(NEXSTAR) — For most aspiring musical artists, winning a Grammy Award is a dream and a key that could lock untold doors in the music industry. But for some, winning a Grammy could be seen as where everything went wrong.
Did you know that the Grammy Awards, which air this Sunday, have one specific category that has long been theorized to be “cursed”? It’s time to take a look at Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
The award was first given in 1960, with the intention of highlighting an emerging artist who made a mark in the year of their debut (and during Grammy eligibility). And while it’s a well-intentioned honor, history shows that it can be a negative for some winners — many of whom seemingly disappeared forever after winning it.
We’ll start with the artists who won the award and went on to have successful careers, including The Beatles, Carly Simon, The Carpenters, Mariah Carey, Adele, Bon Iver, and Billie Eilish. But for every music legend or superstar to win Best New Artist, there are significantly more “Who is that?” or “They won over who?!” reactions to be had.
LOS ANGELES – DECEMBER 17: Singer Debby Boone rehearses on Dec. 17, 1977 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Among a few notable examples include 1977 winners Starland Vocal Band, a one-hit wonder quartet behind the hit “Afternoon Delight,” who beat out still-going rock greats Boston. Another artist with a questionable win, highlighted in 2014 by Rolling Stone, is “You Light Up My Life” singer Debby Boone, considered a one-hit wonder who beat out the likes of Andy Gibb, Shaun Cassidy, and Foreigner.
Meanwhile, artists like Tracy Chapman, most known for her hit “Fast Car,” won the Grammy and then left the limelight. Though Chapman re-appeared for a comeback hit, “Give Me One Reason,” in 1996, it wasn’t the career trajectory an award like a Grammy would seem to precede. An even more extreme example would be Lauryn Hill, who (rightfully) swept the 41st Grammy Awards in 1999 before her life became mired in controversy, mental health issues, and legal troubles. To date, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is the artist’s first and only album.
There are several ways that Best New Artist could be seen as a curse, including historically, people wondering why a certain artist won over others who had much more longevity and impact in the industry.
Here’s a few of those, for example.
Year Winner Who they beat 1992 Marc Cohn Boyz II Men, Seal, Color Me Badd, C+C Music Factory 1996 Hootie & the Blowfish Brandy, Alanis Morissette, Joan Osborne, Shania Twain 2000 Shelby Lynne Brad Paisley, Jill Scott 2011 Esperanza Spalding Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence and the Machine, Mumford & Sons 2014 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis James Blake, Kendrick Lamar, Kacey Musgraves, Ed Sheeran
Meanwhile, there are other artists who did have continued success but who music fans think “Why did you win over the better artist?” This doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t put out good music that deserved to be rewarded, only that other artists were doing much more interesting things.
A few examples of this include:
Year Who won Should have won 1998 Paula Cole Fiona Apple, Erykah Badu 2003 Norah Jones Ashanti, Michelle Branch, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer 2005 Maroon 5 Kanye West
Though Best New Artist has a spotty history of making “stars,” recent winners have stuck around longer than some others — is the Recording Academy finally getting it right?
Recent winners include Chance the Rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, Olivia Rodrigo, and Victoria Monét.
This year’s Best New Artist nominees feature a roster of recently popular solo pop acts, in addition to a few more eclectic acts. Nominees are Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Teddy Swims, Doechii, Khruangbin, Benson Boone, Raye, and Shaboozey.
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. 2 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.