Song of the Year Grammy Award Winners

The Grammy award for Song of the Year is awarded to a single or for one track from an album. This award goes to the composer, not the performing artist for the winning song.

Three composers have won the award on more than one occasion: Henry Mancinci for Moon River and Days of Wine and Roses, James Horner for Somewhere Out There and My Heart Will Go On, and U2 for Beautiful Day and Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own.

The Theme from Exodus which won the award in 1961 is the only instrumental song to win the award.

2025 Grammy Nominees for Song of the Year

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February, 2 2025. The following songs have been nominated for Song of the Year:

• A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey
• BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie Eilish
• Die With A Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
• Fortnight by Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone
• Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan
• Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar - Winner
• Please Please Please by Sabrina Carpenter
• TEXAS HOLD 'EM by Beyoncé

The Grammy nominations for the 2026 Song of the Year will be announced on Friday, November 7th 2025. The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 1st, 2026

Below you will find the full Grammy Award Song of the Year list for all winners since 1959.

Grammy Award Winner lists: Record of the Year | Album of the Year

External link: Grammy Awards official site

List of Song of the Year Grammy Award Winners from 1959 to 2025

Year	Song of the Year (2020s)	Performing Artist	Listen/Buy
2025	Not Like Us	Kendrick Lamar
2024	What Was I Made For?	Billie Eilish
2023	Just Like That	Bonnie Raitt
2022	Leave the Door Open	Silk Sonic
2021	I Can't Breathe	H.E.R.
2020	Bad Guy	Billie Eilish
Year	Song of the Year (2010s)	Performing Artist	Listen/Buy
2019	This Is America	Childish Gambino
2018	That's What I Like	Bruno Mars
2017	Hello	Adele
2016	Thinking Out Loud	Ed Sheeran
2015	Stay With Me	Sam Smith
2014	Royals	Lorde
2013	We Are Young	Fun. Featuring Janelle Monae
2012	Rolling in the Deep	Adele
2011	Need You Now	Lady Antebellum
2010	Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)	Beyoncé
Year	Song of the Year (2000s)	Performing Artist	Listen/Buy
2009	Viva la Vida	Coldplay
2008	Rehab	Amy Winehouse
2007	Not Ready to Make Nice	Dixie Chicks
2006	Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own	U2
2005	Daughters	John Mayer
2004	Dance with My Father	Luther Vandross
2003	Don't Know Why	Norah Jones
2002	Fallin'	Alicia Keys
2001	Beautiful Day	U2
2000	Smooth	Rob Thomas and Santana
Year	Song of the Year (1990s)	Performing Artist	Listen/Buy
1999	My Heart Will Go On	Celine Dion
1998	Sunny Came Home	Shawn Colvin
1997	Change the World	Eric Clapton
1996	Kiss From a Rose	Seal
1995	Streets of Philadelphia	Bruce Springsteen
1994	A Whole New World	Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle
1993	Tears in Heaven	Eric Clapton
1992	Unforgettable	Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole
1991	From a Distance	Bette Midler
1990	Wind Beneath My Wings	Bette Midler
Year	Song of the Year (1980s)	Performing Artist	Listen/Buy
1989	Don't Worry, Be Happy	Bobby McFerrin
1988	Somewhere Out There	Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram
1987	That's What Friends Are For	Dionne Warwick & Friends
1986	We are the World	USA for Africa
1985	What's Love Got to Do with It	Tina Turner
1984	Every Breath You Take	The Police
1983	Always on My Mind	Willie Nelson
1982	Bette Davis Eyes	Kim Carnes
1981	Sailing	Christopher Cross
1980	What a Fool Believes	The Doobie Brothers
Year	Song of the Year (1970s)	Performing Artist	Listen/Buy
1979	Just the Way You Are	Billy Joel
1978	Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star is Born)	Barbara Streisand
1977	I Write the Songs	Barry Manilow
1976	Send in the Clowns	Judy Collins
1975	The Way We Were	Barbara Streisand
1974	Killing Me Softly with His Song	Roberta Flack
1973	The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face	Roberta Flack
1972	You've Got a Friend	James Taylor & Carole King
1971	Bridge Over Troubled Water	Simon & Garfunkel
1970	Games People Play	Joe South
Year	Song of the Year (1960s)	Performing Artist	Listen/Buy
1969	Little Green Apples	O.C. Smith
1968	Up, Up and Away	The 5th Dimension
1967	Michelle	The Beatles
1966	The Shadow of Your Smile	Tony Bennett
1965	Hello, Dolly!	Louis Armstrong
1964	Days of Wine and Roses	Henry Mancini
1963	What Kind of Fool Am I	Sammy Davis Jr.
1962	Moon River	Henry Mancini
1961	Theme of Exodus	Various Artists
1960	The Battle of New Orleans	Johnny Horton
Year	Song of the Year (1950s)	Performing Artist	Listen/Buy
1959	Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)	Domenico Modugno