Grammy Awards
Best new artist award winners at the Grammys: See photos of every one
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Since 1959, the Grammys have put a spotlight on the year’s best new artist. See which of your favorites got that early vote of confidence in our gallery of greats. Bobby Darin kicks off our celebration, taking that debut best new artist award on the heels of his unforgettable hit, “Mack the Knife” in 1960.
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In 1961, comedian Bob Newhart, a one-time accountant, took the honors that year, presaging what would become a hugely successful comedy career on television. He beat opera singer Leontyne Price and South African star Miriam Makeba.
Pioneers Of Television Archives
Pianist Peter Nero kicked off his multi-Grammy career with a win for best new artist in 1962, beating out actress Ann-Margaret and comedian Dick Gregory.
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The crooning stylings of Robert Goulet, shown here with Florence Henderson in a 1964 TV show, took best new artist in 1963, besting Peter, Paul & Mary and The Four Seasons.
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The Swingle Singers took the Grammy for best new artist in 1964, besting Vikki Carr, Trini Lopez and an artist with possibly the most curious stage name out there: The J’s with Jamie (a vocal group from Chicago specializing in commercial jingles). The Swingles were an a cappella group whose big hit in 1963 consisted of singing Bach’s most famous compositions.
Courtesy Of The Swingle Singers
In 1965, The Beatles were recognized by the Grammy Awards as the year’s best newcomers, despite competition from Brazilian singing and composing legend Antonio Carlos Jobim and “Downtown” singer Petula Clark.
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Hunky heartthrob Tom Jones was the winner in 1966, whose 1965 single “It’s Not Unusual” remains an all-time favorite. He beat out The Byrds and Herman’s Hermits.
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Singer Bobbie Gentry won the Grammy award for Best New Artist in 1968.
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While Jose Feliciano may be best known today for his version of “Feliz Navidad,” he had a huge hit in 1968 with his acoustic guitar version of The Doors’ “Light My Fire,” which no doubt contributed to him winning Best New Artist in 1969 (beating hard rockers Cream).
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Crosby, Stills & Nash took the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1969, kicking off a decade that would see them become one of the most popular touring bands. Losers that year? Led Zeppelin.
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Richard and Karen Carpenter, the musical duo “The Carpenters,” won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1970.
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Singer Carly Simon won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1971 at the 14th Annual Grammy Awards.
Michael Simon, REUTERS/Michael Simon
Two members of the band America, Dewey Bunnell (left) and Gerry Beckley, accepted the Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2012. The group won Best New Artist in 1972, notably topping the Eagles, Harry Chapin, and John Prine.
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Newcomer Bette Midler was up for three Grammy Awards in 1973, including best album (“The Divine Miss M”) and female vocal performance (“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”), but only took home one for Best New Artist.
ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAY
Composer and pianist Marvin Hamlisch would be showered with awards throughout his prolific career, from Oscars to Pulitzer Prizes, but it all started with a Best New Artist Grammy Award in 1974.
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Singer Natalie Cole won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1975, bearing out the Becker Brothers, Amazing Rhythm Aces, Morris Albert, and K.C. And The Sunshine Band. Natalie Cole went on to win seven more Grammy Awards throughout her career.
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The Starland Vocal Band won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1977.
Courtesy Everett Collection, Courtesy Everett Collection
Singer Debbie Boone won the Grammy award for Best New Artist in 1978 over artists Shaun Cassidy, Stephen Bishop, Andy Gibb, and the group Foreigner.
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A Taste of Honey group members Janice-Marie Johnson and Carlita Dorhan won the Grammy award for Best New Artist in 1979 over Cars, Elvis Costello, Toto and Chris Rea. Their song “Boogie Oogie Oogie” from their debut album was a hit that year.
Bobby Holland, © 1980 Bobby Holland / Mptvimag
Musician Ricki Lee Jones won the 22nd Annual Grammy Awards Best New Artist award 1980. Her song “Chuck E.’s in Love” earned her three other nominations that year.
Brad
Christopher Cross won the Best New Artist award at the 23rd Grammy Awards in 1981. His self-titled album took the music industry by storm. He won five Grammy awards, including the “Big Four”: Album of The Year, Record of The Year, Song of The Year, and Best New Artist.
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Sheena Easton won the Grammy award for Best New Artist at the 24th Grammy Awards in 1982.
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Men At Work won the Grammy award for Best New Artist at the 25th Grammy Awards in 1983.
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Boy George, left, was the linchpin of Culture Club, the British band that rode the charts with hits such as “Karma Chameleon” and “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me.” Their best artist win in 1984 beat out the Eurythmics, Men Without Hats, Big Country and Musical Youth.
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Cyndi Lauper’s debut album, “She’s So Unusual,” was inescapable thanks to radio and MTV hits such as “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time.” So it was no surprise when she took home the Best New Artist Grammy in 1985, though both of those songs failed to win Grammys in their categories.
Ruven Afanador
Nigerian-born and Britain-raised singer Sade burst onto the scene with her first album, “Diamond Life,” featuring unforgettable songs such as “Smooth Operator” and “Hang On to Your Love.” She took the Best New Artist Grammy in 1986, beating out Norwegian band A-HA and Beatles scion Julian Lennon.
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Rock group Bruce Hornsby and the Range attend the 29th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 24, 1987, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Calif. The group won the award for Best New Artist.
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Jody Watley took the 1988 Best New Artist Grammy on the strength of an album that featured the hit “Looking for A New Love,” besting a crop of newcomers that included Terence Trent, Swing Out Sister, and Breakfast Club.
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Tracy Chapman won the Grammy for Best New artist at the 31st Grammy Awards in 1989. Chappman’s unexpected performance of “Fast Car” also won her Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, and Best Contemporary Folk Recording.
Robert Hanashiro, Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY
Mariah Carey holds up her two Grammys at the 33rd annual Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall, NYC, on Feb. 20, 1991, where she won the award for Best New Artist.
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Marc Cohn struck gold with his eponymous debut album in 1991, leading directly to his Grammy win in 1992. The album featured the infectious hit “Walking in Memphis,” a soulful tribute to the seminal Black roots music that feeds most musicians to this day. Cohn won by beating Seal and Boyz II Men.
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Arrested Development won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1993, over Jon Secada, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sophie Hawkins and Kriss Kross.
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Toni Braxton was studying to become a music teacher when she opted to leave college and record under the watchful eye of producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. Her 1993 debut not only won her the Best New Artist Grammy in 1994 but also a statue for Best Female R&B vocal for the track “Another Sad Love Song,” which notably beat out Whitney Houston’s “I’m Every Woman.”
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY
Sheryl Crow paid her dues for years as a backup singer to the likes of the Eagles and Michael Jackson before stepping out on her own with her powerful debut disc, “Tuesday Night Music Club.” Although she faced stiff competition for best new artist in 1995 against Green Day and Counting Crows, she took the award thanks to an album strewn with hits such as “Leaving Las Vegas” and “Everyday Is A Winding Road.”
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Hootie & The Blowfish seemed to come out of nowhere, and within an instant, the songs on their debut album, “Cracked Rear View,” were impossible to avoid or resist singing along to, ranging from “Hold My Hand” to “Only Wanna Be With You.” It would take multiple hits to beat the competition, which included the equally chart-topping Canadian singers Alanis Morisette and Shania Twain.
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LeAnn Rimes holds her two Grammy Awards 26 Feb. 26, 1997, in New York. Rimes won for best female country singer and best women’s vocal new artist.
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Paula Cole honed her musical chops as a student at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music before moving to San Francisco to work on her songwriting in 1993. A call from Peter Gabriel set the wheels of her career in motion; she joined the Genesis founder as a backup singer after Sinead O’Connor bowed out. It took two albums for the world to notice Cole’s introspective soulful singing with “This Fire” setting the stage for her best new artist Grammy win in 1998, beating the likes of Erykah Badu and Puff Daddy.
EILEEN BLASS, USA TODAY
Lauryn Hill left The Fugees to create her masterpiece, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” It is tough to understate the impact of this seminal hip-hop release, which not only landed Hill her best new artist Grammy in 1999 but also inspired an entire generation with its confessional neo-soul and R&B grooves. Hill bested an impressive new artist array that included Andrea Bocelli, Dixie Chicks and the Backstreet Boys.
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Grammy got it right again when it hailed Christina Aguilera as best new artist in 2000, as the Latin siren would go on to make a huge mark in pop and Latin music throughout the ensuing decades. Taking the crown meant beating quite the competitive class: Susan Tedeschi, Macy Gray, Kid Rock and Britney Spears.
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While some Grammy best new artist winners seem to come from out of the blue, the winner for 2001, singer Shelby Lynne, quipped at her acceptance that it only took 13 years and six albums for her to gain such recognition. Lynne beat country singer Brad Paisley that year, thanks in large part to her confessional album, “I Am Shelby Lynne.”
Jason Kempin, Getty Images For Americana Music
To date, Alicia Keys has been nominated for 30 Grammys and won 15, and it all started with her barnstorming year in 2002 that followed her debut album, “Songs in A Minor.” Songs from that disc won five Grammys, including best new artist. Left empty-handed that year were India.Arie and David Gray.
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Norah Jones haunting, breathless vocals seemed to be everywhere leading up to the 2003 Grammys. Her album “Come Away With Me” was the source of the fascination surrounding the singer, whose father was the indelible sitar player Ravi Shankar. Jones raked in five Grammys at the ceremony, including album of the year and record of the year for “Don’t Know Why,” which she performed during the telecast. Left in the new artist cold that year: John Mayer.
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In 2004, Arkansas rockers Evanescence took home the best new artist trophy on the shoulders of debut album “Fallen,” which produced the hits “Bring Me to Life” and “My Immortal.” That said, what many remember most about that win was a miffed fellow best new artist nominee, rapper 50 Cent, cruising past the band onstage just before they accepted their award. In 2020, 50 Cent quipped at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony that he hadn’t seen Evanescence since that night.
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Knowing Kanye West, best known as controversial rapper Ye, he’s still smarting that he lost the best new artist Grammy in 2005 to Maroon 5.
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It’s funny to think about John Legend being hailed as best new artist, but in 2006, the singer started on his trailblazing road to EGOT fame; signifying Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony wins.
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Carrie Underwood accepts the Best Female Country Vocal Performance award for the song “Jesus Take The Wheel” at the 49th Grammy Awards pre-telecast in Los Angeles on Feb. 11, 2007.
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Amy Winehouse won Best New Artist in 2008, just three years before she died, beating out another notable newbie: Taylor Swift. The British singer had both a shockingly soulful voice and a troubling personal life, the latter of which ultimately contributed to dying of alcohol poisoning in 2011 at age 27. Her album “Back to Black” included the tragically apt “Rehab.”
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Following Amy Winehouse’s win in 2008, another British diva, Adele, took the Best New Artist trophy in 2009. It is hard to think fellow nominees, the Jonas Brothers, are complaining, considering the stratospheric success achieved in the ensuing years by Adele, including racking up more than 100 million album sales despite having only recorded four studio LPs.
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Far from an overnight sensation, Georgia’s Zac Brown Band had been showcasing their Southern-fried country for eight years when, on the back of their hit “Chicken Fried,” Grammy gave them a best new artist nod in 2010.
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Esperanza Spalding is a towering talent, both a singer and a monster bass player. But she’s decidedly rooted in the jazz vein, which made her 2011 new artist win puzzling for many, especially considering who was passed over in that category: Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence + the Machine and Mumford & Sons.
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In 2012, competition for best new artists was stiff with the emergence of the distinctly different talents of rapper Nicki Minaj and electronic music innovator Skrillex. But it was Bon Iver who took the trophy, thanks to collaborations with St. Vincent and Kanye West.
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Indie stylists Fun took best new artist honors in 2013, thanks to charting songs “We Are Young” and “Carry On,” besting other notable newcomers Frank Ocean, The Lumineers and Alabama Shakes.
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In a case of Grammy bowing to an infectious hit over perhaps more durable options, the best new artist Grammy of 2014 went to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis thanks to their infectious hit “Thrift Shop,” featuring Wanz. Who lost out as a result? You may wince: James Blake, Kendrick Lamar, Kacey Musgraves and Ed Sheeran.
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Sam Smith holds his four awards in the press room at the 57th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, on Feb. 8, 2015. Sam Smith took home the Best New Artist award.
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Meghan Trainor came of the newbie gates with a fury, her freshman album “Title,” debuting at No. 1 and spawning three top 10 hits: “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” “Lips Are Movin'” and her signature song, “All About That Bass.”
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Chance the Rapper’s Grammy day in 2017 started off with a win for best rap performance for “No Problem,” featuring Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz. But it got better from there with a best new artist win, beating newcomers Anderson .Paak, The Chainsmokers and Maren Morris.
Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY
Alessia Cara won best new artist in 2018, making the then 22-year-old the first Canadian to take home such honors. She was nominated for four awards that year, including song of the year. She beat SZA and Lil Uzi Vert.
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Dua Lipa’s best new artist win at the 2019 Grammys was especially impressive given that it was the first year the category jumped from five to eight nominees, including Luke Combs and H.E.R. Her single “Electricity” also won her the best dance recording Grammy that year.
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Billie Eilish busted out in the new decade, winning the big four Grammys in 2020: Best New Artist and, on the shoulders of the single “bad guy,” Song, Record, and Album of the Year. It took that sort of performance to beat the rest of the standout new artist crowd, which included Lizzo and Lil Nas X.
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Megan Thee Stallion accepts the Best New Artist award onstage during the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at Los Angeles Convention Center on March 14, 2021, in Los Angeles, Calif.
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Teens everywhere glommed onto Olivia Rodrigo’s confessional hit “Drivers License” off her album “Sour.” The then 19-year-old singer took home three statues that night (accidentally breaking one): Best New Artist, Best Pop Solo, and Best Pop Vocal Performance.
Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY
US jazz singer Samara Joy accepts the Best New Artist award onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles, California.
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Victoria Monet accepts the Best New Artist award onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 4, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif.
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Chappell Roan accepts the Best New Artist award from Victoria Monét onstage during the 67th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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