The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album, not to the performer(s), unless the performer is also the art director.
The category dates back to 1974, when the name of the award was Best Album Package. It evolved from the Best Album Cover category, which was retired in 1973 and not revived until 2026. The Best Album Package category was renamed again in 1994 to Best Recording Package.
In 1995, boxed sets were no longer eligible, as they were split off into a separate award, currently known as the Grammy Award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package.
Winners and nominees 1970s Year Work Art Director(s) Performing artist(s) 1974 Tommy Wilkes and Braun London Symphony Orchestra/Chamber Choir Billion Dollar Babies Pacific Eye and Ear Alice Cooper Chicago VI John Berg Chicago Chubby Checker's Greatest Hits Al Steckler Chubby Checker Houses of the Holy Hipgnosis Led Zeppelin Los Cochinos Ode Visuals, Inc. Cheech & Chong Ooh La La Jim Ladwig Faces The World of Ike and Tina Mike Salisbury Ike and Tina Turner 1975 Come and Gone Ed Thrasher and Christopher Whorf Mason Proffit Cheech and Chong's Wedding Album Ode Visuals, Inc. Cheech & Chong Is It In Bob Defrin and Basil Pao Eddie Harris On Stage Ron Coro Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina Quadrophenia Ethan A. Russell The Who Ride 'Em Cowboy Eddie Briscoe Paul B. Davis Santana's Greatest Hits John Berg Santana That's a Plenty Herb Greene The Pointer Sisters 1976 Honey Jim Ladwig Ohio Players Atlantic Crossing John Kosh Rod Stewart Dream William E. McEuen Nitty Gritty Dirt Band One of These Nights Gary Burden Eagles Physical Graffiti AGI Led Zeppelin Playing Possum Glen Christensen Carly Simon Solo Piano Bob Defrin Phineas Newborn Jr. Steppin' Mick Haggerty The Pointer Sisters Wish You Were Here Hipgnosis Pink Floyd 1977 Chicago X John Berg Chicago Bellavia Roland Young Chuck Mangione Coney Island Baby Acy Lehman Lou Reed The End of the Beginning Roland Young Richie Havens Mirrors Peggy Lee Presence Hipgnosis and Hardie Led Zeppelin Schumann: Symphony No. 1 in B Flat, Op. 38/Manfred: Overture, Op. 115 Joseph Stelmach Charles Münch conducting Boston Symphony Orchestra Silk Degrees Ron Coro and Nancy Donald Boz Scaggs 1978 Simple Dreams John Kosh Linda Ronstadt Color as a Way of Life Bob Defrin and Abie Sussman Lou Donaldson Ginseng Woman Paula Scher Eric Gale Hejira Glen Christensen Joni Mitchell Love Notes John Berg Ramsey Lewis Singin''' | John Kosh | Melissa Manchester |- | Wings over America| Hipgnosis | Paul McCartney and Wings |- | Yardbirds Favorites| Paula Scher | The Yardbirds |- | rowspan="9" style="text-align: center;" | 1979 |- style="background:#FAEB86;" | Boys in the Trees| Tony Lane and Johnny B. Lee | Carly Simon |- | Bruce Roberts| Tony Lane | Bruce Roberts |- | The Cars| Ron Coro | The Cars |- | Children of Sanchez| Junie Osaki | Chuck Mangione |- | Heads| John Berg and Paula Scher | Bob James |- | Last Kiss| Tim Bryant | Fandango |- | Non-Fiction| Barbara Wojirsch | Steve Kuhn |- | Out of the Woods'' Ron Coro and Johnny B. Lee Oregon
1980s Year Work Art Director(s) Performing artist(s) 1980 Breakfast in America Mike Doud and Mick Haggerty Supertramp Chicago 13 Tony Lane Chicago Fear of Music John Gillespie Talking Heads In Through the Out Door Aubrey Powell Led Zeppelin Look Sharp! Michael Ross Joe Jackson Morning Dance Peter Corriston Spyro Gyra Near Perfect/Perfect Ron Coro and Johnny B. Lee Martin Mull Ramsey John Berg Ramsey Lewis With Sound Reason Lynne Dresse Breslin Sonny Fortune 1981 Against the Wind Roy Kohara Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Cats Ron Coro and Johnny B. Lee Various Artists Chicago XIV John Berg Chicago One on One Paula Scher Bob James and Earl Klugh Tusk Nahas Vigon Fleetwood Mac 1982 Tattoo You Peter Corriston The Rolling Stones Eagles Live John Kosh Eagles Positive Touch Bush Hollyhead The Undertones Social Studies Carla Bley and Paul McDonough Carla Bley Working Class Dog Mike Doud Rick Springfield 1983 Get Closer John Kosh and Ron Larson Linda Ronstadt Nothing to Fear Jules Bates Oingo Boingo Ongaku-Kai Live in Japan George Osaki The Crusaders Vacation Ginger Canzoneri and Mick Haggerty The Go-Go's We Are One Ron Coro and Denise Minobe Pieces of a Dream 1984 Speaking in Tongues Robert Rauschenberg Talking Heads The Key Michael Ross Joan Armatrading Nothing But the Truth Richard Seireeni Mac McAnally One Night with a Stranger Bill Levy and Murry Whiteman Martin Briley Records Lynn Dreese Breslin and Bob Defrin Foreigner 1985 She's So Unusual Janet Perr Cyndi Lauper Bewitched Michael Ross and Andy Summers Andy Summers and Robert Fripp Every Man Has a Woman Bill Levy John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Eddie Money, Rosanne Cash and Others No Brakes Henry Marquez John Waite Willie Nelson Bill Johnson, Jeff Morris and Virginia Team Willie Nelson 1986 Lush Life John Kosh and Ron Larson Linda Ronstadt Hunting High and Low Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff and Jeri McManus a-ha In Square Circle Rene Hardaway and Johnny B. Lee Stevie Wonder Highwayman Virginia Team The Highwaymen Dangerous Moments Bill Levy, Stan Watts and Murry Whiteman Martin Briley 1987 Tutu Eiko Ishioka Miles Davis Songs Unspoken Buddy Jackson Douglas Trowbridge Stereotomy Colin Chambers and Andrew Ellis The Alan Parsons Project True Stories Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff and Michael Hodgson Talking Heads The Voice: The Columbia Years 1943–1952 John Berg Frank Sinatra 1988 King's Record Shop Bill Johnson Rosanne Cash Document Ron Scarselli R.E.M. Duke Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Band Joseph Stelmach Duke Ellington Echelons Bruce Licher For Against Shaka Zulu Peter Barrett Ladysmith Black Mambazo 1989 Tired of the Runnin' Bill Johnson The O'Kanes Bête Noire Bryan Ferry and Andrew Reid Bryan Ferry Brian Wilson Jeri Heiden Brian Wilson Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart Bruce Licher Camper Van Beethoven Picture This Henry Marquez The Valentine Brothers
1990s Year Work Art Director(s) Performing artist(s) 1990 Sound + Vision Roger Gorman David Bowie Batman (Limited Edition) Tom Recchion Prince Foreign Affair (Special Limited Edition) Bill Burks and Tommy Steele Tina Turner Monster Tommy Steele Fetchin Bones World in Motion Jimmy Wachtel Jackson Browne 1991 Days of Open Hand Jeff Gold, Len Peltier and Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega Compositions (Special Edition Blue Binder Cover) Anita Baker, Carol Bobolts and Jim Ladwig Anita Baker Behind the Mask Jeri Heiden Fleetwood Mac Bossanova Vaughan Oliver Pixies Songs for Drella (Special Edition Black Velvet) Tom Recchion Lou Reed and John Cale 1992 Billie Holiday: The Complete Decca Recordings Vartan Billie Holiday Beat the Boots (Limited Edition Box Set) Geoff Gans Frank Zappa Just for the Record Gabrielle Raumberger Barbra Streisand Mighty Like a Rose (Special Package) Steven Baker and Dirk Walter Elvis Costello Recycler (Special Package) Kim Champagne and Jeff Gold ZZ Top 1993 Spellbound (Compact) Melanie Nissen Paula Abdul Len Peltier Suzanne Vega Elvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll — The Complete 50's Masters Ria Lewerke and Norman Moore Elvis Presley Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings Geoff Gans Aretha Franklin Too Legit to Quit (Special Package) Tommy Steele and Stephen Walker MC Hammer 1994 David Lau Billie Holiday 14 Songs Kim Champagne and Jeff Gold Paul Westerberg Automatic for the People (2nd Set) Jeff Gold, Jim Ladwig, Tom Recchion and Michael Stipe R.E.M. Live and Loud David Coleman Ozzy Osbourne Shine On Storm Thorgerson Pink Floyd 1995 Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys Buddy Jackson Asleep at the Wheel Boingo Deborah Norcross Oingo Boingo Jar of Flies Mary Maurer Alice in Chains Secret World Live Michael Coulson and Martha Ladly Peter Gabriel Very Relentless Mark Farrow, Pet Shop Boys and Daniel Weil Pet Shop Boys 1996 Turbulent Indigo Robbie Cavolina and Joni Mitchell Joni Mitchell Mirror Ball Gary Burden Neil Young Mountains of Madness Stefan Sagmeister H.P. Zinker This Is Fort Apache Tim Stedman Various Artists Vitalogy Joel Zimmerman Pearl Jam 1997 Ultra-Lounge (Leopard Skin Sampler) Andy Engel and Tommy Steele Various Artists Ænima Adam Jones and Kevin Willis Tool East of the Sun: The West Coast Sessions Chika Azuma and Patricia Lie Stan Getz Miracle of Science Stefan Sagmeister Marshall Crenshaw Set the Twilight Reeling Lou Reed 1998 Titanic: Music as Heard on the Fateful Voyage Hugh Brown, Al Quattrocchi and Jeff Smith Various Artists Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon Stefan Sagmeister Skeleton Key Free Mars Paul D'Amour, Peter Grant and Stephanie Hughes Lusk Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! Johann Zambryski Enigma The Planet Sleeps Julian Peploe Various Artists 1999 Ray of Light Kevin Reagan Madonna Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Brad Benedict, Andy Engel and Scotty Morris Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Los Super Seven Gina R. Binkley and Susan Eaddy Los Super Seven Readings by Jack Kerouac on the Beat Generation Chika Azuma Jack Kerouac Yield Barry Ament, George Estrada, Pearl Jam and Coby Schultz Pearl Jam
2000s