Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album


The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the country music genre. 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".
The award was first presented under the name of Best Country & Western Album in 1966 to Roger Miller for Dang Me/Chug-A-Lug and was discontinued the following year. In 1995 the category was revived and was presented as Best Country Album until 2025 before receiving its current denomination at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026 alongside the debut of a sister category Best Traditional Country Album.
According to the category description guide for the 68th Grammy Awards, the award "recognizes contemporary country music recordings, both vocal and instrumental, which utilize a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content, and/or musical presentation to create a sensibility that reflects the broad spectrum of contemporary country style and culture. The intent is to recognize country music that remains reminiscent and relevant to the legacy of country music’s culture, while also engaging in more contemporary music forms."
The Chicks are the most awarded performers in this category with four wins, followed by Chris Stapleton who has three wins. Two-time award winners include Roger Miller, Lady A, Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert. Canadian singer Shania Twain is the only non-American winner in this category, to date. Trisha Yearwood holds the record for most nominations, with eight. Yearwood also holds the record for most nominations without a win. The current holder of the award is Beyonce, the first black artist, who won at the 67th Grammy Awards with her eighth studio album Cowboy Carter.

Recipients

YearRecipientWorkNomineesRef.
1965Roger MillerDang Me/Chug-a-Lug
1966Roger MillerThe Return of Roger Miller
1995Mary Chapin CarpenterStones in the Road
1996Shania TwainThe Woman in Me
1997Lyle LovettThe Road to Ensenada
1998Johnny CashUnchained
1999The ChicksWide Open Spaces
2000The ChicksFly
2001Faith HillBreathe
2002Various artists
Bonnie Garner, Luke Lewis and Mary Martin, producers		Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute
2003The ChicksHome
2004Various artists
Carl Jackson, producer		Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers
2005Loretta LynnVan Lear Rose
2006Alison Krauss & Union StationLonely Runs Both Ways
2007The ChicksTaking the Long Way
2008Vince GillThese Days
2009George StraitTroubadour
2010Taylor SwiftFearless
2011Lady AntebellumNeed You Now
2012Lady AntebellumOwn the Night
2013Zac Brown BandUncaged
2014Kacey MusgravesSame Trailer Different Park
2015Miranda LambertPlatinum
2016Chris StapletonTraveller
2017Sturgill SimpsonA Sailor's Guide to Earth
2018Chris StapletonFrom A Room: Volume 1
2019Kacey MusgravesGolden Hour
2020Tanya TuckerWhile I'm Livin'
2021Miranda LambertWildcard
2022Chris StapletonStarting Over
2023Willie NelsonA Beautiful Time
2024Lainey WilsonBell Bottom Country
2025BeyoncéCowboy Carter
2026

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

Artists with multiple wins

;4 wins
  • The Chicks
;3 wins
  • Chris Stapleton
;2 wins
  • Lady Antebellum
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Kacey Musgraves
  • Roger Miller

    Artists with multiple nominations

;8 nominations
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Trisha Yearwood
;6 nominations
  • Willie Nelson
;5 nominations
  • Chris Stapleton
  • George Strait
;4 nominations
;3 nominations
;2 nominations