Being nominated by the Recording Academy for a Grammy award can sometimes be easier than actually winning a trophy.
R&B hit-makers Beyoncé, John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Justin Timberlake all have at least one Grammy to their credit. On the other hand, a number of R&B singers have been nominated for a Grammy and went home empty-handed. Then again, some artists have never received a Grammy nomination.
Here are 14 R&B superstars who, shockingly, have never won a Grammy in their career.
Robin Thicke
Total nominations: 5
Before picking up three Grammy nominations at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, Robin Thicke has never had luck with the Recording Academy. The trio of nods he scored for his album, Blurred Lines, and its title track marked the first time he received consideration as a lead artist. It’s a shame that songs like “Lost Without You” and albums like The Evolution of Robin Thicke weren’t recognized.
Jazmine Sullivan
Total nominations: 12
Jazmine Sullivan broke into the music scene in the summer of 2008 with her number one single “Need You Bad.” Her debut album Fearless dropped later that year and became a gold-selling record. Sullivan earned herself five nominations at the 2009 ceremony but walked away with zero. At the 58th Grammy Annual Awards in 2016, Sullivan landed three nods, including Best R&B Album for Reality Show. Though once again, she missed out on a win.
Update: Jazmine Sullivan won two Grammys at the 64th Grammy Awards on April 3, 2022.
Joe
Total nominations: 7
Surprisingly, Joe hasn’t received a Grammy in his two-decade career. With hits like “All The Things (Your Man Won’t Do),” “I Wanna Know” and “Stutter,” one would think he’s dusting an award off now from one of those songs. Out of his seven nominations, Joe should have pulled off a win at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards for his duet “More than a Woman” with Angie Stone. The powerful tune lost to Stevie Wonder and Take 6’s “Love’s in Need of Love Today.”
Keyshia Cole
Total nominations: 4
Say what you want about Keyshia Cole but she’s a talented songwriter. Throughout her early career, Cole penned all of her biggest hits like “Love,” “I Remember” and “Heaven Sent.” The latter tune became her third single off her Just Like You album to go number one. The ballad topped the R&B chart for nine consecutive weeks and peaked at No.28 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Heaven Sent” snagged two Grammy nominations in 2009, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.
Eric Benét
Total nominations: 4
Eric Benét has serenaded music lovers since the release of his debut album True to Myself in 1996. His heartwarming sounds have joined forces with beautiful voices like Tamia, Eddie Levert, Faith Evans, and Ledisi. His hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Recording Academy as he has received four nominations. His song “You’re the Only One” and his album Love & Life received Grammy love for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Album at the 2009 show. However, he lost to Ne-Yo’s “Miss Independent” and Jennifer Hudson’s self-titled debut.
En Vogue
Total nominations: 7
Named one of Billboard magazine’s most successful R&B/hip-hop artists of the last 25 years, En Vogue has rightfully earned their spot on the list. The dynamic group represented every female in the ‘90s with empowering anthems like “My Lovin (You’re Never Gonna Get),” “Free Your Mind,” “Hold On,” and “Whatta Man” with Salt-N-Pepa. Aside from their hits, these ladies could actually blow, which is why they should have been awarded for their contributions to music.
Aaliyah
Total nominations: 5
R&B’s angel Aaliyah got her start in music early. Before her untimely death in 2001, the adored songstress released three studio albums and wounded up a string of number-one hits. In her short time in the music industry, Aaliyah scored five Grammy nominations with her first nod dating back to 1999 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Are You That Somebody?” In 2003, she netted a posthumous nomination for “More Than a Woman” for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
Ledisi
Total nominations: 12
Ledisi is a gifted vocalist who makes remarkable music that anyone can feel and relate to. Still, she hasn’t won a Grammy. The Recording Academy showered the sophisticated artist with her first two nominations — Best New Artist and Best R&B Album (Lost & Found) — at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in 2008. Ledisi added on three nods for Best R&B Performance (“High”), Best Traditional R&B Performance (“All the Way”) and Best R&B Album (Let Love Rule) in 2018.
Brian McKnight
Total nominations: 17
If there’s one R&B artist who has had the worst luck at the Grammys, it’s Brian McKnight. He holds an unfortunate Grammy record for the most nominations (17) with no win. Maybe the members of the Recording Academy are deaf in both ears and haven’t heard songs like “Anytime,” “Back At One” and “Love of My Life.”
Kelly Price
Total nominations: 9
R&B powerhouse Kelly Price made her entrance into music by singing background for the likes of Mariah Carey and the Notorious B.I.G. Since the release of her debut album Soul of a Woman in 1998, Price has racked up nine Grammy nominations, including Best R&B Album for Kelly in 2012. However, the Recording Academy overlooked the project in the latter category and bestowed it to Chris Brown for FAME. At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in 2017, Price pocketed two nods in the rap field for “Ultralight Beam” with Kanye West.
Musiq Soulchild
Total nominations: 13
Musiq Soulchild brought his musical artistry to the genre of R&B in 2000 with his debut release Aijuswanaseing. Throughout his career, the neo-soul crooner has shared his gift of music with hits like “Love” “Forthenight,” “B.U.D.D.Y.” and “IfULeave,” all earning Soulchild Grammy nominations. However, with a total of 13 nominations, he still hasn’t been awarded one.
SWV
Total nominations: 3
SWV (Sisters with Voices) is one of the most successful female R&B groups of the ’90s. The vocally beautiful trio took over the Billboard charts with tunes like “I’m So Into You,” “Weak,” “You’re the One,” and “Rain.” Though SWV took over the charts, it wasn’t enough to earn them a Grammy. They did pick up three Grammy nods — Best New Artist, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (“Slow Jams”), and Best Traditional R&B Performance (“If You Only Knew”).
Charlie Wilson
Total nominations: 13
Influential legend Charlie Wilson has been snubbed 13 times by the Recording Academy. His earliest nomination as a solo act dates back to 1997 when “Stomp” was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Wilson picked up two nominations in 2012 — Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song — for his number one single “You Are.” Unfortunately, he lost in both categories for records that weren’t likely featured on most critics’ prediction lists.
Tamia
Total nominations: 6
Tamia has been singing the blues to our hearts since being featured on Quincy Jones Q’s Jook Joint album. Her time with Jones helped her score two Grammy nominations, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “You Put A Move On My Heart.” Throughout her two-decade career, the Canadian vocalist has collected six Grammy nods including Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for “Missing You” a song lifted off the Set It Off soundtrack. The emotional ballad, which featured Brandy, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan, should have scored the ladies of R&B a win.
