A Look at British Artists Who Won Best New Artist at the Grammys, from The Beatles to Olivia Dean
The Beatles (1965)
The Beatles made history in 1965 as the first British act to win the coveted Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Their U.S. debut in the previous year had seen them achieve remarkable success, including an unprecedented week in which they occupied the top five positions on the Billboard Hot 100. The band’s notable performance on The Ed Sullivan Show further solidified their American popularity. The Beatles received two awards, including Best New Artist and Best Performance by a Vocal Group for “A Hard Day’s Night,” presented by actor Peter Sellers at Twickenham Film Studios, where they were filming Help!
Tom Jones (1966)
In 1966, Tom Jones became the first and, so far, the only Welsh artist to win the Grammy for Best New Artist. He triumphed over competitors like The Byrds, Sonny & Cher, and Herman’s Hermits. Jones was bolstered by the success of his hit song “It’s Not Unusual,” which reached No. 10 on the Hot 100, as well as the title theme for the James Bond film Thunderball and “What’s New Pussycat?” which peaked at No. 3. He returned to the ceremony in 2015 to perform alongside Jessie J.
Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills & Nash) (1970)
Graham Nash, a Blackpool native, was part of the trio Crosby, Stills & Nash that won the Best New Artist Grammy in 1970. This recognition followed the success of their self-titled debut album, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Culture Club (1984)
The 1984 Grammy nominations for Best New Artist included an unusual aspect: none of the contenders were born in the United States. British acts Culture Club, Eurythmics, Musical Youth, and Big Country, along with Canadian group Men Without Hats, competed for the award. Culture Club, led by Boy George, emerged victorious, marking their first and only Grammy award.
Sade (1986)
In 1986, Sade secured their first Grammy in the Best New Artist category following the success of their album Promise, which had topped the Billboard 200 the previous year. This win was the first of four Grammys for the group, who received a total of 10 nominations, with their most recent nod coming in the 2026 ceremony for Best Music Video for “Young Lion.”
Amy Winehouse (2008)
Amy Winehouse experienced an iconic Grammy night in 2008, winning five of the six awards for which she was nominated, including Best New Artist. Despite being in London via satellite due to visa issues, she became the first British winner in the category in over two decades. Winehouse secured three of the “big four” awards: Best New Artist, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year for “Rehab,” along with Best Pop Vocal Album for Back to Black and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Rehab.”
Adele (2009)
In 2009, Adele won the Grammy for Best New Artist, marking consecutive wins for British acts in the category. This award signaled the beginning of a highly successful Grammy career for Adele, who is among only three artists to have won each of the big four awards: Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.
Sam Smith (2015)
Sam Smith had a standout evening at the 2015 Grammy Awards, winning Best New Artist along with Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Stay With Me,” and Best Pop Vocal Album for In the Lonely Hour. Smith became only the third openly LGBTQ+ artist to win the Best New Artist category, following Boy George in 1984 and Tracy Chapman in 1989.
Dua Lipa (2019)
In 2019, Dua Lipa faced strong competition for the Best New Artist award from artists such as Chloe x Halle, Luke Combs, H.E.R., and Margo Price. Utilizing her platform, she addressed comments made by Recording Academy president Neil Portnow regarding women’s need to “step up” to secure major category wins. “I guess this year we’ve really stepped up,” she quipped while accepting the award.
Olivia Dean (2026)
In 2026, Olivia Dean became the tenth British-born artist to receive the Best New Artist Grammy. Unlike many previous winners, this was Dean’s only award of the night. With a favorable eligibility window, her breakthrough LP The Art of Loving and the hit single “Man I Need” may also receive nominations in 2027. This Grammy victory marks a significant milestone in Dean’s career as she embarks on a new journey as an award-winning artist.
