# Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album

The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums in the alternative genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. 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". In 2023, it was joined by a companion category, Best Alternative Music Performance.

## Criteria

While the definition of "alternative" has been debated, the award was first presented in 1991 to recognize non-mainstream rock albums "heavily played on college radio stations". After several updates of the category description, the Grammy organisation issued the following statement for the 2019 Grammy season:
Alternative is defined as a genre of music that embraces attributes of progression and innovation in both the music and attitudes associated with it. It is often a less intense version of rock or a more intense version of pop and is typically regarded as more original, eclectic, or musically challenging. It may embrace a variety of subgenres or any hybrids thereof and may include recordings that don't fit into other genre categories.

## History

In 1991, and from 1994 to 1999, the award was known as Best Alternative Music Performance. The award goes to the artist, producer and engineer/mixer, provided they are credited with more than 50% of playing time on the album. The lead performing artist is the only one who receives an official nomination. A producer or engineer with less than 50% of playing time, as well as the mastering engineer, can apply for a Winners Certificate. Before 2001, only the performing artist received a nomination and an award.
As of 2025, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Beck, and St. Vincent share the record for the most wins in this category, having won three times each, with St. Vincent being the first solo female to win the award thrice. Three female solo artists have won the award, Sinéad O'Connor and Fiona Apple; two bands with female members, The White Stripes and Alabama Shakes, have also won the award, as well as two all-female bands, Wet Leg and Boygenius. With nine nominations to date, Björk holds the record for the most nominations in this category; Radiohead singer Thom Yorke was nominated for the 2007 and 2020 awards for his solo albums, making him the most nominated person in this category with 10 total nominations. Björk holds the record for the most nominations for a solo artist, as well as the record for the most nominations without a win. Vampire Weekend and Coldplay have each received the award twice, and Coldplay are the only group to win two years consecutively. American artists have been presented with the award more than any other nationality, though it has been presented to musicians or groups from the United Kingdom five times, from Ireland twice, and from France and Australia once each. Artists from Canada, Iceland, and Sweden have been nominated for the award, but none have won.

## Recipients

| Year | Winners | Work | Nominees |
| 1991 | Sinéad O'Connor | I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got | Laurie Anderson – Strange Angels Kate Bush – The Sensual World The Replacements – All Shook Down World Party – Goodbye Jumbo |
| 1992 | R.E.M. | Out of Time | Elvis Costello – Mighty Like a Rose Jesus Jones – Doubt Nirvana – Nevermind Richard Thompson – Rumor and Sigh |
| 1993 | Tom Waits | Bone Machine | The B-52s – Good Stuff The Cure – Wish Morrissey – Your Arsenal XTC – Nonsuch |
| 1994 | U2 | Zooropa | Belly – Star Nirvana – In Utero R.E.M. – Automatic for the People The Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream |
| 1995 | Green Day | Dookie | Tori Amos – Under the Pink Crash Test Dummies – God Shuffled His Feet Sarah McLachlan – Fumbling Towards Ecstasy Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral |
| 1996 | Nirvana | MTV Unplugged in New York | Björk – Post Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love The Presidents of the United States of America – The Presidents of the United States of America |
| 1997 | Beck | Odelay | Tori Amos – Boys for Pele Tracy Bonham – The Burdens of Being Upright R.E.M. – New Adventures in Hi-Fi The Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness |
| 1998 | Radiohead | OK Computer | Björk – Homogenic David Bowie – Earthling The Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole The Prodigy – The Fat of the Land |
| 1999 | Beastie Boys | Hello Nasty | Tori Amos – From the Choirgirl Hotel PJ Harvey – Is This Desire? Radiohead – Airbag/How Am I Driving? The Smashing Pumpkins – Adore |
| 2000 | Beck | Mutations | Tori Amos – To Venus and Back Fatboy Slim – You've Come a Long Way, Baby Moby – Play Nine Inch Nails – The Fragile |
| 2001 | Radiohead Nigel Godrich & Radiohead (producers) Nigel Godrich (engineer/mixer) | Kid A | Fiona Apple – When the Pawn… Beck – Midnite Vultures The Cure – Bloodflowers Paul McCartney – Liverpool Sound Collage |
| 2002 | Coldplay Ken Nelson & Coldplay (producers) | Parachutes | Tori Amos – Strange Little Girls Björk – Vespertine Fatboy Slim – Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars Radiohead – Amnesiac |
| 2003 | Coldplay Ken Nelson & Coldplay (producers) Ken Nelson, Mark Phythian & Coldplay (engineers/mixers) | A Rush of Blood to the Head | Beck – Sea Change Clinic – Walking with Thee Elvis Costello and the Imposters – Cruel Smile The Soundtrack of Our Lives – Behind the Music |
| 2004 | The White Stripes Jack White (producer) Liam Watson & Jack White (engineers/mixers) | Elephant | The Flaming Lips – Fight Test Radiohead – Hail to the Thief Sigur Rós – ( ) Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell |
| 2005 | Wilco Jim O'Rourke & Wilco (producers) Jim O'Rourke & Chris Shaw (engineers/mixers) | A Ghost Is Born | Björk – Medúlla Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand PJ Harvey – Uh Huh Her Modest Mouse – Good News for People Who Love Bad News |
| 2006 | The White Stripes Jack White (producer) John P. Hampton (engineer/mixer) | Get Behind Me Satan | Arcade Fire – Funeral Beck – Guero Death Cab for Cutie – Plans Franz Ferdinand – You Could Have It So Much Better |
| 2007 | Gnarls Barkley Ben Allen & Kennie Takahashi (engineers/mixers) | St. Elsewhere | Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not The Flaming Lips – At War with the Mystics Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones Thom Yorke – The Eraser |
| 2008 | The White Stripes | Icky Thump | Lily Allen – Alright, Still Arcade Fire – Neon Bible Björk – Volta The Shins – Wincing the Night Away |
| 2009 | Radiohead Nigel Godrich (producer) | In Rainbows | Beck – Modern Guilt Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges |
| 2010 | Phoenix Philippe Zdar Cerboneschi & Phoenix (producers) Philippe Zdar Cerboneschi (engineer/mixer) | Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix | David Byrne and Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today Death Cab for Cutie – The Open Door EP Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It's Blitz! |
| 2011 | The Black Keys Mark Neill & Black Keys (producers) Tchad Blake & Mark Neill (engineers/mixers) | Brothers | Arcade Fire – The Suburbs Band of Horses – Infinite Arms Broken Bells – Broken Bells Vampire Weekend – Contra |
| 2012 | Bon Iver Brian Joseph (engineer/mixer) | Bon Iver | Death Cab for Cutie – Codes and Keys Foster the People – Torches My Morning Jacket – Circuital Radiohead – The King of Limbs |
| 2013 | Gotye Gotye (producer) Francois Tétaz (engineer/mixer) | Making Mirrors | Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel... Björk – Biophilia M83 – Hurry Up, We're Dreaming Tom Waits – Bad as Me |
| 2014 | Vampire Weekend Ariel Rechtschaid (producer) Michael Harris, Ariel Rechtshaid, Nick Rowe & Dave Schiffman (engineers/mixers) | Modern Vampires of the City | Neko Case – The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You The National – Trouble Will Find Me Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks Tame Impala – Lonerism |
| 2015 | St. Vincent John Congleton (producer/engineer/mixer) | St. Vincent | Alt-J – This Is All Yours Arcade Fire – Reflektor Cage the Elephant – Melophobia Jack White – Lazaretto |
| 2016 | Alabama Shakes Blake Mills & Alabama Shakes (producers) | Sound & Color | Björk – Vulnicura My Morning Jacket – The Waterfall Tame Impala – Currents Wilco – Star Wars |
| 2017 | David Bowie David Bowie & Tony Visconti (producers) Tom Elmhirst & Kevin Killen (engineers/mixers) | Blackstar | Bon Iver – 22, A Million PJ Harvey – The Hope Six Demolition Project Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool |
| 2018 | The National David Chalmin, Peter Katis, Jonathan Low & Sean O'Brien (engineers/mixers) | Sleep Well Beast | Arcade Fire – Everything Now Gorillaz – Humanz LCD Soundsystem – American Dream Father John Misty – Pure Comedy |
| 2019 | Beck Beck & Greg Kurstin (producers) Julian Burg, Serban Ghenea, David Greenbaum, John Hanes, Greg Kurstin, Florian Lagatta, Cole M.G.N., Alex Pasco, Jesse Shatkin, Darrel Thorp & Cassidy Turbin (engineers/mixers) | Colors | Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Björk – Utopia David Byrne – American Utopia St. Vincent – Masseduction |
| 2020 | Vampire Weekend Ariel Rechtshaid (producer) John DeBold, Chris Kasych, Takemasa Kosaka, Ariel Rechtshaid & Hiro Takayama (engineers/mixers) | Father of the Bride | Big Thief – U.F.O.F. James Blake – Assume Form Bon Iver – I, I Thom Yorke – Anima |
| 2021 | Fiona Apple Fiona Apple, David Garza, Sebastian Steinberg & Amy Aileen Wood (producers) Fiona Apple, Tchad Blake, Amy Aileen Wood & John Would (engineers/mixers) | Fetch the Bolt Cutters | Beck – Hyperspace Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher Brittany Howard – Jaime Tame Impala – The Slow Rush |
| 2022 | St. Vincent Jack Antonoff & St. Vincent (producers) Cian Riordan & Laura Sisk (engineers/mixers) | Daddy's Home | Fleet Foxes – Shore Halsey – If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams |
| 2023 | Wet Leg Dan Carey (producer) Alain Moulder & Alexis Smith (engineers/mixers) | Wet Leg | Arcade Fire – We Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You Björk – Fossora Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down |
| 2024 | Boygenius Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus & Catherine Marks (producers) Tony Berg, Melina Duterte, Ethan Gruska, Owen Lantz, Will Maclellan, Catherine Marks, Mike Mogis, Bobby Mota, Kaushlesh "Garry" Purohit & Sarah Tudzin (engineers/mixers | The Record | Arctic Monkeys – The Car Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd Gorillaz – Cracker Island PJ Harvey – I Inside the Old Year Dying |
| 2025 | St. Vincent producers, engineers and mixers tbd | All Born Screaming | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Wild God Clairo – Charm Kim Gordon – The Collective Brittany Howard – What Now |
Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.