Here’s a trivia question for you: who was the first person to win the Grammy for Album of the Year? It was legendary composer Henry Mancini who won for the soundtrack to the television show “Peter Gunn.” Let’s take a tour through all 58 albums that have claimed this very coveted prize.
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The attributes of what makes a great album always vary but a well made album will always be viewed as a work of art. Great albums can just be an amazing collection of songs that flow together musically or they can be songs that collectively make a statement. The albums that have won Album of the Year have encompassed all of these areas. They have ranged from some of the most revered classics, from “Sgt. Pepper” by The Beatles and “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, to the biggest achievements in recent years, from “Supernatural” by Santana to “21” by Adele to “1989” by Taylor Swift.
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Many different genres have won here but the most awarded field is pop music which has won the prize 21 times. Rock and roll follows that with 18 wins, then R&B with five, country and soundtracks with four each, jazz and comedy with two and rap and dance music with one win a piece. The honor has gone to solo male acts almost half of the time with 26 such instances of them prevailing. Groups or collaborations have won this prize 16 times and female solo acts have won only 13 times over the past 58 years.
Make your Grammy predictions now; change them until Feb. 12
Gold Derby readers just like YOU often turn out to be our smartest prognosticators, so it’s important that you give us your predictions. You can continue to update and change your forecasts as often as you like before winner are announced on Feb. 12. Just click “Save” when you’ve settled on your choices. You’ll compete to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate, bragging rights and a place of honor on our leaderboard. Our racetrack odds change as you make your predictions, just as they do when you bet on the Emmys, Oscars, Golden Globes and more. Be sure to read our contest rules and sound off on the Grammy race in our music forum.
