Several artists have won 13 Grammy Awards, including legendary figures like Ella Fitzgerald, Emmylou Harris, and opera star Leontyne Price, alongside contemporary artists like Pharrell Williams (who has 13 wins for his diverse work) and country-rock band The Chicks (formerly The Dixie Chicks).
Michael Jackson won a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards in one night at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards in 1984, primarily for his iconic album Thriller, a feat later tied by Santana in 2000. He won awards for Album of the Year (Thriller), Record of the Year ("Beat It"), and several other categories, solidifying his legendary status in music history.
To be recognized by the Grammys is the ultimate honor. The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY) are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry. Taylor Swift has won 14 Grammy Awards from 52 nominations.
The only person to refuse a Grammy is Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, who in 1991 declined the award for Best Alternative Music Performance for her album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, protesting the music industry's "false and destructive materialistic values". She chose to boycott the ceremony and the award itself, viewing the Grammys as prioritizing commercialism over genuine artistry, says Far Out Magazine.
Jackson's career was rewarded with 13 Grammy Awards, as well as the Grammy Legend Award and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; 6 Brit Awards, 40 Billboard Music Awards (before and after 1990) and 26 American Music Awards.
LeAnn Rimes holds the record for youngest individual Grammy Award winner. At just 14 years old, Rimes won two Grammy Awards at the 39th annual ceremony in 1997, winning best new artist and best female country vocal performance. She also holds the record for youngest person to win the best new artist category.
Only 2 artists have swept all 4 categories in a single year: Christopher Cross in 1981 for his self-titled album Christopher Cross and the single "Sailing" and Billie Eilish in 2020 for her album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and the single "Bad Guy".
At the 65th GRAMMY Awards in 2023, Beyoncé made history by becoming the artist with the most GRAMMY wins ever at that time, reaching 32 total GRAMMYs. As of the 2025 GRAMMYs, Beyoncé now holds 35 GRAMMY wins and 99 nominations, making her both the most-awarded and most-nominated artist in GRAMMY history.
What about the artists who lose-do they walk away empty-handed? The short answer: There's no direct prize money for Grammy winners. But don't be fooled-winning (or even just being nominated) can mean serious financial rewards in ways that go far beyond a check from the Recording Academy.
34 Famous Musicians Who Have Never Won a Grammy
TIL that Diana Ross, although being nominated 13 times, has never won a Grammy award.
In 1958, the academy created an award to honour those in the field of music and named it the Grammy, so named after the music listening device invented by Thomas Edison, the Gramophone.
Beyoncé, 35
Beyoncé made history at the 2023 GRAMMYs by becoming the artist with the most GRAMMY wins — ever — when she won the GRAMMY for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for her 2022 album, RENAISSANCE, and to this day, she still holds the record. Beyoncé counts 35 total GRAMMY wins to date.
As you probably expected, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were no-shows at the 2025 Grammy Awards, and there are likely three main reasons for this, the first being that Rihanna notoriously hasn't released new music in Y-E-A-R-S.
Since the GRAMMY Award is the only peer-voted award in music, this means artists are recognized, awarded and celebrated by those in their fields and industries, ultimately making the value of a GRAMMY truly priceless and immeasurable.
Big winners included British singer Adele, veteran rockers the Foo Fighters, dubstep producer Skrillex and country superstar Taylor Swift. Adele brought home six GRAMMYs, tying Beyoncé for the most awards won by a female artist in one night.
The only person to refuse a Grammy is Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, who in 1991 declined the award for Best Alternative Music Performance for her album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, protesting the music industry's "false and destructive materialistic values". She chose to boycott the ceremony and the award itself, viewing the Grammys as prioritizing commercialism over genuine artistry, says Far Out Magazine.
Milli Vanilli attracted controversy when Farian announced that Morvan and Pilatus did not sing their vocals and lip-synced for performances. Their vocals were instead provided by Brad Howell, John Davis, Charles Shaw, Jodie Rocco, and Linda Rocco. Their Grammy award was revoked.
During Grammys week, wedged somewhere between Miley Cyrus' incredible performance of her Grammy-winning song “Flowers” and Dua Lipa's Courrèges chainmail gown, social media users were posting the moment Taylor Swift accepted the Grammy for Album Of The Year—and allegedly snubbed Celine Dion in the process.