The music business is all about the next big act, the next big performer. Who’s going to break out. Who’s going to be the next household name. The Grammys, over the years and to varying degrees of success, has delivered that prediction with its Best New Artist prize.
Starting with Bobby Darin in 1960, the award has been the harbinger of who’s going to be topping the music world … some of the time. Darin didn’t do too bad in his long music and acting career. In 1965, a little combo from the UK made the cut and The Beatles went on to become one of the greatest bands ever.
Some other highlights of the Best New Artist roster. In 1962, Peter Nero was the first jazz musician to win. Bobbie Gentry was the first woman to win in 1968. The Carpenters, Richard and Karen, was the first duo to win (1971). In 1976, Natalie Cole became the first Black artist to win the award. LeAnn Rimes was the youngest to win at age 14, nd Lauran Hill was the first woman to win for a hip hop record (1999).
As a successful mpredictor of future success, eight artists nominated for Best New Artist have gone on to be awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award: The Beatles (nominated in 1965, Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014), Chicago (1970, 2020), Cream (1969, 2006), Jefferson Airplane (1968, 2016), António Carlos Jobim (1965, 2012), Led Zeppelin (1970, 2005), Leontyne Price (1961, 1989) and John Prine (1973, 2020). For the record, only The Beatles actually took home the Grammy hardware as Best New Artist.
Many of the most popular artists of all time have started their careers with this Grammy prize in their pockets, including Carly Simon (1972), Bette Midler (1974), Cyndi Lauper (1985), Mariah Carey (1991), Sheryl Crow (1995), Christina Aguilera (2000), Alicia Keys (2002), John Legend (2006), Carrie Underwood (2007) and Adele (2009).
Of course, the Grammy launch pad hasn’t worked for every winner. There was … well, we’ll let you figure that out on your own as you stroll through out photo gallery of Grammy Best New Artist winners.
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Bobby Darin — 1960
Image Credit: Keystone/Getty Images Bobby Darin rehearsing in London
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Bob Newhart — 1961
Image Credit: Paul W. Bailey/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images Actor-comedian Bob Newhart in 1961
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Peter Nero — 1962
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Pianist and pops composer Peter Nero
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Robert Goulet — 1963
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images The multi-talented Robert Goulet
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The Swingle Sisters – 1964
Image Credit: Jack de Nijs for Anefo English vocal group The Swingle Sisters included, from left: Anne Germain, Claude Germain, Jeanette Baucomont, Christiane Legrand, Claudine Meunier, Jean-Claude Briodin and Jean Cussac.
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The Beatles — 1965
Image Credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images The Fab Four, from left, George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney
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Tom Jones — 1966
Image Credit: Reporters Associes/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Tom Jones performs in Paris
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Bobbie Gentry — 1968
Image Credit: David Redfern/Redferns Bobbie Gentry performs on the BBC Television at Television Centre in London circa 1968
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José Feliciano – 1969
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images José Feliciano performs on ‘The Englebert Humperdinck Show’
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Crosby, Stills and Nash — 1970
Image Credit: Chris Walter/WireImage From left, David Crosby, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills & Nash.
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The Carpenters — 1971
Image Credit: Getty Images Siblings Richard and Karen Carpenter
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Carly Simon — 1972
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Carly Simon onstage
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America — 1973
Image Credit: David Warner Ellis/Redferns From left, Gerry Beckley, Dan Peek and Dewey Bunnell of America perform on the BBC.
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Bette Midler — 1974
Image Credit: CBS via Getty Images Bette Midler poses backstage at the 16th annual Grammy Awards.
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Marvin Hamlisch — 1975
Image Credit: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Image Composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch
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Natalie Cole — 1976
Image Credit: Getty Images Natalie Cole at the 19th Grammys
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Starland Vocal Band — 1977
Image Credit: Getty Images Presenters Carl Wilson, left, Brian Wilson with Starland Vocal Band’s Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, Margot Chapman and Jon Carroll
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Debby Boone — 1978
Image Credit: Getty Images Debbie Boone, center with her father Pat and mother Shirley.
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A Taste of Honey — 1979
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images A Taste of Honey, from left: Janice-Marie Johnson, Perry Kibble, Donald Ray Johnson and Hazel Payne
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Ricki Lee Jones — 1980
Image Credit: Getty Images Ricki Lee Jones at the 22nd Grammys
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Christopher Cross — 1981
Image Credit: Fred Hermansky/NBCU Photo Bank Christopher Cross performs on the TV special ‘The Stars Salute the President’
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Sheena Easton — 1982
Image Credit: Getty Images Sheena Easton at the 24th Grammys
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Men at Work — 1983
Image Credit: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Men at Work, from left: Greg Ham, John Rees, Colin Hay, Jerry Speiser and Ron Strykert
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Culture Club — 1984
Image Credit: Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images Culture Club, from left: Roy Hay, Boy George, Jon Moss and Mikey Craig
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Cyndi Lauper — 1985
Image Credit: CBS via Getty Images Cyndi Lauper being held by Hulk Hogan on the Grammy stage.
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Sade — 1986
Image Credit: s.e.t./ullstein bild via Getty Images Sade performing in Germany in 1986
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Bruce Hornsby & the Range – 1987
Image Credit: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Bruce Hornsby & the Range, from left: George Marinelli, John Molo, Bruce Hornsby, Peter Harris, David Mansfield and Joe Puerta
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Jody Watley — 1988
Image Credit: CBS via Getty Images Jody Watley accepts her Grammy Award
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Tracy Chapman — 1989
Image Credit: KMazur/WireImage Tracy Chapman performs on the Grammy show in 1989.
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Mariah Carey — 1991
Image Credit: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Mariah Carey in 1991
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Marc Cohn — 1992
Image Credit: Rick Maiman/Sygma via Getty Images Marc Cohn at the 34th Grammys
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Arrested Development — 1993
Image Credit: Archive Photos/Getty Images Arrested Development at the 35th Grammy Awards
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Toni Braxton — 1994
Image Credit: Timothy Clary/AFP via Getty Images Toni Braxton was a two-time winner at the 36th Grammys.
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Sheryl Crow — 1995
Image Credit: SGranitz/WireImage Sheryl Crow hits the Grammy trifecta in 1995
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Hootie & the Blowfish — 1996
Image Credit: SGranitz/WireImage Hootie & the Blowfish, from left: Jim Sonefeld, Darius Rucker, Dean Felber and Mark Bryan
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LeAnn Rimes — 1997
Image Credit: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images LeAnn Rimes, 14, remains youngest Grammy winner for Best New Artist.
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Paula Cole — 1998
Image Credit: Bill Tompkins/Getty Images Paula Cole performs at the Lilith Music Festival in 1998
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Lauryn Hill — 1999
Image Credit: SGranitz/WireImage Lauryn Hill shows off her Grammy haul in 1999.
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Christina Aguilera — 2000
Image Credit: SGranitz/WireImage Christina Aguilera backstage at the 42nd Grammys
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Shelby Lynne — 2001
Image Credit: SGranitz/WireImage Shelby Lynne at the 43rd Grammys
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Alicia Keys – 2002
Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Alicia Keys burst on the scene in a big way at the 2002 Grammys, winning five times.
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Norah Jones — 2003
Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Norah Jones has her hands full of Grammys at the 2003 show.
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Evanescence — 2004
Image Credit: Dan MacMedan/WireImage Amy Lee of Evanescence shows off her band’s Grammys.
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Maroon 5 — 2005
Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Maroon 5 at the 47th Grammys, from left: Ryan Dusick, James Valentine, Adam Levine, Mickey Madden and Jesse Carmichael
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John Legend — 2006
Image Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage for The Recording Academy John Legend makes his acceptance speech at the 48th Grammys
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Carrie Underwood — 2007
Image Credit: Chris Polk/FilmMagic Carrie Underwood gets her breakout moment at the 49th Grammys.
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Amy Winehouse — 2008
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Amy Winehouse performs via satellite from London during the 2008 ceremony.
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Adele — 2009
Image Credit: Dan MacMedan/WireImage Adele in the press room with her two Grammys
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Zac Brown Band — 2010
Image Credit: Michael Tran/FilmMagic Zac Brown Band in the press room at the 52nd Grammys
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Esperanza Spalding — 2011
Image Credit: Dan MacMedan/WireImage Esperanza Spalding poses in the press room at the 53rd Grammys
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Bon Iver — 2012
Image Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Justin Vernon of Bon Iver at the 53rd Grammys
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Fun — 2013
Image Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images The members of Fun accept their Grammy, from left: Nate Ruess, Jack Antonoff and Andrew Dost
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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis — 2014
Image Credit: Dan MacMedan/WireImage Ryan Lewis, left, and Macklemore pose in the press room at the 56th Grammys
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Sam Smith — 2015
Image Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage Sam Smith at the 57th Grammys
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Meghan Trainor — 2016
Image Credit: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic Meghan Trainor in the press room.
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Chance the Rapper — 2017
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for NARAS Chance the Rapper was a multi-winner at the 59th Grammys
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Alessia Cara — 2018
Image Credit: Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Alessia Cara backstage with her Grammy.
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Dua Lipa — 2019
Image Credit: Jerod Harris/FilmMagic Dua Lipa scored a duo of Grammys in 2019.
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Billie Eilish – 2020
Image Credit: Fredric J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images Billie Eilish brings her quintet of Grammys to the press room.
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Megan Thee Stallion — 2021
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy Rapper Megan Thee Stallion enjoys her Grammys triple dip.
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Olivia Rodrigo — 2022
Image Credit: David Becker/Getty Images for The Recording Academy Olivia Rodrigo with her three Grammys.
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