Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album

The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album was awarded from 1987 to 2011. Until 1991 the award was known as the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording. In 2007, this category was renamed Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album. As of 2010 the category was split into two categories; Best Contemporary Folk Album and Best Americana Album.

An award for Best Traditional Folk Album was also presented. Prior to 1987 contemporary and traditional folk were combined as the Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording.

Following the 2011 Grammy Award ceremony, the award was discontinued due to a major overhaul of Grammy categories. Beginning in 2012, this category merged with the Best Traditional Folk Album category to form the new Best Folk Album category.

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

At three wins each, Bob Dylan and Steve Earle are the category's biggest winners.

Winners and nominees

Year	Winner(s)	Title	Nominees	Ref.
1987	Al Bunetta, Dan Einstein, Hank Neuberger (producer), various artists	Tribute to Steve Goodman	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1988	Steve Goodman	Unfinished Business	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1989	Tracy Chapman	Tracy Chapman	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1990	Indigo Girls	Indigo Girls	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1991	Shawn Colvin	Steady On	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1992	John Prine	The Missing Years	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1993	The Chieftains	Another Country	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1994	Nanci Griffith	Other Voices, Other Rooms	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1995	Johnny Cash	American Recordings	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1996	Emmylou Harris	Wrecking Ball	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1997	Bruce Springsteen	The Ghost of Tom Joad	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1998	Bob Dylan	Time Out of Mind	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1999	Lucinda Williams	Car Wheels on a Gravel Road	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2000	Tom Waits	Mule Variations	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2001	Emmylou Harris	Red Dirt Girl	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2002	Bob Dylan	Love and Theft	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2003	Nickel Creek	This Side	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004	Warren Zevon	The Wind	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2005	Steve Earle	The Revolution Starts... Now	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2006	John Prine	Fair & Square	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	Bob Dylan	Modern Times	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	Steve Earle	Washington Square Serenade	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2009	Robert Plant, Alison Krauss	Raising Sand	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010	Steve Earle	Townes	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011	Ray LaMontagne, The Pariah Dogs	God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>