The Grammy Award for Song of the Year is one of the most prestigious awards in the music industry, akin to a movie winning the Oscar for Best Picture. Song of the Year is one of just four Grammy Award categories in which different music genres compete against each other for one prize. The award will be presented at the 63st Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on March 14.
The award, which has been presented since 1959, is given only to the composer or composers of the song. This is not to be confused with Record of the Year, which is awarded to the performer and production team of the song. In the history of the Grammy Awards, 29 of the winning songs have also been chosen as Record of the Year. This year, eight songs were nominated for Song of the Year, up from five in previous years.
The history of Song of the Year reflects the evolution of music culture. Early Song of the Year winners were from motion pictures such as “The Theme from Exodus,” “Moon River” for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and “Hello, Dolly!” Rock ‘n’ roll would get recognized in the mid-’60s, when John Lennon and Paul McCartney would win for the ballad “Michelle.” Singer-songwriters Paul Simon and Carole King would be cited as the 1970s began, indicative of the shift in pop-culture music tastes. Songs from hip-hop artists such as Drake, who is also among the best-selling Grammy winners of all time.
In recognition of the music industry’s big night, 24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of every Song of the Year. (If there were a Gammy award for the best comeback, these artists would win it.)
Click here to read about every Song of the Year Since the Grammys started.
1959
> Song: Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)
> Artist: Domenico Modugno
> Songwriters: Domenico Modugno
> Weeks on Hot 100: 16
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1960
> Song: The Battle of New Orleans
> Artist: Jimmy Driftwood
> Songwriters: Jimmy Driftwood
> Weeks on Hot 100: 21
1961
> Song: Theme of Exodus
> Artist: Ernest Gold
> Songwriters: Ernest Gold
> Weeks on Hot 100: N/A
1962
> Song: Moon River
> Artist: Henry Mancini
> Songwriters: Henry Mancini
> Weeks on Hot 100: N/A
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1963
> Song: What Kind Of Fool Am I
> Artist: Sammy Davis, Jr.
> Songwriters: Anthony Newley
> Weeks on Hot 100: 15
1964
> Song: Days Of Wine And Roses
> Artist: Henry Mancini
> Songwriters: Henry Mancini
> Weeks on Hot 100: 18
1965
> Song: Hello, Dolly!
> Artist: Louis Armstrong
> Songwriters: Jerry Herman
> Weeks on Hot 100: 22
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1966
> Song: The Shadow Of Your Smile (Love Theme From “The Sandpiper”)
> Artist: Tony Bennett
> Songwriters: Johnny Mandel
> Weeks on Hot 100: 6
1967
> Song: Michelle
> Artist: The Beatles
> Songwriters: John Lennon
> Weeks on Hot 100: N/A
1968
> Song: Up, Up And Away
> Artist: 5th Dimension
> Songwriters: Jimmy L. Webb
> Weeks on Hot 100: 12
1969
> Song: Little Green Apples
> Artist: Roger Miller
> Songwriters: Bobby Russell
> Weeks on Hot 100: 11
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1970
> Song: Games People Play
> Artist: Joe South
> Songwriters: Joe South
> Weeks on Hot 100: 12
1971
> Song: Bridge Over Troubled Water
> Artist: Simon And Garfunkel
> Songwriters: Paul Simon
> Weeks on Hot 100: 14
1972
> Song: You’ve Got A Friend
> Artist: Carole King
> Songwriters: Carole King
> Weeks on Hot 100: N/A
1973
> Song: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
> Artist: Roberta Flack
> Songwriters: Ewan MacColl
> Weeks on Hot 100: 18
1974
> Song: Killing Me Softly With His Song
> Artist: Roberta Flack
> Songwriters: Charles Fox
> Weeks on Hot 100: 16
1975
> Song: The Way We Were
> Artist: Barbra Streisand
> Songwriters: Alan Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch, Marvin Hamlisch
> Weeks on Hot 100: 23
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1976
> Song: Send In The Clowns
> Artist: Judy Collins
> Songwriters: Stephen Sondheim
> Weeks on Hot 100: 27
1977
> Song: I Write The Songs
> Artist: Barry Manilow
> Songwriters: Bruce Johnston
> Weeks on Hot 100: 20
1978
> Song: Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen)
> Artist: Barbra Streisand
> Songwriters: Barbra Streisand
> Weeks on Hot 100: 25
1978
> Song: You Light Up My Life
> Artist: Debby Boone
> Songwriters: Joe Brooks
> Weeks on Hot 100: 25
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1979
> Song: Just The Way You Are
> Artist: Billy Joel
> Songwriters: Billy Joel
> Weeks on Hot 100: 27
1980
> Song: What A Fool Believes
> Artist: The Doobie Brothers
> Songwriters: Kenny Loggins
> Weeks on Hot 100: 20
1981
> Song: Sailing
> Artist: Christopher Cross
> Songwriters: Christopher Cross
> Weeks on Hot 100: 21
1982
> Song: Bette Davis Eyes
> Artist: Kim Carnes
> Songwriters: Donna Weiss
> Weeks on Hot 100: 26
1983
> Song: Always On My Mind
> Artist: Willie Nelson
> Songwriters: Johnny Christopher, Wayne Carson, Wayne Carson
> Weeks on Hot 100: 23
1984
> Song: Every Breath You Take
> Artist: The Police
> Songwriters: Sting
> Weeks on Hot 100: 22
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1985
> Song: What’s Love Got To Do With It
> Artist: Tina Turner
> Songwriters: Graham Lyle
> Weeks on Hot 100: 28
1986
> Song: We Are The World
> Artist: USA For Africa – Various Artists
> Songwriters: Lionel Richie
> Weeks on Hot 100: 18
1987
> Song: That’s What Friends Are For
> Artist: Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder
> Songwriters: Burt Bacharach
> Weeks on Hot 100: 23
1988
> Song: Somewhere Out There
> Artist: Linda Ronstadt, James Ingram
> Songwriters: Barry Mann, James Horner, James Horner
> Weeks on Hot 100: 22
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1989
> Song: Don’t Worry Be Happy
> Artist: Bobby McFerrin
> Songwriters: Bobby McFerrin
> Weeks on Hot 100: 26
1990
> Song: Wind Beneath My Wings
> Artist: Bette Midler
> Songwriters: Jeff Silbar
> Weeks on Hot 100: 29
1991
> Song: From A Distance
> Artist: Bette Midler
> Songwriters: Julie Gold
> Weeks on Hot 100: 26
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1992
> Song: Unforgettable
> Artist: Natalie Cole [With Nat “King” Cole]
> Songwriters: Irving Gordon
> Weeks on Hot 100: 17
1993
> Song: Tears In Heaven
> Artist: Eric Clapton
> Songwriters: Eric Clapton
> Weeks on Hot 100: 26
1994
> Song: A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme)
> Artist: Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle
> Songwriters: Alan Menken
> Weeks on Hot 100: 23
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1995
> Song: Streets Of Philadelphia
> Artist: Bruce Springsteen
> Songwriters: Bruce Springsteen
> Weeks on Hot 100: 7
1996
> Song: Kiss From A Rose
> Artist: Seal
> Songwriters: Seal
> Weeks on Hot 100: 36
1997
> Song: Change The World
> Artist: Eric Clapton
> Songwriters: Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Wayne Kirkpatrick
> Weeks on Hot 100: 43
1998
> Song: Sunny Came Home
> Artist: Shawn Colvin
> Songwriters: John Leventhal
> Weeks on Hot 100: 32
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1999
> Song: My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme From Titanic)
> Artist: Celine Dion
> Songwriters: James Horner
> Weeks on Hot 100: 20
2000
> Song: Smooth
> Artist: Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
> Songwriters: Itaal Shur
> Weeks on Hot 100: 58
2001
> Song: Beautiful Day
> Artist: U2
> Songwriters: U2
> Weeks on Hot 100: 25
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2002
> Song: Fallin’
> Artist: Alicia Keys
> Songwriters: Alicia Keys
> Weeks on Hot 100: 29
2003
> Song: Don’t Know Why
> Artist: Norah Jones
> Songwriters: Jesse Harris
> Weeks on Hot 100: 6
2004
> Song: Dance With My Father
> Artist: Luther Vandross
> Songwriters: Luther Vandross
> Weeks on Hot 100: 4
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2005
> Song: Daughters
> Artist: John Mayer
> Songwriters: John Mayer
> Weeks on Hot 100: 17
2006
> Song: Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own
> Artist: U2
> Songwriters: U2
> Weeks on Hot 100: 3
2007
> Song: Not Ready To Make Nice
> Artist: Dixie Chicks
> Songwriters: Dan Wilson, Martie Maguire, Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines
> Weeks on Hot 100: 24
2008
> Song: Rehab
> Artist: Amy Winehouse
> Songwriters: Amy Winehouse
> Weeks on Hot 100: 20
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2009
> Song: Viva La Vida
> Artist: Coldplay
> Songwriters: Coldplay
> Weeks on Hot 100: 51
2010
> Song: Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
> Artist: Beyonce
> Songwriters: Thaddis Harrell, Terius Nash, Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart
> Weeks on Hot 100: 27
2011
> Song: Need You Now
> Artist: Lady Antebellum
> Songwriters: Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott
> Weeks on Hot 100: 60
2012
> Song: Rolling In The Deep
> Artist: Adele
> Songwriters: Adele Adkins
> Weeks on Hot 100: 65
2013
> Song: We Are Young
> Artist: Fun. Featuring Janelle Monáe
> Songwriters: Jack Antonoff, Andrew Dost, Andrew Dost, Nate Ruess
> Weeks on Hot 100: 42
2014
> Song: Royals
> Artist: Lorde
> Songwriters: Joel Little
> Weeks on Hot 100: 44
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2015
> Song: Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)
> Artist: Sam Smith
> Songwriters: James Napier, Sam Smith
> Weeks on Hot 100: 54
2016
> Song: Thinking Out Loud
> Artist: Ed Sheeran
> Songwriters: Ed Sheeran
> Weeks on Hot 100: 58
2017
> Song: Hello
> Artist: Adele
> Songwriters: Adele Adkins
> Weeks on Hot 100: 26
2018
> Song: That’s What I Like
> Artist: Bruno Mars
> Songwriters: Christopher Brody Brown, Philip Lawrence, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus, Jonathan Yip
> Weeks on Hot 100: 52
2019
> Song: This Is America
> Artist: Childish Gambino
> Songwriters: Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson
> Weeks on Hot 100: 8
2020
> Song: Bad Guy
> Artist: Billie Eilish
> Songwriters: Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell
> Weeks on Hot 100: 49
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