The Grammy Award for Best Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards,[1] to recording artists for quality albums in the country music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences 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".[2]
The award was first presented under the name of Best Country & Western Album in 1966 to Roger Miller for Dang Me/Chug-A-Lug and was discontinued the following year. In 1995 the category was revived and received its current denomination of Best Country Album. According to the category description guide for the 66th Grammy Awards (2024), the award is presented to vocal or instrumental country albums containing at least 51% playing time of new recordings, and the Grammy is awarded to the artist and producer, and to the engineer/mixer of greater than 50% playing time of the album.[3] (The list of nominees only mentions Artists).
1996 winner and three-time nominee Shania Twain is the first and so far only non-American winner.Dixie Chicks the most awarded performers with four wins.2001 winner Faith HillVince Gill received the award in 2008 as has eight additional nominations in this category. He is, to date, the most awarded male country artist at the Grammys.2009 winner George StraitTaylor Swift received three nominations in this category. Her album, Fearless, won this award and Album of the Year in 2010. She is also the only act to win the Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Country Album.Lady Antebellum, three-time nominees and 2011 and 2012 winnersTwo-time recipient Miranda LambertThree-time winner Chris Stapleton