Taylor Swift made history at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards,SignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Center becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times. But the win also revealed another stat: It’s been 25 years since a Black woman took home music’s biggest prize.
Swift beat out seven other nominees at Sunday’s awards, including SZA and Janelle Monáe, two Black women. And while Beyoncé has the most Grammys wins of any artist (32), the album of the year prize has eluded her, despite being nominated in the category four times.
“I don't want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn't work." Jay Z, Beyoncé's husband, said while accepting the special global impact award.
"Think about that. The most Grammys, never won album of the year," he continued.
Singer and rapper Lauryn Hill won album of the year in 1999 for her debut solo album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” making her the last Black woman to win the award in the past 25 years.
The album was released in 1998 and remains Hill’s only solo album. Hill is also known for being part of the hip-hop trio, the Fugees.
Sixteen Black women artists have been nominated for album of the year since Lauryn Hill’s win 25 years ago. Beyonce, Janelle Monae, H.E.R., and Lizzo have all received multiple nominations in the category within that time.
Only three Black women have won album of the year since the category was presented at the first Grammy Awards back in 1959.
Eleven total Black artists have won album of the year including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and 2022’s winner Jon Batiste.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email [email protected]. On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208.
Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
2025-05-08 07:032307 view
2025-05-08 05:411200 view
2025-05-08 05:121842 view
2025-05-08 04:421085 view
2025-05-08 04:411769 view
2025-05-08 04:291719 view
The tens of thousands of federal workers who have been cut from their jobs are not the only ones dea
"KIT!"If you own a yearbook you rarely look at, you likely know what that acronym—generally written
The funeral did not go as Samantha Casiano had hoped — she did not get an open casket for the baby s
