Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance

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The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards.[1] According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guide it is designed for solo, duo/groups or collaborative (vocal or instrumental) R&B recordings and is limited to singles or tracks only.[2]

Awarded forquality vocal or instrumental R&B recordings
CountryUnited States
Presented byNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
Currently held byKehlani – "Folded" (2026)
Quick facts Awarded for, Country ...
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance
"Folded" by Kehlani is the most recent recipient
Awarded forquality vocal or instrumental R&B recordings
CountryUnited States
Presented byNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
Currently held byKehlani – "Folded" (2026)
Websitegrammy.com
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The award was originally awarded from 1959 to 1961 as Best Rhythm & Blues Performance and then from 1962 to 1968 as Best Rhythm & Blues Recording before being discontinued. In 2012, the award was brought back combining the previous categories for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Urban/Alternative Performance. The restructuring of these categories was a result of the Recording Academy's wish to decrease the list of categories and awards and to eliminate the distinctions between male and female performances, and between solo and duo/groups performances.[3]

The award goes to the artist. The producer, engineer and songwriter can apply for a Winners Certificate.[4]

Recipients

The Champs were the inaugural winners of the award.
Dinah Washington was the first female recipient of the award.
Ray Charles has the most wins in this category, winning the award five times.
The award was discontinued in 1968, Aretha Franklin being the last winner.
Corinne Bailey Rae was the recipient of the reintroduced award in 2012.
2022 co-winner Jazmine Sullivan.
Two-time winner, Muni Long. (2023 & 2025)

1950s

More information Year[I], Performing artist(s) ...
Year[I] Performing artist(s) Work
1959
[5]
The Champs "Tequila"
Harry Belafonte Belafonte Sings the Blues
Nat King Cole "Looking Back"
Earl Grant "The End"
Perez Prado "Patricia"
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1960s

More information Year[I], Performing artist(s) ...
Year[I] Performing artist(s) Work
1960
[6]
Dinah Washington "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes"
Jesse Belvin "Guess Who"
The Coasters "Charlie Brown"
Nat King Cole "Midnight Flyer"
Elvis Presley "A Big Hunk o' Love"
1961
[7]
Ray Charles "Let the Good Times Roll"
LaVerne Baker "Shake a Hand"
Hank Ballard and The Midnighters "Finger Poppin' Time"
Bo Diddley "Walkin' and Talkin'"
John Lee Hooker Travelin'
Etta James "All I Could Do Was Cry"
Muddy Waters "Got My Mojo Working"
Jackie Wilson "Lonely Teardrops"
1962
[8]
Ray Charles "Hit the Road Jack"
LaVerne Baker "Saved"
Etta James "The Fool That I Am"
Ernie K-Doe "Mother-in-Law"
Jimmy Reed "Bright Lights, Big City"
1963
[9]
Ray Charles "I Can't Stop Loving You"
B. Bumble and the Stingers "Nut Rocker"
Sam Cooke "Bring It On Home to Me"
Bobby Darin "What'd I Say"
Little Eva "The Loco-Motion"
Mel Tormé "Comin' Home Baby"
1964
[10]
Ray Charles "Busted"
Sam Cooke "Frankie and Johnny"
Barbara Lewis "Hello Stranger"
Little Johnny Taylor "Part Time Love"
Major Lance "Hey Little Girl"
Martha and the Vandellas "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave"
Lenny Welch "Since I Fell for You"
1965
[11]
Nancy Wilson "How Glad I Am"
Sam Cooke "Good Times"
The Impressions "Keep on Pushing"
The Supremes "Baby Love"
Joe Tex "Hold What You've Got"
Dionne Warwick "Walk On By"
1966
[12]
James Brown "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"
Sam Cooke "Shake"
Wilson Pickett "In the Midnight Hour"
The Temptations "My Girl"
Junior Walker and the All-Stars "Shotgun"
1967
[13]
Ray Charles "Crying Time"
James Brown "It's a Man's Man's Man's World"
Lou Rawls "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing"
Percy Sledge "When a Man Loves a Woman"
Stevie Wonder "Uptight (Everything's Alright)"
1968
[14]
Aretha Franklin "Respect"
Lou Rawls "Dead End Street"
Otis Redding "Try a Little Tenderness"
Sam & Dave "Soul Man"
Joe Tex "Skinny Legs and All"
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2010s

More information Year[I], Performing artist(s) ...
Year[I] Performing artist(s) Work
2012
[15]
Corinne Bailey Rae "Is This Love"
Marsha Ambrosius "Far Away"
Ledisi "Pieces of Me"
Kelly Price and Stokley "Not My Daddy"
Charlie Wilson "You Are"
2013
[16]
Usher "Climax"
Estelle "Thank You"
Robert Glasper Experiment and Ledisi "Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)"
Luke James "I Want You"
Miguel "Adorn"
2014
[17]
Snarky Puppy featuring Lalah Hathaway "Something"
Tamar Braxton "Love and War"
Anthony Hamilton "Best of Me"
Hiatus Kaiyote featuring Q-Tip "Nakamarra"
Miguel featuring Kendrick Lamar "How Many Drinks?"
2015
[18]
Beyoncé featuring Jay Z "Drunk in Love"
Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross "New Flame"
Jennifer Hudson featuring R. Kelly "It's Your World"
Ledisi "Like This"
Usher "Good Kisser"
2016
[19]
The Weeknd "Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)"
Tamar Braxton "If I Don't Have You"
Andra Day "Rise Up"
Hiatus Kaiyote "Breathing Underwater"
Jeremih featuring J. Cole "Planez"
2017
[20]
Solange "Cranes in the Sky"
BJ the Chicago Kid "Turnin' Me Up"
Ro James "Permission"
Musiq Soulchild "I Do"
Rihanna "Needed Me"
2018
[21]
Bruno Mars "That's What I Like"
Daniel Caesar featuring Kali Uchis "Get You"
Kehlani "Distraction"
Ledisi "High"
SZA "The Weekend"
2019
[22]
Daniel Caesar featuring H.E.R. "Best Part"
Toni Braxton "Long as I Live"
The Carters "Summer"
Lalah Hathaway "Y O Y"
PJ Morton "First Began"
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2020s

More information Year[I], Performing artist(s) ...
Year[I] Performing artist(s) Work
2020
[23]
Anderson .Paak featuring André 3000 "Come Home"
Brandy and Daniel Caesar "Love Again"
H.E.R. featuring Bryson Tiller "Could've Been"
Lizzo featuring Gucci Mane "Exactly How I Feel"
Lucky Daye "Roll Some Mo"
2021
[24]
Beyoncé "Black Parade"
Jhené Aiko featuring John Legend "Lightning & Thunder"
Jacob Collier featuring Mahalia and Ty Dolla $ign "All I Need"
Brittany Howard "Goat Head"
Emily King "See Me"
2022
[25]
Silk Sonic (TIE) "Leave the Door Open"
Jazmine Sullivan (TIE) "Pick Up Your Feelings"
Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon "Peaches"
Snoh Aalegra "Lost You"
H.E.R. "Damage"
2023
[26]
Muni Long "Hrs & Hrs"
Beyoncé "Virgo's Groove"
Mary J. Blige featuring Anderson .Paak "Here With Me"
Lucky Daye "Over"
Jazmine Sullivan "Hurt Me So Good"
2024
[27]
Coco Jones "ICU"
Chris Brown "Summer Too Hot"
Robert Glasper featuring Sir and Alex Isley "Back to Love"
Victoria Monét "How Does It Make You Feel"
SZA "Kill Bill"
2025
[28]
Muni Long "Made for Me" (Live on BET)
Jhené Aiko "Guidance"
Chris Brown "Residuals"
Coco Jones "Here We Go (Uh Oh)"
SZA "Saturn"
2026
[29]
Kehlani "Folded"
Justin Bieber "Yukon"
Chris Brown featuring Bryson Tiller "It Depends"
Leon Thomas "Mutt" (Live from NPR's Tiny Desk)
Summer Walker "Heart of a Woman"
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^[I] Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Artists with multiple wins

Artists with multiple nominations

See also

References

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