Grammy Award for Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album

The Grammy Award for Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album is presented to recording artists for quality albums in the new-age music 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".

Originally called the Grammy Award for Best New Age Recording, the honor was first presented to Swiss musician Andreas Vollenweider at the 29th Grammy Awards in 1987 for his album Down to the Moon. Two compilation albums featuring Windham Hill Records artists were nominated that same year. The record label was founded by William Ackerman, later an award nominee and 2005 winner for the album Returning. From 1988 to 1991 the category was known as Best New Age Performance. From 1992 to 2023, the award was presented as Best New Age Album. Beginning in 2001, award recipients included the producers, engineers, and/or mixers associated with the nominated work in addition to the recording artists. From 2023, the category has been known as Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album.

While "new-age" music can be difficult to define, journalist Steven Rea described the genre as "music that is acoustic, electronic, jazzy, folky and incorporates classical and pop elements, Eastern and Latin influences, exotic instrumentation, and environmental sound effects." According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award is presented for instrumental or vocal new-age albums "containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded material", with seasonal recordings not being eligible. The addition of the award category reflected a "coming of age" of the music genre, though some musicians classified as new age dislike the term "new age" and some of its negative connotations.

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Down to the Moon

| Andreas Vollenweider

|-

| Canyon

| Paul Winter

|-

| Rendez-Vous

| Jean Michel Jarre

|-

| Windham Hill Records Sampler '86

| Various Artists

|-

| A Winter's Solstice

| Various Artists

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| rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" | 1988<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Yusef Lateef's Little Symphony

| Yusef Lateef

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| Between Two Worlds

| Patrick O'Hearn

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| "The Field"

| Kitarō

|-

| "Reconciliations"

| Liz Story

|-

| "Sweet Intentions"

| Montreaux

|-

| Traveler

| Paul Horn

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1989<br>

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| Folksongs for a Nuclear Village

| Shadowfax

|-

| Castalia

| Mark Isham

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| "Down in Belgorod"

| Paul Winter

|-

| Local Color

| Steve Khan and Rob Mounsey

|-

| Neverland

| Suzanne Ciani

|-

|}

1990s

{| class="wikitable"

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| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1990<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ

| Peter Gabriel

|-

| Dancing with the Lion

| Andreas Vollenweider

|-

| "Icarus"

| Paul Winter

|-

| "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)"

| Enya

|-

| Tibet

| Mark Isham

|-

| rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" | 1991<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Mark Isham

| Mark Isham

|-

| Balkan

| Mysterious Voices of Bulgaria

|-

| "Caravan of Dreams"

| Acoustic Alchemy

|-

| Earth: Voices of a Planet

| Paul Winter

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| Taproot

| Michael Hedges

|-

| Yellowstone: The Music of Nature

| Mannheim Steamroller

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1992<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Fresh Aire 7

| Chip Davis (Mannheim Steamroller)

|-

| Borrasca

| Ottmar Liebert

|-

| Canyon Dreams

| Tangerine Dream

|-

| Hotel Luna

| Suzanne Ciani

|-

| In the Wake of the Wind

| David Arkenstone

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1993<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Shepherd Moons

| Enya

|-

| Dare to Dream

| Yanni

|-

| Dream

| Kitarō

|-

| Esperanto

| Shadowfax

|-

| Rockoon

| Tangerine Dream

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1994

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Spanish Angel

| Paul Winter Consort

|-

| 220 Volt Live

| Tangerine Dream

|-

| Banba

| Clannad

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| The Hours Between Night + Day

| Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra

|-

| In My Time

| Yanni

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1995<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Prayer for the Wild Things

| Paul Winter

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| Acoustic Planet

| Craig Chaquico

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| The Garden

| Michael Nesmith

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| Mandala

| Kitarō

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| Turn of the Tides

| Tangerine Dream

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1996<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Forest

| George Winston

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| Dream Suite

| Suzanne Ciani

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| An Enchanted Evening

| Kitarō

|-

| Trust

| Patrick O'Hearn

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| Tyranny of Beauty

| Tangerine Dream

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1997<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| The Memory of Trees

| Enya

|-

| Arcanum

| Acoustic Alchemy

|-

| Lore

| Clannad

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| Opium

| Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra

|-

| Pianissimo II

| Suzanne Ciani

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1998<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Oracle

| Michael Hedges

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| Canyon Lullaby

| Paul Winter

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| Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!

| Enigma

|-

| Oceanic

| Vangelis

|-

| Voyager

| Mike Oldfield

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 1999<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Landmarks

| Clannad

|-

| Gaia Onbashira

| Kitarō

|-

| Grand Passion

| John Tesh

|-

| Sound of Wind Driven Rain

| William Ackerman

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| The Water Garden

| Alex De Grassi

|-

|}

2000s

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| rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" | 2000<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Celtic Solstice

| Paul Winter and Friends

|-

| Citizen of the World

| David Arkenstone

|-

| Inner Voices

| R. Carlos Nakai

|-

| Inside Monument Valley

| Paul Horn and R. Carlos Nakai

|-

| Plains

| George Winston

|-

| Turning

| Suzanne Ciani

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2001<br><br />

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Thinking of You

| Kitarō

|-

| East of the Moon

| David Lanz

|-

| Highland Cathedral

| Phil Coulter

|-

| In a Distant Place

| R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton, Will Clipman and Nawang Khechog

|-

| Whisper to the Wild Water

| Maire Brennan

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2002<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| A Day Without Rain

| Enya

|-

| Ancient

| Kitarō

|-

| Cello Blue

| David Darling

|-

| Live from Montana

| Philip Aaberg

|-

| Sacred Spirit II: More Chants and Dances of the Native Americans

| Sacred Spirit

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2003<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Acoustic Garden

| Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel

|-

| An Ancient Journey

| Kitarō

|-

| Fourth World

| R. Carlos Nakai

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| Hearing Voices

| William Ackerman

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| Mondo Rama

| Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2004<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| One Quiet Night

| Pat Metheny

|-

| Inner Journeys: Myths & Legends

| Cusco

|-

| Red Moon

| Peter Kater

|-

| Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai

| Kitarō

|-

| Solace

| Michael Hoppé

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2005<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Returning

| William Ackerman

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| American River

| Jonathan Elias

|-

| Atlantis: A Symphonic Journey

| David Arkenstone

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| Piano

| Peter Kater

|-

| Two Horizons

| Moya Brennan

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| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2006<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Silver Solstice

| Paul Winter Consort

|-

| Montana: A Love Story

| George Winston

|-

| Music in the Key of Om

| Jack DeJohnette

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| People of Peace

| R. Carlos Nakai Quartet

|-

| Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Volume 2

| Kitarō

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2007<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Amarantine

| Enya

|-

| Beyond Words

| Gentle Thunder with Will Clipman and AmoChip Dabney

|-

| Elements Series: Fire

| Peter Kater

|-

| The Magical Journeys of Andreas Vollenweider

| Andreas Vollenweider

|-

| A Posteriori

| Enigma

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2008<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Crestone

| Paul Winter Consort

|-

| Faces of the Sun

| Peter Kater

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| One Guitar

| Ottmar Liebert

|-

| Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Volume 3

| Kitarō

|-

| Southwest

| Eric Tingstad

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2009<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Peace Time

| Jack DeJohnette

|-

| Ambrosia

| Peter Kater

|-

| Meditations

| William Ackerman

|-

| Pathfinder

| Will Clipman

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| The Scent of Light

| Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra

|-

|}

2010s

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| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2010<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Prayer for Compassion

| David Darling

|-

| Faith

| Jim Brickman

|-

| Impressions of the West Lake

| Kitarō

|-

| In a Dream

| Peter Kater, Dominic Miller, Kenny Loggins and Jaques Morelenbaum

|-

| Laserium for the Soul

| Henta

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2011<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Miho: Journey to the Mountain

| Paul Winter Consort

|-

| Dancing Into Silence

| R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton and Will Clipman

|-

| Instrumental Oasis, Vol. 4

| Zamora

|-

| Ocean

| Michael Brant DeMaria

|-

| Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Volume 4

| Kitarō

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2012

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| What's It All About

| Pat Metheny

|-

| Gaia

| Michael Brant DeMaria

|-

| Instrumental Oasis, Vol. 6

| Zamora

|-

| Northern Seas

| Al Conti

|-

| Wind, Rock, Sea & Flame

| Peter Kater

|-

| rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" | 2013<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Echoes of Love

| Omar Akram

|-

| Bindu

| Michael Brant DeMaria

|-

| Deep Alpha

| Steven Halpern

|-

| Light Body

| Peter Kater

|-

| Live Ananda

| Krishna Das

|-

| Troubadours of the Rhine

| Loreena McKennitt

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2014<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Love's River

| Laura Sullivan

|-

| Awakening the Fire

| R. Carlos Nakai and Will Clipman

|-

| Final Call

| Kitarō

|-

| Illumination

| Peter Kater

|-

| Lux

| Brian Eno

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2015<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Winds of Samsara

| Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman

|-

| Bhakti

| Paul Avgerinos

|-

| In Love and Longing

| Silvia Nakkach and David Darling

|-

| Ritual

| Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai

|-

| Symphony Live in Istanbul

| Kitarō

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2016

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Grace

| Paul Avgerinos

|-

| Asia Beauty

| Ron Korb

|-

| Bhakti Without Borders

| Madi Das

|-

| Love

| Peter Kater

|-

| Voyager

| Catherine Duc

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2017<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| White Sun II

| White Sun

|-

| Dark Sky Island

| Enya

|-

| Inner Passion

| Peter Kater and Tina Guo

|-

| Orogen

| John Burke

|-

| Rosetta

| Vangelis

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2018<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Dancing on Water

| Peter Kater

|-

| Reflection

| Brian Eno

|-

| Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Volume 5

| Kitarō

|-

| SongVersation: Medicine

| India.Arie

|-

| Spiral Revelation

| Steve Roach

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2019<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Opium Moon

| Opium Moon

|-

| Beloved

| Snatam Kaur

|-

| Hiraeth

| Lisa Gerrard and David Kuckhermann

|-

| Moku Maluhia – Peaceful Island

| Jim Kimo West

|-

| Molecules of Motion

| Steve Roach

|-

|}

2020s

{| class="wikitable"

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! width="45%" | Work

! width="45%" | Artist

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2020<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Wings

| Peter Kater

|-

| Deva

| Deva Premal

|-

| Fairy Dreams

| David Arkenstone

|-

| Homage to Kindness

| David Darling

|-

| Verve

| Sebastian Plano

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2021<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| More Guitar Stories

| Jim "Kimo" West

|-

| Form//Less

| Superposition

|-

| Meditations

| Cory Wong and Jon Batiste

|-

| Periphery

| Priya Darshini

|-

| Songs from the Bardo

| Laurie Anderson, Tenzin Choegyal and Jesse Paris Smith

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2022<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Divine Tides

| Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kej

|-

| Brothers

| Will Ackerman, Jeff Oster and Tom Eaton

|-

| Night + Day

| Opium Moon

|-

| Pangaea

| Wouter Kellerman and David Arkenstone

|-

| Pieces of Forever

| Laura Sullivan

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2023<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Mystic Mirror

| White Sun

|-

| Joy

| Paul Avgerinos

|-

| Mantra Americana

| Madi Das and Dave Stringer with Bhakti Without Borders

|-

| The Passenger

| Cheryl B. Engelhardt

|-

| Positano Songs

| Will Ackerman

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2024

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| So She Howls

| Carla Patullo featuring Tonality and The Scorchio Quartet

|-

| Aquamarine

| Kirsten Agresta-Copely

|-

| Moments of Beauty

| Omar Akram

|-

| Ocean Dreaming Ocean

| David Darling and Hans Christian

|-

| Some Kind of Peace (Piano Reworks)

| Ólafur Arnalds

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2025<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Triveni

| Wouter Kellerman, Éru Matsumoto and Chandrika Tandon

|-

| Break of Dawn

| Ricky Kej

|-

| Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn

| Anoushka Shankar

|-

| Opus

| Ryuichi Sakamoto

|-

| Warriors of Light

| Radhika Vekaria

|-

| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | 2026<br>

|- style="background:#FAEB86;"

| Nomadica

| Carla Patullo featuring The Scorchio Quartet and Tonality

|-

| According to the Moon

| Cheryl B. Engelhardt, GEM and Dallas String Quartet

|-

| The Colors in My Mind

| Chris Redding

|-

| Into the Forest

| Jahnavi Harrison

|-

| Kuruvinda

| Kirsten Agresta-Copely

|-

|}

 Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Artists with multiple wins

;6 wins

• Paul Winter

;4 wins

• Enya

;2 wins

• Peter Kater
• Ricky Kej
• Wouter Kellerman
• Pat Metheny
• Carla Patullo
• The Scorchio Quartet
• Tonality
• White Sun

Artists with multiple nominations

;16 nominations

• Kitarō

;14 nominations

• Peter Kater

;11 nominations

• Paul Winter

;8 nominations

• R. Carlos Nakai

;6 nominations

• Enya

;5 nominations

• David Arkenstone
• Suzanne Ciani
• Will Clipman
• David Darling
• Ottmar Liebert
• Tangerine Dream

;4 nominations

• William Ackerman

;3 nominations

• Paul Avgerinos
• Clannad
• Michael Brant DeMaria
• Mark Isham
• Ricky Kej
• Andreas Vollenweider
• George Winston

;2 nominations

• Acoustic Alchemy
• Kirsten Agresta-Copely
• Omar Akram
• Madi Das
• Jack DeJohnette
• William Eaton
• Cheryl B. Engelhardt
• Enigma
• Brian Eno
• Michael Hedges
• Paul Horn
• Wouter Kellerman
• Ottmar Liebert
• Mannheim Steamroller
• Pat Metheny
• Patrick O'Hearn
• Opium Moon
• Carla Patullo
• Steve Roach
• Shadowfax
• Laura Sullivan
• Eric Tingstad
• Vangelis
• White Sun
• Yanni
• Zamora

See also

• List of new-age music artists
• List of New Age topics

References

;General

;Specific

External links

• Grammy.com: Best New Age Album at 53rd Annual Grammy Awards Pre-Telecast