Not every major artist has snagged a GRAMMY Award. While walking away from GRAMMY night with some new hardware is old hat to artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, several equally big names have never had that experience.
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Whether due to a stacked list of fellow nominees, a major snub, or simply being overlooked, many musicians know what it feels like to never accept a GRAMMY Award.
No one knows that feeling more than Brian McKnight. The R&B singer holds the record for the recording artist with the most nominations without a win. He’s been up for 17 GRAMMYs and has never beat out the competition.
Ahead of the 67th GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 2, American Songwriter is taking a look at four other artists who have surprisingly never snagged a trophy from the Recording Academy.
Martina McBride
With 14 nominations, it’s downright shocking that Martina McBride has never walked away victorious. She was first nominated at the 1995 ceremony, but the Best Female Country Vocal Performance ended up going to Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Shut Up and Kiss Me” instead of McBride’s “Independence Day.”
Her luck didn’t change in the years that followed. McBride ended up losing trophies to the likes of Shania Twain, Faith Hill, June Carter Cash, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Swift.
McBride was most recently up for a GRAMMY at the 2012 ceremony. Swift’s “Mean” won over McBride’s “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.”
Katy Perry
Despite earning 13 nominations throughout her career, Katy Perry has never won on GRAMMY night. The pop star first broke onto the GRAMMYs scene at the 2009 ceremony when her “I Kissed a Girl” lost the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance award to Adele’s “Chasing Pavements.”
In the years that followed, Perry couldn’t overcome artists including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, or Lorde to win a GRAMMY.
She was most recently GRAMMY nominated at the 2015 ceremony, but lost the Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance to Sam Smith and A Great Big World With Christina Aguilera, respectively.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj, a 12-time nominee, is another performer who can’t add GRAMMY winner to her resume. Minaj first earned a GRAMMYs nomination at the 2011 ceremony but her and Ludacris’ “My Chick Bad” lost to Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz’s “On to the Next One.”
Minaj earned 11 more nominations over the years, but lost to artists including Bon Iver, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar.
The 2024 ceremony featured Minaj’s most recent nominations. Her, Ice Spice, and Aqua’s “Barbie World” lost Best Rap Song to André 3000 and Killer Mike’s “Scientists & Engineers.” Minaj’s track was also nominated in the Best Song Written for Visual Media Category, but lost to “What Was I Made For?,” Billie Eilish’s Barbie contribution.
Blake Shelton
Highly popular seasons of The Voice, sold out tours, tons of radio play, and eight GRAMMY nominations have not made Blake Shelton a gramophone winner.
Shelton’s first-ever nomination came at the 2011 ceremony, when his and Trace Adkins’ “Hillbilly Bone” was up for the Country Collaboration With Vocal category, but lost to Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson’s “As She’s Walking Away.”
Later years saw Shelton lose to artists including Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Kacey Musgraves, and Little Big Town.
At the 2020 ceremony, Shelton’s “God’s Country” lost Best Country Solo Performance to Willie Nelson’s “Ride Me Back Home.”
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