# The 24 Best Grammy Album of the Year Winners

> Six decades of the Recording Academy's top prize, including the upsets people still complain about. Pick the winner that deserved it most.

*By YPB Team · Published October 6, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-24-best-grammy-album-of-the-year-winners*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Rumours** — score 1000/1000
   Fleetwood Mac's 1977 album written while the band's couples were breaking up.
2. **1989** — score 885/1000
   Taylor Swift's 2014 full turn to synth-pop, her second Album of the Year.
3. **24K Magic** — score 680/1000
   Bruno Mars' 2016 throwback to 1990s R&B and new jack swing.
4. **Babel** — score 680/1000
   Mumford & Sons' 2012 folk-rock album, one of the more debated winners.
5. **Morning Phase** — score 624/1000
   Beck's 2014 acoustic album, the upset winner over Beyoncé.
6. **Cowboy Carter** — score 560/1000
   Beyoncé's 2024 country album, her first Album of the Year after four losses.
7. **The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill** — score 560/1000
   Lauryn Hill's 1998 solo debut, the first hip-hop album to win the top prize.
8. **Folklore** — score 560/1000
   Taylor Swift's 2020 indie-folk album made remotely during lockdown with Aaron Dessner.
9. **Midnights** — score 560/1000
   Taylor Swift's 2022 album that gave her a record fourth Album of the Year.
10. **Innervisions** — score 485/1000
   Stevie Wonder's 1973 album with Living for the City and Higher Ground.
11. **Random Access Memories** — score 485/1000
   Daft Punk's 2013 tribute to 1970s studio disco, home of Get Lucky.
12. **Tapestry** — score 397/1000
   Carole King's 1971 album of self-written songs, which spent 15 weeks at number one.
13. **When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?** — score 397/1000
   Billie Eilish's 2019 debut album, recorded in her brother's bedroom.
14. **Supernatural** — score 397/1000
   Santana's 1999 comeback album built on guest collaborations like Smooth.
15. **Thriller** — score 291/1000
   Michael Jackson's 1982 album, the best-selling record of all time, which won in 1984.
16. **The Joshua Tree** — score 291/1000
   U2's 1987 album with With or Without You.
17. **Golden Hour** — score 291/1000
   Kacey Musgraves' 2018 psychedelic-tinged country album.
18. **Fearless** — score 291/1000
   Taylor Swift's 2008 country-pop album, at the time the youngest artist's winner.
19. **Harry's House** — score 291/1000
   Harry Styles' 2022 album featuring As It Was.
20. **Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band** — score 0/1000
   The Beatles' 1967 studio album, the first rock record to win Album of the Year.
21. **Songs in the Key of Life** — score 0/1000
   Stevie Wonder's 1976 double album, his third Album of the Year in four years.
22. **Graceland** — score 0/1000
   Paul Simon's 1986 album recorded with South African musicians.
23. **21** — score 0/1000
   Adele's 2011 breakup album, the best-selling album of its decade.
24. **Bridge over Troubled Water** — score 0/1000
   Simon & Garfunkel's final studio album, the 1971 winner.

Tags: music, grammy