Most nominated, never won this award
- 01ASAnoushka Shankar5 noms
- 02FKFemi Kuti2 noms
A visual history · Grammys
The winners who defined Global Music Album.
14 ceremonies, 2012–2025. 11 different winners. The longest run belongs to Angélique Kidjo, with 2 straight wins.
- Who won most recently?
- Matt B featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2025 for Alkebulan II.
- Who has won the most?
- Angélique Kidjo, 4 wins (2015, 2016, 2020, 2022).
- Alkebulan IIMatt B featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra01
- This MomentShakti02
- SakuraMasa Takumi03
- Mother NatureAngélique Kidjo04
- Twice as TallBurna Boy05
- CeliaAngélique Kidjo06
- Years explored
- 2012–2025
- Different winners
- 11
- Category leader
- Angélique Kidjo · 4
About this record
Best Global Music Album was first awarded in 2012, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.
It ran as Best World Music Album from 2012 through 2020, when it merged the Traditional and Contemporary categories back into one award, and took the Global name for the 2021 ceremony.
It took over from Best Traditional World Music Album and Best Contemporary World Music Album.
2012–2025
14 ceremonies
20122025
01 / The reigns
Angélique Kidjo set the longest run.
The timeline turns the 2012–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.
- 01Angélique Kidjo4 wins
Tinariwen'12
Ravi Shankar'13
Gipsy Kings'14
Angélique Kidjo'15–'16×2
Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble'17
Ladysmith Black Mambazo'18
Soweto Gospel Choir'19
Angélique Kidjo'20
Burna Boy'21
Angélique Kidjo'22
Masa Takumi'23
Shakti'24
Matt B featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra'25
02 / The power map
Who stood behind the winners?
429 Records leads the recorded label credits with 2 wins, 2012–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.
429 Records2 wins01
Universal2 wins02
Abstract Logix1 win03
Anti1 win04
East Meets West1 win05
Knitting Factory1 win06
Wins by label
- 429 Records214%
- Universal214%
- Abstract Logix17%
- Anti17%
- East Meets West17%
- Knitting Factory17%
- Other643%
03 / The near misses
The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.
Counting nominations in this category only, 2012–2025. Excludes 1 nominations credited to Various Artists, which names a compilation rather than an act.
Most losses in this category
- 01ASAnoushka Shankar5L · 0W
- 02BBBurna Boy3L · 1W
- 03LMLadysmith Black Mambazo3L · 1W
- 04FKFemi Kuti2L · 0W
- 05TITinariwen2L · 1W
- 06RSRavi Shankar1L · 1W
04 / The archive
Every year.
Every winner.
The complete reference behind the story, showing 2012–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.
| Year | Winner | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Matt B featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Alkebulan II)beat 4 others
| Vitae Records |
| 2024 | Shakti (This Moment)beat 4 others
| Abstract Logix |
| 2023 | Masa Takumi (Sakura)beat 4 others
| フジパシフィックミュージック |
| 2022 | Angélique Kidjo (Mother Nature)beat 4 others
| Decca Records |
| 2021 | Burna Boy (Twice as Tall)beat 4 others
| Spaceship/Bad Habit |
| 2020 | Angélique Kidjo (Celia)beat 4 others
| Verve |
| 2019 | Soweto Gospel Choir (Freedom)beat 4 others
| Shanachie |
| 2018 | Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration)beat 4 others
| Warner Bros. |
| 2017 | Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble (Sing Me Home)beat 4 others
| Masterworks |
| 2016 | Angélique Kidjo (Sings)repeatbeat 4 others
| 429 Records |
| 2015 | Angélique Kidjo (Eve)beat 4 others
| 429 Records |
| 2014 | Gipsy Kings (Savor Flamenco)beat 3 others
| Knitting Factory |
| 2013 | Ravi Shankar (The Living Room Sessions Part 1)beat 4 others
| East Meets West |
| 2012 | Tinariwen (Tassili)beat 3 others
| Anti |
