Bootleg Betty
The Grammys Are Tonight! An Overview Of Bette Midler & The Grammys
By Mister D
Feb. 1, 2026
Bette Midler has won 3 Grammy Awards and received 14–15 nominations (sources vary slightly on the exact count, with the official GRAMMY.com site listing 14 and Wikipedia detailing 15).
Her wins are:
- 1974 (16th Annual Grammy Awards): Best New Artist (for her debut album The Divine Miss M).
- 1981 (23rd Annual Grammy Awards): Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “The Rose” (from the film The Rose).
- 1990 (32nd Annual Grammy Awards): Record of the Year for “Wind Beneath My Wings” (from the Beaches soundtrack).
These are her most prominent and frequently highlighted achievements in Grammy history.
Here is a comprehensive list of her known Grammy nominations and wins (primarily drawn from Wikipedia’s detailed awards page, cross-referenced with GRAMMY.com and other sources; note that some early categories have slight naming variations, and one source mentions a possible additional win for a children’s recording that may not be officially counted in the core totals):
- 1974 (16th Annual): Best New Artist — Won.
- 1974 (16th Annual): Album of the Year — The Divine Miss M — Nominated.
- 1974 (16th Annual): Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” — Nominated.
- 1981 (23rd Annual): Record of the Year — “The Rose” — Nominated.
- 1981 (23rd Annual): Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — “The Rose” — Won.
- 1987 (29th Annual): Best Comedy Recording — Mud Will Be Flung Tonight — Nominated.
- 1990 (32nd Annual): Best Recording for Children — Oliver and Company (OST contribution) — Nominated.
- 1990 (32nd Annual): Record of the Year — “Wind Beneath My Wings” — Won.
- 1990 (32nd Annual): Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — “Wind Beneath My Wings” — Nominated.
- 1991 (33rd Annual): Record of the Year — “From a Distance” — Nominated.
- 1991 (33rd Annual): Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — “From a Distance” — Nominated.
- 2004 (46th Annual): Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album — Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook — Nominated.
- 2007 (49th Annual, often listed as 2007 ceremony): Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album — Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook — Nominated.
- 2008 (50th Annual): Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album — Cool Yule — Nominated.
- 2018 (60th Annual): Best Musical Theater Album — Hello, Dolly! (cast recording) — Nominated.
(Note: Some sources, like fan sites or partial lists, include a 1982 win for Best Recording for Children related to In Harmony/A Sesame Street Record, but this is not consistently reflected in official totals or major references, which stick to 3 wins.)
Her Grammy success spans pop vocals, record of the year, recognition as a new artist, comedy, children’s music, traditional pop, and even musical theater. The wins for “The Rose” and “Wind Beneath My Wings” were major hits that defined parts of her career. No new nominations or wins appear to have occurred since 2018 based on available data. For the most authoritative details, check the official GRAMMY.com artist page.
