Most nominated, never won this award
- 01BGBebel Gilberto3 noms
- 02AMAmadou & Mariam2 noms
- 03YNYoussou N'Dour2 noms
A visual history · Grammys
The winners who defined Contemporary World.
8 ceremonies, 2004–2011. 7 different winners. The longest run belongs to Bela Fleck, with 2 straight wins.
- Who won most recently?
- Bela Fleck in 2011 for Throw Down Your Heart: Africa Sessions Part 2: Unreleased Tracks.
- Who has won the most?
- Bela Fleck, 2 wins (2010, 2011).
- Throw Down Your Heart: Africa Sessions Part 2: Unreleased TracksBela Fleck01
- Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3: Africa SessionsBela Fleck02
- Global Drum ProjectMickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo03
- Djin DjinAngélique Kidjo04
- Wonder WheelThe Klezmatics05
- EletracústicoGilberto Gil06
- Years explored
- 2004–2011
- Different winners
- 7
- Category leader
- Bela Fleck · 2
About this record
Best Contemporary World Music Album was first awarded in 2004, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 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.
2004–2011
8 ceremonies
20042011
01 / The reigns
Bela Fleck set the longest run.
The timeline turns the 2004–2011 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.
- 01Bela Fleck2 wins
Cesária Évora'04
Fathy Salama'05
Gilberto Gil'06
The Klezmatics'07
Angélique Kidjo'08
Global Drum Project'09
Bela Fleck'10–'11×2
02 / The power map
Who stood behind the winners?
Warner leads the recorded label credits with 2 wins, 2004–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.
Warner2 wins01
Independent1 win02
Lusafrica1 win03
Razor & Tie1 win04
Shout! Factory1 win05
Shout! Studios1 win06
Wins by label
- Warner229%
- Independent114%
- Lusafrica114%
- Razor & Tie114%
- Shout! Factory114%
- 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 chart covers the other 7.
03 / The near misses
The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.
Counting nominations in this category only, 2004–2011.
Most losses in this category
- 01BGBebel Gilberto3L · 0W
- 02AMAmadou & Mariam2L · 0W
- 03AKAngélique Kidjo2L · 1W
- 04GGGilberto Gil2L · 1W
- 05YNYoussou N'Dour2L · 0W
04 / The archive
Every year.
Every winner.
The complete reference behind the story, showing 2004–2011. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.
| Year | Winner | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Bela Fleck (Throw Down Your Heart: Africa Sessions Part 2: Unreleased Tracks)repeatbeat 4 others
| Not listed |
| 2010 | Bela Fleck (Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3: Africa Sessions)beat 4 others
| Rounder |
| 2009 | Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo (Global Drum Project)beat 4 others
| Shout! Factory |
| 2008 | Angélique Kidjo (Djin Djin)beat 4 others
| Razor & Tie |
| 2007 | The Klezmatics (Wonder Wheel)beat 4 others
| Shout! Studios |
| 2006 | Gilberto Gil (Eletracústico)beat 4 others
| Warner Music Brasil |
| 2005 | Fathy Salama (Egypt)unverifiedbeat 4 others
| Nonesuch |
| 2004 | Cesária Évora (Voz d'Amor)beat 4 others
| Lusafrica |