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With another year’s worth of Grammys awarded, it’s high time to check in on Grammy Award records and all the big names who have broken them over the course of the awards show’s six-decade history.
Taylor Swift skipped the 2019 Grammys — instead opting to attend the British Academy Film Awards with boyfriend Joe Alwyn — but she broke a Grammy record back in 2010 when she was still verging on the country side of pop music. Swift was barely out of her teens at the time, but the record holder for youngest Grammy winner was 12 years younger when she won.
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Beyoncé and Jay-Z were also no-shows at the 2019 ceremony, but they returned in 2021 — and have always remained legends in the Recording Academy’s eyes. Jay-Z tied with Quincy Jones for most nominations (80), and Beyoncé broke a record in 2010 that Adele tied in 2012, as detailed in the gallery below. Queen Bey is also the most decorated female artist of all time.
Billie Eilish, for her part, swept the 2020 awards show with wins in the biggest categories of the night, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist. Plus, she was just 18 years old at the time.
“[Billie] was very grateful, obviously, and a lot of her friends were there,” her brother, Finneas O’Connell, told Vogue in February 2020. “She has more ‘go with the flow’ than I do, but we were both kind of embarrassed to win so much; you hope that it will be kind of equal, but after the third in a row … Well, we love all our fellow nominees.”
The producer noted that he was pulling for Lizzo or Lil Nas X. “If I’d bet on anyone, I would have lost money in us winning everything,” he said.
O’Connell continued: “I thought ‘Truth Hurts’ would win Record of the Year. And I thought ‘Old Town Road’ would win Song of the Year because it was. I was hopeful about Album of the Year, and that’s one that I’m really proud of because I love listening to that album front to back. That was the only one that I was like, ‘Maybe!’”
And though Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West and Stevie Wonder have all earned 20 or more Grammy Awards so far, not one of those artists are close to beating the record for the most lifetime Grammy wins. Scroll down to see that record holder and several more stars whose award shelves must be needing reinforcements.
Most Awarded Artist of All Time
Beyoncé won her 32nd Grammy Award in February 2023. The trophy for Best Dance/Electronic Album for Renaissance broke the record for most Grammy wins by one artist. “This is an honor — because we are witnessing history,” James Corden said while presenting the category.
Most Album of the Year Wins for a Female Artist
Taylor Swift earned her third Album of the Year Grammy during the 2021 ceremony for her eighth studio album, Folklore. The achievement made her the first female artist to win the award three times.
Most Decorated Female Artist
Beyoncé accepted her 28th Grammy in 2021, making her the female artist with the most career wins.
Youngest Artist to Win Big
At 18, Billie Eilish walked away with five Grammy awards during the 62nd annual ceremony in January 2020. Eilish won for Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Pop Vocal Album.
First Openly Gay Black Rapper to Win
When Lil Nas X attended his first Grammys at 20 in January 2020, he won two awards for Best Music Video and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for his hit “Old Town Road.”
Youngest Grammy Winner
When the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack won Album of the Year in 2002, Leah Peasall was just 8 years old as she and her sisters accepted trophies for their song “In the Highways.”
Youngest Solo Album of the Year Winner
Taylor Swift was 20 when her album Fearless won the Album of the Year honor in 2010. However, 10 years later, Billie Eilish broke the record at 18 when she won for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Most Grammys Won by a Producer
Not only has legendary R&B and soul producer Quincy Jones won 27 Grammys but he also holds the record for most Grammy nominations with 80 nods.
Artists With the Most-Honored Albums
U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and Santana’s Supernatural both received a record nine Grammy wins. In fact, the U2 album won three in 2005 and another six the following year.
Most Consecutive Grammy Wins in One Category
Aretha Franklin won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for every year between 1968 and 1975 — then triumphed in the category again in 1982, 1986 and 1988.
Most Grammy Wins by a Male Artist in One Night
Michael Jackson won eight Grammys at the 1984 show, and Carlos Santana achieved the same feat 16 years later.
Most Grammy Wins by a Female Artist in One Night
There was only a two-year gap, however, between the Grammy ceremonies at which Beyoncé won six Grammys in 2010 and Adele did the same in 2012.
Most Grammy Wins by a Male Artist
Late orchestral conductor and Chicago Symphony Orchestra musical director Georg Solti won a record 31 Grammys in his 84 years.
Most Grammy Wins by a Group
U2 has earned 22 Grammys to date. In 2005, the Irish rock band won Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Album.
