Paul Grein

When Grammy Losers Become Winners

Paul Grein

·Writer

February 11, 2016 at 5:00 AM

Mumford & Sons lost the 2010 Best New Artist award to jazz artist Esperanza Spalding. The English folk-rock group came back two years later to win Album of the Year for their sophomore album, Babel.

Taylor Swift lost the 2007 Best New Artist award to the talented but troubled Amy Winehouse. The country/pop superstar came back two years later to win Album of the Year for her sophomore album, Fearless.

Corinne Bailey Rae lost the 2006 Best New Artist award to American Idol MVP Carrie Underwood. The following year, the English soul singer won Album of the Year as a featured artist on Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters. She sang the title song, “River.” (That’s a little different, but, hey, she has an Album of the Year Grammy on her shelf. It counts.)

Dixie Chicks lost the 1998 Best New Artist award to hip-hop star Lauryn Hill. Eight years later, the then-embattled country trio took Album of the Year for their fourth major-label studio album, Taking the Long Way.

Alanis Morissette lost the 1995 Best New Artist award to Hootie & The Blowfish. That same night, the Canadian artist took Album of the Year for her first U.S. album, Jagged Little Pill.

Toto lost the 1978 Best New Artist award to the disco group A Taste of Honey. Four years later, the pop/rock group took Album of the Year for their fourth album, Toto IV.?

KC & The Sunshine Band lost the 1975 Best New Artist award to second-generation star Natalie Cole. Three years later, the disco group won Album of the Year for contributing one track (“Boogie Shoes”) to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

As part of Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant lost the 1969 Best New Artist award to the soft-rock super-trio Crosby, Stills & Nash. The Englishman shared the 2008 Album of the Year award with Alison Krauss for Raising Sand. That album, which was light years from the hard rock that made Plant famous, also won as Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album.?

As part of Cream, Eric Clapton lost the 1968 Best New Artist award to Latin/pop star Jose Feliciano. Four years later, the English rock legend shared the Album of the Year award as one of George Harrison’s “Friends” on The Concert for Bangla Desh. Clapton won the 1992 award in his own right for his blockbuster, Unplugged. (That makes him the only Best New Artist loser who has gone on to win Album of the Year twice.)

JFK impressionist Vaughn Meader lost the 1962 Best New Artist award to Broadway star Robert Goulet. That same night, Meader won Album of the Year for his phenomenal best-seller, The First Family.

The top three contenders for this year’s Grammy for Album of the Year — Taylor Swift, Alabama Shakes, and Kendrick Lamar — have something in common. All were nominated for Best New Artist… and lost. Swift lost to Amy Winehouse; Alabama Shakes to the pop trio fun.; Lamar to fellow rappers Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. This wouldn’t be the first time a Best New Artist loser has walked off with Album of the Year. Here’s a complete list of the 10 previous cases where this happened.

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When Grammy Losers Become Winners

Mumford & Sons lost the 2010 Best New Artist award to jazz artist Esperanza Spalding. The English folk-rock group came back two years later to win Album of the Year for their sophomore album, Babel.