Top Grammy winners of all time

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Today
Top Grammy winners of all time: Record of the year, best new artist, and more
By Randee Dawn
Jan. 6, 2021

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Last year’s Grammy Awards were one of the final award shows of the year to be held in a large crowd; not long after the Jan. 26 event at Staples Center in Los Angeles, everyone went into quarantine and shows like the Grammys went virtual.

And soon it will be the Grammys’ turn, though the 63rd annual event has been postponed from Jan. 31 to March 14. As you sift through the list of nominees in all 83 categories, how about taking a look back to Grammy winners through the years? Here’s a complete list of every winner for record of the year, song of the year, album of the year and best new artist … with one very special exception. See who won in the year you were born!

Complete List of Record of the Year Winners

Song of the year is awarded for a single, or one track featured on an album. The award goes to the performer of the song, the producers, the sound engineers, the master engineer, and the sound mixers, none of whom may have written it.

• 2020: “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish
• 2019: “This Is America,” Childish Gambino
• 2018: “24K Magic,” Bruno Mars
• 2017: “Hello,” Adele
• 2016: “Uptown Funk,” Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
• 2015: “Stay With Me,” Sam Smith
• 2014: “Get Lucky,” Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers
• 2013: “Somebody That I Used to Know,” Gotye featuring Kimbra
• 2012: “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele
• 2011: “Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum
• 2010: “Use Somebody,” Kings Of Leon
• 2009: “Please Read the Letter,” Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
• 2008: “Rehab,” Amy Winehouse

• 2007: “Not Ready to Make Nice,” Dixie Chicks
• 2006: “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” Green Day
• 2005: “Here We Go Again,” Ray Charles and Norah Jones
• 2004: “Clocks,” Coldplay
• 2003: “Don’t Know Why,” Norah Jones
• 2002: “Walk On,” U2
• 2001: “Beautiful Day,” U2
• 2000: “Smooth,” Santana featuring Rob Thomas
• 1999: “My Heart Will Go On” (Love Theme From “Titanic”) – Celine Dion
• 1998: “Sunny Came Home,” Shawn Colvin
• 1997: “Change the World,” Eric Clapton
• 1996: “Kiss From a Rose,” Seal
• 1995: “All I Wanna Do,” Sheryl Crow

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• 1994: “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston
• 1993: “Tears in Heaven,” Eric Clapton
• 1992: “Unforgettable,” Natalie Cole (With Nat “King” Cole)
• 1991: “Another Day in Paradise,” Phil Collins

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1990: “Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler

1989: “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” Bobby McFerrin

1988: “Graceland,” Paul Simon

1987: “Higher Love,” Steve Winwood

1986: “We Are the World,” USA For Africa (Various Artists)

1985: “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” Tina Turner

1984: “Beat It,” Michael Jackson

1983: “Rosanna,” Toto

1982: “Bette Davis Eyes,” Kim Carnes

1981: “Sailing,” Christopher Cross

1980: “What A Fool Believes,” The Doobie Brothers

• 1979: “Just the Way You Are,” Billy Joel
• 1978: “Hotel California,” Eagles
• 1977: “This Masquerade,” George Benson
• 1976: “Love Will Keep Us Together,” Captain & Tennille
• 1975: “I Honestly Love You,” Olivia Newton-John
• 1974: “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” Roberta Flack
• 1973: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Roberta Flack
• 1972: “It’s Too Late,” Carole King
• 1971: “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Simon and Garfunkel
• 1970: “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures),” 5th Dimension
• 1969: “Mrs. Robinson,” Simon and Garfunkel
• 1968: “Up, Up, and Away,” 5th Dimension
• 1967: “Strangers in the Night,” Frank Sinatra
• 1966: “A Taste of Honey,” Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass
• 1965: “The Girl From Ipanema,” Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto
• 1964: “Days of Wine and Roses,” Henry Mancini

• 1963: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” Tony Bennett
• 1962: “Moon River,” Henry Mancini
• 1961: “The Theme from ‘A Summer Place’,” Percy Faith and His Orchestra
• 1960: “Mack the Knife,” Bobby Darin
• 1959: “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare),” Domenico Modugno

Complete List of Song of the Year Winners

Song of the year is awarded for a single, or one track featured on an album. The award goes to the songwriter who wrote the lyrics or melody to the song. Names listed here are the performers of the song (who may also be the composers).

• 2020: “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish
• 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
• 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
• 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

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• 1990: “Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler
• 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
• 1979: “Just the Way You Are,” Billy Joel
• 1978: “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star is Born),” Barbra Streisand
• 1977: “I Write the Songs,” Barry Manilow
• 1976: “Send in the Clowns, ” Judy Collins
• 1975: “The Way We Were,” Barbra 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
• 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
• 1959: “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare),” Domenico Modugno

Complete List of Album of the Year Winners

Album of the year once only went to the artist who created the album, and the album’s producers. But starting in 1999, sound engineers and mixers are also honored, along with featured artists on the album. Songwriters are not included, though.

• 2020: Billie Eilish, “When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”
• 2019: Kacey Musgraves, “Golden Hour”

• 2018: Bruno Mars, “24K Magic”
• 2017: Adele, “25”
• 2016: Taylor Swift, “1989”
• 2015: Beck, “Morning Phase”
• 2014: Daft Punk, “Random Access Memories”
• 2013: Mumford & Sons, “Babel”
• 2012: Adele, “21”
• 2011: Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”
• 2010: Taylor Swift, “Fearless”
• 2009: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, “Raising Sand”
• 2008: Herbie Hancock, “River: The Joni Letters”
• 2007: Dixie Chicks, “Taking the Long Way”

• 2006: U2, “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”
• 2005: Ray Charles & Various Artists, “Genius Loves Company”
• 2004: OutKast, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below”
• 2003: Norah Jones, “Come Away with Me”
• 2002: Various Artists, “‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ Soundtrack”
• 2001: Steely Dan, “Two Against Nature”
• 2000: Santana, “Supernatural”
• 1999: Lauryn Hill, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”
• 1998: Bob Dylan, “Time Out of Mind”
• 1997: Celine Dion, “Falling Into You”
• 1996: Alanis Morissette, “Jagged Little Pill”

• 1995: Tony Bennett, “MTV Unplugged”
• 1994: Whitney Houston, “The Bodyguard”
• 1993: Eric Clapton, “Unplugged”
• 1992: Natalie Cole, “Unforgettable… with Love”
• 1991: Quincy Jones & Various Artists, “Back on the Block”
• 1990: Bonnie Raitt, “Nick of Time”
• 1989: George Michael, “Faith”
• 1988: U2, “The Joshua Tree”
• 1987: Paul Simon, “Graceland”
• 1986: Phil Collins, “No Jacket Required”
• 1985: Lionel Richie, “Can’t Slow Down”
• 1984: Michael Jackson, “Thriller”
• 1983: Toto, “Toto IV”
• 1982: John Lennon & Yoko Ono, “Double Fantasy”
• 1981: Christopher Cross, “Christopher Cross”
• 1980: Billy Joel, “52nd Street”
• 1979: Various Artists, “‘Saturday Night Fever’ Soundtrack”
• 1978: Fleetwood Mac, “Rumours”
• 1977: Stevie Wonder, “Songs in the Key of Life”
• 1976: Paul Simon, “Still Crazy After All These Years”

• 1975: Stevie Wonder, “Fulfillingness’ First Finale”
• 1974: Stevie Wonder, “Innervisions”
• 1973: George Harrison & Friends (Ravi Shankar, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton & Klaus Voormann), “The Concert for Bangladesh”
• 1972: Carole King, “Tapestry”
• 1971: Simon & Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
• 1970: Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Blood, Sweat & Tears”
• 1969: Glen Campbell, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”
• 1968: The Beatles, “Sgt. Pepper”s Lonely Hearts Club Band”
• 1967: Frank Sinatra, “A Man and His Music”
• 1966: Frank Sinatra, “September of My Years”
• 1965: Stan Getz & João Gilberto, “Getz/Gilberto”

• 1964: Barbra Streisand, “The Barbra Streisand Album”
• 1963: Vaughn Meader, “The First Family”
• 1962: Judy Garland, “Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall”
• 1961: Bob Newhart, “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart”
• 1960: Frank Sinatra, “Come Fly With Me!”
• 1959: Henry Mancini, “The Music from Peter Gunn”

Complete List of Best New Artist Winners

Though eligibility rules have changed over the years, currently an artist must have released at least five singles or tracks, or one album in the eligible year; may not have appeared in the category more than three times before, including as a member of a group; and must have achieved a breakthrough in the public consciousness.

In 1990, Milli Vanilli’s Grammy was rescinded after it was revealed that the men awarded (Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus) had not actually sung on the album.

• 2020: Billie Eilish
• 2019: Dua Lipa
• 2018: Alessia Cara

• 2017: Chance the Rapper
• 2016: Meghan Trainor
• 2015: Sam Smith
• 2014: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
• 2013: Fun
• 2012: Bon Iver
• 2011: Esperanza Spalding
• 2010: Zac Brown Band

• 2009: Adele
• 2008: Amy Winehouse
• 2007: Carrie Underwood
• 2006: John Legend
• 2005: Maroon 5
• 2004: Evanescence
• 2003: Norah Jones

• 2002: Alicia Keys
• 2001: Shelby Lynne
• 2000: Christina Aguilera
• 1999: Lauryn Hill
• 1998: Paula Cole
• 1997: LeAnn Rimes
• 1996: Hootie & the Blowfish
• 1995: Sheryl Crow
• 1994: Toni Braxton
• 1993: Arrested Development
• 1992: Marc Cohn
• 1991: Mariah Carey

• 1990: Milli Vanilli (rescinded)
• 1989: Tracy Chapman
• 1988: Jody Watley
• 1987: Bruce Hornsby and the Range
• 1986: Sade
• 1985: Cyndi Lauper
• 1984: Culture Club
• 1983: Men at Work
• 1982: Sheena Easton
• 1981: Christopher Cross
• 1980: Rickie Lee Jones
• 1979: A Taste of Honey
• 1978: Debby Boone
• 1977: Starland Vocal Band
• 1976: Natalie Cole
• 1975: Marvin Hamlisch

• 1974: Bette Midler
• 1973: America
• 1972: Carly Simon
• 1971: The Carpenters
• 1970: Crosby, Stills & Nash
• 1969: José Feliciano
• 1968: Bobbie Gentry
• 1966: Tom Jones
• 1965: The Beatles
• 1964: The Swingle Singers
• 1963: Robert Goulet
• 1962: Peter Nero

• 1961: Bob Newhart
• 1960: Bobby Darin

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