Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album
The Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album has been awarded since 1959. The award has had several minor name changes:
- In 1959 the award was known as Best Performance, Documentary or Spoken Word
- From 1960 to 1961 it was awarded as Best Performance – Documentary or Spoken Word
- From 1962 to 1963 it was awarded as Best Documentary or Spoken Word Recording
- From 1964 to 1965 it was awarded as Best Documentary, Spoken Word or Drama Recording
- In 1966 it was awarded as Best Spoken Word or Drama Recording
- From 1967 to 1968 it was awarded as Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama Recording
- From 1969 to 1979 it was awarded as Best Spoken Word Recording
- From 1980 to 1983 it returned to the title of Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama Recording
- From 1984 to 1991 it was awarded as Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Recording
- From 1992 to 1997 it was awarded as Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Album
- Since 1998 it has been awarded as Best Spoken Word Album
The category now also includes audio books, poetry readings and story telling.
Three US Presidents have won the award: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, along with spoken recordings of John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Four U.S. Senators have won: Barack Obama, Everett Dirksen, Al Franken, and Hillary Clinton. First Lady Michelle Obama has also won the award after she was First Lady.
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for a recording released in the previous year. Winners are indicated in boldface.1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
