When the Grammy nominations were announced last month, film composer John Williams was informed that he was up for two awards. The news was no doubt welcome, but probably not entirely unexpected. This is the 39th year that Williams has received at least one Grammy nom. And if you’re thinking that must be a record, you’re right.
Chick Corea, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Barbra Streisand, who are also high on the list of artists with the most years with at least one Grammy nom, were also nominated this year. You can call these artists Grammy perennials.
I like the concept for this list, which, to my knowledge, been never been compiled before, because it reflects consistent success over many years. Some artists pile up a lot of nominations in a relatively few years and are rarely nominated again. Those flame-outs aren’t on this list. These are the people who were in the game year after year after year.
Take a look at this complete list of all 22 artists who have been a Grammy nominee in 25 or more years.
1. John Williams, 39 years. The composer/conductor/pianist received his first Grammy nom in 1961. He’s nominated this year for best instrumental composition for “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite” and best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella for “Hedwig’s Theme.” (He created the music for a Star Wars-themed area at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.) Williams, 87, received a trustees award from the Recording Academy in 2018. (That’s the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award for people whose main contributions are behind-the-scenes.)
2. Chick Corea, 32 years. The jazz pianist/keyboardist and composer received his first two noms in 1973. He’s nominated this year for best Latin jazz album for Antidote, which he recorded with the Spanish Heart Band. Corea, 78, has yet to receive a lifetime achievement award. (What are they waiting for?)
2. Dolly Parton, 32 years. The country legend has been nominated in more years than any other vocalist, any other woman and any other country artist. She received her first nom in 1969 for a duet with Porter Wagoner. She’s nominated this year for best contemporary Christian music performance/song for “God Only Knows” (a collab with For King & Country) and best song written for visual media for “Girl in the Movies,” which she co-wrote with Linda Perry for the film Dumplin.’ Parton, 73, received a lifetime achievement award in 2011.
4. Paul McCartney, 31 years. The ex-Beatle‘s noms span the years 1964-2015. The Englishman, 77, received a lifetime achievement award in 1990.
4. George Solti, 31 years. The classical conductor’s noms spanned the years 1962-98. Solti, who was born in Hungary, won more Grammys (31) than anyone else, a record he holds to this day. He received a lifetime achievement award in 1996. He died the following year at age 84.
6. Emmylou Harris, 30 years. The country and bluegrass star’s noms span the years 1975-2015. Harris, 72, received a lifetime achievement award in 2018.
6. Jay David Saks, 30 years. The retired classical and cast album producer’s noms spanned the years 1976-2017. Saks has yet to receive a trustees award. Fun fact: Saks is the only person on this list who doesn’t have a Wikipedia page.
8. Aretha Franklin, 29 years. The Queen of Soul’s noms spanned the years 1967-2010. Franklin received a lifetime achievement award in 1994. She died in 2018 at age 76.
8. Quincy Jones, 29 years. The multi-hyphenate’s noms span the years 1960-2018. He has received 80 noms, more than anyone else in Grammy history. He has won 28 Grammys, more than any other living person. He is the only person to win at least one Grammy Award in six decades (in his case, the ’60s through the ’10s). Jones, 86, received a trustees award in 1989.
8. Willie Nelson, 29 years. The country legend received his first nom in 1974 for a duet with Tracy Nelson (no relation). He’s nominated this year for best country solo performance for “Ride Me Back Home.” Nelson, 86, received a lifetime achievement award in 2000.
11. Chet Atkins, 28 years. The country guitarist and record producer’s noms spanned the years 1963-97. Atkins received a lifetime achievement award in 1993. He died in 2001 at age 77.
11. James Mallinson, 28 years. The classical producer’s noms spanned the years 1971-2013. The Englishman died in 2018 at age 75. He has yet to receive a trustees award.
11. André Previn, 28 years. The pianist, composer, arranger and conductor’s noms spanned the years 1958 (the first year of the awards) through 2004. Previn, who was born in Berlin, received a lifetime achievement award in 2010. He died in February at age 89.
14. Pierre Boulez, 27 years. The classical composer/conductor’s noms spanned the years 1966-2010. Boulez, who was French, received a lifetime achievement award in 2015. He died the following year at age 90.
14. Vladimir Horowitz, 27 years. The classical pianist and composer’s noms spanned the years 1958-92. Horowitz, who was born in Kiev, died in 1989 at age 86. He received a lifetime achievement award posthumously the following year.
14. Barbra Streisand, 27 years. The legendary star received her first three noms in 1963. She’s nominated this year for best traditional pop vocal album for Walls. Streisand, 77, received a lifetime achievement award in 1995.
17. Leonard Bernstein, 26 years. The conductor, composer and pianist’s noms spanned the years 1958-92. Bernstein received a lifetime achievement award in 1985. He died five years later at age 72.
18. Bob Dylan, 25 years. The legendary singer/songwriter’s noms span the years 1962-2017. Dylan, 78, received a lifetime achievement award in 1991.
19. Steven Epstein, 25 years. The classical and Broadway cast album producer’s noms span the years 1980-2018. Epstein, 68, has yet to receive a trustees award.
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20. Al Schmitt, 25 years. The engineer and producer’s noms span the years 1961-2013. Schmitt, 89, received a trustees award in 1996.
21. Herbert von Karajan, 25 years. The classical conductor’s noms span the years 1960-89. The Austrian musician died in 1989 at age 81. He has yet to receive a trustees award.
22. Stevie Wonder, 25 years. The Motown legend’s noms span the years 1966-2009. Wonder is the only artist in Grammy history to win album of the year with three consecutive studio albums. He received a lifetime achievement award in 1996. At 69, Wonder is younger than any other artist who has been nominated in 25 or more years. He was just 16 when he received his first two nominations, for “Uptight (Everything’s Alright).”
Note: This counts only years in which the artists received Grammy nominations in competition—not honorary awards.