Aguilera Back to Bedlam James Blunt FutureSex/LoveSounds Justin Timberlake The River in Reverse Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint 2008 Back to Black Amy Winehouse It Won't Be Soon Before Long Maroon 5 Lost Highway Bon Jovi Memory Almost Full Paul McCartney The Reminder Feist 2009 Rockferry Duffy Covers James Taylor Detours Sheryl Crow Long Road Out of Eden Eagles Spirit Leona Lewis
2010s Year Work Artist 2010 The E.N.D. Black Eyed Peas All I Ever Wanted Kelly Clarkson Breakthrough Colbie Caillat The Fray The Fray Funhouse Pink 2011 The Fame Monster Lady Gaga Battle Studies John Mayer I Dreamed a Dream Susan Boyle My World 2.0 Justin Bieber Teenage Dream Katy Perry 2012 21 Adele Born This Way Lady Gaga Doo-Wops & Hooligans Bruno Mars The Lady Killer CeeLo Green Loud Rihanna 2013 Stronger Kelly Clarkson Ceremonials Florence and the Machine Overexposed Maroon 5 Some Nights Fun The Truth About Love Pink 2014 Unorthodox Jukebox Bruno Mars Blurred Lines Robin Thicke Paradise Lana Del Rey Pure Heroine Lorde The 20/20 Experience – The Complete Experience Justin Timberlake 2015 In the Lonely Hour Sam Smith Bangerz Miley Cyrus Ghost Stories Coldplay My Everything Ariana Grande Prism Katy Perry x Ed Sheeran 2016 1989 Taylor Swift Before This World James Taylor How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful Florence and the Machine Piece by Piece Kelly Clarkson Uptown Special Mark Ronson 2017 25 Adele Confident Demi Lovato Dangerous Woman Ariana Grande Purpose Justin Bieber This Is Acting Sia 2018 ÷ Ed Sheeran Evolve Imagine Dragons Joanne Lady Gaga Kaleidoscope EP Coldplay Lust for Life Lana Del Rey Rainbow Kesha 2019 Sweetener Ariana Grande Beautiful Trauma Pink Camila Camila Cabello Meaning of Life Kelly Clarkson Reputation Taylor Swift Shawn Mendes Shawn Mendes
2020s Year Work Artist 2020 When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Billie Eilish The Lion King: The Gift Beyoncé Lover Taylor Swift No.6 Collaborations Project Ed Sheeran Thank U, Next Ariana Grande 2021 Future Nostalgia Dua Lipa Changes Justin Bieber Chromatica Lady Gaga Fine Line Harry Styles Folklore Taylor Swift 2022 Sour Olivia Rodrigo Happier Than Ever Billie Eilish Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe) Justin Bieber Planet Her (Deluxe) Doja Cat Positions Ariana Grande 2023 Harry's House Harry Styles Music of the Spheres Coldplay Special Lizzo 30 Adele Voyage ABBA 2024 Midnights Taylor Swift Chemistry Kelly Clarkson Endless Summer Vacation Miley Cyrus Guts Olivia Rodrigo − Ed Sheeran 2025 Short n' Sweet Sabrina Carpenter Eternal Sunshine Ariana Grande Hit Me Hard and Soft Billie Eilish The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess Chappell Roan The Tortured Poets Department Taylor Swift 2026 Mayhem Lady Gaga Swag Justin Bieber Man's Best Friend Sabrina Carpenter Something Beautiful Miley Cyrus I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) Teddy Swims
Artists with multiple wins 2 wins Adele Kelly Clarkson Lady Gaga Taylor Swift
Artists with multiple nominations
6 nominations Kelly Clarkson Ariana Grande Taylor Swift
5 nominations Justin Bieber Lady Gaga Justin Timberlake (including 2 with NSYNC)
4 nominations Pink Ed Sheeran
3 nominations Adele Coldplay Miley Cyrus Billie Eilish Don Henley (including 2 with Eagles) Madonna Paul McCartney (including 1 with The Beatles) Sarah McLachlan James Taylor
2 nominations Christina Aguilera Sabrina Carpenter Sheryl Crow Lana Del Rey Celine Dion Eagles Florence and the Machine George Harrison (including 1 with The Beatles) Norah Jones Annie Lennox Maroon 5 Bruno Mars John Mayer NSYNC Katy Perry Olivia Rodrigo Britney Spears Gwen Stefani (including 1 with No Doubt) Sting Harry Styles
See also Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
References
General
Specific
External links Official site of the Grammy Awards