| Grammy Award for Best Recording Package | |
| Awarded For: | quality visual look of an album |
| Presenter: | National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |
| Country: | United States |
| Year: | 1959 |
| Holder: | Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork (2024) |
| Website: | grammy.com |
The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album. An art director in the context of a music album is a professional responsible for overseeing the visual aspects of the album's production.
Often, the performer also takes on the role of art director, rather than that of the designer. For larger projects or those associated with major labels, professional art directors and designers are typically involved, as specified by contractual agreements. Independent musicians, on the other hand, may handle these roles themselves.
This role includes designing the album cover, selecting artwork and photography, and coordinating the overall visual presentation that aligns with the music's theme and the artist's image. The art director works closely with graphic designers, photographers, and stylists to create a cohesive aesthetic that complements the music and enhances the artist's branding. This position is crucial in shaping how listeners perceive the album through its visual elements.
The Grammy Award for Best Album Cover dates back to the first Grammy Awards in 1959. From 1962 to 1965 it was separated into Classical and Non-Classical divisions. From 1966 to 1968 it was separated into Graphic Arts and Photography divisions. In 1974, the name of the award was changed to Best Album Package, and changed again in 1994 to the current name.
In 1995, boxed sets were no longer eligible, as they were split off into a separate award, currently known as the Grammy Award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package.
| Year | Art Director(s) | Work | Performing artist(s) | Nominees Performers are in parentheses | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Frank Sinatra | Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely | Frank Sinatra | [1] | |
| 1959 | Robert M. Jones | Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 | Howard Mitchell (conducting the National Symphony Orchestra) | [2] | |
| 1961 | Marvin Schwartz | Latin ala Lee! | Peggy Lee | [3] | |
| 1962 | |||||
| Best Album Cover – Other Than Classical | [4] | ||||
| Jim Silke | Judy at Carnegie Hall | Judy Garland | |||
| Best Album Cover – Classical | |||||
| Marvin Schwartz | Puccini: Madame Butterfly | Gabriele Santini | |||
| 1963 | |||||
| Best Album Cover – Other Than Classical | [5] | ||||
| Robert M. Jones | Lena... Lovely and Alive | Lena Horne | |||
| Best Album Cover – Classical | |||||
| Marvin Schwartz | The Intimate Bach | Laurindo Almeida, Virginia Majewski & Vincent DeRosa | |||
| 1964 | |||||
| Best Album Cover – Other Than Classical | [6] | ||||
| John Berg | Barbra Streisand | ||||
| Best Album Cover – Classical | |||||
| Robert M. Jones | Puccini | Erich Leinsdorf | |||
| 1965 | |||||
| Best Album Cover – Other Than Classical | [7] | ||||
| Robert Cato and Don Bronstein | People | Barbra Streisand | |||
| Best Album Cover – Classical | |||||
| Robert M. Jones and Jan Balet | Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops | ||||
| 1966 | |||||
| Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts | [8] | ||||
| George Estes and James Alexander | Bartók: Concerto No. 2 for Violin/Stravinsky: Concerto for Violin | Joseph Silverstein & Erich Leinsdorf conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra | |||
| Best Album Cover, Photography | |||||
| Robert M. Jones and Ken Whitmore | Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts | Paul Horn | |||
| 1967 | |||||
| Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts | [9] | ||||
| Klaus Voormann | Revolver | The Beatles | |||
| Best Album Cover, Photography | |||||
| Robert M. Jones and Les Leverette | Confessions of a Broken Man | Porter Wagoner | |||
| 1968 | |||||
| Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts | [10] | ||||
| Peter Blake and Jann Haworth | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | The Beatles | |||
| Best Album Cover, Photography | |||||
| John Berg, Bob Cato, and Rowland Scherman | Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits | Bob Dylan | |||
| 1969 | John Berg, Richard Mantel, and Horn/Griner Studio | Underground | Thelonious Monk | [11] | |
| 1970 | Evelyn J. Kelbish and David Stahlberg | America the Beautiful | Gary McFarland | [12] | |
| 1971 | Robert Lockhart and Ivan Nagy | Indianola Mississippi Seeds | B. B. King | [13] | |
| 1972 | Gene Brownell and Dean O. Torrence | Pollution | Pollution | [14] | |
| 1973 | Acy Lehman and Harvey Dinnerstein | The Siegel-Schwall Band | [15] | ||
| 1974 | Wilkes & Braun | Tommy | London Symphony Orchestra and Chambre Choir | [16] | |
| 1975 | Ed Thrasher and Christopher Whorf | Come & Gone | Mason Proffit | [17] | |
| 1976 | Jim Ladwig | Honey | Ohio Players | [18] | |
| 1977 | John Berg | Chicago X | Chicago | [19] | |
| 1978 | John Berg | Love Notes | Ramsey Lewis | [20] | |
| 1979 | Johnny Lee and Tony Lane | Boys in the Trees | Carly Simon | [21] | |
| 1980 | Mike Doud and Mick Haggerty | Breakfast in America | Supertramp | [22] | |
| 1981 | Roy Kohara | Against the Wind | Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band | [23] | |
| 1982 | Peter Corriston | Tattoo You | The Rolling Stones | [24] | |
| 1983 | Kosh and Ron Larson | Get Closer | Linda Ronstadt | [25] | |
| 1984 | Robert Rauschenberg | Speaking in Tongues | Talking Heads | [26] | |
| 1985 | Janet Perr | She's So Unusual | Cyndi Lauper | [27] | |
| 1986 | Kosh and Ron Larson | Lush Life | Linda Ronstadt | [28] | |
| 1987 | Eiko Ishioka | Tutu | Miles Davis | [29] | |
| 1988 | Bill Johnson | King's Record Shop | Rosanne Cash | [30] | |
| 1989 | Bill Johnson | Tired of the Runnin' | The O'Kanes | [31] | |
| 1990 | Roger Gorman | Sound + Vision | David Bowie | [32] | |
| 1991 | Len Peltier, Jeff Gold, and Suzanne Vega | Days of Open Hand | Suzanne Vega | [33] [34] | |
| 1992 | Vartan | Billie Holiday | [35] | ||
| 1993 | Melanie Nissen | Spellbound | Paula Abdul | [36] | |
| 1994 | David Lau | Billie Holiday | [37] | ||
| 1995 | Buddy Jackson | Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys | Asleep at the Wheel | [38] | |
| 1996 | Robbie Cavolina and Joni Mitchell | Turbulent Indigo | Joni Mitchell | [39] | |
| 1997 | Andy Engel and Tommy Steele | Ultra-Lounge (Leopard Skin Sampler) | Various Artists | [40] | |
| 1998 | Hugh Brown, Al Q, and Jeff Smith | Titanic: Music As Heard on the Fateful Voyage | Various Artists | [41] | |
| 1999 | Kevin Reagan | Ray of Light | Madonna | [42] | |
| 2000 | Ray Benson, Sally Carns, and Buddy Jackson | Ride With Bob | Asleep at the Wheel | [43] | |
| 2001 | Kevin Reagan | Music | Madonna | [44] | |
| 2002 | Stanley Donwood and Tchocky | Amnesiac (Special Limited Edition) | Radiohead | [45] | |
| 2003 | Kevin Reagan | Home | Dixie Chicks | [46] | |
| 2004 | Ani DiFranco and Brian Grunert | Evolve | Ani DiFranco | [47] | |
| 2005 | Peter Buchanan-Smith and Dan Nadel | A Ghost Is Born | Wilco | [48] | |
| 2006 | Aimee Mann and Gail Marowitz | Aimee Mann | [49] | ||
| 2007 | Adam Jones | 10,000 Days | Tool | [50] | |
| 2008 | Zachary Nipper | Cassadaga | Bright Eyes | [51] | |
| 2009 | Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffat and David Turner | Death Magnetic | Metallica | [52] | |
| 2010 | Stefan Sagmeister | Everything That Happens Will Happen Today | David Byrne & Brian Eno | [53] | |
| 2011 | Michael Carney | Brothers | The Black Keys | [54] | |
| 2012 | Caroline Robert | [55] | Arcade Fire | [56] | |
| 2013 | Michael Amzalag & Mathias Augustyniak | Biophilia | Björk | [57] | |
| 2014 | Sarah Dodds and Shauna Dodds | Long Night Moon | Reckless Kelly | [58] | |
| 2015 | Jeff Ament, Don Pendleton, Joe Spix, and Jerome Turner | Lightning Bolt | Pearl Jam | [59] | |
| 2016 | Sarah Dodds, Shauna Dodds & Dick Reeves | Asleep at the Wheel | [60] | ||
| 2017 | Jonathan Barnbrook | Blackstar | David Bowie | [61] | |
| 2018 | Carlos Dussan, Juliana Jaramillo, Juan Martinez & Claudio Roncoli | El Orisha De La Rosa | Magín Díaz | [62] | |
| Sasha Barr, Ed Steed & Josh Tillman | Pure Comedy (Deluxe Edition) | Father John Misty | |||
| 2019 | Willo Perron | Masseduction | St. Vincent | [63] | |
| 2020 | Barry Ament, Jeff Ament, & Joe Spix | Chris Cornell | Chris Cornell | [64] | |
| 2021 | Doug Cunningham & Jason Noto | Vols. 11 & 12 | The Desert Sessions | [65] | |
| 2022 | Li Jheng Han & Yu Wei | Pakelang | 2nd Generation Falangao Singing Group & The Chairman Crossover Big Band | [66] | |
| 2023 | Chun-Tien Hsiao & Qing-Yang Xiao | Beginningless Beginning | Tamsu-Kavalan Chinese Orchestra |
| [67] |
| 2024 | Rottingdean Bazaar (Luke Brooks & James Theseus Buck) and Annie Collinge | Stumpwork | Dry Cleaning |
| [68] |
The following individuals received two or more awards for Best Recording Package (or any previous iteration of the award):
| Wins | Art director |
|---|---|
| 6 | Robert M. Jones |
| 5 | John Berg |
| 3 | Kevin Reagan |
| Marvin Schwartz | |
| 2 | Bill Johnson |
| Buddy Jackson | |
| Jeff Ament | |
| Joe Spix | |
| Kosh | |
| Ron Larson | |
| Sarah Dodds | |
| Shauna Dodds | |