The Grammy category Best Progressive R&B Album, originally called Best Urban Contemporary R&B Album, was created in 2013 to honor R&B albums that are more modern and more rhythmic than traditional soul music.
After many Black artists spoke out against the use of “urban contemporary” as a label, finding the “urban” term reductive, the Recording Academy changed the title of the category in 2020.
In 2025, this award had two winners, making it one of the rare Grammy ties in history.
Most career Best Progressive R&B Album nominations
Beyonce 3 (includes the Carters)
Steve Lacy 3 (includes the Internet)
Miguel 3
Terrace Martin 3
Most career Best Progressive R&B Album wins
Beyonce 2 (includes the Carters)
Grammy Awards: Best Progressive R&B Album Winners and Nominees By Year
Winners in bold; other nominees listed beneath.
2026: Bloom, Durand Bernarr
Adjust Brightness, Bilal
Love on Digital, Destin Conrad
Access All Areas, Flo
Come as You Are, Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon
2025: So Glad to Know You, AverySunshine (tie)
Why Lawd?, NxWorries (tie)
En Route, Durand Bernarr
Bando Stone & the New World
Crash, Kehlani
2024: SOS, SZA
Since I Have a Lover, 6lack
The Love Album: Off the Grid, Diddy
Nova, Terrace Martin & James Fauntleroy
The Age of Pleasure, Janelle Monae
2023: Gemini Rights, Steve Lacy
Operation Funk, Cory Henry
Drones, Terrace Martin
Starfruit, Moonchild
Red Balloon, Tank and the Bangas
2022: Table for Two, Lucky Daye
New Light, Eric Bellinger
Something to Say, Cory Henry
Mood Valiant, Hiatus Kaiyote
Dinner Party: Dessert, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder & Kamasi Washington
Studying Abroad: Extended Stay, Masego
2021: It Is What it Is, Thundercat
Chilombo, Jhene Aiko
Ungodly Hour, Chloe x Halle
Free Nationals, Free Nationals
F— Yo Feelings, Robert Glasper
2020: Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)
Apollo XXI, Steve Lacy
Overload, Georgia Anne Muldrow
Saturn, NAO
Being Human in Public, Jessie Reyez
2019: Everything is Love, the Carters
War & Leisure, Miguel
The Kids are Alright, Chloe x Halle
Chris Dave and the Drumhedz, Chris Dave and the Drumhedz
Ventriloquism, Meshell Ndegeocello
2018: Starboy, the Weeknd
Free 6lack, 6lack
Awaken My Love, Childish Gambino
American Teen, Khalid
Ctrl, SZA
2017: Lemonade, Beyonce
Ology, Gallant
We are King, King
Malibu, Anderson .Paak
Anti, Rihanna
2016: Beauty Behind the Madness, the Weeknd
Ego Death, the Internet
You Should Be Here, Kehlani
Blood, Lianne La Havas
Wildheart, Miguel
2015: Girl, Pharrell Williams
Sail Out, Jhene Aiko
Beyonce, Beyonce
X, Chris Brown
Mali Is…, Mali Music
2014: Unapologetic, Rihanna
Love and War, Tamar Braxton
Side Effects of You, Fantasia
One: In the Chamber, Salaam Remi
New York: A Love Story, Mack Wilds
2013: Channel Orange, Frank Ocean
Fortune, Chris Brown
Kaleidoscope Dream, Miguel
(only 3 nominees)
Find the Grammy Awards at grammy.com.
Last Updated on July 10, 2026