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The Grammy for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1960. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as follows: For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist. Note that this is not necessarily the first album released by an artist.

It is sometimes asserted, with varying degrees of seriousness, that winning the "Best New Artist" award is a curse, as several award winners (particularly from the late 70s and early 80s) were never able to duplicate the success they experienced in their debut year. This viewpoint was expressed by former Starland Vocal Band member Taffy Danoff in a 2002 interview for VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders^[1]:

In reality, artists who have won the award have gone on to further success at least as often as not. Those who have had successful careers after winning the award include The Beatles, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bobby Darin, Sheryl Crow, Tracy Chapman, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Carrie Underwood, Norah Jones, LeAnn Rimes, Tom Jones, The Carpenters, Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Sade, Evanescence, Maroon 5, Sheena Easton, Bette Midler, Natalie Cole, John Legend, America, and Toni Braxton.

The category is also notable for being the only category in which a Grammy Award was revoked. This occurred in 1990 after it was revealed winners Milli Vanilli did not do their own vocals on their debut album. The award was revoked, but was not handed out to another artist.

Of the 48 awards presented in the category since its inception, the honor has been presented to 22 solo female artists, 15 duos or groups, and 11 solo male artists. Between 1997 and 2003, all the winners were solo female artists. Also, for 14 years, no winner was a solo male artist. In 2006, John Legend broke this trend, which started with Marc Cohn in 1992. The only winner of American Idol to be nominated for this award also won it: Carrie Underwood in 2007. Only four artists have won both Best New Artist and Album of the Year in the same year: Bob Newhart in 1961, Christopher Cross in 1981, Lauryn Hill in 1999 and Norah Jones in 2003.

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[edit] Notes

1. ^ Taffy Danoff (Interviewee). (2002) VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders [TV-Series]. North America: VH1.
2. ^ Milli Vanilli was originally presented with the award. They were later stripped of the award. A new winner was not announced.