Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards.^[3] 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".^[4]

Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Awarded for	Quality albums containing 51% or more playing time of vocal tracks^[1] in the "traditional" genre (Great American Songbook)^[2]
Country	United States
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded	1992
Currently held by	Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga – Love for Sale (2022)
Most awards	Tony Bennett (14)
Most nominations	Tony Bennett (17)
Website	grammy.com

The award has been presented every year since 1992, though it has had two name changes throughout its history. In 1992 the award was known as Best Traditional Pop Performance, from 1993 to 2000 the award was known as Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, and since 2001 it has been awarded as Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Apart from the first year it was presented, the award has been designated for "albums containing 51% or more playing time of vocal tracks", with "traditional" referring to the "composition, vocal styling, and the instrumental arrangement" of the body of music known as the Great American Songbook.^[1][2]

The 1992 award was presented to Natalie Cole for the spliced-together duet of her and her father, Nat King Cole, performing his original recording of "Unforgettable".^[5] This is the only instance in which the traditional pop award was awarded for a song, as opposed to an album. Prior to 2001, the Grammy was presented to the performing artists only; since then the award has been given to the performing artists, the engineers/mixers, as well as the producers, provided they worked on more than 51 percent of playing time on the album. Producers and engineers who worked on less than 50 percent of playing time of the album, as well as mastering engineers do not win an award, but can apply for a Winners Certificate.^[6]

Recipients

 

Fourteen-time award winner Tony Bennett

 

Two-time award winner Natalie Cole

 

2002 award winner, Harry Connick Jr., performing in 2007

 

2004 award winner, k.d. lang, performing in 2008

 

2005 award winner, Rod Stewart

 

Four-time award winner Michael Bublé at the Juno Awards of 2009

 

Two-time award winner Lady Gaga

 

Willie Nelson has won twice.

 

2021 recipient James Taylor

Year^[I]	Performing artist(s)	Work	Nominees	Ref.
1992	Natalie Cole	"Unforgettable"	Harry Connick Jr. – Blue Light, Red Light Johnny Mathis – In a Sentimental Mood: Mathis Sings Ellington Diane Schuur – Pure Schuur Barbra Streisand – "Warm All Over"	^[7] ^[8]
1993	Tony Bennett	Perfectly Frank	Rosemary Clooney – Girl Singer Michael Feinstein – Michael Feinstein Sings the Jule Styne Songbook Bobby Short – Late Night at the Cafe Carlyle Nancy Wilson – With My Lover Beside Me	^[9]
1994		Steppin' Out	Rosemary Clooney – Do You Miss New York? Michael Crawford – A Touch of Music in the Night Diane Schuur – Love Songs Barbra Streisand – Back to Broadway	^[10]
1995		MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett	Roberta Flack – Roberta Willie Nelson – Moonlight Becomes You Frank Sinatra – Duets Barbra Streisand – The Concert	^[11]
1996	Frank Sinatra	Duets II	Julie Andrews – Broadway: The Music of Richard Rodgers Rosemary Clooney – Demi-Centennial Eartha Kitt – Back in Business John Raitt – Broadway Legend	^[12]
1997	Tony Bennett	Here's to the Ladies	Rosemary Clooney – Dedicated to Nelson Natalie Cole – Stardust Liza Minnelli – Gently Bernadette Peters – I'll Be Your Baby Tonight	^[13]
1998		Tony Bennett on Holiday	Julie Andrews – Here I'll Stay Rosemary Clooney – Mothers & Daughters Bernadette Peters – Sondheim, etc. Carly Simon – Film Noir	^[14]
1999	Patti Page	Live at Carnegie Hall: The 50th Anniversary Concert	Shirley Bassey – The Birthday Concert Michael Feinstein – Michael & George: Feinstein Sings Gershwin Jack Jones – Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett Maureen McGovern – The Pleasure of His Company	^[15]
2000	Tony Bennett	Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool	Harry Connick Jr. – Come by Me Neil Diamond – The Movie Album: As Time Goes By Barry Manilow – Manilow Sings Sinatra Bobby Short – You're the Top: Love Song of Cole Porter	^[16]
2001	Joni Mitchell	Both Sides Now	Bryan Ferry – As Time Goes By Rickie Lee Jones – It's Like This George Michael – Songs from the Last Century Barbra Streisand – Timeless: Live in Concert	^[17]
2002	Harry Connick Jr.	Songs I Heard	Betty Buckley – Stars and the Moon: Live at the Donmar Rosemary Clooney – Sentimental Journey: The Girl Singer and Her New Big Band Michael Feinstein – Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway Keely Smith – Keely Sings Sinatra	^[18]
2003	Tony Bennett	Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues	Michael Feinstein – Michael Feinstein with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Bernadette Peters – Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein Rod Stewart – It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook Barbra Streisand – Christmas Memories	^[19]
2004	Tony Bennett and k.d. lang	A Wonderful World	Rosemary Clooney – The Last Concert Bette Midler – Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook Rod Stewart – As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II Barbra Streisand – The Movie Album	^[20]
2005	Rod Stewart	Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III	Harry Connick Jr. – Only You Barbara Cook – Count Your Blessings Monica Mancini – Ultimate Mancini Ronnie Milsap – Just for a Thrill	^[21]
2006	Tony Bennett	The Art of Romance	Michael Bublé – It's Time Johnny Mathis – Isn't It Romantic Carly Simon – Moonlight Serenade Rod Stewart – Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV	^[22]
2007		Duets: An American Classic	Michael Bublé – Caught in the Act Sarah McLachlan – Wintersong Bette Midler – Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook Smokey Robinson – Timeless Love	^[23]
2008	Michael Bublé	Call Me Irresponsible	Bette Midler – Cool Yule Queen Latifah – Trav'lin' Light Barbra Streisand – Live in Concert 2006 James Taylor – James Taylor at Christmas	^[24]
2009	Natalie Cole	Still Unforgettable	Michael Feinstein – The Sinatra Project Josh Groban – Noël Barry Manilow – In the Swing of Christmas Rufus Wainwright – Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall	^[25]
2010	Michael Bublé	Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden	Tony Bennett – A Swingin' Christmas Harry Connick Jr. – Your Songs Liza Minnelli – Liza's at The Palace.... Willie Nelson – American Classic	^[26]
2011		Crazy Love	Barry Manilow – The Greatest Love Songs of All Time Johnny Mathis – Let It Be Me: Mathis in Nashville Rod Stewart – Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V Barbra Streisand – Love Is the Answer	^[27]
2012	Tony Bennett	Duets II	Susan Boyle – The Gift Harry Connick Jr. – In Concert on Broadway Seth MacFarlane – Music Is Better Than Words Barbra Streisand – What Matters Most	^[28]
2013	Paul McCartney	Kisses on the Bottom	Michael Bublé – Christmas Carole King – A Holiday Carole	^[29]
2014	Michael Bublé	To Be Loved	Tony Bennett and various artists – Viva Duets Gloria Estefan – The Standards Cee Lo Green – Cee Lo's Magic Moment Dionne Warwick – Now	^[30]
2015	Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga	Cheek to Cheek	Annie Lennox – Nostalgia Barry Manilow – Night Songs Johnny Mathis – Sending You a Little Christmas Barbra Streisand with various artists – Partners	^[31]
2016	Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap	The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern	Bob Dylan – Shadows in the Night Josh Groban – Stages Seth MacFarlane – No One Ever Tells You Barry Manilow with various artists – My Dream Duets	^[32]
2017	Willie Nelson	Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin	Andrea Bocelli – Cinema Bob Dylan – Fallen Angels Josh Groban – Stages Live Barbra Streisand – Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway	^[33]
2018	(Various artists) Dae Bennett, producer^[II]	Tony Bennett Celebrates 90	Michael Bublé – Nobody but Me Bob Dylan – Triplicate Seth MacFarlane – In Full Swing Sarah McLachlan – Wonderland	^[34]
2019	Willie Nelson	My Way	Tony Bennett & Diana Krall – Love Is Here to Stay Gregory Porter – Nat King Cole & Me Seal – Standards (Deluxe) Barbra Streisand – The Music...The Mem'ries...The Magic!	^[35]
2020	Elvis Costello & The Imposters	Look Now	Andrea Bocelli – Sì Michael Bublé – Love (Deluxe Edition) John Legend – A Legendary Christmas Barbra Streisand – Walls	^[36]
2021	James Taylor	American Standard	Burt Bacharach & Daniel Tashian – Blue Umbrella Harry Connick, Jr. – True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter Rufus Wainwright – Unfollow the Rules Renée Zellweger – Judy	^[37]
2022	Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga	Love for Sale	Norah Jones – Til We Meet Again (Live) Tori Kelly – A Tori Kelly Christmas Ledisi – Ledisi Sings Nina Willie Nelson – That's Life Dolly Parton – A Holly Dolly Christmas	^[38]
2023			Michael Bublé – Higher Kelly Clarkson – When Christmas Comes Around... Norah Jones – I Dream of Christmas (Extended) Pentatonix – Evergreen Diana Ross – Thank You	^[39]

• ^{^[I]} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
• ^{^[II]} Award only went to a producer of the album, not the performing artist(s).

Artists with multiple wins

14 wins Tony Bennett

4 wins Michael Bublé

2 wins Natalie Cole Willie Nelson Lady Gaga

Artists with multiple nominations

17 nominations Tony Bennett 13 nominations Barbra Streisand 9 nominations Michael Bublé 7 nominations Rosemary Clooney 6 nominations Harry Connick Jr. 5 nominations Michael Feinstein Barry Manilow Rod Stewart 4 nominations Willie Nelson Johnny Mathis 3 nominations Natalie Cole Bob Dylan Josh Groban Seth MacFarlane Bette Midler Bernadette Peters 2 nominations Julie Andrews Lady Gaga Norah Jones Sarah McLachlan Liza Minnelli Diane Schuur Bobby Short Carly Simon Frank Sinatra James Taylor Rufus Wainwright

See also

• Jazz standard
• Tin Pan Alley

References

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39. Monroe, Jazz (November 15, 2022). "Grammy Nominations 2023: See the Full List Here". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 16, 2022.

Sources

• "Past Winners Search". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved March 4, 2011. Note: User must select the "Traditional Pop" category as the genre under the search feature.