Grammy Best New Artists: A Look at Who Won & Their Current Legacy

The Grammy Awards are about to add another to the lineup of those who have been named Best New Artist. (Samara Joy was 2023’s.)

There have been many Best New Artist winners at the Grammy Awards, which celebrate the best in music since 1959, and chances are, some of those who have been honored will surprise you. (A Best New Artist is “any performing artist or established performing group who releases, during the eligibility year, the recording that first establishes the public identity of that artist or established group as a performer.”)

Some interesting facts: The award was not presented in 1967, and though it was given to Milli Vanilli in 1990, it was later taken away after discovering that the pop duo didn’t sing on their album. In the early years, comedians and comic acts were nominated (and Bob Newhart won in 1961) until 1963, then Robin Williams in 1980. Only two have lost Best New Artist but won Album of the Year the same year (Vaughn Meader in 1963 and Alanis Morissette in 1996). Just about half the winners have been solo female artists, and only three have been country artists. The category was expanded to include up to eight nominees in 2019; there are 10 for 2023.

Scroll down for a look at the Best New Artist winners over the years, how many other Grammys they’ve received, and the other nominees (and their Grammy wins).