In the world of music, the pursuit of a Grammy Award is a dream shared by countless artists. It is a symbol of recognition, excellence, and the pinnacle of achievement in the music industry.
However, not all Grammy-nominated artists have had the privilege of taking home the coveted golden gramophone trophy.
Several renowned musicians who, despite their remarkable talents and contributions, have amassed an impressive number of Grammy nominations without clinching the ultimate prize.
From rap icons like Snoop Dogg and Nicki Minaj to pop sensations like Katy Perry and Lana Del Rey, and even legendary figures like Diana Ross and Tupac Shakur, these artists have left an indelible mark on the music landscape, but their Grammy journeys have been marked by near misses and enduring perseverance.
Here is a list of artists who have earned their place among the nominees, but have never won a Grammy.
1. Snoop Dogg - 16 Nominations
Snoop Dogg - 16 Nominations
Snoop Dogg, hailing from Long Beach, has faced disappointment since his initial Grammy nomination in 1994, which was for his collaboration with Dr. Dre on "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang."
Snoop Dogg boasts an impressive 16 Grammy nominations. His most recent nomination was in 2016 for his contribution to "To Pimp a Butterfly," which was nominated for Album of the Year.
Remarkably, Snoop Dogg's Grammy nominations span three different genres: rap, reggae, and pop, showcasing his versatility as an artist.
2. Dierks Bentley - 15 Nominations
Dierks Bentley - 15 Nominations
Dierks Bentley has accumulated 15 Grammy nominations throughout his career. His first two nominations were in 2007, recognizing his contributions to "Every Mile a Memory" in the categories of Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song.
Over the years, he has received 13 more nominations.
This year, he's once again in the Grammy spotlight, with a nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "High Note," featuring Billy Strings.
3. Martina McBride - 14 Nominations
Martina McBride - 14 Nominations
Martina McBride, a revered figure in the country music industry, has accumulated a remarkable total of 14 Grammy nominations since 1995. These nominations span various categories
It's worth noting that in 1995, Martina McBride was part of a group of artists, including Shenandoah, John Berry, and Lari White, who contributed to the album "Amazing Grace - A Country Salute to Gospel."
The album itself went on to win a Grammy in the Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album category, although the award was credited to the producer, Bill Hearn.
4. Katy Perry - 13 Nominations
Katy Perry - 13 Nominations
The "Roar" singer is yet to experience the thrill of winning a Grammy Award. Katy Perry has accumulated a total of 13 Grammy nominations.
Her most recent nominations were in 2015, including one for "Dark Horse" in the category of Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and another for her album "Prism" in the Best Pop Vocal Album category.
"You can get all kinds of other nominations and awards but once you get that GRAMMY nomination it's just like, 'Alright. Respect," she once recalled to ET in 2008.
5. Diana Ross - 13 Nominations
Diana Ross - 13 Nominations
Diana Ross received her first solo Grammy nomination in 1971 for "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" after two previous nominations with the Supremes.
Surprisingly, she has yet to win a Grammy, despite having presented at the ceremony seven times.
Additionally, she has been honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
6. Nicki Minaj - 12 Nominations
Nicki Minaj - 12 Nominations
Nicki Minaj has accumulated a total of 12 Grammy nominations over the course of her career.
This year, she received two more nominations, one for Best Rap Song with "Barbie World" featuring Ice Spice and Aqua, and another for Best Song Written for Visual Media with the same song.
Minaj had a dispute with The Recording Academy when they categorized her 2023 hit, "Super Freaky Girl," as pop instead of rap. Her team had originally submitted the track for consideration in rap categories, leading Minaj to publicly criticize The Recording Academy for what she perceived as them "moving the goal posts."
7. Lana Del Rey - 11 Nominations
Lana Del Rey - 11 Nominations
Lana Del Rey has had six career Grammy nominations prior to 2024 but with zero wins.
The singer known for "Born to Die" has an opportunity to end her streak of Grammy losses at this year's Grammy Awards.
She is nominated in five categories, including a nomination for Album of the Year for her album titled "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd."
8. Arctic Monkeys - 9 Nominations
Arctic Monkeys - 9 Nominations
The Arctic Monkeys have been nominated nine times but have not secured any wins.
The British rock band led by Alex Turner has been nominated three times in the Best Alternative Music Album category. This includes their debut studio album from 2006, titled "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not."
9. Sia - 9 Nominations
Sia - 9 Nominations
Sia, the acclaimed artist with 9 Grammy nominations, made a significant impact on the music scene in 2013 when her collaboration with Flo Rida on "Wild Ones" led to a nomination in the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category.
Two years later, Sia returned with a bang, receiving four Grammy nominations for her hit "Chandelier."
In the following years, she added three more Grammy nominations, but unfortunately, she didn't win any of them. Her ninth nomination came in 2018 for "Never Give Up" in the Best Song Written for Visual Media category.
10. Backstreet Boys - 8 Nominations
Backstreet Boys - 8 Nominations
The Backstreet Boys have garnered a total of 9 Grammy nominations, which encompass categories like Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best New Artist.
In 1998, the Backstreet Boys were nominated for Best New Artist but didn't win, losing to Lauryn Hill. The other nominees in the category included Andrea Bocelli, Natalie Imbruglia, and the Dixie Chicks.
11. Blake Shelton - 8 Nominations
Blake Shelton - 8 Nominations
Blake Shelton secured his first Grammy nomination in 2011 for "Hillbilly Bone," a collaboration with his friend Trace Adkins, nominated in the category of Best Country Collaboration With Vocals. That same year, his album "Red River Blue" also earned a nomination for Best Country Album.
Over the years, he added six more Grammy nominations to his name, with the most recent one in 2020 for "God's Country" in the Best Country Solo Performance category.
12. Avril Lavigne - 8 Nominations
Avril Lavigne - 8 Nominations
Avril Lavigne, propelled to stardom in 2003 with her album "Let Go" and hits like "Complicated" and "Sk8er Boi," and garnered a total of 8 Grammy nominations during that period.
These nominations included recognition for Best Pop Vocal Album, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.
In the following year, she received two more Grammy nominations for "I'm With You" (Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance) and "Losing Grip" (Best Female Rock Vocal Performance).
13. Miley Cyrus - 8 Nominations
Miley Cyrus - 8 Nominations
Miley Cyrus, with 8 Grammy nominations, is currently up for six Grammy Awards this year, which include categories such as Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year.
Her first Grammy nomination came in 2015 when her album "Bangers" was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. She received her second nomination in 2022 as a featured artist on Lil Nas X's "Montero," which is also in the Album of the Year category.
14. Tupac - 7 Nominations
Tupac - 7 Nominations
Tupac Shakur has received seven Grammy Award nominations during his career.
Tupac could win his first posthumous Grammy this year. The documentary miniseries titled "Dear Mama," which revolves around the rapper and his relationship with his mother, has received a nomination in the Best Music Film category.
15. Jennifer Lopez - 2 Nominations
Jennifer Lopez - 2 Nominations
Jennifer Lopez received her two Grammy nominations more than two decades ago. Her first nomination came in the year 2000 for the song "Waiting for Tonight," which was recognized in the Best Dance Recording category. The following year, in 2001, her song "Let's Get Loud" also received a Grammy nomination in the same category.
On the Latin Grammy side, she secured a nomination in 2000 for "No Me Ames" in the category of Best Pop Performance by a Duo/Group with Vocals.
16. Selena Gomez - 2 Nominations
Selena Gomez - 2 Nominations
Selena Gomez has received a total of two Grammy nominations.
Gomez's earlier work went unnoticed by the Grammys, but in 2021, her album "Revelación" received a nomination for Best Latin Pop Album. Additionally, she earned a nomination for Album of the Year for her featured appearance on Coldplay's 2021 album "Music of the Spheres."
17. Jonas Brothers - 2 Nominations
Jonas Brothers - 2 Nominations
The Jonas Brothers have earned two Grammy nominations in their career.
They were nominated for Best New Artist (they lost to Adele), and they also received a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their song "Sucker" (the award went to Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus for "Old Town Road").
18. Demi Lovato - 2 Nominations
Demi Lovato - 2 Nominations
Demi Lovato received her first Grammy nomination in 2017. Her album "Confident" was nominated for the Best Pop Vocal Album.
Demi Lovato's second Grammy nomination came in 2019 for the song "Fall in Line," a collaboration with Christina Aguilera. This nomination recognized their work in the category of Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.