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The ongoing success of Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time, which is in its second week at No. 1 on both The Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums, increases the possibility that the album could wind up with a Grammy nomination for album of the year.
It would be the first country album to be nominated in that category since Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour, which won the 2018 award.
A recent Billboard report looked at the scarcity of nominations in recent years for country in the Big Four categories (album, record and song of the year, plus best new artist).
Eddy Arnold’s My World (1965) was the first country album to be nominated for album of the year. Glen Campbell’s By the Time I Get to Phoenix (1968) was the first country album to win in that category.
The Chicks have had three album of the year nominations, more than any other country act. Taylor Swift (in her country period) had two. Linda Ronstadt also had two, counting the Trio album, on which she collaborated with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. Harris and Alison Krauss also had two, counting the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, on which they both were featured.
We define a country album as any album that made Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. That rather low threshold for what constitutes a country album brought in Lionel Richie’s Can’t Slow Down. The album peaked at No. 55 on Top Country Albums in 1984, but a subsequent Richie album spent four weeks at No. 1 on that chart.
Here are all the country albums that have received Grammy nominations for album of the year. They are shown in reverse chronological order.
Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour (2018)
Image Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/GI
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (two weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 4
Notes: This was the sixth country album to win album of the year. It also won best country album, while “Butterflies” took country solo performance and “Space Cowboy” won best country song. The other singles from the album were “High Horse,” “Slow Burn” and “Rainbow.”
Sturgill Simpson, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth (2016)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (one week)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 3
Notes: Though this didn’t win album of the year, it won best country album. The album spawned three singles: “Brace for Impact (Live a Little),” “In Bloom” and “Keep It Between the Lines.”
Chris Stapleton, Traveller (2015)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (29 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (two weeks)
Notes: Though this didn’t win album of the year, it won best country album. Stapleton won a second award for the title track, which was voted best country solo performance. Other singles from the album were “Nobody to Blame” and “Parachute.”
Taylor Swift, Red (2013)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1(16 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1(seven weeks)
Notes: This album didn’t win a single Grammy — though nine years later, a short film for an expanded version of “All Too Well,” one of the prized songs from Red, won best music video. The album’s lead single, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” was nominated for record of the year the year before the album was eligible. The album spawned six additional singles: “Begin Again,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “22,” the title track, “Everything Has Changed” and “The Last Time.”
Lady A, Need You Now (2010)
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/GI
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (31 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (four weeks)
Notes: Though this didn’t win album of the year, it won best country album. And the poignant title track won four Grammys — record and song of the year, best country song and best country performance by a duo or group with vocals. The album spawned three additional singles: “American Honey,” “Our Kind of Love” and “Hello World.”
Taylor Swift, Fearless (2009)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (35 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (11 weeks)
Notes: This was the fifth country album to win album of the year. It also won best country album, while “White Horse” won best country song and best female country vocal performance. “You Belong With Me” received Grammy nods for record and song of the year. The album spawned three additional singles: “Love Story,” “Fifteen” and the title track.
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Raising Sand (2008)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 2
Billboard 200 peak: No. 2
Notes: This was the fourth country album to win album of the year. It also won best contemporary folk/Americana album, while four tracks from the album won Grammys. “Please Read the Letter” took record of the year, “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)” and “Rich Woman” won back-to-back awards for best pop collaboration with vocals and “Killing the Blues” won best country collaboration with vocals.
Vince Gill, These Days (2007)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 4
Billboard 200 peak: No. 17
Notes: Though this four-disk box set didn’t win album of the year, it won best country album. Three singles were released from the collection: “The Reason Why” (featuring Alison Krauss), “What You Give Away” (featuring Sheryl Crow) and “How Lonely Looks.”
The Chicks, Taking the Long Way (2006)
Image Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (nine weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (three weeks)
Notes: This was the third country album to win album of the year. It also won best country album. The lead single, “Not Ready to Make Nice,” won record and song of the year and best country performance by a duo or group with vocal. Grammy voters rallied behind the group which had suffered a backlash amid controversy over Natalie Maines’ harsh comments about President George W. Bush. The other singles from the album were “Everybody Knows,” “Voice Inside My Head,” “Easy Silence” and “The Long Way Around.”
The Chicks, Home (2002)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (19 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (four weeks)
Notes: Though this didn’t win album of the year, it won best country album. In addition, the group won best country performance by a duo or group with vocal for “Long Time Gone” and best country instrumental performance for “Lil’ Jack Slade.” The other singles from the album were “Travelin’ Soldier,” “Godspeed (Sweet Dreams),” “Top of the World.” and a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.”
Various Artists, O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack (2001)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (35 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (one week)
Notes: This was the second country album to win album of the year. In addition, it won best compilation soundtrack album for a motion picture, television or other visual media. Two tracks from the album won Grammys. Ralph Stanley’s “O Death” was voted best male country vocal performance. The Soggy Bottom Boys’ “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” won best country collaboration with vocals. The trio consisted of Dan Tyminski, Harley Allen and Pat Enright.
The Chicks, Fly (1999)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (36 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (four weeks)
Notes: Though this didn’t win album of the year, it won best country album. The group also won best country performance by a duo or group with vocal for “Ready to Run.” The other singles from the album were “Cowboy Take Me Away,” “Goodbye Earl,” “Cold Day in July,” “Without You,” “If I Fall You’re Going Down with Me,” “Heartbreak Town” and “Some Days You Gotta Dance.”
Shania Twain, Come on Over (1998)
Image Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via GI
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (50 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 2
Notes: Twain won four Grammys for this album across two years. In the first year, “You’re Still the One” won best female country vocal performance and best country song; in the second, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” won best female country vocal performance and “Come on Over” won best country song. “You’re Still the One” also received Grammy nods for record and song of the year. “You’ve Got a Way” was nominated for song of the year the following year. The other singles from the album were “Love Gets Me Every Time,” “Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You),” “From This Moment On,” “When,” “Honey, I’m Home,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “Rock This Country!” and “I’m Holdin’ On to Love (To Save My Life).”
Dolly Parton/Linda Ronstadt/Emmylou Harris, Trio (1987)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (five weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 6
Notes: Though this didn’t win album of the year, it won best country performance by a duo or group with vocal. The album spawned four singles: “Telling Me Lies,” “Those Memories of You,” “Wildflowers” and a remake of The Teddy Bears’ “To Know Him Is to Love Him,” a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958.
Lionel Richie, Can’t Slow Down (1984)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 55
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (three weeks)
Notes: You probably wouldn’t have expected to see this album on this list. But Can’t Slow Down cracked Top Country Albums — largely on the strength of the country-tinged ballad “Stuck on You,” which rose to No. 24 on Hot Country Songs. Richie’s music has always blended strains of country, R&B and pop. His 2012 album Tuskegee, on which he was joined by an array of top country stars, logged four weeks at No. 1 on Top Country Albums. Can’t Slow Down belongs on this list, in the interest of completeness and general interest, but we’re not going to call it the second country album to win album of the year (though it did indeed win that award), because it wasn’t primarily a country album. Two songs from the album, “All Night Long (All Night)” and “Hello,” were nominated for song of the year and best pop vocal performance, male in successive years. “All Night Long” was also nominated for record of the year in the first year.
Kenny Rogers, The Gambler (1979)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (23 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 12
Notes: The title track received a Grammy nod for record of the year. and won for best country vocal performance, male. The album spawned a second smash, the poignant “She Believes in Me,” which received Grammy nods for song of the year and best pop vocal performance, male.
Eagles, Hotel California (1977)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 10
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (eight weeks)
Notes: Like Lionel Richie’s Can’t Slow Down, this isn’t primarily a country album — though as you can see, it made the top 10 on Top Country Albums. The title song became the first rock track to win a Grammy for record of the year. It was also nominated for song of the year. The album spawned two other hits: the sublime “New Kid in Town” (which won best arrangement for voices) and the rock anthem “Life in the Fast Lane.”
Linda Ronstadt, Heart Like a Wheel (1975)
Image Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via GI
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (four weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (one week)
Notes: Ronstadt (shown here at the Grammy ceremony with her producer/manager, Peter Asher) won her first of 11 Grammys for “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love With You),” which was voted best country vocal performance, female. The album spawned three other singles: “You’re No Good,” “When Will I Be Loved” and “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.”
John Denver, Back Home Again (1974)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (13 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (one week)
Notes: This was Denver’s first Grammy nomination. It’s unusual that the album was up for album of the year, but Denver wasn’t recognized in any other categories. The album spawned three hits: “Annie’s Song,” the title song and “Sweet Surrender.” In addition, a live version of another song from the album, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” topped the Hot 100 in 1975 and landed a Grammy nod for best country vocal performance, male.
Charlie Rich, Behind Closed Doors (1973)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (21 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 8
Notes: Rich won his only Grammy for the classy title song, which was voted best country vocal performance, male. The track also received nominations for record and song of the year. The album spawned two other hits, “I Take It on Home” and “The Most Beautiful Girl.” The latter was a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100.
Johnny Cash, Johnny Cash at San Quentin (1969)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (20 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (four weeks)
Notes: This is the only live album by a country artist to receive an album of the year nomination. Cash won a Grammy for best country vocal performance, male for the novelty hit “A Boy Named Sue,” which also received a Grammy nod for record of the year.
Glen Campbell, By the Time I Get to Phoenix (1968)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (four weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 15
Notes: This was the first country album to win album of the year. Campbell had won two Grammys the previous year for his tender performance of the title song, which was voted best vocal performance, male and best contemporary male solo vocal performance. The exquisite ballad (written by Jimmy Webb) had received Grammy nods for record and song of the year the previous year. The album also included Campbell’s follow-up hit, “Hey Little One.”
Bobbie Gentry, Ode to Billie Joe (1967)
Image Credit: Bettmann/GI
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (three weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (two weeks)
Notes: This album bumped the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band out of the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200. How’d it do that? The title track was one of the most talked-about singles of its time, as people tried to piece together exactly what happened up on Choctaw Ridge that drove Billy Joe MacAllister to jump off the Tallahatchie Bridge. Gentry (shown here with Glen Campbell and Lalo Schifrin) became the first person in Grammy history to receive nominations in each of the Big Four categories in the same year. Of the Big Four, she won only best new artist. She also won best vocal performance, female and best contemporary female solo vocal performance, both for “Ode to Billie Joe.” The album spawned two other singles: “I Saw an Angel Die” and “Mississippi Delta.”
Eddy Arnold, My World (1965)
Top Country Albums peak: No. 1 (17 weeks)
Billboard 200 peak: No. 7
Notes: Arnold received four nominations for this album and its smash single “Make the World Go Away,” which exemplified the “countrypolitan” sound. Three of those nominations were in categories that still used the terminology “country & western,” which would soon seem dated. The album also spawned the hits “What’s He Doing in My World” and “I’m Letting You Go.”
Rihanna slayed at the 2023 Oscars on Sunday with a classy performance of her soulful ballad “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She didn’t win the Oscar for best original song – the award went to “Naatu Naatu” from RRR – but RiRi will likely have more chances to win for the song at next year’s Grammy Awards.
“Lift Me Up,” which Rihanna co-wrote with Tems, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Göransson, is a front-runner for a nomination for best song written for visual media.
“Lift Me Up” could also wind up with record and/or song of the year nominations. Rihanna has been nominated for record of the year three times, for “Umbrella” (featuring Jay-Z), “Work” (featuring Drake) and as featured artist on Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie.”
If “Lift Me Up” is nominated for song of the year, it would mark Rihanna’s first nod in that category. Her only songwriting nods to date are for “Run This Town,” which won best rap song, and “Kiss It Better,” which was nominated for best R&B song.
“Lift Me Up” will also probably be nominated in a performance category – either best R&B performance or best traditional R&B performance. (The final decision on where to slot performances that seem to be on the border between two categories is made by a large screening committee. They base their decision on the sound of the performance, as they perceive it, not chart position or the artist’s image.)
Rihanna has been nominated in R&B performance categories twice, for “Needed Me” and “Hate That I Love You,” a 2007 collab with Ne-Yo. She has yet to be nominated for best traditional R&B performance.
“All the Stars,” from the first Black Panther, was nominated for Grammys in four categories (though it didn’t win in any of them). The smash by Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA was nominated for record and song of the year, best rap/sung performance and best song written for visual media.
The Recording Academy announced earlier this month that the eligibility year for the 66th annual Grammy Awards will end on Aug. 31, one month earlier than usual. So the eligibility “year” will consist of just 11 months.
Rihanna may or may not release her long-awaited ninth studio album by Aug. 31 – she has another “project” in the works just now – which would change the Grammy conversation around her. Rihanna’s best year at the Grammys in terms of nominations was 2016, when she amassed eight nods. (Alas, she lost them all.)
The early front-runners for record of the year nominations, in addition to “Lift Me Up,” include Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” SZA’s “Kill Bill” and Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers.”
This wouldn’t be the first time “Anti-Hero” and “Lift Me Up” have tangled. By holding at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week last November, Swift’s smash kept Rihanna’s ballad from debuting in the top spot and becoming her 15th No. 1 single. Instead, “Lift Me Up” debuted and peaked at No. 2. “Anti-Hero” went on to log eight total weeks at No. 1 – the record for a Swift single.
The steady rise of Samara Joy reached a pinnacle on Grammy night 2023 when Olivia Rodrigo — last year’s best new artist winner — announced Joy’s name as the latest recipient of the Big 4 honor. Beating a stacked roster of popular artists, she further cemented herself as one of jazz’s rare mainstream breakouts. Even sweeter, it was the 23-year-old’s second Grammy: she won her first, for best jazz vocal album for sophomore effort Linger Awhile, earlier that night.
With silky vocals that provide refreshing interpretations of oft-recorded standards as well as effervescent originals, Joy’s seemingly overnight success traces its foundation to a Bronx childhood growing as part of a musical family (her grandparents founded the gospel group The Savettes). It wasn’t until she attended college that she got serious about jazz in particular, later inking a deal with Verve Records, a powerhouse label of the genre.
Now, Joy is basking in her burgeoning success, turning in a memorable appearance on The Tonight Show in the midst of what’s become an in-demand global tour. Billboard spoke to her about that triumphant night, her creative process and the fine art of interpretation.
Congratulations on your Grammy wins. Out of the two you won, which one meant the most to you?
I think they both mean a lot, but people have definitely been separating the album win from the big award: best new artist. They’re both incredible but winning the first one was definitely a moment. When I won, it seemed like the culmination of the past six months of touring and recording, and it really just hit me. I sobbed like a baby, which I don’t normally do. So the first one definitely meant a lot because it was related most closely to the music. It was a labor of love that I presented to the world. You hope when you release music that people listen to it and enjoy it and want to share it and come to your shows. But going into the weekend, it felt like I already won because I had so much support and encouragement from musicians and singers and audiences. Also, winning best jazz vocal album was definitely the most special because it was my first win.
When your name was called, it was surprising you won if only because jazz is rarely recognized in the best new artist category. With that in mind, what was that moment like for you?
Number one, the diversity in the category to begin with definitely felt like a step in the right direction as far as highlighting different pockets of the world as far as the genres are concerned. Music is not just pop and hip-hop — it’s diverse. So I thought they did a great job with all of the nominees. But to kind of be an ambassador of the underdog genre in the category, it’s an honor and a step in the right direction for live music and highlighting jazz artists who maybe go unnoticed or under the radar. I hope that it opens people’s ears and eyes. We’ve always been here; it’s not like jazz is being reborn or brought back. But hopefully I can be the voice that illuminates all of the other voices who have been shouting out for so long.
What was your weekend like in general?
Well, I got there four days before the actual Grammys and immediately went into work mode, singing at events and meeting people like Stevie Wonder, John Legend and Brandi Carlile. It was pretty wild because while I guess I’m connected to a few of them through social media, to be connected in person with everybody, to be in the same space, I was like, “I can’t believe all of this is happening.” It was amazing.
I want to talk about your voice. It’s very unique and brings to mind artists like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. How did you perfect your vocal style and when did you realize that you have vocals that stand out?
Well, I definitely have a cassette tape somewhere of my dad recording me singing an Usher song when I was four years old [laughs]. So there’s that, but I started singing in musical theater and chorale concerts when I was in middle and high school. I always knew that I loved it. I think that my voice is still a work-in-progress, but I guess I had my own voice before I came to jazz, like the tone. I developed it in church; I sang there all the time and also listened and imitated many gospel, soul and Motown singers. I came to jazz with a certain style and a certain way of singing. I’m still learning how to perfect my voice so right now I’m listening to classical music, learning about healthy vocal projection and having a strong voice, so that all of those styles can come to the forefront whenever I sing.
Can you talk about your art of interpretation? You make songs seem singular and that’s a difficult thing to pull off.
The art of interpretation is definitely a sensitive one. I think about this quote from the great trumpet player Clark Terry, which I believe is: “Imitation, assimilation and then innovation.” I learn the melody of the song first and foremost as it’s written just for the sake of the integrity of the composer. I don’t want to make it something that it isn’t because of my own creative tendencies; I want to have a good foundation of the song and its bare bones. Then, I’ll listen to other versions of the song. Different singers and instrumentalists phrase things in a different way, so I’ll take ideas away from that: what words to emphasize, what harmonic ideas as far as maybe straying away from the melodies. Maybe going higher or lower on certain notes, for example. Then it comes down to what comes out when I sing it once I understand the song, words and the arc of the melody.
How did you go about choosing what to record for Linger Awhile? A song like “Someone To Watch Over Me” is a popular song, but “Guess Who I Saw Today” is more of an obscure cut.
The process really came about over the course of a couple months as I was looking for new material to add to my live shows. I had these gigs on the books and said I wanted to switch up the set so we’re not doing the same thing every night. I was looking for new songs to add into the set and keep things fresh musically and coming up with different arrangements. When it came time to do the second album, I already had songs I was trying out, and chose the ones that would be good to document in the studio with the band I was playing with at the time. It was a simple process, but that’s what I liked about it.
How do you get into the headspace of singing a sad or love song? Or do you just go in there and let it rip?
For Linger Awhile, I got in there and knocked it out. We recorded it in two days. I think we did seven songs the first day, the rest of them the second day and then narrowed them down.
You’re signed to the legendary Verve Records. How did that come together?
I made my first recording and licensed it to an independent label in the U.K. But when it came time to record Linger Awhile, my team and I decided to move onto a major label. I had established my name a little bit. When I pitched my first album, everyone said no, because of the pandemic and there were just no resources to break a new artist at the moment. So for this second album, I paid for it and presented it to different labels; all of the ones you could possibly think of. We met with Verve and I realized that in addition to the rich history of having jazz singers and artists released on Verve, they had a great team being under the umbrella of Universal Music Group. They were all passionate about music and great teams of distribution, and promotion. At first we had to meet over Zoom, which wasn’t as fun, but I’m really glad I partnered up with them.
Let’s talk about your childhood in the Bronx and your father Antonio McLendon’s influence, as I know he is a bassist. What were you listening to at the time and how did your father influence you?
I was listening to everything from Disney Channel soundtracks like The Cheetah Girls to Stevie Wonder, Jill Scott, Lalah Hathaway, Motown and Michael Jackson. I really enjoyed a lot of good music split between my mom and my dad. There was also a family album my dad had a chance to produce along with my uncle-in-law who worked with Donna Summer and Michael Bolton; he was a famous producer back in the day. The family album never got released, but that was my Holy Grail growing up and it still is: just hearing my family sing and hearing their original contemporary gospel compositions. All of that was playing around the house. I’d always watch my dad sing in church and at home where he has a studio, so even now when I’m singing there are certain things that I do that I realize I got from him without even realizing it. He’s definitely been a huge impact on me as far as listening to music, as well as looking out for the electric bass in every song I hear and being open-minded about it all.
You’ve said in the past that when you attended college and started studying jazz, you felt lost. I find that interesting because there are other people who felt the same way early in their creative process, but sometimes feeling like an outsider gives you a different, fresh perspective on things.
I agree wholeheartedly. It wasn’t like starting from zero musically, but in that area as far as music theory and the style of singing jazz. I just did not have any experience with it. But it allowed me to be a sponge and made me really, really take it seriously and immerse myself as opposed to having some preconceived notions as to what it sounded like.
In honor of Women’s History Month, let’s look at records that women have set at awards shows. These aren’t simply instances of the first woman to do this or that; these are cases where a woman holds a record that isn’t gender-specific.
In some cases, women are absolutely crushing it in a particular category. Billie Eilish set a record in 2020 as the youngest person to win the Grammy for album of the year. She was just 18 when she won for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? The old record was held by Taylor Swift, who was 20 when she won for Fearless. Before that, it was held by Alanis Morissette, who was 21 when she won for Jagged Little Pill. And before that it was held by Barbra Streisand who was 22 when she won for The Barbra Streisand Album. Between them, these four women have held this record continuously since Streisand first set it in May 1964.
The all-time youngest winners in the three other Big Four Grammy categories are also women. Eilish is the youngest winner for record of the year, for “Bad Guy.” Lorde, 17 at the time, was the youngest winner for song of the year, for “Royals.” LeAnn Rimes, just 14 at the time, was the youngest winner for best new artist.
A total of 14 artists have received Grammy nominations in each of the Big Four categories — album, record and song of the year, plus best new artist — in the same calendar year. A whopping ten of those artists have been women, from Bobbie Gentry (1967) to Olivia Rodrigo (2021).
Women also rule at the MTV Video Music Awards. The four artists who have won the most Moon Persons (it still doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily as Moonman, does it?) are all women – Beyoncé (27), Madonna (20), Lady Gaga (18) and Swift (14).
In the history of the Academy Awards, just four people have been nominated for Oscars for acting and songwriting in the same year. Three are women: Mary J. Blige, Lady Gaga and Cynthia Erivo.
Here are 20 more awards show records held by women:
Most Grammy wins: Beyoncé (32)
Image Credit: Francis Specker/CBS via GI
Beyoncé made history last month when she surpassed the late classical conductor Sir Georg Solti for the most Grammy wins by anyone ever. Solti won 31 awards from 1962 to 1997. In addition, Beyoncé is tied with her husband Jay-Z for the most Grammy nominations (88 each).
Only artist to sweep Grammys for album, record and song of the year twice: Adele
The British superstar accomplished that sweep with 21 and its megahit “Rolling in the Deep” (2011) and repeated the feat five years later with her follow-up 25 and its power ballad “Hello” (2016).
Longest winning streak in any Grammy category: Aretha Franklin (eight years)
The Queen of Soul won best R&B vocal performance, female every year from 1967-74. That’s a lot of “Respect.”
Youngest artist to receive Grammy nods in each of the Big Four categories in one year: Billie Eilish
Image Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/GI for The Recording Academy
The phenom was just 17 when she was nominated in all four categories in November 2019, which allowed her to surpass the previous record-holder, Mariah Carey (who was 20 when she swept the 1990 noms). Eilish, who had turned 18 by the time of the awards ceremony in January 2020, is also the younger of the two artists who have won each of the Big Four awards in one year.
Artist with the most American Music Awards: Taylor Swift (40)
In addition to her overall lead, Swift is the artist with the most AMAs for artist of the year (seven) and for favorite music video (three).
Artist with the most ACM Awards: Miranda Lambert (38)
In addition to her overall lead, the Texan is the Academy of Country Music’s leader for most awards in these three key categories: female vocalist of the year (nine), album of the year (five) and song of the year (as a songwriter, three).
Artist with the most BET Awards: Beyoncé (33)
Bey is also the artist with the most Soul Train Awards (25).
Youngest artist to win Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs: Janet Jackson
Jackson was just 24 when she won the award in 1990. She also won a competitive award that year, best choreography in a video for “Rhythm Nation,” and performed “Black Cat” on the telecast.
Only artist to receive three VMAs for music video of the year: Taylor Swift
Swift won for “Bad Blood” (collab with Kendrick Lamar, 2015), “You Need to Calm Down” (2019), and “All Too Well: The Short Film” (2022). The later video made Swift the first artist to win music video of the year for an entirely self-directed video. Lamar, Swift and Lil Nas X had previously won for videos they co-directed.
Only songwriter to receive an honorary Oscar: Diane Warren
Warren received the award at a gala in Los Angeles in November 2022. She followed it up by becoming only the fifth person to receive an honorary Oscar and a nod for a competitive Oscar in the same awards year.
Only person to win Oscars for both acting and songwriting: Barbra Streisand
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via GI
The prodigiously talented multi-hyphenate won best actress for Funny Girl (1968, in a headline-making tie with Katharine Hepburn) and best original song for composing “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)” (1976).
Most Oscars for acting: Katharine Hepburn (four)
The great star also holds the records for the longest time span between first and last Oscar nominations and between first and last Oscars — 49 years from Morning Glory (1932-33) through On Golden Pond (1981).
Most Oscar nominations for acting: Meryl Streep (21)
Seventeen of those nominations are for best actress, the other four are for best supporting actress. Streep landed her first Oscar nod for The Deer Hunter (1978); her most recent for The Post (2017).
Youngest Oscar recipient: Shirley Temple
The OG America’s Sweetheart, who lifted a nation’s spirits during the Great Depression, was six when she was awarded an honorary Oscar “in grateful recognition of her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment during the year 1934.”
Youngest winner of a competitive acting Oscar: Tatum O’Neal
The second-generation star was 10 when she won best supporting actress for Paper Moon (1973).
Youngest winner of a lead acting Oscar: Marlee Matlin
Matlin was 21 when she won best actress for Children of a Lesser God (1986). Her achievement is all the more impressive owing to her deafness.
First actor/actress to win an Oscar for performing in a language other than English: Sophia Loren
The Italian actress and screen beauty won best actress for Two Women (1961).
Most Tonys won for performances: Audra McDonald (six)
Image Credit: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage for Tony Awards Productions
The actress/singer’s Tonys span the years 1994-2014. McDonald is also the only person to win Tonys in all four categories in which a performer is eligible—for playing both lead and featured roles in both plays and musicals.
Most Tony nominations for performances (tie): Julie Harris and Chita Rivera (10 each)
Harris’ nominations span the years 1952-97. Rivera’s nods span the years 1961-2015. In addition, both women have received special Tony Awards for lifetime achievement in the theatre.
Most Emmys won by a performer (tie): Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (eight each)
Leachman’s Emmys span the years 1973-2006 and include two awards each for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Malcolm in the Middle. Louis-Dreyfus’ span the years 1996-2017. Louis-Dreyfus also holds the record for most Emmys won for a playing the same role in the same series. She won six Emmys for playing Selina Meyer on Veep from 2012–17.
The eligibility period for the 66th Grammy Awards will end one month sooner than usual. As a result, it will cover just 11 months – from Oct. 1, 2022, through Aug. 31, 2023.
The Grammy eligibility year extended from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 every year for decades – from the 20th annual Grammy Awards (which covered the period from Oct. 1, 1976, through Sept. 30, 1977) through the 51st annual Grammy Awards (Oct. 1, 2007, through Sept. 30, 2008).
The schedule has been more irregular since then. Here are the outliers:
52nd annual Grammy Awards: Oct. 1, 2008 through Aug. 31, 2009 (11 months)
53rd annual Grammy Awards: Sept. 1, 2009 through Sept. 30, 2010 (13 months)
62nd annual Grammy Awards: Oct. 1, 2018 through Aug. 31, 2019 (11 months)
63rd annual Grammy Awards: Sept. 1, 2019 through Aug. 31, 2020 (12 months)
64th annual Grammy Awards: Sept. 1, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2021 (13 months)
No reason was given in an email to members announcing the change. The Recording Academy says that Online Entry Process dates and other details will be shared soon.
The early close of the eligibility year could affect releases that were planned for September. The affected artists will have to decide whether to move their release date up to make their recordings eligible for the 66th Grammy Awards, or hold to the planned date and compete in the 67th Grammy Awards process.
Superstar artists often like to release in September because it puts their album closer to the holiday sales season.
The Recording Academy has appointed Nzinga “Zing” Shaw as chief DEI officer. She reports directly to Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., while vp of DEI Ryan Butler reports to her.
Shaw oversees diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across all areas of the Recording Academy, including internal and external programs, organizational and staff culture, membership, awards and related initiatives.
“I am thrilled to introduce Zing to the Recording Academy as our Chief DEI Officer,” Mason said in a statement. “Her groundbreaking work in the DEI field speaks for itself and we are excited to see how she’ll amplify the Academy’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment and drive positive change throughout the organization.”
“I am proud to join the Recording Academy and work with a talented team of leaders to cultivate a culture of inclusion that fosters different points of view and empowers diverse colleagues,” Shaw said in a statement. “The organization has made incredible strides in diversity, equity and inclusion over the last few years, and I look forward to being part of the Academy’s continued commitment to supporting both our internal stakeholders and the music community at large.”
With direct support from Butler and Ricky Lyon, manager of DEI, Shaw is responsible for ensuring that diversity and inclusion are core business values and those standards are demonstrated throughout the organization.
Shaw is known for her pioneering DEI work with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, launching the MOSAIC symposium (Model of Shaping Atlanta through Inclusive Conversations), and making the Hawks the first professional sports team to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, Shaw was the first chief DEI officer at three top organizations: Edelman, Starbucks and the National Basketball Association.
In addition to serving on the board of trustees of Fisk University, the board of directors of ColorComm, and the board of advisors of Arctos Sports Partners, Shaw was appointed by former President Jimmy Carter to serve a six-year term on the board of councilors of the Carter Center.
Shaw holds a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and a master’s from the University of Pennsylvania. She was a study abroad scholar at Oxford University in the U.K.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise appearance, via a pre-taped video, at the 64th annual Grammy Awards on April 3, 2022, less than six weeks after Russia invaded his country. He could play an even larger role at the 66th Grammys early next year – he could be a nominee as a featured artist on Brad Paisley’s “Same Here.”
The song, which was released Friday (Feb. 24), the one-year anniversary of the start of the war, ends with Paisley and Zelenskyy in conversation, recorded during a video call. Zelenskyy talks about Ukrainians’ desire for freedom, noting, “There is no distance between our two countries in such values.”
The Recording Academy confirms that Zelenskyy would be eligible for a Grammy nomination if the track were to be nominated. The most likely category for it would be best country duo/group performance.
There is a precedent for a world leader receiving a Grammy nomination. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev won a Grammy in 2004 for best spoken word album for children, alongside former President Bill Clinton and screen legend Sophia Loren. This most unlikely collaboration won for Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf/Beintus: Wolf Tracks.
While “Same Here” doesn’t mention Ukraine specifically, the song’s theme is that people are more alike than they are different, despite distance and surface differences in language and customs.
“I think he understands that art is how you reach the most people, especially in the heart,” Paisley told The Associated Press of Zelenskyy. “He can give as many speeches as he can give, but it’s a lot easier to hear something with a melody maybe.”
Zelenskyy didn’t just sign off on the song; he also suggested some changes to it, Paisley told The AP.
Paisley’s royalties for the song will be donated to United24 to help build housing for thousands of displaced Ukrainians whose homes were destroyed in the war, Paisley also said.
Paisley co-wrote the song with frequent collaborator Lee Thomas Miller (co-writer of such Paisley hits as “The World,” “I’m Still a Guy” and “Perfect Storm”) and Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith.
Zelenskyy’s appearance at the 2022 Grammy Awards included a brief speech which led into an introduction of John Legend and three Ukrainian artists. Zelenskyy urged those in the audience to continue offering support in whatever way they could to his homeland. “The war — what is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people,” he said. “We defend our freedom. To live. To love. To sound. On our land, we are fighting Russia, which brings horrible silence with its bombs — the dead silence. Fill the silence with your music.”
Legend then took to the stage, bathed in white light and seated at a grand piano to perform his song “Free.” Legend was joined by two Ukrainian artists – Denver-based musician Siuzanna Iglidan, originally from Odessa, Ukraine, and Mika Newton, a Ukrainian singer. Finally, they were joined by Lyuba Yakimchuk — a Ukrainian poet who offered a prayer-like stanza to close the performance.
“Same Here” is Paisley’s first single from his upcoming album, Son of the Mountains, to be released later this year on Universal Music Group Nashville. This will be Paisley’s debut on UMG after moving over from Sony’s Arista Nashville label, for whom he recorded 12 studio albums from 1999 to 2017.
Paisley has received 18 Grammy nominations since 2000. He has won three times.
The Grammy Museum has announced its Grammy in the Schools Fest programming schedule. Panels and events feature Grammy winners Larrance Dopson and Manny Marroquin and Grammy nominees Justin Tranter and MAJOR.
There will be daily guest artist sessions featuring Tranter, Chase Atlantic, Catie Turner and NLE Choppa & Baby Tate.
Events are scheduled for the week of March 6-10, except for Wednesday March 8. All education programs are free for students with registration.
Here’s the complete schedule of events for the 2023 Grammy in the Schools Fest. Register for all sessions here.
Monday, March 6
Event: Women in Music Career Panel
What: A conversation and Q&A with women working in the music industry. Featuring executive director of the Music Forward Foundation, Nurit Siegel Smith; senior vice president and chief human resources officer for the Guitar Center Company, Anne Buchanan; and from Roland Americas, artist relations manager Melanie Lynn Stevenson and vice president of marketing Katherine Wing.
When: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Event: Music in Film & Television Panel
What: A conversation with music supervisor for The Walt Disney Studios, Brian Vickers; composer Lee Sanders; and re-recording mixer and sound designer, Jonathan Greasley CAS, MPSE on their experiences working in film and television, sync licensing, publishing, and what it takes to have a career in the music industry on the film side.
When: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Event: Mentorship with Grammy U
What: Learn about what steps to take next as a student looking to have a career in the music industry. Featuring director of social media marketing at the Recording Academy, Laura Rodriguez; operations manager for Jammcard, Katrina Lee; and Grammy-nominated musician and singer-songwriter, MAJOR.
When: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Event: Guest Artist Session: Chase Atlantic
What: A conversation with Australian pop artists and production trio, Chase Atlantic. Gain insight into being signed to a label, what it’s like to go on tour, and how to promote yourself in the music industry. Discussion and Q&A with Mitchel Cave, Clinton Cave, and Christian Anthony.
When: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday, March 7
Event: LGBTQ Panel in Partnership With the Ally Coalition
What: A conversation with music industry professionals from the LGBTQ community. Featuring DJ, songwriter and music producer Moore Kismet (Omar Davis), and rapper and social media personality, DreBae.
When: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Event: Guest Artist Session: Catie Turner
What: A conversation with singer-songwriter Catie Turner, as she shares her experience in the music industry, on American Idol, and what it means to be an “attachment-style musician.” This panel will feature a Q&A and performance.
When: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Event: Educator Professional Development Clinic
What: A conversation with the founding director of the Popular Music Program, and current associate professor at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, Christopher Sampson. Discuss ways to include soft skills and creativity into your curriculum as an educator that will help students learn of different opportunities in the workforce.
When: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Event: History of Hip-Hop & The Hip-Hop Experience
What: Celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop by learning about the genre through various elements including culture, fashion and history. Featuring British-American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Jason Mills (professionally known as IDK); DJ/rapper most known for joining the World Class Wreckin’ Cru, Marq Hawkins (professionally known as DJ Cli-N-Tel); and Grammy-winning producer and 1500 Sound Academy founder, Larrance Dopson.
When: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Thursday March 9
Event: Engineering / Recording / Producer Panel
What: Explore elements of producing recorded music, with an interactive conversation between Grammy-winning engineer and studio owner, Manny Marroquin and American record producer, Noah Goldstein.
When: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Event: World Beat Rhythms Workshop
What: Maria Martinez and Ed Roscetti perform using a selection of traditional hand drums, various percussion instruments and drum set, covering a variety of traditional and hybrid styles. Participants will interact with the performers from their seats, giving the attendees a better understanding of rhythm, technique, time feel, rhythmic phrasing, song form, improvisation and leading an ensemble in a supportive and inspiring environment.
When: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Event: Shakira Exhibit Tour & Non-Profit Spotlight
What: A conversation celebrating the culture and impact of Latin Music with three musicians who have toured and worked directly with Grammy Award winner Shakira: Joe Ayoub, Grecco Buratto, and Adam Zimmon. The Grammy Museum’s chief curator & vice president of curatorial affairs, Jasen Emmons, will take you through “Shakira, Shakira,” the newest exhibit at the Museum.
When: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Event: Guest Artist Session: NLE Choppa and Baby Tate
What: A conversation with American rapper NLE Choppa and American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Baby Tate. Gain insight into being signed to a record label, what it’s like to go on tour, and how to promote yourself in the music industry. Discussion and Q&A followed by a performance.
When: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Friday, March 10
Event: From Songwriting to Performance
What: A conversation with Haleigh Bowers and Jack DeMeo about working as a songwriter, sync licensing, international writing rounds, and next steps to take for your professional music career.
When: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Event: Music Therapy Panel
What: A conversation and Q&A session that addresses the importance of music and mental health with music therapists in the medical field, entertainment, and entrepreneurial industry. Featuring Sarah Nolan, board certified music therapist for Children’s Hospital LA, as well as Shriners for Children Medical Center; Nakeya Fields, mental health entrepreneur, author, and educator; Ricardo Hurtado, board certified music therapist for LA Música Therapy; and singer-songwriter signed with Interscope Records, renforshort.
When: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Event: Guest Artist Session: Justin Tranter
What: A conversation with Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, featuring a discussion and Q&A about their experience in the music industry, working with top artists including Selena Gomez, Imagine Dragons, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa and Måneskin, as well as serving as the executive music producer and songwriter for Rise of the Pink Ladies – the Grease prequel series premiering on Paramount+ this April. Hear about what it’s like to be an ACLU Bill of Rights Award-winning activist, and founder of Facet Records & Facet Publishing, and songwriter for music, film, television and theater.
When: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Event: Music Educator Award 10th Anniversary Celebration
What: A celebration of the past 10 years of the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum’s Music Educator Award featuring Kent Knappenberger, Jared Cassedy, Phillip Riggs, Keith Hancock, Melissa Salguero, Jeffery Redding, Mickey Smith, Jr., Jeffrey Murdock, Stephen Cox, and Pamela Dawson. A conversation about the impact the award has had on their music programs and lives.
When: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
On the Billboard 200 chart (dated Feb. 18), 35 albums post unit gains thanks to either performances, presentations or on-air wins during the CBS-TV broadcast of the 2023 Grammy Awards (Feb. 5).
Leading the way at the top of the chart is presenter SZA, whose SOS album reclaims the No. 1 slot with 100,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 9 (up less than 1%), according to Luminate. SZA presented the best música urbana album category during the ceremony, which was won by Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti (8-7 with 45,000 units; up 16%). Bad Bunny also opened the show with a medley of two songs from the album.
Also in the top 10 is Harry Styles’ Harry’s House, which took home a pair of awards on the CBS broadcast (pop vocal album, album of the year). It jumps 13-9 with 38,000 equivalent album units (up 51%). Styles also performed the album’s lead single “As It Was” on the show.
Other notables among the 35 Grammy-boosted titles on the Billboard 200 include: Beyoncé’s Renaissance (climbing 24-11 with 37,000 equivalent album units; up 109%), Steve Lacy’s Gemini Rights (70-46 with 14,000; up 16%), Lizzo’s Special (194-89 with 11,000; up 52%), Adele’s 30 (134-93 with 11,000; up 25%) and Samara Joy’s Linger Awhile (a debut at No. 158 with 8,000; up 319%). On the CBS broadcast, Renaissance won best dance/electronic album, Lacy performed the Gemini Rights hit (and nominated track) “Bad Habit,” Lizzo won record of the year for the Special single “About Damn Time” and performed a medley of “About” and the album’s title track, Adele won best pop solo performance for the 30 single “Easy On Me” and Samara Joy won best new artist.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Feb. 18, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Feb. 14. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Here are the rest of the Grammy gainers on the Billboard 200:
Performer Lil Baby’s It’s Only Me (12-13 with 27,000 equivalent album units; up 1%) and My Turn (22-21 with 19,000; up 6%); performer Luke Combs’ Growin’ Up (19-19 with 20,000; up 6%), This One’s for You (36-34 with 16,000; up 5%) and What You See Is What You Get (44-38 with 15,000; up 4%); SZA’s Ctrl (20-22 with 19,000; up 1%), presenter Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour (23-23 with 18,000; up 2%), winner Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city (27-24 with 18,000; up 6%), DAMN. (42-30 with 16,000; up 11%), Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (59-39 with 15,000; up 20%) and To Pimp a Butterfly (a re-entry at No. 168 with 8,000; up 26%). Mr. Morale won best rap album during the CBS broadcast, and Lamar was on-hand to accept the trophy.
Mick Fleetwood took part in the CBS broadcast, performing Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” in tribute to its late songwriter, his former Fleetwood Mac bandmate Christine McVie. (He joined Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt in the performance.) Fleetwood Mac sees its Rumours album (which includes the original version of “Songbird”) rise 29-26 (17,000 equivalent album units earned; up 4%) and Greatest Hits climb 198-189 (8,000; up 5%).
Performer Chris Stapleton’s Traveller (66-61 with 12,000; up 4%) and Starting Over (113-100 with 11,000; up 7%); Styles’ Fine Line (68-48 with 14,000; up 15%) and his self-titled debut (190-161 with 8,000; up 11%); Bad Bunny’s YHLQMDLG (98-73 with 12,000; up 11%) and El Ultimo Tour del Mundo (a re-entry at No. 187 with 8,000; up 8%); performer Lil Uzi Vert’s Luv Is Rage 2 (94-87 with 11,000; up 4%) and Eternal Atake (126-124 with 10,000; up 2%) and Quavo and Takeoff’s Only Built for Infinity Links (103-109 with 10,000; up less than 1%). Quavo performed during the In Memoriam segment in tribute to the late Takeoff.
Rounding out the Grammy gainers on the Billboard 200 are winner Adele’s 21 (162-141 with 9,000 equivalent album units; up 10%) and 25 (192-156 with 8,000; up 14%), winner Dr. Dre’s Dr. Dre – 2001 (149-142 with 9,000; up 4%), performer Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III (163-151 with 9,000; up 8%) and performer and winner Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour (164-157 with 8,000; up 5%).
Samara Joy shakes up Billboard’s charts, as the Grammy Award winner for best new artist hits No. 1 on Jazz Albums, Traditional Jazz Albums and Heatseekers Albums for the first time (all on the lists dated Feb. 18) with Linger Awhile. The set, which was released last September, also reaches the top 10 of the Top Album Sales and Top Current Album Sales charts, while additionally debuting on the Billboard 200.
All charts dated Feb. 18 will be posted to Billboard.com on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
The 23-year-old Joy was presented the best new artist trophy during the CBS-TV broadcast of the main ceremony of the Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, while she also won another Grammy that day, for best jazz vocal album for Linger Awhile. (That award was presented during the non-televised Premiere Ceremony that streamed live on the Grammy.com website.)
Linger Awhile earned 8,500 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 9 (up 319%), according to Luminate. Of that sum, traditional album sales comprise 6,500 (up 316%). Linger Awhile tallies the largest week, by both units and album sales, for any non-holiday non-reissue jazz album in over a year – since Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s Love for Sale earned 12,000 units (of which nearly all were album sales) on the chart dated Jan. 1, 2022.
Linger Awhile jumps 3-1 on Jazz Albums, 2-1 on Traditional Jazz Albums and 35-1 on Heatseekers Albums. On the Billboard 200, the title debuts at No. 158. On Top Album Sales, Linger Awhile vaults 87-5, while on Top Current Album Sales it bolts 42-5.
Meanwhile, Joy’s self-titled debut effort, released in 2021, debuts on Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums at No. 7 (1,500 equivalent album units earned; up 362%). With Linger Awhile and the self-titled album concurrently in the top 10 on both charts, Joy is the first woman with two concurrent top 10 albums on both lists since the Jan. 8, 2022-dated list, when Ella Fitzgerald held a pair in each top 10.
Jazz Albums, Traditional Jazz Albums and Heatseekers Albums rank the week’s most popular jazz albums, traditional jazz albums and new and developing artists’ albums by equivalent album units, respectively. The Billboard 200 is an all-genre chart, ranking the week’s most popular albums by units. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. Top Album Sales and Top Current Album Sales rank the week’s top-selling overall albums (both current and older, catalog titles) and current albums, by traditional album sales.