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The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 to the composer (not the performer) of the song in question. It is almost always the case that one or more recordings are nominated for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year, and one recording may be awarded both awards. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for music released in the previous year.
Unlike Record of the Year, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year goes to the composer(s) of the song.
| Year |
Winner |
Nominations |
| 2008 |
Amy Winehouse for Rehab* performed by Amy Winehouse |
Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins for Before He Cheats performed by Carrie Underwood; Tom Higginson for Hey There Delilah performed by Plain White T's; Corinne Bailey Rae for Like a Star performed by Corinne Bailey Rae; Jay-Z, Kuk Harrell, Terius "Dream" Nash & Christopher Stewart for Umbrella performed by Rihanna & Jay-Z |
| 2007 |
Dan Wilson, Emily Robison, Martie Maguire & Natalie Maines for Not Ready to Make Nice* performed by Dixie Chicks |
Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry for Be Without You performed by Mary J. Blige; James Blunt, Amanda Ghost & Sacha Skarbek for You're Beautiful performed by James Blunt; John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou & Corinne Bailey Rae for Put Your Records On performed by Corinne Bailey Rae; Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson for "Jesus, Take the Wheel" performed by Carrie Underwood |
| 2006 |
U2 for Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own performed by U2 |
Johnta Austin, Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Jr., Darnell Bristol, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Sid Johnson, Patrick Moten, Sandra Sully & Bobby Womack for We Belong Together performed by Mariah Carey; Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna & Marcus Hummon for Bless the Broken Road performed by Rascal Flatts; Bruce Springsteen for Devils & Dust performed by Bruce Springsteen; William Adams & John Legend for Ordinary People performed by John Legend |
| 2005 |
John Mayer for Daughters performed by John Mayer |
Alicia Keys for If I Ain't Got You performed by Alicia Keys, Che Smith & Kanye West for Jesus Walks performed by Kanye West, Tim Nichols & Craig Wiseman for Live Like You Were Dying performed by Tim McGraw, Daniel Estrin & Douglas Robb for The Reason performed by Hoobastank |
| 2004 |
Richard Marx & Luther Vandross for Dance with My Father performed by Luther Vandross |
Linda Perry for Beautiful performed by Christina Aguilera; Avril Lavigne & The Matrix for I'm with You performed by Avril Lavigne; [Jorge Calderón & Warren Zevon for Keep Me In Your Heart performed by Warren Zevon; Jeff Bass, Luis Resto & Marshal Mathers for Lose Yourself performed by Eminem |
| 2003 |
Jesse Harris for Don't Know Why* performed by Norah Jones |
Vanessa Carlton for A Thousand Miles performed by Vanessa Carlton, Avril Lavigne & The Matrix for Complicated performed by Avril Lavigne, Bruce Springsteen for The Rising performed by Bruce Springsteen, Alan Jackson for Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) performed by Alan Jackson |
| 2002 |
Alicia Keys for Fallin' performed by Alicia Keys |
India.Arie, Carlos "Six July" Broady & Shannon Sanders for Video performed by India.Arie; Charlie Colon, Rob Hotchkiss, Patrick Monahan, Jimmy Stafford & Scott Underwood for Drops of Jupiter performed by Train; U2 for Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of performed by U2; Nelly Furtado for I'm Like a Bird performed by Nelly Furtado |
| 2001 |
U2 for Beautiful Day* performed by U2 |
LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Beyoncé Knowles, LeToya Luckett, LaTavia Roberson & Kelly Rowland for Say My Name performed by Destiny's Child; Macy Gray, Jinsoo Lim, Jeremy Ruzumna & David Wilder for I Try performed by Macy Gray; Stephanie Bentley & Holly Lamar for Breathe; Mark Sanders & Tia Sillers for I Hope You Dance performed by Lee Ann Womack |
| 2000 |
Itaal Shur & Rob Thomas for Smooth* performed by Santana featuring Rob Thomas |
Andreas Carlsson & Max Martin for I Want It That Way performed by Backstreet Boys, Desmond Child & Robi Rosa for Livin' la Vida Loca performed by Ricky Martin, Dallas Austin & Tionne Watkins for Unpretty performed by TLC, Robert Lange & Shania Twain for You've Got a Way performed by Shania Twain |
| Year |
Winner |
Nominations |
| 1999 |
James Horner & Will Jennings for My Heart Will Go On* performed by Celine Dion |
Diane Warren for I Don't Want to Miss a Thing performed by Aerosmith, John Rzeznik for Iris performed by The Goo Goo Dolls, Kirk Franklin for Lean on Me performed by Kirk Franklin, Robert Lange & Shania Twain for You're Still the One performed by Shania Twain |
| 1998 |
Shawn Colvin & John Leventhal for Sunny Came Home* performed by Shawn Colvin |
Eric Stefani & Gwen Stefani for Don't Speak performed by No Doubt, Diane Warren for How Do I Live versions performed by LeAnn Rimes & Trisha Yearwood, Paula Cole for Where Have All the Cowboys Gone performed by Paula Cole, R. Kelly for I Believe I Can Fly performed by R. Kelly |
| 1997 |
Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick & Tommy Sims for Change the World* performed by Eric Clapton |
Tracy Chapman for Give Me One Reason performed by Tracy Chapman, Diane Warren for Because You Loved Me performed by Celine Dion, Bill Mack for Blue performed by LeAnn Rimes, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds for Exhale (Shoop Shoop) performed by Whitney Houston |
| 1996 |
Seal for Kiss from a Rose* performed by Seal |
Eric Bazilian for One of Us performed by Joan Osborne; Maribeth Derry, Sam Diamond & Jennifer Kimball for I Can Love You Like That performed by All-4-One; R. Kelly for You Are Not Alone performed by Michael Jackson; Glen Ballard & Alanis Morissette for You Oughta Know performed by Alanis Morissette |
| 1995 |
Bruce Springsteen for Streets of Philadelphia performed by Bruce Springsteen |
David Baerwald, Bill Bottrell, Wynn Cooper, Sheryl Crow & Kevin Gilbert for All I Wanna Do performed by Sheryl Crow; Elton John & Tim Rice for Can You Feel the Love Tonight performed by Elton John; Elton John & Tim Rice for Circle of Life performed by Elton John; Gary Baker & Frank Myers for I Swear versions performed by John Michael Montgomery & All-4-One |
| 1994 |
Alan Menken & Tim Rice for A Whole New World performed by Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle |
Billy Joel for The River of Dreams performed by Billy Joel, Jim Steinman for I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) performed by Meat Loaf, Sting for If I Ever Lose My Faith in You performed by Sting, Neil Young for Harvest Moon performed by Neil Young |
| 1993 |
Eric Clapton for Tears in Heaven* performed by Eric Clapton |
Don Von Tress for Achy Breaky Heart performed by Billy Ray Cyrus; Alan Menken & Howard Ashman for Beauty and the Beast performed by Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson; k.d. lang & Ben Mink for Constant Craving performed by k.d. lang; Wendy Waldman, Jon Lind & Phil Galdston for Save the Best for Last performed by Vanessa Williams |
| 1992 |
Irving Gordon for Unforgettable* performed by Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole |
Bryan Adams, Robert Lange & Michael Kamen for (Everything I Do) I Do It for You performed by Bryan Adams; Amy Grant & Keith Thomas for Baby Baby performed by Amy Grant; Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills & Michael Stipe for Losing My Religion performed by R.E.M.; Marc Cohn for Walking in Memphis performed by Marc Cohn |
| 1991 |
Julie Gold for From a Distance performed by Bette Midler |
Mariah Carey & Ben Margulies for Vision of Love performed by Mariah Carey; Phil Collins for Another Day in Paradise performed by Phil Collins; Prince for Nothing Compares 2 U performed by Sinéad O'Connor; Chynna Phillips, Glen Ballard & Carnie Wilson for Hold On performed by Wilson Phillips |
| 1990 |
Larry Henley & Jeff Silbar for Wind Beneath My Wings* performed by Bette Midler |
Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil & Tom Snow for Don't Know Much performed by Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville; Don Henley & Bruce Hornsby for The End of the Innocence performed by Don Henley; Billy Joel for We Didn't Start the Fire performed by Billy Joel; Mike Rutherford & B. A. Robertson for The Living Years performed by Mike + The Mechanics |
| Year |
Winner |
Nominations |
| 1989 |
Bobby McFerrin for Don't Worry, Be Happy* performed by Bobby McFerrin |
Anita Baker, Skip Scarborough & Randy Holland for Giving You the Best That I Got performed by Anita Baker; Tracy Chapman for Fast Car performed by Tracy Chapman; Sting for Be Still My Beating Heart performed by Sting; Brenda Russell, Jeff Hall & Scott Cutler for Piano in the Dark performed by Brenda Russell |
| 1988 |
James Horner & Barry Mann for Somewhere Out There performed by Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram |
Ritchie Valens for La Bamba performed by Los Lobos, U2 for I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For performed by U2, Suzanne Vega for Luka performed by Suzanne Vega, Michael Masser & Will Jennings for Didn't We Almost Have It All performed by Whitney Houston |
| 1987 |
Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager for That's What Friends Are For performed by Dionne Warwick & Friends |
Peter Gabriel for Sledgehammer performed by Peter Gabriel, Robert Palmer for Addicted to Love performed by Robert Palmer, Steve Winwood & Will Jennings for Higher Love performed by Steve Winwood, Paul Simon for Graceland performed by Paul Simon |
| 1986 |
Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie for We Are the World* performed by USA for Africa |
Mark Knopfler & Sting for Money for Nothing performed by Dire Straits, Don Henley & Mike Campbell for The Boys of Summer performed by Don Henley, Daryl Hall for Everytime You Go Away performed by Paul Young, Mick Jones for I Want to Know What Love Is performed by Foreigner |
| 1985 |
Graham Lyle & Terry Britten for What's Love Got to Do with It* performed by Tina Turner |
Phil Collins for Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) performed by Phil Collins, Lionel Richie for Hello performed by Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder for I Just Called to Say I Love You performed by Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman for Time after Time performed by Cyndi Lauper |
| 1984 |
Sting for Every Breath You Take performed by The Police |
Lionel Richie for All Night Long (All Night) performed by Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson for Beat It performed by Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson for Billie Jean performed by Michael Jackson, Michael Sembello & Dennis Matkosky for Maniac performed by Michael Sembello |
| 1983 |
Johnny Christopher, Mark James & Wayne Thompson for Always on My Mind performed by Willie Nelson |
Paul McCartney for Ebony and Ivory performed by Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder, David Paich for Rosanna performed by Toto, Frankie Sullivan & Jim Peternik for Eye of the Tiger performed by Survivor, Donald Fagen for IGY (What a Beautiful World) performed by Donald Fagen |
| 1982 |
Donna Weiss & Jackie DeShannon for Bette Davis Eyes* performed by Kim Carnes |
Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager & Christopher Cross for Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) performed by Christopher Cross; Lionel Richie for Endless Love performed by Lionel Richie; Bill Withers, William Salter & Ralph McDonald for Just the Two of Us performed by Bill Withers & Grover Washington, Jr.; Dolly Parton for 9 to 5 performed by Dolly Parton |
| 1981 |
Christopher Cross for Sailing* performed by Christopher Cross |
Michael Gore & Dean Pitchford for Fame performed by Amanda McBroom for The Rose performed by Bette Midler, Lionel Richie for Lady performed by Kenny Rogers, John Kander & Fred Ebb for Theme from New York, New York performed by Frank Sinatra, Barry Gibb & Robin Gibb for Woman in Love performed by Barbra Streisand |
| 1980 |
Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald for What a Fool Believes* performed by The Doobie Brothers |
David Foster, Jay Graydon & Bill Champlin for After the Love Has Gone performed by Earth, Wind & Fire; Rickie Lee Jones for Chuck E.'s in Love performed by Rickie Lee Jones; Billy Joel for Honesty performed by Billy Joel; Dino Fekaris & Freddie Perren for I Will Survive performed by Gloria Gaynor; Lester Abrams & Michael McDonald for Minute by Minute performed by The Doobie Brothers; Dino Fekaris & Freddie Perren for Reunited performed by Peaches & Herb; Steve Gibb for She Believes in Me performed by Kenny Rogers |
| Year |
Winner |
Nominations |
| 1979 |
Billy Joel for Just the Way You Are* performed by Billy Joel |
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb & Maurice Gibb for Stayin' Alive performed by Bee Gees; Lionel Richie for Three Times a Lady performed by the Commodores; Neil Diamond, Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman for You Don't Bring Me Flowers performed by Neil Diamond & Barbara Streisand; Randy Goodrum for You Needed Me performed by Anne Murray |
| 1978 |
Barbra Streisand & Paul Williams for Love Theme from A Star Is Born (Evergreen) performed by Barbra Streisand
Joe Brooks for You Light Up My Life performed by Debby Boone
|
Richard Leigh for Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue performed by Crystal Gayle; Don Felder, Don Henley & Glenn Frey for Hotel California performed by the Eagles; Marvin Hamlisch & Carole Bayer Sager for Nobody Does It Better performed by Carly Simon; Allen Toussaint for Southern Nights performed by Glen Campbell |
| 1977 |
Bruce Johnston for I Write the Songs performed by Barry Manilow |
Bill Danoff for Afternoon Delight performed by Starland Vocal Band, Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield for Breaking Up Is Hard to Do performed by Neil Sedaka, Leon Russell for This Masquerade performed by George Benson, Gordon Lightfoot for The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald performed by Gordon Lightfoot |
| 1976 |
Stephen Sondheim for Send in the Clowns performed by Judy Collins |
Janis Ian for At Seventeen performed by Janis Ian, Morris Albert for Feelings performed by Morris Albert, Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield for Love Will Keep Us Together performed by Captain & Tennille, Larry Weiss for Rhinestone Cowboy performed by Glen Campbell |
| 1975 |
Marilyn Bergman, Alan Bergman & Marvin Hamlisch for The Way We Were performed by Barbara Streisand |
Gene McDaniels for Feel Like Makin' Love performed by Roberta Flack, Jeff Barry & Peter Allen for I Honestly Love You performed by Olivia Newton-John, David Nichtern for Midnight at the Oasis performed by Maria Muldaur, Paul Williams & Ken Ascher for You and Me Against the World performed by Helen Reddy |
| 1974 |
Norman Gimbel & Charles Fox for Killing Me Softly with His Song* performed by Roberta Flack |
Kenny O'Dell for Behind Closed Doors performed by Charlie Rich, Stevie Wonder for You Are the Sunshine of My Life performed by Stevie Wonder, Irwin Levine & L. Russell Brown for Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree performed by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando |
| 1973 |
Ewan MacColl for The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face* performed by Roberta Flack |
Gilbert O'Sullivan for Alone Again (Naturally) performed by Gilbert O'Sullivan, Don McLean for American Pie performed by Don McLean, Neil Diamond for Song Sung Blue performed by Neil Diamond, Marilyn Bergman, Alan Bergman & Michel Legrand for The Summer Knows performed by Michel Legrand |
| 1972 |
Carole King for You've Got a Friend performed by James Taylor |
Kris Kristofferson for Help Me Make It Through the Night performed by Kris Kristofferson; Sid Wayne & Armando Manzanero for It's Impossible performed by Perry Como; Kris Kristofferson & Fred Foster for Me and Bobby McGee performed by Janis Joplin; Joe South for (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden performed by Lynn Anderson |
| 1971 |
Paul Simon for Bridge over Troubled Water* performed by Simon and Garfunkel |
Ray Stevens for Everything Is Beautiful performed by Ray Stevens, James Taylor for Fire and Rain performed by James Taylor, John Lennon & Paul McCartney for Let it Be performed by The Beatles, Roger Nichols & Paul Williams for We've Only Just Begun performed by The Carpenters |
| 1970 |
Joe South for Games People Play performed by Joe South |
Larry Kusik, Eddie Snyder & Nino Rota for A Time For Us performed by Henry Mancini; David Clayton-Thomas for Spinning Wheel performed by Blood, Sweat & Tears; Burt Bacharach & Hal David for I'll Never Fall in Love Again performed by Dionne Warwick; Burt Bacharach & Hal David for Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head performed by B.J. Thomas |
| Year |
Winner |
Nominations |
| 1969 |
Bobby Russell for Little Green Apples performed by O. C. Smith |
Tom T. Hall for Harper Valley PTA performed by Jeannie C. Riley, John Lennon & Paul McCartney for Hey Jude performed by The Beatles, Bobby Russell for Honey performed by Bobby Goldsboro, Paul Simon for Mrs. Robinson performed by Simon and Garfunkel |
| 1968 |
Jimmy Webb for Up, Up and Away* performed by The Fifth Dimension |
Jimmy Webb for By the Time I Get to Phoenix performed by Glen Campbell, Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt for My Cup Runneth Over performed by Ed Ames, Bobbie Gentry for Ode to Billie Joe performed by Bobbie Gentry, John Hartford for Gentle on My Mind performed by Glen Campbell |
| 1967 |
John Lennon & Paul McCartney for Michelle performed by The Beatles |
John Barry & Don Black for Born Free performed by Andy Williams; Mitch Leigh & Joe Darion for The Impossible Dream (The Quest) performed by Richard Kiley; Paul Francis Webster & Maurice Jarre for Somewhere, My Love performed by Ray Conniff; Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton & Eddie Snyder for Strangers in the Night performed by Frank Sinatra |
| 1966 |
Paul Francis Webster & Johnny Mandel for The Shadow of Your Smile performed by Tony Bennett |
Michel Legrand, Norman Gimbel & Jacques Demy for I Will Wait for You performed by Connie Francis; Jimmy Van Heusen & Sammy Cahn for The September of My Years performed by Frank Sinatra; John Lennon & Paul McCartney for Yesterday performed by The Beatles; Roger Miller for King of the Road performed by Roger Miller |
| 1965 |
Jerry Herman for Hello, Dolly! performed by Louis Armstrong |
John Lennon & Paul McCartney for A Hard Day's Night performed by The Beatles; Henry Mancini, Ray Evans & Jay Livingston for Dear Heart performed by Andy Williams; Jule Styne & Bob Merrill for People performed by Barbra Streisand; Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley for Who Can I Turn To? performed by Tony Bennett |
| 1964 |
Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini for Days of Wine and Roses* performed by Henry Mancini |
Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen for Call Me Irresponsible performed by Frank Sinatra, Sacha Distel & Jack Reardon for The Good Life performed by Tony Bennett, Sadie Vimmerstedt & Johnny Mercer for I Wanna Be Around performed by Tony Bennett, Burt Bacharach & Hal David for Wives and Lovers performed by Jack Jones |
| 1963 |
Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley for What Kind of Fool am I performed by Sammy Davis, Jr. |
Lionel Bart for As Long as He Needs Me performed by Shirley Bassey, Douglas Cross & George Cory for I Left My Heart in San Francisco performed by Tony Bennett, John Kander & Fred Ebb for My Coloring Book performed by Sandy Stewart, Richard Rodgers for The Sweetest Sounds performed by Various Artists |
| 1962 |
Henry Mancini for Moon River* performed by Henry Mancini |
Jimmy Dean for Big Bad John performed by Jimmy Dean; Hank Cochran for A Little Bitty Tear performed by Burl Ives; Tony Velona for Lollipops and Roses performed by Jack Jones; Jule Styne, Betty Comden & Adolph Green for Make Someone Happy performed by Various Artists |
| 1961 |
Ernest Gold for Theme from Exodus performed by Various Artists |
Charles Randolph Grean, Joe Allison & Audrey Allison for He'll Have to Go performed by Jim Reeves; Lew Spence, Marily Keith & Alan Bergman for Nice 'n' Easy performed by Frank Sinatra; Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen for Second Time Around performed by Andy Williams; Max Steiner for Theme from A Summer Place performed by Percy Faith |
| 1960 |
Jimmy Driftwood for The Battle of New Orleans performed by John Horton |
Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen for High Hopes performed by Frank Sinatra, Karl Stutz & Edith Linderman for I Know performed by Perry Como, Paul Francis Webster & André Previn for Like Young performed by André Previn, Jule Styne & Stephen Sondheim for Small World performed by Johnny Mathis |
*indicates this recording also won Record of the Year.
[edit] Confusion
Every year produces much confusion between the Grammy categories, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. Record of the Year is awarded for a single or for one track from an album. This award goes to the performing artist and the producer, recording engineer, and/or mixer for that song. Song of the Year is also awarded for a single or individual track, but the recipient of this award is the songwriter who actually created the song in the first place. Album of the Year is awarded for a whole album, and the award is presented to the artist, producer, and recording engineer for that album.
