Grammy Award for 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,[1] 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".[2]

Grammy Award for Best Rock Song
"Not Strong Enough" by boygenius is the most recent recipient
Awarded forHigh-quality rock music songs
CountryUnited States
Presented byNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded1992
Currently held byboygenius — "Not Strong Enough" (2024)
Websitegrammy.com

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.[3]

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.[4]

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

Sting became the first award recipient in 1992 for the song "The Soul Cages".
Eric Clapton, 1993 award recipient for the song "Layla", performing in 2017
Members of the 1994 award-winning band Soul Asylum in 2010
Four-time award winner Bruce Springsteen, performing in 1988
Two-time award recipient Alanis Morissette, performing in 2014
1997 award recipient Tracy Chapman at the 2009 Cactus Festival in Bruges, Belgium
Jakob Dylan, 1998 award winner for the song "One Headlight" and member of The Wallflowers, performing in 2007
Jack White and Meg White of the 2004 award-winning band The White Stripes
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
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
YearRecipient(s)WorkPerforming artist(s)Nominees
(Performer(s) in parentheses)
Ref.
1992Sting"The Soul Cages"Sting[5]
1993Eric Clapton
Jim Gordon
"Layla" (Unplugged version)Eric Clapton[6]
1994Dave Pirner"Runaway Train"Soul Asylum[7]
1995Bruce Springsteen"Streets of Philadelphia"Bruce Springsteen
[8]
1996Alanis Morissette
Glen Ballard
"You Oughta Know"Alanis Morissette[9]
1997Tracy Chapman"Give Me One Reason"Tracy Chapman[10]
1998Jakob Dylan"One Headlight"The Wallflowers
[11]
1999Alanis Morissette"Uninvited"Alanis Morissette[12]
2000Flea
John Frusciante
Anthony Kiedis
Chad Smith
"Scar Tissue"Red Hot Chili Peppers[13]
2001Scott Stapp
Mark Tremonti
"With Arms Wide Open"Creed[14]
2002Charlie Colin
Rob Hotchkiss
Pat Monahan
Jimmy Stafford
Scott Underwood
"Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)"Train[15]
2003Bruce Springsteen"The Rising"Bruce Springsteen
[16]
2004Jack White"Seven Nation Army"The White Stripes
[17]
2005Bono
Adam Clayton
The Edge
Larry Mullen, Jr.
"Vertigo"U2[18]
2006Bono
Adam Clayton
The Edge
Larry Mullen, Jr.
"City of Blinding Lights"U2[19]
2007Flea
John Frusciante
Anthony Kiedis
Chad Smith
"Dani California"Red Hot Chili Peppers[20]
2008Bruce Springsteen"Radio Nowhere"Bruce Springsteen[21]
2009Bruce Springsteen"Girls in Their Summer Clothes"Bruce Springsteen[22]
2010Caleb Followill
Jared Followill
Matthew Followill
Nathan Followill
"Use Somebody"Kings of Leon[23]
2011Neil Young"Angry World"Neil Young[24]
2012Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear
"Walk"Foo Fighters[25]
2013Dan Auerbach
Brian Burton
Patrick Carney
"Lonely Boy"The Black Keys
2014Dave Grohl
Paul McCartney
Krist Novoselic
Pat Smear
"Cut Me Some Slack"Paul McCartney and Nirvana[26]
2015Hayley Williams
Taylor York
"Ain't It Fun"Paramore
[27]
2016Zac Cockrell
Heath Fogg
Brittany Howard
Steve Johnson
"Don't Wanna Fight"Alabama Shakes
[24]
2017David Bowie"Blackstar"David Bowie[24]
2018Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Rami Jaffee
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear
"Run"Foo Fighters
[28]
2019Jack Antonoff
Annie Clark
"Masseduction"St. Vincent
[29]
2020Gary Clark Jr."This Land"Gary Clark Jr.
2021Brittany Howard"Stay High"Brittany Howard
[30]
2022Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Rami Jaffee
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear
"Waiting on a War"Foo Fighters[31]
2023Brandi Carlile
Phil Hanseroth
Tim Hanseroth
"Broken Horses"Brandi Carlile
[32]
2024Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus"Not Strong Enough"Boygenius[33]
  • ^[I] The performing artist is only listed but does not receive the award.
  • ^[II] 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. 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. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
Specific

External links