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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Best Rock Song

The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".

The award, reserved for songwriters, was first presented to English musician Sting in 1992. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award honors new songs (containing both melody and lyrics) or songs "first achieving prominence" during the period of eligibility. Songs containing prominent samples or interpolations are not eligible.

The award goes to the songwriter. If the song contains samples or interpolations of earlier songs, the publisher and the original songwriter(s) can apply for a Winners Certificate.

Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear hold the record for the most wins, having won four awards each. Springsteen also holds the record for most nominations with nine. Other winners of multiple awards include the other members of Foo Fighters (Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel and Chris Shiflett) with three wins, and Alanis Morissette and the bands Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2, each with two. Award-winning songs have been performed by American artists more than any other nationality, though they have also been performed by musicians or groups originating from Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. There have been four instances in which one artist or group was nominated for two works in the same year: the group Aerosmith was nominated for both "Cryin'" and "Livin' on the Edge" in 1994, Melissa Etheridge received nominations for "Come to My Window" and "I'm the Only One" in 1995, Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers won for "One Headlight" and was also nominated for "The Difference" in 1998, and U2 was nominated for the songs "Elevation" and "Walk On" in 2002. Chad Smith also received two nominations in 2023, receiving songwriting credits for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ozzy Osbourne songs nominated. Coldplay holds the record for the most nominations without a win, with four.

Recipients

A man in a white shirt standing behind a microphone stand and holding a guitar
Sting became the first award recipient in 1992 for the song "The Soul Cages".
A man on a stage wearing a blue shirt. He is holding a blue guitar behind a microphone.
Eric Clapton, 1993 award recipient for the song "Layla", performing in 2017
Five men on a stage; three in the forefront are holding guitars, while two in the background are behind a drum set and other equipment. Speakers, microphone stands and other equipment are also visible.
Members of the 1994 award-winning band Soul Asylum in 2010
Black and white image of a man holding a guitar, wearing a dark vest and a cross hanging from a necklace
Four-time award winner Bruce Springsteen, performing in 1988
A woman wearing a black leather jacket smiling behind a microphone
Two-time award recipient Alanis Morissette, performing in 2014
A woman with dreadlocks standing behind a microphone stand. She is wearing a leather jacket and playing a guitar.
1997 award recipient Tracy Chapman at the 2009 Cactus Festival in Bruges, Belgium
A man wearing a red and black-striped shirt, a black jacket, dark jeans and a hat; he is standing behind a microphone stand on a stage and playing a guitar
Jakob Dylan, 1998 award winner for the song "One Headlight" and member of The Wallflowers, performing in 2007
On the left, a man in red pants and a black T-shirt with black hair down to his chin holding a red guitar. On the right, a woman wearing a white shirt with black polka dots standing behind a red microphone stand.
Jack White and Meg White of the 2004 award-winning band The White Stripes
Four men on a stage, all wearing black clothing. Two are playing guitars, one is sitting behind a drum set, and one is singing into a microphone stand.
Members of the two-time award-winning band U2, performing on the Joshua Tree Tour 2017. From left to right: Larry Mullen, Jr. (drumming), the Edge, Bono, and Adam Clayton
Three men on a stage, two in the forefront standing behind microphone stands and playing guitars and the third in the background sitting behind a drum set.
From left to right, Matthew, Caleb, and Nathan Followill of the 2010 award-winning band Kings of Leon, performing in 2007
2019 recipient St. Vincent performing at Glastonbury (2022)
2020 recipient Gary Clark Jr. performing in 2013
Year Recipient(s) Work Performing artist(s) Nominees
(Performer(s) in parentheses)
Ref.
1992 Sting "The Soul Cages" Sting
1993 Eric Clapton
Jim Gordon
"Layla" (Unplugged version) Eric Clapton
1994 Dave Pirner "Runaway Train" Soul Asylum
1995 Bruce Springsteen "Streets of Philadelphia" Bruce Springsteen
1996 Alanis Morissette
Glen Ballard
"You Oughta Know" Alanis Morissette
1997 Tracy Chapman "Give Me One Reason" Tracy Chapman
1998 Jakob Dylan "One Headlight" The Wallflowers
1999 Alanis Morissette "Uninvited" Alanis Morissette
2000 Flea
John Frusciante
Anthony Kiedis
Chad Smith
"Scar Tissue" Red Hot Chili Peppers
2001 Scott Stapp
Mark Tremonti
"With Arms Wide Open" Creed
2002 Charlie Colin
Rob Hotchkiss
Pat Monahan
Jimmy Stafford
Scott Underwood
"Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" Train
2003 Bruce Springsteen "The Rising" Bruce Springsteen
2004 Jack White "Seven Nation Army" The White Stripes
2005 Bono
Adam Clayton
The Edge
Larry Mullen, Jr.
"Vertigo" U2
2006 Bono
Adam Clayton
The Edge
Larry Mullen, Jr.
"City of Blinding Lights" U2
2007 Flea
John Frusciante
Anthony Kiedis
Chad Smith
"Dani California" Red Hot Chili Peppers
2008 Bruce Springsteen "Radio Nowhere" Bruce Springsteen
2009 Bruce Springsteen "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" Bruce Springsteen
2010 Caleb Followill
Jared Followill
Matthew Followill
Nathan Followill
"Use Somebody" Kings of Leon
2011 Neil Young "Angry World" Neil Young
2012 Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear
"Walk" Foo Fighters
2013 Dan Auerbach
Brian Burton
Patrick Carney
"Lonely Boy" The Black Keys
2014 Dave Grohl
Paul McCartney
Krist Novoselic
Pat Smear
"Cut Me Some Slack" Paul McCartney and Nirvana
2015 Hayley Williams
Taylor York
"Ain't It Fun" Paramore
2016 Zac Cockrell
Heath Fogg
Brittany Howard
Steve Johnson
"Don't Wanna Fight" Alabama Shakes
2017 David Bowie "Blackstar" David Bowie
2018 Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Rami Jaffee
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear
"Run" Foo Fighters
2019 Jack Antonoff
Annie Clark
"Masseduction" St. Vincent
2020 Gary Clark Jr. "This Land" Gary Clark Jr.
2021 Brittany Howard "Stay High" Brittany Howard
2022 Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Rami Jaffee
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear
"Waiting on a War" Foo Fighters
2023 Brandi Carlile
Phil Hanseroth
Tim Hanseroth
"Broken Horses" Brandi Carlile
2024 Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus "Not Strong Enough" Boygenius
2025
  • The performing artist is only listed but does not receive the award.
  • Showing the name of the songwriter(s), the nominated song and in parentheses the performer's name(s).

Multiple wins

Multiple nominations

See also

References

General
  • "Past Winners Search". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on December 19, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2011. Note: User must select the "Rock" category as the genre under the search feature.
  • "Grammy Awards: Best Rock Song (Songwriter's Award)". Rock on the Net. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
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