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Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album

Grammy Award Category

Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album

Grammy Award Category

FieldValue
nameGrammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album
awarded_forQuality progressive R&B music albums
captionBloom by Durand Bernarr is the most recent recipients
presenterThe Recording Academy
countryUnited States
year2013
holderDurand Bernarr – Bloom (2026)
most_winsBeyoncé & The Weeknd (2)
most_nominationsBeyoncé, Steve Lacy, Terrace Martin & Miguel (3)
websitegrammy.com

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".

In 2013, this was one of the three newly created categories for the 55th Annual Grammy Awards as Best Urban Contemporary Album. In June 2020, the Recording Academy announced a renaming and redefining of the category. 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." 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."

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.

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".

Controversies

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". 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".

Recipients

2013
2018
2019
YearPerforming artist(s)WorkNomineesRef.20132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Frank OceanChannel Orange{{smalldiv
RihannaUnapologetic{{smalldiv
Pharrell WilliamsGirl{{smalldiv
The WeekndBeauty Behind the Madness{{smalldiv
BeyoncéLemonade{{smalldiv
The WeekndStarboy{{smalldiv
The CartersEverything Is Love{{smalldiv
LizzoCuz I Love You (Deluxe){{smalldiv
ThundercatIt Is What It Is{{smalldiv
Lucky DayeTable for Two{{smalldiv
Steve LacyGemini Rights{{smalldiv
SZASOS{{smalldiv
AverySunshineSo Glad to Know You{{smalldiv
NxWorriesWhy Lawd?
Durand BernarrBloom{{smalldiv

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

Artists with multiple wins

;2 wins

  • Beyoncé (one as The Carters)
  • The Weeknd

Artists with multiple nominations

;4 nominations

  • Terrace Martin

;3 nominations

  • Beyoncé (one as The Carters)
  • Steve Lacy (one with The Internet)
  • Miguel

;2 nominations

  • Jhené Aiko
  • Durand Bernarr
  • 6lack
  • Chris Brown
  • Chloe x Halle
  • Childish Gambino
  • Robert Glasper
  • Cory Henry
  • Kehlani
  • Anderson Paak
  • Rihanna
  • SZA
  • The Weeknd

References

References

  1. "Overview". [[The Recording Academy]].
  2. Gonzales, Erica. (June 10, 2023). "The Grammy Awards Rename Their Urban Contemporary Category".
  3. Hissong, Samantha. (June 10, 2023). "The Grammys' 'Urban Contemporary' Category Is Now 'Progressive R&B'".
  4. (June 10, 2020). "The Recording Academy Announces Changes For 63rd Annual GRAMMYs, Releases Rules And Guidelines". [[The Recording Academy]].
  5. Minelle, Bethany. (June 8, 2020). "Republic Records drops term 'urban' to describe music made by black artists". [[Sky News]].
  6. (June 10, 2020). "Grammy Blue Book (edition 2021)". [[The Recording Academy]].
  7. Lewis, Sophie. (June 11, 2020). "Grammy Awards renames controversial "urban" category". [[CBS News]].
  8. Owoseje, Toyin. (January 27, 2020). "Tyler, The Creator slams Grammys' 'urban' category as a politically correct version of the n-word". [[CNN]].
  9. (December 6, 2012). "Frank Ocean, fun. lead 2013 Grammy Award nominations". [[MTV (British and Irish TV channel).
  10. "GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees for Best Urban Contemporary Album". [[The Recording Academy]].
  11. "56th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees". [[The Recording Academy]].
  12. Oldenburg, Ann. (December 5, 2014). "2015 Grammy nominations roll out". [[USA Today]].
  13. Billboard Staff. (December 7, 2015). "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees".
  14. Johnston, Maura. (December 6, 2016). "Grammy nominations 2017: Beyoncé and R&B artists shine while rock suffers". [[The Guardian]].
  15. (November 28, 2017). "60th GRAMMY Awards: Full Nominees List". [[The Recording Academy]].
  16. Snapes, Laura. (December 7, 2018). "Grammy nominations 2019: Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar and Drake lead the pack". [[The Guardian]].
  17. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben. (November 20, 2019). "Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X top 2020 Grammy nominations". [[The Guardian]].
  18. (November 24, 2020). "2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Winners and Nominees List". [[The Recording Academy]].
  19. (November 23, 2021). "2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominations List". [[The Recording Academy]].
  20. Moreau, Jordan. (February 5, 2023). "Grammy Winners 2023: Full List". [[Variety (magazine).
  21. "66th Annual Grammy Awards". [[The Recording Academy]].
  22. Monroe, Jazz. (2024-11-08). "Grammy Nominations 2025: See the Full List Here".
  23. Willman, Chris. (2025-11-07). "Grammy Nominations 2026: Kendrick Lamar Leads With Nine as Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter and Leon Thomas Land Among Top Nominees".
  24. "Beyoncé". [[The Recording Academy]].
  25. "Steve Lacy Moya". [[The Recording Academy]].
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