4 Classic Rock Bands That Surprisingly Have Never Won a Grammy

Awards aren’t always a good indicator of a band’s strength. There are many timeless rock bands that are beloved by millions, but have failed to take home the most coveted award in the music industry: a Grammy. Below, find four rock groups that, surprisingly, have never taken home that trophy.

4 Classic Rock Bands That Surprisingly Have Never Won a Grammy

1. Guns N’ Roses

Despite receiving several nominations, Guns N’ Roses has never taken home a Grammy. Their place in the world of rock is certainly cemented, but they were never able to secure that sought after prize. They were recognized by The Recording Academy for “Live And Let Die” (Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal), Use Your Illusion I (Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal), and G N’R Lies (Best Hard Rock Performance). Though all of those works are award worthy in many fans’ minds, the competition was too stiff. We think the band can rest easy though, knowing they have amassed a healthy legion of stalwart fans.

[RELATED: 3 Non-Guns N’ Roses Songs You Didn’t Know Feature Axl Rose as a Composer or Backing Vocalist]

2. Queen

It took over a decade after the death of Freddie Mercury for The Recording Academy to give Queen their dues. They failed to take home a golden gramophone during their heyday. At the 23rd annual Grammys, they were nominated twice–for Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical) and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal–but no dice. The real kicker is that “Bohemian Rhapsody” didn’t even make the cut a few years prior. That seminal track lost both Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus and Best Arrangement For Voices (Duo, Group Or Chorus). We know everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that seems like an obvious mistake.

3. Journey

While the former inclusions on this list at least got a couple of nods from the Grammys for some of their biggest hits, Journey was snubbed all the way around. They eventually picked up a nomination for “When You Love A Woman,” but none of their calling cards were “good enough” to have the Grammys sing their praises. That means songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Separate Ways,” and “Faithfully” are not Grammy nominated tracks. If anything, Journey’s lack of Grammy love speaks to the difference of opinion between rock fans and the powers that be.

4. Heart

You’d be hard-pressed to find a vocalist as dazzling as Ann Wilson. Her voice flies straight up to the stratosphere and she made use of it plenty of times on Heart’s biggest hits. So when Heart is nominated for categories concerning vocal performance, you’d think it would be a clean sweep for them. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The band has failed to take home a single Grammy. They did get a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023, which helps a little in righting this wrong.

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