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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Comedy Album.

65 ceremonies, 1959–2025. 32 different winners. The longest run belongs to Bill Cosby, with 6 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Dave Chappelle in 2025 for The Dreamer.
Who has won the most?
Bill Cosby, 7 wins (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1987).
  1. The DreamerDave Chappelle
  2. What's in a Name?Dave Chappelle
  3. The CloserDave Chappelle
  4. SincerelyLouis C.K
  5. Black MitzvahTiffany Haddish
  6. Sticks & StonesDave Chappelle
Years explored
1959–2025
Different winners
32
Category leader
Bill Cosby · 7
About this record

Best Comedy Album was previously known as Best Spoken Comedy Album.

It ran inside the spoken word field as Best Spoken Comedy Album from 1994 through 2003, then returned to the comedy field in 2004 with musical comedy eligible again.

2000–2025

26 ceremonies

19592025

01 / The reigns

Dave Chappelle set the longest run.

The timeline turns the 2000–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Dave Chappelle6 wins
  2. 02
    George Carlin3 wins
  3. 03
    Louis C.K3 wins
  4. 04
    "Weird Al" Yankovic2 wins
  5. 05
    Chris Rock2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Chris Rock'00
George Carlin'01–'02×2
Robin Williams'03
"Weird Al" Yankovic'04
Jon Stewart and the Cast of The Daily Show'05
Chris Rock'06
Lewis Black'07
Flight of the Conchords'08
George Carlin'09
Stephen Colbert'10
Lewis Black'11
Louis C.K'12
Jimmy Fallon'13
Kathy Griffin'14
"Weird Al" Yankovic'15
Louis C.K'16
Patton Oswalt'17
Dave Chappelle'18–'20×3
Tiffany Haddish'21
Louis C.K'22
Dave Chappelle'23–'25×3

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Comedy Central Records leads the recorded label credits with 4 wins, 2000–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Comedy Central Records4 wins
Aspecialthing Records1 win
Back Lot Music1 win
DreamWorks Records1 win
Eardrum1 win
Independent1 win
Wins by label
  1. Comedy Central Records429%
  2. Aspecialthing Records17%
  3. Back Lot Music17%
  4. DreamWorks Records17%
  5. Eardrum17%
  6. Independent17%
  7. Other536%

12 further wins have no label on record and are not counted in the 14 above.

12 of these 26 wins have no label on record, so the chart covers the other 14.

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Jim Gaffigan
    8 noms
  2. 02
    Margaret Cho
    4 noms
  3. 03
    George Lopez
    3 noms
  4. 04
    Sarah Silverman
    3 noms
  5. 05
    Trevor Noah
    3 noms
  6. 06
    Al Franken
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Jim Gaffigan
    8L · 0W
  2. 02
    Patton Oswalt
    6L · 1W
  3. 03
    Kathy Griffin
    5L · 1W
  4. 04
    Lewis Black
    4L · 2W
  5. 05
    Margaret Cho
    4L · 0W
  6. 06
    "Weird Al" Yankovic
    3L · 2W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2025Dave Chappelle (The Dreamer)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Ricky Gervais (Armageddon)
  • Jim Gaffigan (The Prisoner)
  • Nikki Glaser (Someday You'll Die)
  • Trevor Noah (Where Was I?)
Not listed
2024Dave Chappelle (What's in a Name?)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Trevor Noah (I Wish You Would)
  • Wanda Sykes (I'm an Entertainer)
  • Chris Rock (Selective Outrage)
  • Sarah Silverman (Someone You Love)
Not listed
2023Dave Chappelle (The Closer)
beat 4 others
  • Jim Gaffigan (Comedy Monster)
  • Randy Rainbow (A Little Brains, a Little Talent)
  • Louis C.K (Sorry)
  • Patton Oswalt (We All Scream)
Not listed
2022Louis C.K (Sincerely)
beat 5 others
  • Lavell Crawford (The Comedy Vaccine)
  • Chelsea Handler (Evolution)
  • Nate Bargatze (The Greatest Average American)
  • Lewis Black (Thanks for Risking Your Life)
  • Kevin Hart (Zero Fucks Given)
Not listed
2021Tiffany Haddish (Black Mitzvah)
beat 4 others
  • Jerry Seinfeld (23 Hours to Kill)
  • Patton Oswalt (I Love Everything)
  • Jim Gaffigan (The Pale Tourist)
  • Bill Burr (Paper Tiger)
Not listed
2020Dave Chappelle (Sticks & Stones)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Jim Gaffigan (Quality Time)
  • Ellen DeGeneres (Relatable)
  • Aziz Ansari (Right Now)
  • Trevor Noah (Son of Patricia)
Netflix
2019Dave Chappelle (Equanimity & The Bird Revelation)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Patton Oswalt (Annihilation)
  • Jim Gaffigan (Noble Ape)
  • Fred Armisen (Standup for Drummers)
  • Chris Rock (Tamborine)
Not listed
2018Dave Chappelle (The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas)
beat 4 others
  • Jim Gaffigan (Cinco)
  • Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Before Seinfeld)
  • Sarah Silverman (A Speck of Dust)
  • Kevin Hart (What Now?)
Not listed
2017Patton Oswalt (Talking for Clapping)
beat 4 others
  • David Cross (America...Great)
  • Margaret Cho (American Myth)
  • Tig Notaro (Boyish Girl Interrupted)
  • Amy Schumer (Live at the Apollo)
Aspecialthing Records
2016Louis C.K (Live at Madison Square Garden)
beat 4 others
  • Lisa Lampanelli (Back to the Drawing Board)
  • Wyatt Cenac (Brooklyn)
  • Craig Ferguson (Just Being Honest)
  • Jay Mohr (Happy. And a Lot)
[no label]
2015"Weird Al" Yankovic (Mandatory Fun)
beat 4 others
  • Jim Gaffigan (Obsessed)
  • Louis C.K (Oh My God)
  • Patton Oswalt (Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time)
  • Sarah Silverman (We Are Miracles)
RCA/Way Moby
2014Kathy Griffin (Calm Down Gurrl)
beat 4 others
  • Craig Ferguson (I'm Here to Help)
  • Ron White (A Little Unprofessional)
  • Tig Notaro (Live)
  • Bob Saget (That's What I'm Talkin' About)
Back Lot Music
2013Jimmy Fallon (Blow Your Pants Off)
beat 4 others
  • Lewis Black (In God We Rust)
  • Jim Gaffigan (Mr. Universe)
  • Tenacious D (Rize of the Fenix)
  • Kathy Griffin (Seaman 1st Class)
Warner Bros.
2012Louis C.K (Hilarious)
beat 4 others
  • Kathy Griffin (50 and Not Pregnant)
  • "Weird Al" Yankovic (Alpocalypse)
  • Patton Oswalt (Finest Hour)
  • The Lonely Island (Turtleneck & Chain)
Comedy Central Records
2011Lewis Black (Stark Raving Black)
beat 4 others
  • Margaret Cho (Cho Dependent)
  • Flight of the Conchords (I Told You I Was Freaky)
  • Kathy Griffin (Kathy Griffin Does the Bible Belt)
  • Robin Williams (Weapons of Self Destruction)
Comedy Central Records
2010Stephen Colbert (A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!)
beat 5 others
  • Spinal Tap (Back from the Dead)
  • "Weird Al" Yankovic (Internet Leaks)
  • Patton Oswalt (My Weakness Is Strong)
  • Kathy Griffin (Suckin' It for the Holidays)
  • George Lopez (Tall, Dark & Chicano)
Comedy Central Records
2009George Carlin (It's Bad for Ya)
beat 4 others
  • Lewis Black (Anticipation)
  • Flight of the Conchords (Flight of the Conchords)
  • Kathy Griffin (For Your Consideration)
  • Harry Shearer (Songs of the Bushmen)
Eardrum/Atlantic
2008Flight of the Conchords (The Distant Future)
beat 4 others
  • George Lopez (America's Mexican)
  • Lisa Lampanelli (Dirty Girl)
  • Steven Wright (I Still Have a Pony)
  • Harry Shearer (Songs Pointed & Pointless)
Sub Pop
2007Lewis Black (The Carnegie Hall Performance)
beat 4 others
  • Bill Engvall, Ron White, Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy (Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road)
  • George Carlin (Life Is Worth Losing)
  • "Weird Al" Yankovic (Straight Outta Lynwood)
  • Ron White (You Can't Fix Stupid)
Comedy Central Records
2006Chris Rock (Never Scared)
beat 4 others
  • Rick Moranis (The Agoraphobic Cowboy)
  • Seth MacFarlane and Walter Murphy (Family Guy: Live in Vegas)
  • Lewis Black (Luther Burbank Performing Arts Center Blues)
  • Larry the Cable Guy (The Right to Bare Arms)
Geffen Records
2005Jon Stewart and the Cast of The Daily Show (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents... America: A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction)unverified
beat 4 others
  • Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (Robert Smigel) (Come Poop with Me)
  • Ellen DeGeneres (The Funny Thing Is)
  • David Sedaris (Live at Carnegie Hall)
  • Al Franken (The O'Franken Factor Factor: The Best of the O'Franken Factor)
Not listed
2004"Weird Al" Yankovic (Poodle Hat)
beat 4 others
  • Garrison Keillor (A Life in Comedy)
  • Margaret Cho (Revolution)
  • David Cross (Shut Up You Fucking Baby!)
  • George Lopez (Team Leader)
Volcano/Way Moby
2003Robin Williams (Robin Williams: Live 2002)
beat 4 others
  • Jimmy Fallon (The Bathroom Wall)
  • George Carlin (Complaints and Grievances)
  • Al Franken (Oh, the Things I Know!)
  • Dennis Miller (The Rant Zone)
Not listed
2002George Carlin (Napalm & Silly Putty)repeat
beat 4 others
  • The Firesign Theatre (Bride of Firesign)
  • Margaret Cho (I'm the One That I Want)
  • Ray Romano (Live at Carnegie Hall)
  • Adele Givens, Laura Hayes, Mo'Nique, and Sommore (The Queens of Comedy)
Not listed
2001George Carlin (Brain Droppings)
beat 4 others
  • Jeff Foxworthy (Big Funny)
  • Dennis Miller (I Rant, Therefore, I Am)
  • Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac, Cedric the Entertainer and D. L. Hughley (The Original Kings of Comedy)
  • Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason (The Prisoner of Second Avenue)
Not listed
2000Chris Rock (Bigger & Blacker)
beat 4 others
  • Carl Reiner (How Paul Robeson Saved My Life and Other Mostly Happy Stories)
  • Garrison Keillor (A Prairie Home Companion – 25th Anniversary Collection)
  • Adam Sandler (Stan and Judy's Kid)
  • George Carlin (You Are All Diseased)
DreamWorks Records