How Have Album & Record of the Year Grammy Winners Performed on Billboard’s Charts?
Written by djfrosty on February 5, 2023
How well do the winners at the Grammy Awards align with Billboard chart success? Perhaps not surprisingly, very closely — especially when it comes to trophy recipients reaching the top 10 of the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.
Billboard looks at the crossroads of Recording Academy and commercial success in two of the most prominent Grammy categories – album of the year and record of the year – over the last 65 years, from the first awards presented in 1959, a year after the Hot 100 launched and three years after the Billboard 200 began – through music’s latest biggest night in 2023.
Album of the Year Winners on the Billboard 200
Of the 65 album of the year winners, 62 – or 95% – have hit the Billboard 200’s top 10 (two of which did so for the first time following their Grammy victories). Harry Styles’ Harry’s House is the latest contributor to that overwhelming majority, having reigned for two weeks starting upon its debut in June 2022.
A year earlier, Jon Batiste’s victory with We Are contrasted that sharp trend, and halted a run of 26 top 10s winning consecutively since 1996 – the longest streak all-time. Still, We Are surged back onto the April 16, 2022-dated Billboard 200 at a new No. 25 high; it previously spent a week on the survey, at No. 86, in April 2021. The two previous winning sets not to have hit the top 10: Tony Bennett’s MTV Unplugged, which rose to No. 48 after its 1995 win (after it had reached No. 69 before that year’s ceremony), and Glen Campbell’s By the Time I Get to Phoenix, which reached its No. 15 peak ahead of its win in 1969.
Historically, 68% of all winners (44 of 65) have led the list.
Here’s a recap of how all album of the year Grammy Award winners have performed on the Billboard 200. (Album of the year is awarded to artist[s] and featured artist[s], songwriter[s] of new material, producer[s], recording engineer[s], mixer[s] and mastering engineer[s].)
Year, Artist, Title / Billboard 200 Peak
- 2023, Harry Styles, Harry’s House / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 2022, Jon Batiste, We Are / No. 25 (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 86)
- 2021, Taylor Swift, Folklore / No. 1 – 8 weeks
- 2020, Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? / No. 1 – 3 weeks
- 2019, Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour / No. 4
- 2018, Bruno Mars, 24K Magic / No. 2
- 2017, Adele, 25 / No. 1 – 10 weeks
- 2016, Taylor Swift, 1989 / No. 1 – 11 weeks
- 2015, Beck, Morning Phase / No. 3
- 2014, Daft Punk, Random Access Memories / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 2013, Mumford & Sons, Babel / No. 1 – 5 weeks
- 2012, Adele, 21 / No. 1 – 24 weeks
- 2011, Arcade Fire, The Suburbs / No. 1 – 1 week
- 2010, Taylor Swift, Fearless / No. 1 – 11 weeks
- 2009, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Raising Sand / No. 2
- 2008, Herbie Hancock, River: The Joni Letters / No. 5 (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 118)
- 2007, The Chicks, Taking the Long Way / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 2006, U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb / No. 1 – 1 week
- 2005, Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company / No. 1 – 1 week (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 2)
- 2004, OutKast, Speakerboxx/The Love Below / No. 1 – 7 weeks
- 2003, Norah Jones, Come Away With Me / No. 1 – 4 weeks
- 2002, Soundtrack, O Brother, Where Art Thou? / No. 1 – 2 weeks (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 10)
- 2001, Steely Dan, Two Against Nature / No. 6
- 2000, Santana, Supernatural / No. 1 – 12 weeks
- 1999, Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill / No. 1 – 4 weeks
- 1998, Bob Dylan, Time Out of Mind / No. 10
- 1997, Celine Dion, Falling Into You / No. 1 – 3 weeks
- 1996, Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill / No. 1 – 12 weeks
- 1995, Tony Bennett, MTV Unplugged / No. 48 (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 69)
- 1994, Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard soundtrack / No. 1 – 20 weeks
- 1993, Eric Clapton, Unplugged / No. 1 – 3 weeks (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 2)
- 1992, Natalie Cole, Unforgettable: With Love / No. 1 – 5 weeks
- 1991, Quincy Jones, Back on the Block / No. 9
- 1990, Bonnie Raitt, Nick of Time / No. 1 – 3 weeks (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 22)
- 1989, George Michael, Faith / No. 1 – 12 weeks
- 1988, U2, The Joshua Tree / No. 1 – 9 weeks
- 1987, Paul Simon, Graceland / No. 3
- 1986, Phil Collins, No Jacket Required / No. 1 – 7 weeks
- 1985, Lionel Richie, Can’t Slow Down / No. 1 – 3 weeks
- 1984, Michael Jackson, Thriller / No. 1 – 37 weeks
- 1983, Toto, Toto IV / No. 4
- 1982, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy / No. 1 – 8 weeks
- 1981, Christopher Cross, Christopher Cross / No. 6
- 1980, Billy Joel, 52nd Street / No. 1 – 8 weeks
- 1979, Soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever / No. 1 – 24 weeks
- 1978, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours / No. 1 – 31 weeks
- 1977, Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life / No. 1 – 14 weeks
- 1976, Paul Simon, Still Crazy After All These Years / No. 1 – 1 week
- 1975, Stevie Wonder, Fulfillingness’ First Finale / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 1974, Stevie Wonder, Innervisions / No. 4
- 1973, Various artists, The Concert for Bangladesh / No. 2
- 1972, Carole King, Tapestry / No. 1 – 15 weeks
- 1971, Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water / No. 1 – 10 weeks
- 1970, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Blood, Sweat & Tears / No. 1 – 7 weeks
- 1969, Glen Campbell, By the Time I Get to Phoenix / No. 15
- 1968, The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band / No. 1 – 15 weeks
- 1967, Frank Sinatra, A Man and His Music / No. 9
- 1966, Frank Sinatra, September of My Years / No. 5
- 1965, Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto / No. 2
- 1964, Barbra Streisand, The Barbra Streisand Album / No. 9
- 1963, Vaughn Meader, The First Family / No. 1 – 12 weeks
- 1962, Judy Garland, Judy at Carnegie Hall / No. 1 – 13 weeks
- 1961, Bob Newhart, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart / No. 1 – 14 weeks
- 1960, Frank Sinatra, Come Dance With Me / No. 2
- 1959, Henry Mancini, The Music From Peter Gunn / No. 1 – 10 weeks
Record of the Year Winners on the Hot 100
Of the 65 record of the year winners, 54 – or 83% – have hit the Hot 100’s top 10 (one of which did so for the first time following its Grammy coronation). Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” continues that trend, as 14 winners in a row since 2010 have reached the top 10, the second-longest streak, after a 23-year run in 1965-87.
Historically, 54% of all winners (35 of 65) have topped the tally, with “About Damn Time” likewise upping that share.
Here’s a rundown of how all record of the year Grammy Award winners have fared on the Hot 100. (Record of the year is awarded to artist/producer[s], recording engineer[s] and/or mixer[s] and mastering engineer[s], if other than artist.)
Year, Title, Artist / Hot 100 Peak
- 2023, “About Damn Time,” Lizzo / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 2022, “Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak) / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 2021, “Everything I Wanted,” Billie Eilish / No. 8
- 2020, “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish / No. 1 – 1 week
- 2019, “This Is America,” Childish Gambino / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 2018, “24K Magic,” Bruno Mars / No. 4
- 2017, “Hello,” Adele / No. 1 – 10 weeks
- 2016, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars / No. 1 – 14 weeks
- 2015, “Stay With Me,” Sam Smith / No. 2
- 2014, “Get Lucky,” Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams / No. 2
- 2013, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” Gotye feat. Kimbra / No. 1 – 8 weeks
- 2012, “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele / No. 1 – 7 weeks
- 2011, “Need You Now,” Lady A / No. 2
- 2010, “Use Somebody,” Kings of Leon / No. 4
- 2009, “Please Read the Letter,” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss / did not chart
- 2008, “Rehab,” Amy Winehouse / No. 9
- 2007, “Not Ready To Make Nice,” Dixie Chicks / No. 4 (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 23)
- 2006, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” Green Day / No. 2
- 2005, “Here We Go Again,” Ray Charles & Norah Jones / did not chart
- 2004, “Clocks,” Coldplay / No. 29
- 2003, “Don’t Know Why,” Norah Jones / No. 30
- 2002, “Walk On,” U2 / did not chart
- 2001, “Beautiful Day,” U2 / No. 21
- 2000, “Smooth,” Santana feat. Rob Thomas / No. 1 – 12 weeks
- 1999, “My Heart Will Go On,” Celine Dion / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 1998, “Sunny Came Home,” Shawn Colvin / No. 7
- 1997, “Change the World,” Eric Clapton / No. 5
- 1996, “Kiss From a Rose,” Seal / No. 1 – 1 week
- 1995, “All I Wanna Do,” Sheryl Crow / No. 2
- 1994, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston / No. 1 – 14 weeks
- 1993, “Tears in Heaven,” Eric Clapton / No. 2
- 1992, “Unforgettable,” Natalie Cole / No. 14
- 1991, “Another Day in Paradise,” Phil Collins / No. 1 – 4 weeks
- 1990, “Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler / No. 1 – 1 week
- 1989, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” Bobby McFerrin / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 1988, “Graceland,” Paul Simon / No. 81
- 1987, “Higher Love,” Steve Winwood / No. 1 – 1 week
- 1986, “We Are the World,” USA for Africa / No. 1 – 4 weeks
- 1985, “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” Tina Turner / No. 1 – 3 weeks
- 1984, “Beat It,” Michael Jackson / No. 1 – 3 weeks
- 1983, “Rosanna,” Toto / No. 2
- 1982, “Bette Davis Eyes,” Kim Carnes / No. 1 – 9 weeks
- 1981, “Sailing,” Christopher Cross / No. 1 – 1 week
- 1980, “What a Fool Believes,” The Doobie Brothers / No. 1 – 1 week
- 1979, “Just the Way You Are,” Billy Joel / No. 3
- 1978, “Hotel California,” Eagles / No. 1 – 1 week
- 1977, “This Masquerade,” George Benson / No. 10
- 1976, “Love Will Keep Us Together,” Captain & Tennille / No. 1 – 4 weeks
- 1975, “I Honestly Love You,” Olivia Newton-John / No. 1 – 2 weeks
- 1974, “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” Roberta Flack / No. 1 – 5 weeks
- 1973, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Roberta Flack / No. 1 – 6 weeks
- 1972, “It’s Too Late,” Carole King / No. 1 – 5 weeks
- 1971, “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Simon & Garfunkel / No. 1 – 6 weeks
- 1970, “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” The 5th Dimension / No. 1 – 6 weeks
- 1969, “Mrs. Robinson,” Simon & Garfunkel / No. 1 – 3 weeks
- 1968, “Up, Up and Away,” The 5th Dimension / No. 7
- 1967, “Strangers in the Night,” Frank Sinatra / No. 1 – 1 week
- 1966, “A Taste of Honey,” Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass / No. 7
- 1965, “The Girl From Ipanema,” Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz / No. 5
- 1964, “Days of Wine and Roses,” Henry Mancini / No. 33
- 1963, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” Tony Bennett / No. 19
- 1962, “Moon River,” Henry Mancini / No. 11
- 1961, “Theme From A Summer Place,” Percy Faith / No. 1 – 9 weeks
- 1960, “Mack the Knife,” Bobby Darin / No. 1 – 9 weeks
- 1959, “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare),” Domenico Modugno / No. 1 – 5 weeks