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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Traditional R&B.

27 ceremonies, 1999–2025. 24 different winners. The longest run belongs to Lalah Hathaway, with 2 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Lucky Daye in 2025 for That's You.
Who has won the most?
Beyoncé, 3 wins (2010, 2013, 2023).
  1. That's YouLucky Daye
  2. Good MorningPJ Morton featuring Susan Carol
  3. Plastic Off the SofaBeyoncé
  4. Fight for YouH.E.R.
  5. Anything for YouLedisi
  6. JeromeLizzo
Years explored
1999–2025
Different winners
24
Category leader
Beyoncé · 3
About this record

Best Traditional R&B Performance was first awarded in 1999, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was previously known as Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

2000–2025

26 ceremonies

19992025

01 / The reigns

Lalah Hathaway 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. Beyoncé performing on the Renaissance World Tour in London01
    Beyoncé3 wins
  2. 02
    Aretha Franklin2 wins
  3. 03
    Lalah Hathaway2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Barry White'00
The Temptations'01
Gladys Knight'02
Chaka Khan and the Funk Brothers'03
Aretha Franklin'04
Prince'05
Aretha Franklin'06
George Benson and Al Jarreau featuring Jill Scott'07
Gerald Levert'08
Al Green featuring Anthony Hamilton'09
Beyoncé'10
John Legend and The Roots'11
CeeLo Green featuring Melanie Fiona'12
Beyoncé'13
Gary Clark Jr.'14
Robert Glasper featuring Lalah Hathaway and Malcolm-Jamal Warner'15
Lalah Hathaway'16–'17×2
Childish Gambino'18
Leon Bridges'19
Lizzo'20
Ledisi'21
H.E.R.'22
Beyoncé'23
PJ Morton featuring Susan Carol'24
Lucky Daye'25

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Sony leads the recorded label credits with 7 wins, 2000–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Sony7 wins
Independent4 wins
Universal4 wins
Warner3 wins
G.O.O.D.1 win
Hip-O1 win
Wins by label
  1. Sony728%
  2. Independent416%
  3. Universal416%
  4. Warner312%
  5. G.O.O.D.14%
  6. Hip-O14%
  7. Other520%

1 further win has no label on record and is not counted in the 25 above.

1 of these 26 wins has no label on record, so the chart covers the other 25.

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
    Anita Baker
    3 noms
  2. 02
    Fantasia
    3 noms
  3. 03
    Ryan Shaw
    3 noms
  4. 04
    Ann Nesby
    2 noms
  5. 05
    Anthony Hamilton
    2 noms
  6. 06
    BJ the Chicago Kid
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Anita Baker
    3L · 0W
  2. 02
    Fantasia
    3L · 0W
  3. 03
    Ryan Shaw
    3L · 0W
  4. 04
    Ann Nesby
    2L · 0W
  5. 05
    Anthony Hamilton
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    BJ the Chicago Kid
    2L · 0W

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
2025Lucky Daye (That's You)
beat 4 others
  • Marsha Ambrosius (Wet)
  • Kenyon Dixon (Can I Have This Groove)
  • Lalah Hathaway featuring Michael McDonald (No Lie)
  • Muni Long (Make Me Forget)
Keep Cool/RCA
2024PJ Morton featuring Susan Carol (Good Morning)
beat 4 others
  • Babyface featuring Coco Jones (Simple)
  • Kenyon Dixon (Lucky)
  • Victoria Monét featuring Earth, Wind & Fire and Hazel Monét (Hollywood)
  • SZA (Love Language)
Morton
2023Beyoncé (Plastic Off the Sofa)
beat 4 others
  • Snoh Aalegra (Do 4 Love)
  • Babyface featuring Ella Mai (Keeps on Fallin')
  • Adam Blackstone featuring Jazmine Sullivan ('Round Midnight)
  • Mary J. Blige (Good Morning Gorgeous)
Parkwood/Columbia
2022H.E.R. (Fight for You)
beat 4 others
  • Jon Batiste (I Need You)
  • BJ the Chicago Kid, PJ Morton and Kenyon Dixon featuring Charlie Bereal (Bring It on Home to Me)
  • Leon Bridges featuring Robert Glasper (Born Again)
  • Lucky Daye featuring Yebba (How Much Can a Heart Take)
RCA
2021Ledisi (Anything for You)
beat 4 others
  • The Baylor Project (Sit on Down)
  • Chloe x Halle (Wonder What She Thinks of Me)
  • Mykal Kilgore (Let Me Go)
  • Yebba (Distance)
Listen Back Entertainment
2020Lizzo (Jerome)
beat 4 others
  • BJ the Chicago Kid (Time Today)
  • India.Arie (Steady Love)
  • Lucky Daye (Real Games)
  • PJ Morton featuring Jazmine Sullivan (Built for Love)
Nice Life/Atlantic
2019Leon Bridges (Bet Ain't Worth the Hand)tiePJ Morton featuring Yebba (How Deep Is Your Love)
beat 3 others
  • Bettye LaVette (Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight)
  • Major (Honest)
  • Charlie Wilson featuring Lalah Hathaway (Made for Love)
Unknown
2018Childish Gambino (Redbone)
beat 4 others
  • The Baylor Project (Laugh and Move On)
  • Anthony Hamilton featuring The Hamiltones (What I'm Feelin')
  • Ledisi (All the Way)
  • Mali Music (Still)
Glassnote
2017Lalah Hathaway (Angel)repeat
beat 4 others
  • William Bell (The Three of Me)
  • BJ the Chicago Kid (Woman's World)
  • Fantasia (Sleeping with the One I Love)
  • Jill Scott (Can't Wait)
Hathaway Entertainment/eOne
2016Lalah Hathaway (Little Ghetto Boy)
beat 4 others
  • Faith Evans (He Is)
  • Jazmine Sullivan (Let It Burn)
  • Tyrese (Shame)
  • Charlie Wilson (My Favorite Part of You)
Hathaway Entertainment/eOne
2015Robert Glasper featuring Lalah Hathaway and Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Jesus Children)
beat 4 others
  • Marsha Ambrosius and Anthony Hamilton (As)
  • Angie Fisher (IRS)
  • Kem (Nobody)
  • Antonique Smith (Hold Up Wait a Minute (Woo Woo))
Blue Note
2014Gary Clark Jr. (Please Come Home)
beat 4 others
  • Fantasia (Get It Right)
  • Maysa (Quiet Fire)
  • Gregory Porter (Hey Laura)
  • Ryan Shaw (Yesterday)
Warner Bros.
2013Beyoncé (Love On Top)
beat 4 others
  • Anita Baker (Lately)
  • Melanie Fiona (Wrong Side of a Love Song)
  • Gregory Porter (Real Good Hands)
  • SWV (If Only You Knew)
Columbia
2012CeeLo Green featuring Melanie Fiona (Fool for You)
beat 4 others
  • Eric Benet (Sometimes I Cry)
  • R. Kelly (Radio Message)
  • Raphael Saadiq (Good Man)
  • Betty Wright and The Roots (Surrender)
Elektra
2011John Legend and The Roots (Hang on in There)
beat 4 others
  • R. Kelly (When a Woman Loves)
  • Calvin Richardson (You're So Amazing)
  • Ryan Shaw (In Between)
  • Betty Wright (Go (Live))
G.O.O.D./Home School
2010Beyoncé (At Last)
beat 4 others
  • Anthony Hamilton (Soul Music)
  • Boney James and Quinn (Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight)
  • Ann Nesby (Sow Love)
  • Calvin Richardson (Woman Gotta Have It)
Columbia
2009Al Green featuring Anthony Hamilton (You've Got the Love I Need)
beat 4 others
  • Wayne Brady (A Change Is Gonna Come)
  • Linda Jones, Helen Bruner and Terry Jones (Baby I Know)
  • Raphael Saadiq (Love That Girl)
  • Jazmine Sullivan (In Love with Another Man)
Blue Note
2008Gerald Levert (In My Songs)
beat 4 others
  • Otis Clay (Walk a Mile in My Shoes)
  • Randy Crawford and Joe Sample (All Night Long)
  • Ann Nesby (I Apologize)
  • Ryan Shaw (I Am Your Man)
Atlantic
2007George Benson and Al Jarreau featuring Jill Scott (God Bless the Child)
beat 4 others
  • Anita Baker (Christmas Time Is Here)
  • Mary J. Blige and Raphael Saadiq (I Found My Everything)
  • Sam Moore, Billy Preston, Zucchero, Eric Clapton and Robert Randolph (You Are So Beautiful)
  • The Temptations (How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You))
Concord
2006Aretha Franklin (A House Is Not a Home)
beat 4 others
  • Mariah Carey (Mine Again)
  • Fantasia (Summertime)
  • Alicia Keys (If I Was Your Woman)
  • John Legend (Stay with You)
J
2005Prince (Musicology)
beat 4 others
  • Anita Baker (You're My Everything)
  • Ray Charles and B.B. King (Sinner's Prayer)
  • Al Green (I Can't Stop)
  • Patti LaBelle (New Day)
NPG
2004Aretha Franklin (Wonderful)
beat 4 others
  • Earth, Wind & Fire (Hold Me)
  • Anthony Hamilton (Comin' from Where I'm From)
  • Patti LaBelle (Way Up There)
  • Kelly Price (He Proposed)
Arista
2003Chaka Khan and the Funk Brothers (What's Going On)
beat 4 others
  • Ann Nesby and Al Green (Put It on Paper)
  • Remy Shand (Rocksteady)
  • The Temptations (Lady)
  • Luther Vandross (Any Day Now)
Hip-O
2002Gladys Knight (At Last)
beat 4 others
  • Regina Belle (This Is Regina!)
  • Lamont Dozier (An American Original)
  • Miki Howard (Three Wishes)
  • The O'Jays (For the Love...)
MCA
2001The Temptations (Ear-Resistible)
beat 4 others
  • Will Downing (All the Man You Need)
  • George Duke (Cool)
  • Jeffrey Osborne (That's for Sure)
  • Johnnie Taylor (Gotta Get the Groove Back)
Motown
2000Barry White (Staying Power)
beat 4 others
  • Peabo Bryson (Unconditional Love)
  • The Neville Brothers (Valence Street)
  • Wilson Pickett (It's Harder Now)
  • Smokey Robinson (Intimate)
Private Music/BMG Records