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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Female R&B Vocal.

44 ceremonies, 1968–2011. 20 different winners. The longest run belongs to Aretha Franklin, with 8 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Fantasia in 2011 for Bittersweet.
Who has won the most?
Aretha Franklin, 11 wins (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1982, 1986, 1988).
  1. BittersweetFantasia
  2. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)Beyoncé
  3. SuperwomanAlicia Keys
  4. No OneAlicia Keys
  5. Be Without YouMary J. Blige
  6. We Belong TogetherMariah Carey
Years explored
1968–2011
Different winners
20
Category leader
Aretha Franklin · 11
About this record

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was first awarded in 1968, 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 R&B Performance instead.

2000–2011

12 ceremonies

19682011

01 / The reigns

Alicia Keys set the longest run.

The timeline turns the 2000–2011 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Alicia Keys4 wins
  2. Beyoncé performing on the Renaissance World Tour in London02
    Beyoncé2 wins
  3. 03
    Mary J. Blige2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Whitney Houston'00
Toni Braxton'01
Alicia Keys'02
Mary J. Blige'03
Beyoncé'04
Alicia Keys'05
Mariah Carey'06
Mary J. Blige'07
Alicia Keys'08–'09×2
Beyoncé'10
Fantasia'11

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Sony leads the recorded label credits with 9 wins, 2000–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Sony9 wins
Universal2 wins
Matriarch1 win
Wins by label
  1. Sony975%
  2. Universal217%
  3. Matriarch18%

03 / The near misses

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

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2011.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Jill Scott
    5 noms
  2. 02
    Aaliyah
    3 noms
  3. 03
    Jazmine Sullivan
    3 noms
  4. 04
    Ashanti
    2 noms
  5. 05
    Erykah Badu
    2 noms
  6. 06
    Faith Evans
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

Beyoncé performing on the Renaissance World Tour in London
04Beyoncé3 losses · 2 wins
  1. 01
    Jill Scott
    5L · 0W
  2. 02
    Mary J. Blige
    4L · 2W
  3. 03
    Aaliyah
    3L · 0W
  4. 05
    Jazmine Sullivan
    3L · 0W
  5. 06
    Ashanti
    2L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2011. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2011Fantasia (Bittersweet)
beat 4 others
  • Faith Evans (Gone Already)
  • Monica (Everything to Me)
  • Kelly Price (Tired)
  • Jazmine Sullivan (Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles))
J
2010Beyoncé (Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It))
beat 4 others
  • Melanie Fiona (It Kills Me)
  • Lalah Hathaway (That Was Then)
  • Ledisi (Goin' Thru Changes)
  • Jazmine Sullivan (Lions, Tigers & Bears)
Columbia
2009Alicia Keys (Superwoman)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Beyoncé (Me, Myself and I (Live))
  • Keyshia Cole (Heaven Sent)
  • Jennifer Hudson (Spotlight)
  • Jazmine Sullivan (Need U Bad)
J
2008Alicia Keys (No One)
beat 4 others
  • Mary J. Blige (Just Fine)
  • Fantasia (When I See U)
  • Chrisette Michele (If I Have My Way)
  • Jill Scott (Hate On Me)
J
2007Mary J. Blige (Be Without You)
beat 4 others
  • India.Arie (I Am Not My Hair)
  • Natalie Cole (Day Dreaming)
  • Beyoncé (Ring the Alarm)
  • Mariah Carey (Don't Forget About Us)
Matriarch/Geffen
2006Mariah Carey (We Belong Together)
beat 4 others
  • Amerie (1 Thing)
  • Fantasia (Free Yourself)
  • Alicia Keys (Unbreakable)
  • Beyoncé (Wishing on a Star)
Island Def Jam
2005Alicia Keys (If I Ain't Got You)
beat 4 others
  • Janet Jackson (I Want You)
  • Teena Marie (I'm Still in Love)
  • Jill Scott (Whatever)
  • Angie Stone (U-Haul)
J
2004Beyoncé (Dangerously in Love 2)
beat 4 others
  • Ashanti (Rain on Me)
  • Erykah Badu (Back in the Day)
  • Mary J. Blige (Ooh!)
  • Heather Headley (I Wish I Wasn't)
Columbia
2003Mary J. Blige (He Think I Don't Know)
beat 4 others
  • Aaliyah (More Than a Woman)
  • Ashanti (Foolish)
  • Eartha (I'm Still Standing)
  • Jill Scott (He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat))
MCA
2002Alicia Keys (Fallin')
beat 5 others
  • Aaliyah (Rock the Boat)
  • India.Arie (Video)
  • Mary J. Blige (Family Affair)
  • Blu Cantrell (Hit 'em Up Style (Oops!))
  • Jill Scott (A Long Walk)
J
2001Toni Braxton (He Wasn't Man Enough)
beat 4 others
  • Aaliyah (Try Again)
  • Erykah Badu (Bag Lady)
  • Kelly Price (As We Lay)
  • Jill Scott (Gettin' in the Way)
LaFace/Arista
2000Whitney Houston (It's Not Right but It's Okay)
beat 4 others
  • Brandy (Almost Doesn't Count)
  • Mary J. Blige (All That I Can Say)
  • Faith Evans (Love Like This)
  • Macy Gray (Do Something)
Arista