This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Male Artist. Currently Luther Vandross holds the record for most wins in this category with five.
Winners and nominees
Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.
1980s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Artist
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1980
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Larry Graham
| align="center"|
|-
| align="center"| 1981 – 82
| colspan="2"
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1983
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Lionel Richie
| align="center"|
|-
| align="center"| 1984 – 87
| colspan="2"
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1988
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Michael Jackson
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Bobby Brown
|-
| Freddie Jackson
|-
| Teddy Pendergrass
|-
| Stevie Wonder
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1989
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Lou Rawls
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Babyface
|-
| Peabo Bryson
|-
| James Ingram
|-
| Al Jarreau
|}
1990s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Artist
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1990
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Luther Vandross
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| align="center"| 1991
| colspan="2"
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1992
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Luther Vandross
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Peabo Bryson
|-
| Ralph Tresvant
|-
| Keith Washington
|-
| Stevie Wonder
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1993
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Stevie Wonder
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1994
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Luther Vandross
| align="center"|
|-
| align="center"| 1995
| colspan="2"
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1996
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Luther Vandross
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| D'Angelo
|-
| Michael Jackson
|-
| Barry White
|-
| Stevie Wonder
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1997
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Babyface
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| B.B. King
|-
| Luther Vandross
|-
| Maxwell
|-
| Prince
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1998
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Babyface
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1999
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Luther Vandross
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Brian McKnight
|-
| Kenny Lattimore
|-
| Kirk Franklin
|-
| Maxwell
|}
2000s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Artist
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2000
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Brian McKnight
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Eric Benét
|-
| Quincy Jones
|-
| Santana
|-
| Will Smith
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 2001
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| R. Kelly
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2002
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Luther Vandross
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Babyface
|-
| Brian McKnight
|-
| Maxwell
|-
| Michael Jackson
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2003
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| LL Cool J
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Mos Def
|-
| Nelly
|-
| Carlos Santana
|-
| Musiq Soulchild
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2004
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Luther Vandross
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Mos Def
|-
| Gerald Levert
|-
| Seal
|-
| Musiq Soulchild
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2005
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Usher
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Mos Def
|-
| Anthony Hamilton
|-
| Jay Z
|-
| Prince
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2006
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Jamie Foxx
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Common
|-
| Kem
|-
| Kanye West
|-
| Stevie Wonder
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2007
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Prince
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Jay Z
|-
| John Legend
|-
| Chris Brown
|-
| Lionel Richie
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2008
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Chris Brown
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Common
|-
| Prince
|-
| Seal
|-
| Kanye West
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2009
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Jamie Foxx
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Chris Brown
|-
| Common
|-
| John Legend
|-
| will.i.am
|}
2010s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Artist
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2010
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Maxwell
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Anthony Hamilton
|-
| Jay Z
|-
| Ne-Yo
|-
| Charlie Wilson
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2011
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Usher
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Cee Lo Green
|-
| Jay Z
|-
| Ne-Yo
|-
| Kanye West
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2012
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Cee Lo Green
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Chris Brown
|-
| Common
|-
| Anthony Hamilton
|-
| Bruno Mars
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2013
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Usher
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Lupe Fiasco
|-
| Bruno Mars
|-
| Miguel
|-
| Trey Songz
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2014
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| John Legend
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Bruno Mars
|-
| Robin Thicke
|-
| Justin Timberlake
|-
| Charlie Wilson
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2015
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Pharrell Williams
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Michael Jackson
|-
| Kem
|-
| Kendrick Lamar
|-
| Justin Timberlake
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2016
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Pharrell Williams
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Tyrese Gibson
|-
| Kendrick Lamar
|-
| The Weeknd
|-
| Charlie Wilson
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2017
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Maxwell
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Chance the Rapper
|-
| Anthony Hamilton
|-
| Kendrick Lamar
|-
| Bruno Mars
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2018
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bruno Mars
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
|Jay Z
|-
|Kendrick Lamar
|-
|Brian McKnight
|-
|Charlie Wilson
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2019
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bruno Mars
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
|Childish Gambino
|-
|John Legend
|-
|MAJOR.
|-
|Raheem DeVaughn
|}
2020s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Artist
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2020
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bruno Mars
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
|Khalid
|-
|Lil Nas X
|-
|MAJOR.
|-
|PJ Morton
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2021
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Drake
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
|Big Sean
|-
|Black Thought
|-
|Charlie Wilson
|-
|John Legend
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2022
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Hamilton
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
|Drake
|-
|Giveon
|-
|J. Cole
|-
|Lil Nas X
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2023
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Chris Brown
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Brent Faiyaz
|-
| Burna Boy
|-
| Drake
|-
| Kendrick Lamar
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2024
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Usher
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Burna Boy
|-
| Chris Brown
|-
| Davido
|-
| Jon Batiste
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2025
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Chris Brown
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| J. Cole
|-
| Kendrick Lamar
|-
| October London
|-
| Usher
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2026
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Kendrick Lamar
|-
| Bryson Tiller
|-
| Chris Brown
|-
| Giveon
|-
| Leon Thomas
|}
Multiple wins and nominations
Wins
; 7 wins
- Luther Vandross
; 4 wins
- Usher
; 3 wins
- Bruno Mars
- Chris Brown
; 2 wins
- Babyface
- Maxwell
- Pharrell Williams
- Jamie Foxx
Nominations
; 8 nominations
- Luther Vandross
- Chris Brown
; 7 nominations
- Bruno Mars
- Kendrick Lamar
; 5 nominations
- Prince
- Jay Z
- John Legend
- Charlie Wilson
- Stevie Wonder
- Maxwell
- Anthony Hamilton
- Usher
; 4 nominations
- Common
- Michael Jackson
- Babyface
- Brian McKnight
; 3 nominations
- Drake
- Mos Def
- Kanye West
; 2 nominations
- Peabo Bryson
- Cee Lo Green
- Kem
- Lionel Richie
- MAJOR.
- Ne-Yo
- Seal
- Musiq Soulchild
- Justin Timberlake
- Pharrell Williams
- Jamie Foxx
- Lil Nas X
- Burna Boy
- Giveon