GuideBallotsDataToolsBlog

Every Grammys Best Contemporary World Music Album winner

8 ceremonies, 2004–2011. 7 different winners. The longest run was Bela Fleck, 2 years straight (2010–2011).

Best Contemporary World Music Album was first awarded in 2004, so it does not run the full 2000–2025 window.

It was awarded for the last time in 2011.

From 2012 the Grammys awarded Best Global Music Album instead.

It took over from Best World Music Album.

Bela Fleck ×2
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Cesária Évora'04
Fathy Salama'05
Gilberto Gil'06
The Klezmatics'07
Angélique Kidjo'08
Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo'09
Bela Fleck'10–'11×2
Wins by label
  1. Warner229%
  2. Independent114%
  3. Lusafrica114%
  4. Razor & Tie114%
  5. Shout! Factory114%
  6. Shout! Studios114%

1 further win has no label on record and is not counted in the 7 above.

1 of these 8 wins has no label on record, so the bar covers the other 7.

Who kept losing

Counting nominations in this category only, 2004–2011.

Most nominated, never won

  • Bebel Gilberto3 noms
  • Amadou & Mariam2 noms
  • Youssou N'Dour2 noms

Most losses

  • Bebel Gilberto3L · 0W
  • Amadou & Mariam2L · 0W
  • Angélique Kidjo2L · 1W
  • Gilberto Gil2L · 1W
  • Youssou N'Dour2L · 0W

The full list

YearWinnerLabel
2011Bela Fleck (Throw Down Your Heart: Africa Sessions Part 2: Unreleased Tracks)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Bebel Gilberto (All in One)
  • Angélique Kidjo (Õÿö)
  • Sérgio Mendes (Bom Tempo)
  • Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon (Om Namo Narayanaya: Soul Call)
Not listed
2010Bela Fleck (Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3: Africa Sessions)
beat 4 others
  • Amadou & Mariam (Welcome To Mali)
  • Femi Kuti (Day by Day)
  • Oumou Sangare (Seya)
  • Omar Sosa (Across the Divide: A Tale of Rhythm & Ancestry)
Rounder
2009Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo (Global Drum Project)
beat 4 others
  • Lila Downs (Shake Away)
  • Gilberto Gil (Banda Larga Cordel)
  • Youssou N'Dour (Rokku Mi Rokka (Give And Take))
  • Soweto Gospel Choir (Live At The Nelson Mandela Theater)
Shout! Factory
2008Angélique Kidjo (Djin Djin)
beat 4 others
  • Céu (CéU)
  • Gilberto Gil (Gil Luminoso)
  • Bebel Gilberto (Momento)
  • Loreena McKennitt (An Ancient Muse)
Razor & Tie
2007The Klezmatics (Wonder Wheel)
beat 4 others
  • Richard Bona (Tiki)
  • Salif Keita (M'Bemba)
  • Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Long Walk to Freedom)
  • Ali Farka Touré (Savane)
Shout! Studios
2006Gilberto Gil (Eletracústico)
beat 4 others
  • Amadou & Mariam (Dimanche à Bamako)
  • Kronos Quartet and Asha Bhosle (You've Stolen My Heart: Songs from R.D. Burman's Bollywood)
  • Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Strings of the English Chamber Orchestra (No Boundaries)
  • Anoushka Shankar (Rise)
Warner Music Brasil
2005Fathy Salama (Egypt)unverified
beat 4 others
  • Paco de Lucía (Cositas Buenas)
  • Bebel Gilberto (Bebel Gilberto)
  • Gipsy Kings (Roots)
  • Angélique Kidjo (Oyaya!)
Nonesuch
2004Cesária Évora (Voz d'Amor)
beat 4 others
  • Bill Frisell (The Intercontinentals)
  • Youssou N'Dour (Nothing's in Vain (Coono du Reer))
  • Orchestra Baobab (Specialist in All Styles)
  • Caetano Veloso (Live in Bahia)
Lusafrica

More Grammys categories

SongNew ArtistPop AlbumRap AlbumCCM Perf/SongRoots Gospel AlbumTrad. Gospel AlbumR&B Gospel AlbumPop Gospel AlbumSouthern Gospel AlbumLatin Pop AlbumLatin Rock AlbumLatin Pop/Rock AlbumMúsica Urbana AlbumLatin Urban AlbumTropical Latin AlbumAll 152 categories

Call the next Grammys winners before your friends do

You’ve seen the whole history. This award is retired, but the Grammys are not. Put your picks on the record and run a live pool when the show comes back around.

Start a free party