TheGrammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at theGrammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards,[1] to recording artists for quality works on albums in theR&B music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually byThe 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".[2]
According to the category description guide for the54th 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".[3]
From 2003 to 2011, a separate category was formed, theBest 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 theBest R&B Album category. After the 2011 Grammy season, theBest Contemporary R&B Album category was discontinued and recordings that previously fell under this category were shifted back to theBest R&B Album category. This was part of a major overhaul of the Grammy Award categories.[4] In 2013, a sister category titledBest 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). A producer or engineer who are responsible forless than 50% of playing time, as well as the mastering engineer, can apply for a Winners Certificate.[5] Before 2001, only the performing artist received a nomination and/or an award.
Alicia Keys andJohn Legend are the biggest recipients in this category with three wins.TLC,D'Angelo,Robert Glasper, andChris Brown have won the award twice.Mary J. Blige holds the record for the most nominations, with six in total. In 2015, Norwegian singerBern/hoft became the first non-American artist to be nominated.
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