The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums in the alternative genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony 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". In 2023, it was joined by a companion category, Best Alternative Music Performance.
Criteria
While the definition of "alternative" has been debated, the award was first presented in 1991 to recognize non-mainstream rock albums "heavily played on college radio stations". After several updates of the category description, the Grammy organisation issued the following statement for the 2019 Grammy season:
Alternative is defined as a genre of music that embraces attributes of progression and innovation in both the music and attitudes associated with it. It is often a less intense version of rock or a more intense version of pop and is typically regarded as more original, eclectic, or musically challenging. It may embrace a variety of subgenres or any hybrids thereof and may include recordings that don't fit into other genre categories.
History
In 1991, and from 1994 to 1999, the award was known as Best Alternative Music Performance. Before 2001, only the performing artist received a nomination and an award.
As of 2025, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Beck, and St. Vincent share the record for the most wins in this category, having won three times each, with St. Vincent being the first solo female to win the award thrice. Three female solo artists have won the award, Sinéad O'Connor and Fiona Apple; two bands with female members, The White Stripes and Alabama Shakes, have also won the award, as well as two all-female bands, Wet Leg and Boygenius. With nine nominations to date, Björk holds the record for the most nominations in this category; Radiohead singer Thom Yorke was nominated for the 2007 and 2020 awards for his solo albums, making him the most nominated person in this category with 10 total nominations. Björk holds the record for the most nominations for a solo artist, as well as the record for the most nominations without a win. Vampire Weekend and Coldplay have each received the award twice, and Coldplay are the only group to win two years consecutively. American artists have been presented with the award more than any other nationality, though it has been presented to musicians or groups from the United Kingdom five times, from Ireland twice, and from France and Australia once each. Artists from Canada, Iceland, and Sweden have been nominated for the award, but none have won.
Recipients
right|upright|thumb|[[Sinéad O'Connor was the inaugural winner in 1991.]]
right|upright|thumb|[[Michael Stipe of 1992 award winner R.E.M.]]
upright|thumb|[[35th Annual Grammy Awards|1993 award winner Tom Waits]]
right|upright|thumb|alt=Black and white image of a man wearing a white dress shirt, a dark vest and jeans holding a guitar and standing behind a microphone stand. His eyes are closed, and the background is completely black except for a single light that shines from behind.|[[Thom Yorke of the three-time award-winning band Radiohead.]]
right|upright|thumb|[[Björk has been nominated a record nine times.]]
right|upright|thumb|alt=Four men in from of an audience.|Two-time award-winning band [[Coldplay.]]
right|upright|thumb|alt=In the forefront, a man in a white dress shirt and tie holding a microphone on a stand. In the background, a man wearing a jacket, tie, and sunglasses playing keyboards.|[[49th Annual Grammy Awards|2007 winners Gnarls Barkley.]]
right|upright|thumb|alt=On the left, a man in red pants and a black T-shirt with black hair down to his chin holding a red guitar. On the right, a woman wearing a white shirt with black polka dots standing behind a red microphone stand.|Three-time award-winning band [[The White Stripes.]]
right|upright|thumb|[[Ezra Koenig of two-time award-winner Vampire Weekend.]]
right|upright|thumb|[[St. Vincent (musician)|St. Vincent was the second solo female recipient when she won in 2015, and the first to win twice for solo recordings.]]
right|upright|thumb|[[Brittany Howard of 2016 award winner Alabama Shakes.]]
right|upright|thumb|[[59th Annual Grammy Awards|2017 award winner David Bowie.]]
right|upright|thumb|[[63rd Annual Grammy Awards|2021 award winner Fiona Apple.]]
1990s
{| class="wikitable"
! width="10%" | Year
! width="45%" | Work
! width="45%" | Artist
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1991 <br/>
| Out of Time
| R.E.M.
|-
| Doubt
| Jesus Jones
|-
| Mighty Like a Rose
| Elvis Costello
|-
| Nevermind
| Nirvana
|-
| Rumor and Sigh
| Richard Thompson
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1993 <br/>
| Bone Machine
| Tom Waits
|-
| Good Stuff
| The B-52s
|-
| Nonsuch
| XTC
|-
| Wish
| The Cure
|-
| Your Arsenal
| Morrissey
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1994 <br/>
| Zooropa
| U2
|-
| Automatic for the People
| R.E.M.
|-
| In Utero
| Nirvana
|-
| Siamese Dream
| The Smashing Pumpkins
|-
| Star
| Belly
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1995 <br/>
| Dookie
| Green Day
|-
| The Downward Spiral
| Nine Inch Nails
|-
| Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
| Sarah McLachlan
|-
| God Shuffled His Feet
| Crash Test Dummies
|-
| Under the Pink
| Tori Amos
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1996 <br/>
| MTV Unplugged in New York
| Nirvana
|-
| Foo Fighters
| Foo Fighters
|-
| Post
| Björk
|-
| The Presidents of the United States of America
| The Presidents of the United States of America
|-
| To Bring You My Love
| PJ Harvey
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1997 <br/>
| Odelay
| Beck
|-
| Boys for Pele
| Tori Amos
|-
| The Burdens of Being Upright
| Tracy Bonham
|-
| Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
| The Smashing Pumpkins
|-
| New Adventures in Hi-Fi
| R.E.M.
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1998 <br/>
| OK Computer
| Radiohead
|-
| Dig Your Own Hole
| The Chemical Brothers
|-
| Earthling
| David Bowie
|-
| The Fat of the Land
| The Prodigy
|-
| Homogenic
| Björk
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1999 <br/>
| Hello Nasty
| Beastie Boys
|-
| Adore
| The Smashing Pumpkins
|-
| Airbag/How Am I Driving?
| Radiohead
|-
| From the Choirgirl Hotel
| Tori Amos
|-
| Is This Desire?
| PJ Harvey
|-
|}
2000s
{| class="wikitable"
! width="10%" | Year
! width="45%" | Work
! width="45%" | Artist
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2000 <br/>
| Mutations
| Beck
|-
| The Fragile
| Nine Inch Nails
|-
| Play
| Moby
|-
| To Venus and Back
| Tori Amos
|-
| You've Come a Long Way, Baby
| Fatboy Slim
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2001 <br/>
| Kid A
| Radiohead
|-
| Bloodflowers
| The Cure
|-
| Liverpool Sound Collage
| Paul McCartney
|-
| Midnite Vultures
| Beck
|-
| When the Pawn...
| Fiona Apple
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2002 <br/>
| Parachutes
| Coldplay
|-
| Amnesiac
| Radiohead
|-
| Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
| Fatboy Slim
|-
| Strange Little Girls
| Tori Amos
|-
| Vespertine
| Björk
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2003 <br/>
| A Rush of Blood to the Head
| Coldplay
|-
| Behind the Music
| The Soundtrack of Our Lives
|-
| Cruel Smile
| Elvis Costello and the Imposters
|-
| Sea Change
| Beck
|-
| Walking with Thee
| Clinic
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2004 <br/>
| Elephant
| The White Stripes
|-
| ( )
| Sigur Rós
|-
| Fever to Tell
| Yeah Yeah Yeahs
|-
| Fight Test
| The Flaming Lips
|-
| Hail to the Thief
| Radiohead
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2005 <br/>
| A Ghost Is Born
| Wilco
|-
| Franz Ferdinand
| Franz Ferdinand
|-
| Good News for People Who Love Bad News
| Modest Mouse
|-
| Medúlla
| Björk
|-
| Uh Huh Her
| PJ Harvey
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2006 <br/>
| Get Behind Me Satan
| The White Stripes
|-
| Funeral
| Arcade Fire
|-
| Guero
| Beck
|-
| Plans
| Death Cab for Cutie
|-
| You Could Have It So Much Better
| Franz Ferdinand
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2007 <br/>
| St. Elsewhere
| Gnarls Barkley
|-
| At War with the Mystics
| The Flaming Lips
|-
| The Eraser
| Thom Yorke
|-
| Show Your Bones
| Yeah Yeah Yeahs
|-
| Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
| Arctic Monkeys
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2008 <br/>
| Icky Thump
| The White Stripes
|-
| Alright, Still
| Lily Allen
|-
| Neon Bible
| Arcade Fire
|-
| Volta
| Björk
|-
| Wincing the Night Away
| The Shins
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2009 <br/>
| In Rainbows
| Radiohead
|-
| Evil Urges
| My Morning Jacket
|-
| Modern Guilt
| Beck
|-
| Narrow Stairs
| Death Cab for Cutie
|-
| The Odd Couple
| Gnarls Barkley
|-
|}
2010s
{| class="wikitable"
! width="10%" | Year
! width="45%" | Work
! width="45%" | Artist
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2010 <br/>
| Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
| Phoenix
|-
| Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
| David Byrne and Brian Eno
|-
| It's Blitz!
| Yeah Yeah Yeahs
|-
| The Open Door EP
| Death Cab for Cutie
|-
| Sounds of the Universe
| Depeche Mode
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2011 <br/>
| Brothers
| The Black Keys
|-
| Broken Bells
| Broken Bells
|-
| Contra
| Vampire Weekend
|-
| Infinite Arms
| Band of Horses
|-
| The Suburbs
| Arcade Fire
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2012 <br/>
| Bon Iver
| Bon Iver
|-
| Circuital
| My Morning Jacket
|-
| Codes and Keys
| Death Cab for Cutie
|-
| The King of Limbs
| Radiohead
|-
| Torches
| Foster the People
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2013 <br/>
| Making Mirrors
| Gotye
|-
| Bad as Me
| Tom Waits
|-
| Biophilia
| Björk
|-
| Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
| M83
|-
| The Idler Wheel...
| Fiona Apple
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2014 <br/>
| Modern Vampires of the City
| Vampire Weekend
|-
| Hesitation Marks
| Nine Inch Nails
|-
| Lonerism
| Tame Impala
|-
| Trouble Will Find Me
| The National
|-
| The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You
| Neko Case
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2015 <br/>
| St. Vincent
| St. Vincent
|-
| Lazaretto
| Jack White
|-
| Melophobia
| Cage the Elephant
|-
| Reflektor
| Arcade Fire
|-
| This Is All Yours
| Alt-J
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2016 <br/>
| Sound & Color
| Alabama Shakes
|-
| Currents
| Tame Impala
|-
| Star Wars
| Wilco
|-
| Vulnicura
| Björk
|-
| The Waterfall
| My Morning Jacket
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2017 <br/>
| Blackstar
| David Bowie
|-
| 22, A Million
| Bon Iver
|-
| The Hope Six Demolition Project
| PJ Harvey
|-
| A Moon Shaped Pool
| Radiohead
|-
| Post Pop Depression
| Iggy Pop
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2018 <br/>
| Sleep Well Beast
| The National
|-
| American Dream
| LCD Soundsystem
|-
| Everything Now
| Arcade Fire
|-
| Humanz
| Gorillaz
|-
| Pure Comedy
| Father John Misty
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2019 <br/>
| Colors
| Beck
|-
| American Utopia
| David Byrne
|-
| Masseduction
| St. Vincent
|-
| Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
| Arctic Monkeys
|-
| Utopia
| Björk
|-
|}
2020s
{| class="wikitable"
! width="10%" | Year
! width="45%" | Work
! width="45%" | Artist
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2020 <br/>
| Father of the Bride
| Vampire Weekend
|-
| Anima
| Thom Yorke
|-
| Assume Form
| James Blake
|-
| I, I
| Bon Iver
|-
| U.F.O.F.
| Big Thief
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2021 <br/>
| Fetch the Bolt Cutters
| Fiona Apple
|-
| Hyperspace
| Beck
|-
| Jaime
| Brittany Howard
|-
| Punisher
| Phoebe Bridgers
|-
| The Slow Rush
| Tame Impala
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2022 <br/>
| Daddy's Home
| St. Vincent
|-
| Collapsed in Sunbeams
| Arlo Parks
|-
| If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
| Halsey
|-
| Jubilee
| Japanese Breakfast
|-
| Shore
| Fleet Foxes
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2023 <br/>
| Wet Leg
| Wet Leg
|-
| Cool It Down
| Yeah Yeah Yeahs
|-
| Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
| Big Thief
|-
| Fossora
| Björk
|-
| We
| Arcade Fire
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2024 <br/>
| The Record
| Boygenius
|-
| The Car
| Arctic Monkeys
|-
| Cracker Island
| Gorillaz
|-
| Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
| Lana Del Rey
|-
| I Inside the Old Year Dying
| PJ Harvey
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2025 <br/>
| All Born Screaming
| St. Vincent
|-
| Charm
| Clairo
|-
| The Collective
| Kim Gordon
|-
| What Now
| Brittany Howard
|-
| Wild God
| Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
|-
|-style="background:#FAEB86;"
! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2026 <br/>
| Songs of a Lost World
| The Cure
|-
| Don't Tap the Glass
| Tyler, the Creator
|-
| Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party
| Hayley Williams
|-
| Moisturizer
| Wet Leg
|-
| Sable, Fable
| Bon Iver
|-
|}
<sup></sup> Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
Artists with multiple wins
;3 wins
- Beck
- Radiohead
- The White Stripes
- St. Vincent
;2 wins
- Coldplay
- Vampire Weekend
Artists with multiple nominations
;9 nominations
- Björk
;8 nominations
- Beck
- Radiohead
;6 nominations
- Arcade Fire
;5 nominations
- Tori Amos
- PJ Harvey
;4 nominations
- Bon Iver
- Death Cab for Cutie
- St. Vincent
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
;3 nominations
- Fiona Apple
- Arctic Monkeys
- The Cure
- My Morning Jacket
- Nine Inch Nails
- Nirvana
- R.E.M.
- The Smashing Pumpkins
- Tame Impala
- Vampire Weekend
- The White Stripes
;2 nominations
- Big Thief
- David Bowie
- David Byrne
- Coldplay
- Elvis Costello
- Fatboy Slim
- The Flaming Lips
- Franz Ferdinand
- Gnarls Barkley
- Gorillaz
- Brittany Howard
- The National
- Thom Yorke
- Tom Waits
- Wet Leg
- Wilco
See also
- Independent music
- List of alternative rock artists