Wikipedia

Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album

(Redirected from Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album)

The Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for high quality works on albums in the urban contemporary subgenre within the R&B field. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the 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".[1]

Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album
Awarded forQuality progressive R&B music albums
CountryUnited States
Presented byThe Recording Academy
First award2013
Currently held byDurand Bernarr – Bloom (2026)
Most winsBeyoncé & The Weeknd (2)
Most nominationsTerrace Martin (4)
Websitegrammy.com

In 2013, this was one of the three newly created categories for the 55th Annual Grammy Awards as Best Urban Contemporary Album.[2] In June 2020, the Recording Academy announced a renaming and redefining of the category.[3] Its new name was Best Progressive R&B Album, with immediate effect, "to appropriately categorize and describe this subgenre. This change includes a more accurate definition to describe the merit or characteristics of music compositions or performances themselves within the genre of R&B."[4] Adding to this, the description of this category is now as follows: "[t]his category is intended to highlight albums that include the more progressive elements of R&B and may include samples and elements of hip-hop, rap, dance, and electronic music. It may also incorporate production elements found in pop, euro-pop, country, rock, folk, and alternative."[4]

According to Recording Academy president Harvey Mason Jr. in the same press release, these changes reflected "the current state of the music industry and how it's evolved over the past 12 months." In the weeks leading up to this decision, the label "urban" to indicate music made by African American musicians, songwriters and producers had come under fire.[5]

The award goes to the artist, producer and engineer/mixer, provided they are credited with more than 50% of playing time on the album. A producer and engineer with less than 50% of playing time, as well as the mastering engineer, can apply for a "Winners Certificate".[6]

Controversies

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Some African American musicians have disputed the use of the term "urban contemporary", seen as a "catchall for music created by Black artists, regardless of genre".[7] In a backstage interview given after his first Grammy win (for Best Rap Album), artist Tyler, the Creator stated that "[i]t sucks that whenever we — and I mean guys that look like me — do anything that's genre-bending or that's anything, they always put it in a rap or urban category", adding that "I don't like that 'urban' word — it's just a politically correct way to say the n-word to me".[8]

Recipients

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Frank Ocean was the first recipient in 2013
The Weeknd is the first artist to win this award twice, in 2016 and 2018
Beyoncé is the first female artist to win this award twice, in 2017 and 2019

2010s

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Year Work Artist
2013
[9]		 Channel Orange Frank Ocean
Fortune Chris Brown
Kaleidoscope Dream Miguel
2014
[10]		 Unapologetic Rihanna
Love and War Tamar Braxton
New York: A Love Story Mack Wilds
One: In the Chamber Salaam Remi
Side Effects of You Fantasia
2015
[11]
[9]		 Girl Pharrell Williams
Beyoncé Beyoncé
Mali Is... Mali Music
Sail Out Jhené Aiko
X Chris Brown
2016
[12]
[9]		 Beauty Behind the Madness The Weeknd
Blood Lianne La Havas
Ego Death The Internet
Wildheart Miguel
You Should Be Here Kehlani
2017
[13]
[9]		 Lemonade Beyoncé
Anti Rihanna
Malibu Anderson Paak
Ology Gallant
We Are King King
2018
[14]
[9]		 Starboy The Weeknd
American Teen Khalid
"Awaken, My Love!" Childish Gambino
Ctrl SZA
Free 6lack 6lack
2019
[15]
[9]		 Everything Is Love The Carters
Chris Dave and the Drumhedz Chris Dave and the Drumhedz
The Kids Are Alright Chloe x Halle
Ventriloquism Meshell Ndegeocello
War & Leisure Miguel

2020s

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Year Work Artist
2020
[16]
[9]		 Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) Lizzo
Apollo XXI Steve Lacy
Being Human in Public Jessie Reyez
Overload Georgia Anne Muldrow
Saturn NAO
2021
[17]		 It Is What It Is Thundercat
Chilombo Jhené Aiko
Free Nationals Free Nationals
Fuck Yo Feelings Robert Glasper
Ungodly Hour Chloe x Halle
2022
[18]		 Table for Two Lucky Daye
Dinner Party: Dessert Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder and Kamasi Washington
Mood Valiant Hiatus Kaiyote
New Light Eric Bellinger
Something to Say Cory Henry
Studying Abroad: Extended Stay Masego
2023
[19]		 Gemini Rights Steve Lacy
Drones Terrace Martin
Operation Funk Cory Henry
Red Balloon Tank and the Bangas
Starfruit Moonchild
2024
[20]		 SOS SZA
The Age of Pleasure Janelle Monáe
The Love Album: Off the Grid Diddy
Nova Terrace Martin and James Fauntleroy
Since I Have a Lover 6lack
2025
[21]		 So Glad to Know You (TIE) AverySunshine
Why Lawd? (TIE) NxWorries
Bando Stone & the New World Childish Gambino
Crash Kehlani
En Route Durand Bernarr
2026
[22]		 Bloom Durand Bernarr
Access All Areas FLO
Adjust Brightness Bilal
Come as You Are Terrace Martin and Kenyon Dixon
Love on Digital Destin Conrad

^[I] Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Artists with multiple wins

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Artists with multiple nominations

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Overview". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ Gonzales, Erica (June 10, 2023). "The Grammy Awards Rename Their Urban Contemporary Category". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  3. ↑ Hissong, Samantha (June 10, 2023). "The Grammys' 'Urban Contemporary' Category Is Now 'Progressive R&B'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "The Recording Academy Announces Changes For 63rd Annual GRAMMYs, Releases Rules And Guidelines". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  5. ↑ Minelle, Bethany (June 8, 2020). "Republic Records drops term 'urban' to describe music made by black artists". Sky News. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Grammy Blue Book (edition 2021)" (PDF). Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  7. ↑ Lewis, Sophie (June 11, 2020). "Grammy Awards renames controversial "urban" category". CBS News. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  8. ↑ Owoseje, Toyin (January 27, 2020). "Tyler, The Creator slams Grammys' 'urban' category as a politically correct version of the n-word". CNN. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees for Best Urban Contemporary Album". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved September 5, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ↑ "56th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  11. ↑ Oldenburg, Ann (December 5, 2014). "2015 Grammy nominations roll out". USA Today. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  12. ↑ Billboard Staff (December 7, 2015). "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  13. ↑ Johnston, Maura (December 6, 2016). "Grammy nominations 2017: Beyoncé and R&B artists shine while rock suffers". The Guardian. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  14. ↑ "60th GRAMMY Awards: Full Nominees List". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. November 28, 2017. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  15. ↑ Snapes, Laura (December 7, 2018). "Grammy nominations 2019: Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar and Drake lead the pack". The Guardian. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  16. ↑ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (November 20, 2019). "Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X top 2020 Grammy nominations". The Guardian. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  17. ↑ "2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Winners and Nominees List". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  18. ↑ "2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominations List". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  19. ↑ Moreau, Jordan (February 5, 2023). "Grammy Winners 2023: Full List". Variety. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  20. ↑ "66th Annual Grammy Awards". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  21. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (November 8, 2024). "Grammy Nominations 2025: See the Full List Here". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  22. ↑ Willman, Chris (November 7, 2025). "Grammy Nominations 2026: Kendrick Lamar Leads With Nine as Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter and Leon Thomas Land Among Top Nominees". Variety. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  23. 1 2 "Beyoncé". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Steve Lacy Moya". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
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