The Grammy Award for Best R&B 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 works on albums in the R&B music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by The Recording Academy 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".

According to the category description guide for the 54th Grammy Awards, the award is reserved for albums "containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded contemporary R&B vocal tracks" which may also "incorporate production elements found in rap music".

From 2003 to 2011, a separate category was formed, the Best Contemporary R&B Album, meant for R&B albums that had modern hip-hop stylings to them, while more traditional and less electronic-styled R&B music still fell under the Best R&B Album category. After the 2011 Grammy season, the Best Contemporary R&B Album category was discontinued and recordings that previously fell under this category were shifted back to the Best R&B Album category. This was part of a major overhaul of the Grammy Award categories. In 2013, a sister category titled Best Progressive R&B Album, then titled Best Urban Contemporary Album was debuted.

The award goes to the artist, producer and engineer/mixer, provided they are credited with at least 50% of playing time on the album. The lead performing artist is the only one who receives the official nomination and they receive a statuette on the night of the telecast. The producer and engineer/mixer, however, are determined after the telecast and will have to wait before they receive their statuette. This process may take up to several months - the winning producers and engineers/mixers of the 2024 Grammy winner Chris Brown's 11:11 (Deluxe) still remain undetermined as of February 2026. A producer or engineer who is responsible for less than 50% of playing time, as well as the mastering engineer, can apply for a Winners Certificate. Before 2001, only the performing artist received a nomination and/or an award.

Alicia Keys and John Legend are the biggest recipients in this category with three wins. TLC, D'Angelo, Robert Glasper, and Chris Brown have won the award twice. Mary J. Blige holds the record for the most nominations, with six in total. In 2015, Norwegian singer Bern/hoft became the first non-American artist to be nominated.

Recipients

thumb|right|170px|alt=Three African-American men sitting next to each other on a black stage. They are all wearing caps with jeans and sneakers. |[[Boyz II Men were the first recipients of the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 1995.]]

thumb|right|170px|alt=An African-American female with a black afro strumming on a guitar in front of a microphone. |For her work on [[The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album as well as Album of the Year.]]

thumb|right|170px|alt=An African-American man singing into a microphone. He is wearing a black hat and a sleeveless leather jacket. |Two-time recipient [[D'Angelo.]]

thumb|alt=An African-American female singing into a microphone on a stand. She is wearing large hoop earrings and a silver sleeveless shirt. |right|170px|[[44th Grammy Awards|2002, 2005 and 2014 award winner, Alicia Keys]]

thumb|170px|Three-time nominee and [[45th Grammy Awards|2003 award winner India.Arie]]

thumb|170px|alt=A picture of an African-American man in a suit playing the piano. |To date, [[John Legend has earned eleven Grammy Awards for his work, including three for Best R&B album.]]

thumb|right|alt=A black women with dark brown hair talking into a microphone. She is wearing a green satin dress with a with necklace. |170px|[[51st Grammy Awards|2009 award winner Jennifer Hudson]]

thumb|170px|right|[[54th Grammy Awards|2012 and 2025 award winner Chris Brown]]

thumb|255x255px|[[63rd Annual Grammy Awards|2022 award winner Jazmine Sullivan]]

thumb|241x241px|[[66th Annual Grammy Awards|2024 award winner Victoria Monet]]

1990s

{| class="wikitable"

! width="10%" | Year

! width="40%" | Work

! width="40%" | Performing artist(s)

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

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

| CrazySexyCool

| TLC

|-

| Brown Sugar

| D'Angelo

|-

| The Gold Experience

| Prince

|-

| The Icon Is Love

| Barry White

|-

| My Life

| Mary J. Blige

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1997 <br/>

| Words

| Tony Rich

|-

| Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

| Maxwell

|-

| Moving On

| Oleta Adams

|-

| New World Order

| Curtis Mayfield

|-

| Peace Beyond Passion

| Me'Shell NdegéOcello

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

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

| Baduizm

| Erykah Badu

|-

| The Day

| Babyface

|-

| Evolution

| Boyz II Men

|-

| Flame

| Patti LaBelle

|-

| The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album

| Whitney Houston

|-

| Share My World

| Mary J. Blige

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 1999 <br/>

| The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

| Lauryn Hill

|-

| Embrya

| Maxwell

|-

| Live

| Erykah Badu

|-

| Never Say Never

| Brandy

|-

| A Rose Is Still a Rose

| Aretha Franklin

|-

|}

2000s

{| class="wikitable"

! width="10%" | Year

! width="40%" | Work

! width="40%" | Performing artist(s)

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2000 <br/>

| FanMail

| TLC

|-

| Back at One

| Brian McKnight

|-

| Mary

| Mary J. Blige

|-

| My Love Is Your Love

| Whitney Houston

|-

| R.

| R. Kelly

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

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

| Voodoo

| D'Angelo

|-

| Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya

| Boyz II Men

|-

| The Heat

| Toni Braxton

|-

| My Name Is Joe

| Joe

|-

| Unleash the Dragon

| Sisqó

|-

| Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1

| Jill Scott

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2002 <br/>

| Songs in A Minor

| Alicia Keys

|-

| Aaliyah

| Aaliyah

|-

| Acoustic Soul

| India.Arie

|-

| No More Drama

| Mary J. Blige

|-

| Survivor

| Destiny's Child

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2003 <br/>

| Voyage to India

| India.Arie

|-

| Better Days

| Joe

|-

| Instant Vintage

| Raphael Saadiq

|-

| Juslisen

| Musiq

|-

| The Way I Feel

| Remy Shand

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2004 <br/>

| Dance with My Father

| Luther Vandross

|-

| Bittersweet

| Blu Cantrell

|-

| Body Kiss

| The Isley Brothers

|-

| So Damn Happy

| Aretha Franklin

|-

| Worldwide Underground

| Erykah Badu

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2005 <br/>

| The Diary of Alicia Keys

| Alicia Keys

|-

| Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2

| Jill Scott

|-

| I Can't Stop

| Al Green

|-

| Musicology

| Prince

|-

| My Everything

| Anita Baker

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2006 <br/>

| Get Lifted

| John Legend

|-

| Free Yourself

| Fantasia

|-

| Illumination

| Earth, Wind & Fire

|-

| A Time to Love

| Stevie Wonder

|-

| Unplugged

| Alicia Keys

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2007 <br/>

| The Breakthrough

| Mary J. Blige

|-

| 3121

| Prince

|-

| Coming Home

| Lionel Richie

|-

| Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship

| India.Arie

|-

| Unpredictable

| Jamie Foxx

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2008 <br/>

| Funk This

| Chaka Khan

|-

| Lost & Found

| Ledisi

|-

| Luvanmusiq

| Musiq Soulchild

|-

| The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3

| Jill Scott

|-

| Sex, Love & Pain

| Tank

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2009 <br/>

| Jennifer Hudson

| Jennifer Hudson

|-

| Lay It Down

| Al Green

|-

| Love & Life

| Eric Benét

|-

| Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA

| Boyz II Men

|-

| The Way I See It

| Raphael Saadiq

|-

|}

2010s

{| class="wikitable"

! width="10%" | Year

! width="40%" | Work

! width="40%" | Performing artist(s)

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2010 <br/>

| BLACKsummers'night

| Maxwell

|-

| The Point of It All

| Anthony Hamilton

|-

| Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics

| India.Arie

|-

| Turn Me Loose

| Ledisi

|-

| Uncle Charlie

| Charlie Wilson

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2011 <br/>

| Wake Up!

| John Legend and The Roots

|-

| Another Round

| Jaheim

|-

| Back to Me

| Fantasia

|-

| The Love & War MasterPeace

| Raheem DeVaughn

|-

| Still Standing

| Monica

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2012 <br/>

| F.A.M.E.

| Chris Brown

|-

| Kelly

| Kelly Price

|-

| Love Letter

| R. Kelly

|-

| Pieces of Me

| Ledisi

|-

| Second Chance

| El DeBarge

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2013 <br/>

| Black Radio

| Robert Glasper Experiment

|-

| Back to Love

| Anthony Hamilton

|-

| Beautiful Surprise

| Tamia

|-

| Open Invitation

| Tyrese

|-

| Write Me Back

| R. Kelly

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2014 <br/>

| Girl on Fire

| Alicia Keys

|-

| Better

| Chrisette Michele

|-

| Love in the Future

| John Legend

|-

| R&B Divas

| Faith Evans

|-

| Three Kings

| TGT

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2015 <br/>

| Love, Marriage & Divorce

| Toni Braxton and Babyface

|-

| Black Radio 2

| Robert Glasper Experiment

|-

| Give the People What They Want

| Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

|-

| Islander

| Bernhoft

|-

| Lift Your Spirit

| Aloe Blacc

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2016 <br/>

| Black Messiah

| D'Angelo and The Vanguard

|-

| Cheers to the Fall

| Andra Day

|-

| Coming Home

| Leon Bridges

|-

| Forever Charlie

| Charlie Wilson

|-

| Reality Show

| Jazmine Sullivan

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2017 <br/>

| Lalah Hathaway Live

| Lalah Hathaway

|-

| Healing Season

| Mint Condition

|-

| In My Mind

| BJ the Chicago Kid

|-

| Smoove Jones

| Mýa

|-

| Velvet Portraits

| Terrace Martin

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2018 <br/>

| 24K Magic

| Bruno Mars

|-

| Feel the Real

| Musiq Soulchild

|-

| Freudian

| Daniel Caesar

|-

| Gumbo

| PJ Morton

|-

| Let Love Rule

| Ledisi

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2019 <br/>

| H.E.R.

| H.E.R.

|-

| Good Thing

| Leon Bridges

|-

| Gumbo Unplugged (Live)

| PJ Morton

|-

| Honestly

| Lalah Hathaway

|-

| Sex & Cigarettes

| Toni Braxton

|-

|}

2020s

{| class="wikitable"

! width="10%" | Year

! width="40%" | Work

! width="40%" | Performing artist(s)

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2020 <br/>

| Ventura

| Anderson .Paak

|-

| 1123

| BJ the Chicago Kid

|-

| Ella Mai

| Ella Mai

|-

| Painted

| Lucky Daye

|-

| Paul

| PJ Morton

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2021 <br/>

| Bigger Love

| John Legend

|-

| All Rise

| Gregory Porter

|-

| Happy 2 Be Here

| Ant Clemons

|-

| Take Time

| Giveon

|-

| To Feel Love/d

| Luke James

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2022 <br/>

| Heaux Tales

| Jazmine Sullivan

|-

| Back of My Mind

| H.E.R.

|-

| Gold-Diggers Sound

| Leon Bridges

|-

| Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies

| Snoh Aalegra

|-

| We Are

| Jon Batiste

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2023 <br/>

| Black Radio III

| Robert Glasper

|-

| Breezy (Deluxe)

| Chris Brown

|-

| Candydrip

| Lucky Daye

|-

| Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)

| Mary J. Blige

|-

| Watch the Sun

| PJ Morton

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2024

| Jaguar II

| Victoria Monét

|-

| Clear 2: Soft Life EP

| Summer Walker

|-

| Girls Night Out

| Babyface

|-

| Special Occasion

| Emily King

|-

| What I Didn't Tell You (Deluxe)

| Coco Jones

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2025 <br/>

| 11:11 (Deluxe)

| Chris Brown

|-

| Algorithm

| Lucky Daye

|-

| Coming Home

| Usher

|-

| Revenge

| Muni Long

|-

| Vantablack

| Lalah Hathaway

|-

|-style="background:#FAEB86;"

! rowspan=5, style="text-align:center;"| 2026 <br/>

| Mutt

| Leon Thomas

|-

| Beloved

| Giveon

|-

| The Crown

| Ledisi

|-

| Escape Room

| Teyana Taylor

|-

| Why Not More?

| Coco Jones

|-

|}

<sup></sup> Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Artists with multiple wins

;3 wins

  • Alicia Keys
  • John Legend

;2 wins

  • TLC
  • D'Angelo
  • Robert Glasper
  • Chris Brown

Artists with multiple nominations

;6 nominations

  • Mary J. Blige

;5 nominations

  • Ledisi

;4 nominations

  • Boyz II Men
  • India.Arie
  • Alicia Keys
  • PJ Morton

;3 nominations

  • D'Angelo
  • Babyface
  • Erykah Badu
  • Toni Braxton
  • Leon Bridges
  • Chris Brown
  • Robert Glasper
  • Lalah Hathaway
  • R. Kelly
  • John Legend
  • Lucky Daye
  • Maxwell
  • Musiq Soulchild
  • Prince
  • Jill Scott

;2 nominations

  • Anita Baker
  • BJ the Chicago Kid
  • Fantasia
  • Aretha Franklin
  • Giveon
  • Al Green
  • H.E.R.
  • Anthony Hamilton
  • Whitney Houston
  • Joe
  • Coco Jones
  • Me'Shell NdegéOcello
  • Raphael Saadiq
  • Jazmine Sullivan
  • TLC
  • Luther Vandross
  • Charlie Wilson

See also

  • List of Grammy Award categories
  • List of R&B musicians
  • Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums

References

;General

;Specific

  • Official site of the Grammy Awards