For most musicians, there’s no sign that they’ve made it quite like a win at the Grammys.
However, a select few A-list artists have proved over the years that you can still have a huge music career without taking home one of those coveted gold gramophones.
From multi-nominated rappers to legendary singers and groups who managed to slip through the awards show’s net, here are 20 huge artists that have made a massive impact in the music world, but still have a Grammy-shaped gap on their mantelpiece...
Diana Ross
Despite more than 50 years in the entertainment industry, Diana Ross never won any of the previous 12 Grammys that she was nominated for.
That looked like it could be about to change in 2024, when Ms Ross was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for her latest release, Thank You, although she eventually lost out to Michael Bublé.
However, her contribution to the music world is so inarguable that the Recording Academy eventually granted her a Lifetime Achievement award in 2012, while the Supremes received the same honour in 2023.
Bob Marley
Despite being a trailblazer in the world of reggae music, Bob Marley was never even nominated for a Grammy in his lifetime, let alone awarded one.
The specific Best Reggae Album award was introduced at the Grammys in 1985, four years after his death, with the late singer’s son Ziggy Marley being the artist who has won in this category the most times.
Katy Perry
Since I Kissed A Girl was released in 2008, Katy Perry has been nominated for 13 Grammys, including a coveted nod in the Album Of The Year category for Teenage Dream.
As of yet, she’s yet to win an award, and was last nominated for one in 2015.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is slightly behind her former collaborator Katy Perry on 10 nominations without a win, last receiving a nomination in 2016 for her The Pinkprint album.
In 2019, she accused the Recording Academy of deliberately snubbing her, claiming: “I was bullied into staying quiet for seven years out of fear.”
Three years later, she criticised the Grammys once again, claiming she’d missed out on a nomination because her song Super Freaky Girl was being considered in the pop categories, rather than rap, which she’d submitted it as.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg is officially the Glenn Close of the Grammys, as he’s the artist with the most nominations and zero wins (joint with singer-songwriter Brian McKnight).
The rapper has 17 Grammy nominations to his name, and was last nominated in 2016, for his contribution to Kendrick Lamar’s album To Pimp A Butterfly.
Queen
In Freddie Mercury’s lifetime, Queen received a total of four Grammy nominations – for Bohemian Rhapsody and Another One Bites The Dust – though none of them translated into a win.
The band was eventually awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, the same year their album A Night At The Opera was inducted into the Grammys Hall Of Fame.
ABBA
Let’s just have a look at ABBA’s stats, shall we?
Nine UK number one singles. Hundreds of millions of records sold. Not one but two jukebox musicals that solely feature their music. And yet, zero Grammy wins.
In fact, it took until 2021 for them to even be nominated, when their comeback song I Still Have Faith In You was recognised in the Record Of The Year category.
Follow-up album Voyage later picked up four nominations in 2023, including Album Of The Year, though sadly none of them translated into a win.
The Academy did also kind of make up for their past oversights by inducting Dancing Queen into their Hall Of Fame in 2015, though.
Jimi Hendrix
Sadly, the legendary musician is another artist who the Recording Academy only recognised after his death (unless you count his sole nomination for his guitar of The Star-Spangled Banner).
After being awarded Lifetime Achievement in 1992, he’s since won some posthumous Grammys and had his work inducted into the Hall Of Fame on more than one occasion.
Björk
Known for her unique and avant-garde approach to music, Björk has a hefty 16 Grammy nominations to her name, placing her high up on the list of musicians who’ve received the most recognition without an actual win.
Her most recent nomination came in 2023, when her latest release Fossora lost out on Best Alternative Album to Wet Leg’s self-titled debut.
Pet Shop Boys
Undoubtedly one of the most celebrated pop acts Britain has ever produced, with 14 albums to their name (plus another on the way!) and a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution, Pet Shop Boys have still never won a Grammy.
They have been nominated on six occasions, though, most recently in 2010 for their Xenomania-produced Yes album.
Miley Cyrus
She might be one of the most famous women in pop, but until recently, Miley Cyrus had actually only ever been nominated for a Grammy on two occasions.
In 2015, she was up for Best Pop Vocal Album for her infamous Bangerz release, but lost out to Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour, while in 2022, she was recognised as a contributor to Lil Nas X’s album Montero.
Her luck could be about to change in 2024, though. Her most recent album Endless Summer Vacation landed Miley her first ever nominations in the general categories, including Album Of The Year, as well as Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year for her chart-topping single Flowers.
Lana Del Rey
Spread out over a decade, Lana Del Rey has a total of nine Grammy nominations to her name.
At the upcoming ceremony, Lana is nominated in two of the night’s three biggest categories, with A&W up for Song Of The Year and *deep breath* Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd? in contention for Album Of The Year.
BTS
As one of the biggest and most recognisable K-pop groups on the planet, BTS have fans all over the world and have now charted on both sides of the Atlantic.
They were also the first Korean pop act to be recognised at the Grammys, where they’ve now been nominated five times (including three in 2023), albeit without a win as of yet.
Sia
She’s known as much for her own music as she is for her songwriting credits for artists including Beyoncé and Rihanna.
But despite nine nominations, Sia is yet to win a Grammy for any of her musical offerings.
Tupac Shakur
In his lifetime, Tupac earned just two Grammy nominations, both for his album Me Against The World, but lost out on the night to Coolio and Naughty By Nature.
Following his death in 1996, Tupac racked up a further four posthumous nominations, though none of these led to a win, either.
Guns N’ Roses
Guns N’ Roses have sold a whopping 100 million records worldwide, and in 2012 were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Between 1990 and 2019, the rock legends also racked up four Grammy nominations, but never managed a win.
The Beach Boys
Despite their undeniable impact on pop music, the Recording Academy never gave The Beach Boys a competitive Grammy win.
They do have a lifetime achievement award, though, and their iconic Pet Sounds album also has a place in the Grammys Hall Of Fame.
Arctic Monkeys
During their time in the spotlight, Arctic Monkeys have scooped an impressive seven Brit Awards, though they’ve not yet managed to win a Grammy.
They have been nominated nine times in total, though, and are in the running for three awards in the Rock, Metal and Alternative Music categories at this year’s ceremony.
Post Malone
Rapper and singer Post Malone has an impressive 10 Grammy nominations to his name, including two Album Of The Year nods.
His most recent nomination came in 2023, when he and Doja Cat were recognised in the Pop Duo/Group Performance category for I Like You (A Happier Song).
Robbie Williams
It’s been well-documented that Robbie Williams’ mammoth UK success has not translated overseas, and despite having the most Brit Awards of any singers in history, he’s never managed to win a Grammy.
Interestingly, he has been nominated for two in the past, but neither were actually for his music.
His first nomination was for the music video for 1 Giant Leap’s My Culture, on which he was a featured artist, while his second was in the Best Music Film category for his live show at the Royal Albert Hall.