Grammy Best Country Album Winners & Nominees
A year-by-year look at the winners and nominees, plus how the category changed beginning with the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Date Published: January 1, 2025
Last Updated: September 20, 2026
The Grammy Awards first recognized a country album category in 1965 with Best Country & Western Album. After being presented again in 1966, the album category disappeared for nearly three decades before returning in 1995 as Best Country Album. Beginning with the 2026 Grammy Awards, the category was renamed Best Contemporary Country Album, while Best Traditional Country Album was introduced as a separate award. Below, you’ll find every Best Country Album winner and nominee, along with the category’s history and records.
Grammy Best Country Album Quick Facts
Award first presented: 1965 as Best Country & Western Album
First winner: Roger Miller — Dang Me/Chug-A-Lug
Best Country Album name introduced: 1995
Presented by: Recording Academy
Final Best Country Album winner: Beyoncé — Cowboy Carter (2025)
Current category name: Best Contemporary Country Album
First Best Contemporary Country Album winner: Jelly Roll — Beautifully Broken (2026)
Best Traditional Country Album introduced: 2026
2026 Grammy Best Contemporary Country Album
Beginning with the 2026 Grammy Awards, Best Country Album became Best Contemporary Country Album. Jelly Roll won the first award under the new name for Beautifully Broken. Kelsea Ballerini, Tyler Childers, Eric Church, and Miranda Lambert were also nominated.
2026 Winner:
Jelly Roll — Beautifully Broken
2026 Nominees:
Kelsea Ballerini — Patterns
Tyler Childers — Snipe Hunter
Eric Church — Evangeline Vs. The Machine
Miranda Lambert — Postcards From Texas
What Happened to the Grammy Best Country Album Award?
The Recording Academy renamed Best Country Album as Best Contemporary Country Album beginning with the 2026 Grammy Awards. At the same time, it created Best Traditional Country Album as a new category. Best Contemporary Country Album recognizes recordings that reflect contemporary country styles, while Best Traditional Country Album recognizes albums that follow more traditional country sounds, structures, instrumentation, and lyrical styles.
Because Best Contemporary Country Album is the renamed continuation of Best Country Album, this guide follows the award through the name change. Best Traditional Country Album has its own separate winners and nominees history beginning in 2026.
Who Has Won the Most Grammy Best Country Album Awards?
The Chicks have the most wins in the Best Country Album category with a total of four.
The Chicks - 4 Wins
Chris Stapleton - 3 Wins
Kacey Musgraves, Lady A, Miranda Lambert, and Roger Miller - 2 Wins
Beyonce, Faith Hill, George Strait, Johnny Cash, Lainey Wilson, Loretta Lynn, Lyle Lovett, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shania Twain, Sturgill Simpson, Tanya Tucker, Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, and the Zac Brown Band - 1 Win
Who Has the Most Grammy Best Country Album Nominations?
Trisha Yearwood is the most-nominated artist in the Best Country Album category with a total of eight nominations.
Trisha Yearwood - 8 Nominations
Willie Nelson and Miranda Lambert - 6 Nominations
George Strait and Chris Stapleton - 5 Nominations
Alan Jackson, Faith Hill, Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town, The Chicks, Tim McGraw, and Vince Gill - 4 Nominations
Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Brothers Osborne, Dierks Bentley, Dwight Yoakam, Eric Church, Jamey Johnson, Keith Urban, Lady A, Lee Ann Womack, Patty Loveless, Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, and the Zac Brown Band - 3 Nominations
Asleep at the Wheel, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Chet Atkins, Dolly Parton, Gretchen Wilson, Hank Williams Jr., Jason Aldean, Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Loretta Lynn, Maren Morris, Reba McEntire, Roger Miller, Sturgill Simpson, and Thomas Rhett - 2 Nominations
Alison Krauss, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Ashley Monroe, Beyonce, Brooks & Dunn, Buck Owens, Diamond Rio, Eddy Arnold, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks, George Jones, Hank Williams, Hunter Hayes, Ingrid Andress, Jack Ingram, Joe Nichols, John Michael Montgomery, Jon Randall, Josh Turner, Junior Brown, Kenny Chesney, Linda Ronstadt, Luke Combs, Lyle Lovett, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Mavericks, Mickey Guyton, Pistol Annies, Post Malone, Randy Travis, Ray Price, Sam Hunt, Tanya Tucker, The Time Jumpers, Tift Merritt, Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan - 1 Nomination
Every Grammy Best Country Album Winner and Nominee
1965 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner - Roger Miller - Dang Me/Chug-A-Lug
Nominees:
The Best of Jim Reeves - Jim Reeves
The Best of Buck Owens - Buck Owens
Hank Williams Jr. Sings Songs of Hank Williams - Hank Williams Jr
Guitar Country - Chet Atkins
Bitter Tears - Johnny Cash
1966 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner - The Return of Roger Miller - Roger Miller
Nominees
The Jim Reeves Way - Jim Reeves
My World - Eddy Arnold
More of that Guitar Country - Chet Atkins
Father and Song - Hank Williams and Hank Williams Jr.
1995 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner - Stones in the Road - Mary Chapin Carpenter
Nominees:
When Love Finds You - Vince Gill
Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys - Asleep at the Wheel
The Song Remembers When - Trisha Yearwood
Read My Mind - Reba McEntire
1996 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner: The Woman In Me - Shania Twain
Nominees:
Thinkin’ About You - Trisha Yearwood
Music For All Occasions - The Mavericks
Junior High - Junior Brown
John Michael Montgomery - John Michael Montgomery
Dwight Live - Dwight Yoakam
1997 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner: The Road To Ensenada - Lyle Lovett
Nominees:
The Trouble with the Truth -Patty Loveless
High Lonesome Sound - Vince Gill
Gone - Dwight Yoakam
Everybody Knows - Trisha Yearwood
Borderline - Brooks & Dunn
1998 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner: Unchained - Johnny Cash
Nominees:
Under The Covers - Dwight Yoakam
Long Stretch of Lonesome - Patty Loveless
Everything I Love - Alan Jackson
Carrying Your Love with Me - George Strait
1999 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner: Wide Open Spaces - The Chicks
Nominees:
Where Your Road Leads - Trisha Yearwood
Sevens - Garth Brooks
Faith - Faith Hill
Come On Over - Shania Twain
2000 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner: Fly - The Chicks
Nominees:
Trio II - Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, and Dolly Parton
Ride with Bob - Asleep at the Wheel
Forget About It - Alison Krauss
Cold Hard Truth - George Jones
2001 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner: Breathe - Faith Hill
Nominees:
Under The Influence - Alan Jackson
Real Live Woman - Trisha Yearwood
Let’s Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye - Vince Gill
I Hope You Dance - Lee Ann Womack
2002 Grammy Best Country Album
Winner: Timeless - Hank Williams Tribute - Various Artists
Nominees:
Inside Out - Trisha Yearwood
Rainbow Connection - Willie Nelson
Set This Circus Down - Tim McGraw
One More Day - Diamond Rio
2003
Winner: Home - The Chicks
Nominees:
Halos & Horns - Dolly Parton
Man with a Memory - Joe Nichols
The Great Divide - Willie Nelson
Drive - Alan Jackson
2004
Winner: Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’ - Songs of the Louvin Brothers - Various Artists
Nominees:
Up - Shania Twain
Live and Kickin’ - Willie Nelson
Run That By Me One More Time - Willie Nelson & Ray Price
My Baby Don’t Tolerate - Lyle Lovett
Cry - Faith Hill
2005
Winner: Van Lear Rose - Loretta Lynn
Nominees:
Here For the Party - Gretchen Wilson
Be Here - Keith Urban
Tambourine - Tift Merritt
Live Like You Were Dying - Tim McGraw
2006
Winner: Lonely Runs Both Way - Alison Krauss and Union Station
Nominees:
Jasper County - Trisha Yearwood
All Jacked Up - Gretchen Wilson
Time Well Wasted - Brad Paisley
Fireflies - Faith Hill
2007
Winner: Taking the Long Way - The Chicks
Nominees:
Your Man - Josh Turner
You Don’t Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker - Willie Nelson
The Road To Here - Little Big Town
Like Red On A Rose - Alan Jackson
2008
Winner: Vince Gill - These Days
Nominees:
George Strait - It Just Comes Natural
Brad Paisley - 5th Gear
Tim McGraw - Let It Go
Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone
2009
Winner: George Strait - Troubadour
Nominees:
Trisha Yearwood - Heaven, Heartache, And The Power of Love
Randy Travis - Around the Bend
Patty Loveless - Sleepless Nights
Jamey Johnson - That Lonesome Song
2010
Winner: Taylor Swift - Fearless
Nominees:
Lee Ann Womack - Call Me Crazy
Keith Urban - Defying Gravity
George Strait - Twang
Zac Brown Band - The Foundation
2011
Winner: Lady A - Need You Now
Nominees:
Miranda Lambert - Revolution
Jamey Johnson - The Guitar Song
Zac Brown Band - You Get What You Give
Dierks Bentley - Up On The Ridge
2012
Winner: Lady A - Own The Night
Nominees:
Taylor Swift - Speak Now
George Strait - Here For A Good Time
Blake Shelton - Red River Blue
Eric Church - Chief
Jason Aldean - My Kinda Party
2013
Winner: Zac Brown Band - Uncaged
Nominees:
The Time Jumpers - The Time Jumpers
Miranda Lambert - Four the Record
Jamey Johnson - Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran
Hunter Hayes - Hunter Hayes
2014
Winner: Kacey Musgraves - Same Trailer, Different Park
Nominees:
Taylor Swift - Red
Blake Shelton - Based On A True Story
Tim McGraw - Two Lanes of Freedom
Jason Aldean - Night Train
2015
Winner: Miranda Lambert - Platinum
Nominees:
Lee Ann Womack - The Way I’m Livin’
Brandy Clark - 12 Stories
Eric Church - The Outsiders
Dierks Bentley - Riser
2016
Winner: Chris Stapleton - Traveller
Nominees:
Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material
Ashley Monroe - The Blade
Little Big Town - Pain Killer
Sam Hunt - Montevallo
2017
Winner: Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor’s Guide To Earth
Nominees:
Keith Urban - Ripcord
Maren Morris - Hero
Loretta Lynn - Full Circle
Brandy Clark - Big Day In A Small Town
2018
Winner: Chris Stapleton - From A Room: Volume 1
Nominees:
Thomas Rhett - Life Changes
Little Big Town - The Breaker
Lady A - Heartbreak
Kenny Chesney - Cosmic Halleljuah
2019
Winner: Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
Nominees:
Chris Stapleton - From A Room: Volume 2
Ashley McBryde - Girl Going Nowhere
Brothers Osborne - Port Saint Joe
Kelsea Ballerini - Unapolgetically
2020
Winner: Tanya Tucker - While I’m Livin’
Thomas Rhett - Center Point Road
Pistol Annies - Interstate Gospel
Reba McEntire - Stronger Than The Truth
Eric Church - Desperate Man
2021
Winner: Miranda Lambert - Wildcard
Nominees:
Ashley McBryde - Never Will
Little Big Town - Night Fall
Brandy Clark - Your Life Is A Record
Ingrid Andress - Lady Like
2022
Winner: Chris Stapleton - Starting Over
Nominees:
Sturgill Simpson - The Ballad of Dood and Junita
Mickey Guyton - Remember Her Name
Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, Jack Ingram - The Marfa Tapes
Brothers Osborne - Skeletons
2023
Winner: Willie Nelson - A Beautiful Time
Nominees:
Maren Morris - Humble Quest
Ashley McByrde - Ashley McBryde Presents Lindeville
Miranda Lambert - Palomino
Luke Combs - Growin’ Up
2024
Winner: Lainey Wilson - Bell Bottom Country
Nominees:
Tyler Childers - Rustin’ in the Rain
Zach Bryan - Zach Bryan
Brothers Osborne - Brothers Osborne
Kelsea Ballerini - Rolling Up The Welcome Mat
2025
Winner: Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter
Nominees:
Lainey Wilson - Whirlwind
Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well
Chris Stapleton - Higher
Post Malone - F1 Trillion