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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Traditional World.

8 ceremonies, 2004–2011. 5 different winners. The longest run belongs to Soweto Gospel Choir, with 2 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté in 2011 for Ali and Toumani.
Who has won the most?
Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Soweto Gospel Choir, tied on 2 wins each.
  1. Ali and ToumaniAli Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté
  2. Douga MansaMamadou Diabate
  3. Ilembe: Honoring Shaka ZuluLadysmith Black Mambazo
  4. African SpiritSoweto Gospel Choir
  5. BlessedSoweto Gospel Choir
  6. In the Heart of the MoonAli Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté
Years explored
2004–2011
Different winners
5
Category leader
Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté · 2
About this record

Best Traditional 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

Soweto Gospel Choir 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.

  1. 01
    Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté2 wins
  2. 02
    Ladysmith Black Mambazo2 wins
  3. 03
    Soweto Gospel Choir2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Jon Mark/Monks of Sherab Ling Monastery'04
Ladysmith Black Mambazo'05
Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté'06
Soweto Gospel Choir'07–'08×2
Ladysmith Black Mambazo'09
Mamadou Diabate'10
Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté'11

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Gallo Record Company leads the recorded label credits with 2 wins, 2004–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Gallo Record Company2 wins
Shanachie2 wins
World Circuit2 wins
World Village1 win
Wins by label
  1. Gallo Record Company229%
  2. Shanachie229%
  3. World Circuit229%
  4. World Village114%

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. Excludes 2 nominations credited to Various artists, which names a compilation rather than an act.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Masters of Persian Music
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Masters of Persian Music
    2L · 0W
  2. 02
    Soweto Gospel Choir
    1L · 2W

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.

YearWinnerLabel
2011Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté (Ali and Toumani)
beat 4 others
  • Gyuto Monks of Tibet (Pure Sounds)
  • Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (I Speak Fula)
  • Soweto Gospel Choir (Grace)
  • Vayo (Tango Universal)
World Circuit
2010Mamadou Diabate (Douga Mansa)
beat 4 others
  • Rahim Alhaj and Amjad Ali Khan (Ancient Sounds)
  • Liz Carroll & John Doyle (Double Play)
  • John Santos y El Coro Folklórico Kindembo (La Guerra No)
  • Ten Drum Art Percussion Group (Drum Music Land)
World Village
2009Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu)
beat 3 others
  • Debashish Bhattacharya (Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey)
  • Toumani Diabaté (The Mandé Variations)
  • Lakshmi Shankar (Dancing In The Light)
Gallo Record Company
2008Soweto Gospel Choir (African Spirit)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Rahim AlHaj with Souhail Kaspar (When The Soul Is Settled: Music of Iraq)
  • Cheick Hamala Diabaté and Bob Carlin (From Mali to America)
  • Konono Nº1 (Live at Couleur Café)
  • Various artists (Singing for Life: Songs of Hope, Healing, and HIV/AIDS in Uganda)
Shanachie
2007Soweto Gospel Choir (Blessed)
beat 4 others
  • Academy of Maqâm (Music of Central Asia, Vol. 2: Invisible Face of the Beloved: Classical Music of the Tajiks and Uzbeks)
  • Hossein Alizadeh and Djivan Gasparyan (Endless Vision)
  • Andrea Hoag, Loretta Kelley and Charlie Pilzer (Hambo in the Snow)
  • Aashish Khan, Zakir Hussain (Golden Strings of the Sarode)
Shanachie
2006Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté (In the Heart of the Moon)
beat 4 others
  • Mamadou Diabaté (Behmanka)
  • Los Pleneros de la 21 (Para Todos Ustedes)
  • Masters of Persian Music (Faryad)
  • Lama Tashi (Tibetan Master Chants)
World Circuit
2005Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Raise Your Spirit Higher)
beat 4 others
  • El Grupo Cimarron (Si, Soy Llanero: Joropo Music from the Orinoco Plains of Colombia)
  • Sandra Luna (Tango Varon)
  • Perú Negro (Jolgorio)
  • Various artists (Abayudaya: Music from the Jewish People of Uganda)
Gallo Record Company
2004Jon Mark/Monks of Sherab Ling Monastery (Sacred Tibetan Chant)
beat 5 others
  • Ecos de Borinquen (Jibaro Hasta El Hueso: Mountain Music of Puerto Rico)
  • Ghazal (The Rain)
  • Grupo de Capoeira Angola Pelourinho (Capoeira Angola 2:)
  • Brincando Na Roda, Kassé Mady Diabaté (Kassi Kasse)
  • Masters of Persian Music (Without You)
Not listed