Showing posts with label American Music Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Music Awards. Show all posts

Friday, August 7, 2026

Country Music: Annual Awards, 1922-2025

Country Music:

Annual Song Awards, 1922-2025

This page offers a consolidated list of the country songs of each year as determined by various organizations and entities. They include:

  • Academy of Country Music: Singles and Songs of the Year, 1967-2025
  • American Music Awards: Country Song of the Year, 1974-1995, 2016-2022
  • Billboard: Country Song of the Year, 1944-2025. The magazine began its country chart in 1944 and the song with the most weeks at #1 each year from then through 1997 is noted below. After 1997, Billboard’s Country Song of the Year is based on the year-end charts at Billboard.com.
  • Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI): Country Song of the Year, 1998-2024. Music publishing company tracks most-played songs each year.
  • Country Music Association: Singles and Songs of the Year, 1967-2025
  • Dave’s Music Database: the highest-ranked country song each year, 1922-2025
  • Grammys: Country Song of the Year, 1965-2025

See links at bottom of page for more details on above.

Note: awards were typically given a year after the date noted. For example, the Highwomen’s “Crowded Table” won the Grammy for Country Song of the Year in 2021, but it was for the eligibility year of 2020.

Click here to see other ‘Songs of the Year’ lists.

2025:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Ella Langley “Choosin’ Texas”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Ella Langley “Choosin’ Texas”
  • AMA: Ella Langley “Choosin’ Texas”
  • Billboard: Shaboozey “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Ella Langley & Riley Green “You Look Like You Love Me”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Ella Langley & Riley Green “You Look Like You Love Me”
  • DMDB: Ella Langley “Choosin’ Texas”
  • Grammy: Tyler Childers “Bitin’ List”
2024:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Ella Langley & Riley Green “You Look Like You Love Me”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Cody Johnson “Dirt Cheap”
  • AMA: Post Malone & Morgan Wallen “I Had Some Help”
  • Billboard: Shaboozey “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
  • BMI: Morgan Wallen “Last Night”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Chris Stapleton “White Horse”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Chris Stapleton “White Horse”
  • DMDB: Shaboozey “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
  • Grammy: Kacey Musgraves “The Architect”
2023:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Luke Combs “Fast Car”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Jordan Davis “Next Thing You Know”
  • Billboard: Morgan Wallen “Last Night”
  • BMI: Morgan Wallen “You Proof”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Luke Combs “Fast Car”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Luke Combs “Fast Car”
  • DMDB: Morgan Wallen “Last Night”
  • Grammy: Chris Stapleton “White Horse”

2022:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Cole Swindell “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Cole Swindell “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”
  • AMA: -- (show canceled)
  • Billboard: Parmalee “Take My Name”
  • BMI: Luke Combs “Forever After All”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Cody Johnson “Til You Can’t”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Jordan Davis with Luke Bryan “Buy Dirt”
  • DMDB: Morgan Wallen “You Proof”
  • Grammy: Cody Johnson “Til You Can’t”
2021:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean “If I Didn’t Love You”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Lainey Wilson “Things a Man Oughta Know”
  • AMA: Morgan Wallen “Wasted on You”
  • Billboard: Luke Combs “Forever After All”
  • BMI: Lee Brice “One of Them Girls”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
  • DMDB: Walker Hayes “Fancy Like”
  • Grammy: Chris Stapleton “Cold”
2020:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Carly Pearce & Lee Brice “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Maren Morris “The Bones”
  • AMA: Gabby Barrett “The Good Ones”
  • Billboard: Gabby Barrett with Charlie Puth “I Hope”
  • BMI: Morgan Wallen “Whiskey Glasses”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Maren Morris “The Bones”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Maren Morris “The Bones”
  • DMDB: Gabby Barrett “The Good Ones”
  • Grammy: The Highwomen “Crowded Table”

2019:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Blake Shelton “God’s Country”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Old Dominion “One Man Band”
  • AMA: Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber “10,000 Hours”
  • Billboard: Morgan Wallen “Whiskey Glasses”
  • BMI: Dan + Shay “Tequila”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Carly Pearce & Lee Brice “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Luke Combs “Beautiful Crazy”
  • DMDB: Gabby Barrett with Charlie Puth “I Hope”
  • Grammy: Tanya Tucker “Bring My Flowers Now”
2018:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Dan + Shay “Tequila”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Dan + Shay “Tequila”
  • AMA: Dan + Shay “Speechless”
  • Billboard: Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be”
  • BMI: Brett Young “In Case You Didn’t Know”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Chris Stapleton “Broken Halos”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Chris Stapleton “Broken Halos”
  • DMDB: Dan + Shay “Tequila”
  • Grammy: Kacey Musgraves “Space Cowboy”
2017:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Sam Hunt “Body Like a Back Road”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Miranda Lambert “Tin Man”
  • AMA: Kane Brown “Heaven”
  • Billboard: Sam Hunt “Body Like a Back Road”
  • BMI: Florida Georgia Line “H.O.L.Y.”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Keith Urban “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Little Big Town “Better Man”
  • DMDB: Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be”
  • Grammy: Chris Stapleton “Broken Halos”

2016:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Florida Georgia Line “H.O.L.Y.”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Thomas Rhett “Die a Happy Man”
  • AMA: Keith Urban “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
  • Billboard: Florida Georgia Line “H.O.L.Y.”
  • BMI: Thomas Rhett “Die a Happy Man”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Thomas Rhett “Die a Happy Man”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Tim McGraw “Humble and Kind”
  • DMDB: Florida Georgia Line “H.O.L.Y.”
  • Grammy: Tim McGraw “Humble and Kind”
2015:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Thomas Rhett “Die a Happy Man”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Chris Stapleton “Nobody to Blame”
  • AMA: Tim McGraw “Humble and Kind”
  • Billboard: Sam Hunt “Take Your Time”
  • BMI: Brett Eldredge “Beat of the Music”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Little Big Town “Girl Crush”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Little Big Town “Girl Crush”
  • DMDB: Thomas Rhett “Die a Happy Man”
  • Grammy: Little Big Town “Girl Crush”
2014:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Lee Brice “I Don’t Dance”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Miranda Lambert “Automatic”
  • Billboard: Florida Georgia Line with Luke Bryan “This Is How We Roll”
  • BMI: Darius Rucker “Wagon Wheel”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Miranda Lambert “Automatic”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Kacey Musgraves “Follow Your Arrow”
  • DMDB: Jason Aldean “Burnin’ It Down”
  • Grammy: Glen Campbell “I’m Not Gonna Miss You”
2013:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Miranda Lambert “Mama’s Broken Heart”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Lee Brice “I Drive Your Truck”
  • Billboard: Florida Georgia Line with Nelly “Cruise”
  • BMI: Hunter Hayes “Wanted”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Florida Georgia Line with Nelly “Cruise”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Lee Brice “I Drive Your Truck”
  • DMDB: Kacey Musgraves “Follow Your Arrow”
  • Grammy: Kacey Musgraves “Merry Go Round”

2012:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Miranda Lambert “Over You”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Miranda Lambert “Over You”
  • Billboard: Josh Turner “Time Is Love”
  • BMI: Rodney Atkins “Take a Back Road”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Little Big Town “Pontoon”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Miranda Lambert “Over You”
  • DMDB: Florida Georgia Line with Nelly “Cruise”
  • Grammy: Carrie Underwood “Blown Away”
2011:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Eli Young Band “Crazy Girl”
  • Billboard: Eli Young Band “Crazy Girl”
  • BMI: Josh Turner “All Over Me”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: The Band Perry “If I Die Young”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: The Band Perry “If I Die Young”
  • DMDB: Hunter Hayes “Wanted”
  • Grammy: Taylor Swift “Mean”
2010:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Miranda Lambert “The House That Built Me”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Miranda Lambert “The House That Built Me”
  • Billboard: Lee Brice “Love Like Crazy”
  • BMI: Taylor Swift “You Belong with Me”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Lady Antebellum “Need You Now”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Miranda Lambert “The House That Built Me”
  • DMDB: The Band Perry “If I Die Young”
  • Grammy: Lady Antebellum “Need You Now”
2009:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Lady Antebellum “Need You Now”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Lady Antebellum “Need You Now”
  • Billboard: Lady Antebellum “I Run to You”
  • BMI: Taylor Swift “Love Story”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Lady Antebellum “I Run to You”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Jamey Johnson “In Color”
  • DMDB: Lady Antebellum “Need You Now”
  • Grammy: Taylor Swift “White Horse”

2008:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Trace Adkins “You’re Gonna Miss This”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Jamey Johnson “In Color”
  • Billboard: James Otto “Just Got Started Lovin’ You”
  • BMI: Taylor Swift “Teardrops on My Guitar”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: George Strait “I Saw God Today”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Sugarland “Stay”
  • DMDB: Taylor Swift “Love Story”
  • Grammy: Sugarland “Stay”
2007:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Sugarland “Stay”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Sugarland “Stay”
  • Billboard: Rodney Atkins “Watching You”
  • BMI: Rascal Flatts “What Hurts the Most”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Carrie Underwood “Before He Cheats”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: George Strait “Give It Away”
  • DMDB: Kid Rock “All Summer Long”
  • Grammy: Carrie Underwood “Before He Cheats”
2006:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: George Strait “Give It Away”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: George Strait “Give It Away”
  • Billboard: Rodney Atkins “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)”
  • BMI: Toby Keith “As Good As I Once Was”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Brooks & Dunn “Believe”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Brooks & Dunn “Believe”
  • DMDB: Dixie Chicks “Not Ready to Make Nice”
  • Grammy: Carrie Underwood “Jesus, Take the Wheel”
2005:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Carrie Underwood “Jesus, Take the Wheel”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Brooks & Dunn “Believe”
  • Billboard: Craig Morgan “That’s What I Love about Sunday”
  • BMI: Tim McGraw “Live Like You Were Dying”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Lee Ann Womack “I May Hate Myself in the Morning”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss “Whiskey Lullaby”
  • DMDB: Carrie Underwood “Before He Cheats”
  • Grammy: Rascal Flatts “Bless the Broken Road”
2004:

2003:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Randy Travis “Three Wooden Crosses”
  • Billboard: Lonestar “My Front Porch Looking In”
  • BMI: Dixie Chicks “Landslide”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Johnny Cash “Hurt”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Randy Travis “Three Wooden Crosses”
  • DMDB: Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”
  • Grammy: Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”
2002:

2001:
2000:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert “I Hope You Dance”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert “I Hope You Dance”
  • Billboard: Toby Keith “How Do You Like Me Now?!”
  • BMI: Lonestar “Amazed”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert “I Hope You Dance”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert “I Hope You Dance”
  • DMDB: Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert “I Hope You Dance”
  • Grammy: Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert “I Hope You Dance”

1999:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Lonestar “Amazed”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Lonestar “Amazed”
  • Billboard: Lonestar “Amazed”
  • BMI: Shania Twain “You’re Still the One”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Dixie Chicks “Wide Open Spaces”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Faith Hill “This Kiss”
  • DMDB: Lonestar “Amazed”
  • Grammy: Shania Twain “Come on Over”
1998:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Faith Hill “This Kiss”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Steve Wariner “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”
  • Billboard: Tim McGraw “Just to See You Smile”
  • BMI: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill “It’s Your Love”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Steve Wariner “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Steve Wariner “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”
  • DMDB: Faith Hill “This Kiss”
  • Grammy: Shania Twain “You’re Still the One”
1997:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill “It’s Your Love”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill “It’s Your Love”
  • Billboard: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill “It’s Your Love”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Deana Carter “Strawberry Wine”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Deana Carter “Strawberry Wine”
  • DMDB: Shania Twain “You’re Still the One”
  • Grammy: Bob Carlisle “Butterfly Kisses”

1996:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: LeAnn Rimes “Blue”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: LeAnn Rimes “Blue”
  • Billboard: Brooks & Dunn “My Maria”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: George Strait “Check Yes or No”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Vince Gill “Go Rest High on That Mountain”
  • DMDB: LeAnn Rimes “Blue”
  • Grammy: LeAnn Rimes “Blue”
1995:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: George Strait “Check Yes or No”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Tracy Byrd “The Keeper of the Stars”
  • Billboard: Tim McGraw “I Like It, I Love It”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Alison Krauss & Union Station “When You Say Nothing at All”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Martina McBride “Independence Day”
  • DMDB: George Strait “Check Yes or No”
  • Grammy: Vince Gill “Go Rest High on That Mountain”
1994:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: John Michael Montgomery “I Swear”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: John Michael Montgomery “I Swear”
  • AMA: Vince Gill “Whenever You Come Around”
  • Billboard: Joe Diffie “Pickup Man”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: John Michael Montgomery “I Swear”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Alan Jackson “Chattahoochee”
  • DMDB: Alan Jackson “Summertime Blues”
  • Grammy: John Michael Montgomery “I Swear”

1993:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Alan Jackson “Chattahoochee”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: John Michael Montgomery “I Love the Way You Love Me”
  • AMA: Alan Jackson “Chattahoochee”
  • Billboard: Alan Jackson “Chattahoochee”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Alan Jackson “Chattahoochee”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Vince Gill “I Still Believe in You”
  • DMDB: John Michael Montgomery “I Swear”
  • Grammy: Mary Chapin Carpenter “Passionate Kisses”
1992:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Brooks & Dunn “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Vince Gill “I Still Believe in You”
  • AMA: Billy Ray Cyrus “Achy Breaky Heart”
  • Billboard: Billy Ray Cyrus “Achy Breaky Heart”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Billy Ray Cyrus “Achy Breaky Heart”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Vince Gill “Look at Us”
  • DMDB: Billy Ray Cyrus “Achy Breaky Heart”
  • Grammy: Vince Gill “I Still Believe in You”

1991:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Alan Jackson “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Billy Dean “Somewhere in My Broken Heart”
  • AMA: Garth Brooks “The Thunder Rolls”
  • Billboard: Alan Jackson “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Garth Brooks “Friends in Low Places”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Vince Gill “When I Call Your Name”
  • DMDB: Brooks & Dunn “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”
  • Grammy: The Judds “Love Can Build a Bridge”
1990:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Garth Brooks “Friends in Low Places”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Garth Brooks “The Dance”
  • AMA: Garth Brooks “If Tomorrow Never Comes”
  • Billboard: George Strait “Love Without End, Amen”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Vince Gill “When I Call Your Name”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Kathy Mattea “Where’ve You Been”
  • DMDB: Garth Brooks “Friends in Low Places”
  • Grammy: Kathy Mattea “Where’ve You Been”
1989:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Clint Black “A Better Man”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Kathy Mattea “Where’ve You Been”
  • AMA: Randy Travis “Deeper Than the Holler”
  • Billboard: Ronnie Milsap “A Woman in Love”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Keith Whitley “I’m No Stranger to the Rain”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Vern Gosdin “Chiseled in Stone”
  • DMDB: Garth Brooks “The Dance”
  • Grammy: Rodney Crowell “After All This Time”
1988:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Kathy Mattea “Eighteen Wheels and Dozen Roses”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Kathy Mattea “Eighteen Wheels and Dozen Roses”
  • AMA: Randy Travis “I Told You So”
  • Billboard: Keith Whitley “When You Say Nothing at All”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Kathy Mattea “Eighteen Wheels and Dozen Roses”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: K.T. Oslin “‘80s Ladies”
  • DMDB: Kathy Mattea “Eighteen Wheels and Dozen Roses”
  • Grammy: K.T. Oslin “Hold Me”
1987:

1986:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Randy Travis “On the Other Hand”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Randy Travis “On the Other Hand”
  • AMA: The Judds “Grandpa, Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days”
  • Billboard: Hank Williams, Jr. “Mind Your Own Business”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Dan Seals “Bop”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Randy Travis “On the Other Hand”
  • DMDB: Dwight Yoakam “Guitars, Cadillacs”
  • Grammy: The Judds “Grandpa, Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days”
1985:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: The Highwaymen “The Highwayman”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Ronnie Milsap “Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)”
  • AMA: Willie Nelson “Forgiving You Was Easy”
  • Billboard: The Judds “Have Mercy”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: The Judds “Why Not Me”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Lee Greenwood “God Bless the U.S.A.”
  • DMDB: Dan Seals “Bop”
  • Grammy: The Highwaymen “The Highwayman”
1984:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: The Judds “Why Not Me”
  • AMA: Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton “Islands in the Stream”
  • Billboard: The Judds “Why Not Me”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Anne Murray “A Little Good News”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Gary Morris “Wind Beneath My Wings”
  • DMDB: Lee Greenwood “God Bless the U.S.A.”
  • Grammy: Willie Nelson “City of New Orleans”
1983:

1982:
1981:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: The Oak Ridge Boys “Elvira”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: David Frizzell “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma”
  • AMA: Anne Murray “Could I Have This Dance” / Willie Nelson “On the Road Again”
  • Billboard: Alabama “Love in the First Degree”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: The Oak Ridge Boys “Elvira”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: George Jones “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
  • DMDB: Juice Newton “Angel of the Morning”
  • Grammy: Dolly Parton “9 to 5”
1980:

1979:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: The Gatlin Brothers “All the Gold in California”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Moe Bandy “It’s a Cheating Situation”
  • AMA: Barbara Mandrell “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed”
  • Billboard: Eddie Rabbitt “Every Which Way But Loose”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: The Charlie Daniels Band “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Kenny Rogers “The Gambler”
  • DMDB: The Charlie Daniels Band “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”
  • Grammy: Kenny Rogers “You Decorated My Life”
1978:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Don Williams “Tulsa Time”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Anne Murray “You Needed Me”
  • AMA: Linda Ronstadt “Blue Bayou”
  • Billboard: Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson “Mammas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: The Kendalls “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Crystal Gayle “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
  • DMDB: Kenny Rogers “The Gambler”
  • Grammy: Kenny Rogers “The Gambler”
1977:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Kenny Rogers “Lucille”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Kenny Rogers “Lucille”
  • AMA: Kenny Rogers “Lucille”
  • Billboard: Waylon Jennings “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Kenny Rogers “Lucille”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Kenny Rogers “Lucille”
  • DMDB: Crystal Gayle “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
  • Grammy: Crystal Gayle “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
1976:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Mickey Gilley “Bring It on Home to Me”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Mickey Gilley “Don’t Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time”
  • AMA: Willie Nelson “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”
  • Billboard: Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson “Good Hearted Woman”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson “Good Hearted Woman”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy”
  • DMDB: Bellamy Brothers “Let Your Love Flow”
  • Grammy: Larry Gatlin “Broken Lady”

1975:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy”
  • AMA: Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy”
  • Billboard: C.W. McCall “Convoy”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Freddy Fender “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: John Denver “Back Home Again”
  • DMDB: Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy”
  • Grammy: B.J. Thomas “Hey Won’t You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”
1974:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Cal Smith “Country Bumpkin”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Cal Smith “Country Bumpkin”
  • AMA: Charlie Rich “The Most Beautiful Girl”
  • Billboard: Charlie Rich “A Very Special Love Song”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Cal Smith “Country Bumpkin”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Cal Smith “Country Bumpkin”
  • DMDB: Olivia Newton-John “I Honestly Love You”
  • Grammy: Charlie Rich “A Very Special Love Song”
1973:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Charlie Rich “Behind Closed Doors”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Charlie Rich “Behind Closed Doors”
  • AMA: Charlie Rich “Behind Closed Doors”
  • Billboard: Merle Haggard “If We Make It Through December”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Charlie Rich “Behind Closed Doors”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Charlie Rich “Behind Closed Doors”
  • DMDB: Charlie Rich “Behind Closed Doors”
  • Grammy: Charlie Rich “Behind Closed Doors”

1972:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Donna Fargo “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Donna Fargo “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
  • Billboard: Freddie Hart “My Hang-Up Is You”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Donna Fargo “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Freddie Hart “Easy Loving”
  • DMDB: Eagles “Take It Easy”
  • Grammy: Charley Pride “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’”
1971:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Freddie Hart “Easy Loving”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Freddie Hart “Easy Loving”
  • Billboard: Charley Pride “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Sammi Smith “Help Me Make It Through the Night”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Freddie Hart “Easy Loving”
  • DMDB: Sammi Smith “Help Me Make It Through the Night”
  • Grammy: Sammi Smith “Help Me Make It Through the Night”
1970:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Ray Price “For the Good Times”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Ray Price “For the Good Times”
  • Billboard: Lynn Anderson “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Merle Haggard “Okie from Muskogee”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Johnny Cash “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down”
  • DMDB: Lynn Anderson “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”
  • Grammy: Marty Robbins “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife”
1969:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Merle Haggard “Okie from Muskogee”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Merle Haggard “Okie from Muskogee”
  • Billboard: Johnny Cash “Daddy Sang Bass”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Johnny Cash “A Boy Named Sue”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Porter Wagoner “The Carroll County Accident”
  • DMDB: Merle Haggard “Okie from Muskogee”
  • Grammy: Johnny Cash “A Boy Named Sue”
1968:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Roger Miller “Little Green Apples”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Glen Glen Campbell “Wichita Lineman”
  • Billboard: Henson Cargill “Skip a Rope”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Jeannie C. Riley “Harper Valley P.T.A.”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Bobby Goldsboro “Honey”
  • DMDB: Tammy Wynette “Stand by Your Man”
  • Grammy: Roger Miller “Little Green Apples”

1967:
  • ACM – Single of the Year: Glen Campbell “Gentle on My Mind”
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Wynn Stewart “It’s Such a Pretty World Today”
  • Billboard: Jack Greene “All the Time”
  • CMA – Single of the Year: Jack Greene “There Goes My Everything”
  • CMA – Song of the Year: Jack Greene “There Goes My Everything”
  • DMDB: Bobbie Gentry “Ode to Billie Joe”
  • Grammy: Glen Campbell “Gentle on My Mind”
1966:
  • ACM – Song of the Year: Bobby Austin “Apartment #9”
  • Billboard: David Houston “Almost Persuaded”
  • DMDB: Jim Reeves “Distant Drums”
  • Grammy: David Houston “Almost Persuaded”
1965:
1964:
  • Billboard: Connie Smith “Once a Day”
  • DMDB: Roger Miller “Dang Me”
  • Grammy: Roger Miller “Dang Me”

1963:
  • Billboard: Buck Owens “Love’s Gonna Live Here”
  • DMDB: Johnny Cash “Ring of Fire”
1962:
1961:
  • Billboard: Leroy Van Dyke “Walk on By”
  • DMDB: Patsy Cline “Crazy”

1960:
  • Billboard: Hank Locklin “Please Help Me, I’m Falling”
  • DMDB: Hank Locklin “Please Help Me, I’m Falling”
1959:
1958:
1957:
  • Billboard: Ferlin Husky “Gone”
  • DMDB: Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock”
1956:
  • Billboard: Ray Price “Crazy Arms”
  • DMDB: Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel”
1955:
  • Billboard: Webb Pierce “In the Jailhouse Now”
  • DMDB: Tennessee Ernie Ford “Sixteen Tons”
1954:
1953:
1952:
  • Billboard: Hank Thompson “The Wild Side of Life”
  • DMDB: Hank Williams “Jambalaya on the Bayou”
1951:
  • Billboard: Pee Wee King “Slow Poke”
  • DMDB: Hank Williams “Cold, Cold Heart”
1950:
  • Billboard: Hank Snow “I’m Moving On”
  • DMDB: Patti Page “Tennessee Waltz”

1949:
1948:
  • Billboard: Eddy Arnold “Bouquet of Roses”
  • DMDB: Eddy Arnold “Bouquet of Roses”
1947:
  • Billboard: Eddy Arnold “I’ll Hold You in My Heart Till I Can Hold You in My Arms”
  • DMDB: Tex Williams “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)”
1946:
  • Billboard: Al Dexter “Guitar Polka”
  • DMDB: Merle Travis “Dark As a Dungeon”
1945:
  • Billboard: Tex Ritter “You Two Timed Me One Time Too Often”
  • DMDB: Dick Thomas “Sioux City Sue”
1944:
  • Billboard: Al Dexter “So Long Pal”
  • DMDB: Nat “King” Cole “Straighten Up and Fly Right”
1943: DMDB: Al Dexter & His Troopers “Pistol Packin’ Mama”
1942: DMDB: Elton Britt “There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere”
1941: DMDB: Ernest Tubb “Walking the Floor Over You”
1940: DMDB: Jimmie Davis “You Are My Sunshine”

1939: DMDB: Gene Autry “Back in the Saddle Again”
1938: DMDB: Roy Acuff & the Smoky Mountain Boys “Wabash Cannonball”
1937: DMDB: Rex Griffin “The Last Letter”
1936: DMDB: Patsy Montana & the Prairie Ramblers “I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart”
1935: DMDB: The Carter Family “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)”
1934: DMDB: The Sons of the Pioneers “Tumbling Tumbleweeds”
1933: DMDB: The Delmore Brothers “Brown’s Ferry Blues”
1932: DMDB: --
1931: DMDB: Jimmie Rodgers “T.B. Blues”
1930: DMDB: The Mississippi Sheiks “Sitting on Top of the World”

1929: DMDB: Clarence (Tom) Ashley “The Coo Coo Bird”
1928: DMDB: Jimmie Rodgers “Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas)”
1927: DMDB: Dock Boggs “Country Blues”
1926: DMDB: Charlie Poole “White House Blues”
1925: DMDB: Vernon Dalhart “The Prisoner’s Song”
1924: DMDB: Uncle Dave Macon “Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy”
1923: DMDB: Fiddlin’ John Carson “The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane”
1922: DMDB: Eck Robertson “Sallie Gooden”

Resources/Related Links:

First posted 10/31/2021; last updated 8/7/2026.

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Thursday, February 6, 2025

Rap/Hip-Hop: Annual Song Awards (1979-2024)

Rap/Hip-Hop:

Annual Song Awards, 1979-2024

This page offers a consolidated list of the rap songs of each year as determined by various organizations and entities. They include:

  • American Music Awards: Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year (2016-2023)
  • BET Hip Hop Awards, Single of the Year (2006-2024)
  • Billboard: Rap Song of the Year (1989-2022). Award generally given the year after indicated. Some gaps were filled in by the song which spent the most weeks atop the rap chart that year.
  • Dave’s Music Database: Rap Song of the Year (1979-2024)
  • Grammys: Best Rap Song (2004-2024), Best Rap Performance (1989-1990, 2012-2024), Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (1991-2011), Best Rap Solo Performance (1991-2011). Award generally given the year after indicated.
  • Soul Train: Rap Song of the Year (2010-2020)
  • Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI): R&B Song of the Year, 2001-. Music publishing company tracks most-played songs each year.

See links at bottom of page for more details on above.

Click here to see other ‘Songs of the Year’ lists.


2024:
2023:
  • AMA: Kendrick Lamar “The Heart Part 5”
  • BET: Lil Uzi Vert “Just Wanna Rock”
  • DMDB: Doja Cat “Paint the Town Red”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Killer Mike with André 3000, Future & Eryn Allen Kane “Scientists & Engineers”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Killer Mike with André 3000, Future & Eryn Allen Kane “Scientists & Engineers”
2022:
  • AMA: Future with Drake & Tems “Wait for U”
  • BET: Latto “Big Energy”
  • Billboard: Jack Harlow “First Class”
  • DMDB: Jack Harlow “First Class”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar “The Heart Part 5”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar “The Heart Part 5”
2021:
  • AMA: Cardi B “Up”
  • BET: Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
  • Billboard: Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow “Industry Baby”
  • DMDB: Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow “Industry Baby”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kanye West with Jay-Z “Jail”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Baby Keem with Kendrick Lamar “Family Ties”
2020:
  • AMA: Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
  • BET: Roddy Ricch “The Box”
  • Billboard: DaBaby with Roddy Ricch “Rockstar”
  • DMDB: Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Megan Thee Stallion with Beyoncé “Savage” (remix)
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Megan Thee Stallion with Beyoncé “Savage” (remix)
  • Soul Train: Megan Thee Stallion with Beyoncé “Savage” (remix)

2019:
  • AMA: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
  • BET: Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
  • Billboard: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
  • DMDB: Roddy Ricch “The Box”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: 21 Savage “A Lot”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Nipsey Hussle with Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy “Racks in the Middle”
  • Soul Train: Cardi B “Money”
2018:
  • AMA: Cardi B “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
  • BET: The Carters (Jay-Z & Beyoncé) “Apeshit”
  • Billboard: Cardi B with Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It”
  • DMDB: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Drake “God’s Plan”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Anderson Paak “Bubblin’” / Kendrick Lamar with Jay Rock, Future & James Blake “King’s Dead”
  • Soul Train: Drake “In My Feelings”
2017:
  • AMA: DJ Khaled with Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne “I’m the One”
  • BET: Cardi B “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
  • Billboard: Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar”
  • DMDB: Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar “Humble”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar “Humble”
  • Soul Train: Cardi B “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
2016:
  • AMA: Drake “Hotline Bling”
  • BET: Fat Joe with Remy Ma, French Montana, and Infared “All the Way Up”
  • Billboard: Desiigner “Panda”
  • DMDB: Drake with WizKid & Kyla “One Dance”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Drake “Hotline Bling”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Chance the Rapper with Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz “No Problem”
  • Soul Train: Fat Joe with Remy Ma, French Montana, and Infared “All the Way Up”

2015:
  • BET: Fetty Wap “Trap Queen”
  • Billboard: Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth “See You Again”
  • DMDB: Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth “See You Again”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar “Alright”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar “Alright”
  • Soul Train: Kendrick Lamar “Alright”
2014:
  • BET: YG with Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan “My Hitta”
  • Billboard: Iggy Azalea with Charli XCX “Fancy”
  • DMDB: Iggy Azalea with Charli XCX “Fancy”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar “i”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar “i”
  • Soul Train: Chris Brown with Lil Wayne & Tyga “Loyal”
2013:
  • BET: Drake “Started from the Bottom”
  • Billboard: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us”
  • DMDB: Pitbull with Kesha “Timber”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop”
  • Soul Train: Wale with Tiara Thomas “Bad”
2012:
  • BET: Jay-Z with Kanye West “Niggas in Paris”
  • Billboard: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop”
  • DMDB: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Jay-Z with Kanye West “Niggas in Paris”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Jay-Z with Kanye West “Niggas in Paris”
  • Soul Train: Kanye West with Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz “Mercy”
2011:
  • BET: Wiz Khalifa “Black and Yellow”
  • Billboard: LMFAO with Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
  • DMDB: LMFAO with Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kanye West with Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie “All of the Lights”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Jay-Z with Kanye West “Otis”
  • Soul Train: Nicki Minaj with Drake “Moment 4 Life”

2010:
  • BET: Rick Ross with Styles P “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)”
  • Billboard: Eminem & Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie”
  • DMDB: Eminem & Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: “Empire State of Mind”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Jay-Z with Swizz Beatz “On to the Next One”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Eminem “Not Afraid”
  • Soul Train: Eminem & Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie”
2009:
  • BET: Young Money “Every Girl”
  • Billboard: Drake “Best I Ever Had”
  • DMDB: Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Jay-Z with Rihanna & Kanye West “Run This Town”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Eminem with Dr. Dre & 50 Cent “Crack a Bottle”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Jay-Z “DOA (Death of Auto-Tune)”
2008:
  • BET: Lil Wayne “A Milli”
  • Billboard: Lil Wayne with Static Major “Lollipop”
  • DMDB: Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Lil Wayne with Static Major “Lollipop”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Jay-Z with T.I., Kanye West, & Lil Wayne “Swagga Like Us”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Lil Wayne “A Milli”
2007:
  • BET: Da Shop Boyz “Party Like a Rockstar”
  • Billboard: Flo Rida & T-Pain “Low”
  • DMDB: Flo Rida & T-Pain “Low”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kanye West with T-Pain “Good Life”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Common with Kanye West “Southside”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Kanye West “Stronger”
2006:
  • BET: Yung Joc with Nitti “It’s Goin’ Down”
  • Billboard: Nelly with Paul Wall, Ali & Gip “Grillz”
  • DMDB: Chamillionaire with Krayzie Bone “Ridin’”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Ludacris with Pharrell Williams “Money Maker”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Chamillionaire with Krayzie Bone “Ridin’”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: T.I. “What You Know”

2005:
  • Billboard: Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz with Usher and Ludacris “Lovers and Friends”
  • DMDB: Kanye West & Jamie Foxx “Gold Digger”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kanye West “Diamonds from Sierra Leone”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Black Eyed Peas “Don’t Phunk with My Heart”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Kanye West & Jamie Foxx “Gold Digger”
2004:
  • Billboard: Terror Squad with Fat Joe & Remy “Lean Back”
  • DMDB: Snoop Dogg with Pharrell Williams “Drop It Like It’s Hot”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Kanye West “Jesus Walks”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Black Eyed Peas “Let’s Get It Started”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Jay-Z “99 Problems”
2003:
  • Billboard: 50 Cent “In Da Club”
  • DMDB: OutKast “Hey Ya!”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Song: Eminem “Lose Yourself”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Nelly with P. Diddy & Murphy Lee “Shake Ya Tailfeather”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance (Male): Eminem “Lose Yourself”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance (Female): Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott “Work It”

2002:
  • Billboard: Nelly “Hot in Herre”
  • DMDB: Eminem “Lose Yourself”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: OutKast with Killer Mike “The Whole World”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance (Male): Nelly “Hot in Herre”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance (Female): Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott “Scream aka Itchin’”
2001:
  • Billboard: Bow Wow with Snoop Dogg “Bow Wow (That’s My Name)”
  • DMDB: Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott “Get Ur Freak On”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: OutKast “Ms. Jackson”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott “Get Ur Freak On”
2000:
  • Billboard: Bow Wow with Xscape “Bounce with Me”
  • DMDB: Eminem & Dido “Stan”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Dr. Dre with Eminem “Forgot About Dre”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Eminem “The Real Slim Shady”
1999:
  • Billboard: JT Money with Solé “Who Dat”
  • DMDB: Dr. Dre with Eminem “Forgot About Dre”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: The Roots with Erykah Badu “You Got Me”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Eminem “My Name Is”
1998:
  • Billboard: Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz “Déjà Vu (Uptown Baby)”
  • DMDB: Lauryn Hill “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Beastie Boys “Intergalactic”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Will Smith “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”

1997:
  • Billboard: Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You”
  • DMDB: Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Will Smith “Men in Black”
1996:
  • Billboard: Lil Kim with Puff Daddy “No Time”
  • DMDB: Blackstreet with Dr. Dre & Queen Pen “No Diggity”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony “Tha Crossroads”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: LL Cool J with Boyz II Men “Hey Lover”
1995:
  • Billboard: Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise”
  • DMDB: Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Method Man with Mary J. Blige “I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise”

1994:
  • Billboard: Craig Mack “Flava in Ya Ear”
  • DMDB: The Notorious B.I.G. “Juicy”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Salt-N-Pepa “None of Your Business”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Queen Latifah “U.N.I.T.Y.”
1993:
  • Billboard: Illegal “We Getz Busy”
  • DMDB: Tag Team “Whoomp! There It Is”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Digable Planets “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Dr. Dre “Let Me Ride”
1992:
  • Billboard: Cypress Hill “The Phuncky Feel One”
  • DMDB: Sir Mix-A-Lot “Baby Got Back”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Arrested Development “Tennessee”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: Sir Mix-A-Lot “Baby Got Back”
1991:
  • Billboard: Cypress Hill “How I Could Just Kill a Man”
  • DMDB: Naughty by Nature “O.P.P.”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince “Summertime”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: LL Cool J “Mama Said Knock You Out”

1990:
  • Billboard: Salt-N-Pepa “Expression”
  • DMDB: MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Quincy Jones with Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel & Quincy Jones III “Back on the Block”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Solo Performance: MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”
1989:
  • Billboard: Stop the Violence Movement “Self Destruction”
  • DMDB: Public Enemy “Fight the Power”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: Young MC “Bust a Move”
1988:
  • DMDB: Tone Loc “Wild Thing”
  • Grammy – Best Rap Performance: DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince “Parents Just Don’t Understand”
1987:

1986:
  • DMDB: Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry “Walk This Way”
1985:
  • DMDB: Run-D.M.C. “King of Rock”
1984:
  • DMDB: Run-D.M.C. “Rock Box”
1983:
  • DMDB: Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five “White Lines (Don’t Do It)”

1982:
  • DMDB: Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five “The Message”
1981:
  • DMDB:
1980:
  • DMDB: Blondie “Rapture”
1979:

Resources/Related Links:

First posted 2/6/2025.

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Monday, November 27, 2023

R&B: Annual Song Awards, 1942-2023

R&B:

Annual Song Awards, 1942-2023

This page offers a consolidated list of the R&B songs of each year as determined by various organizations and entities. They include:

  • American Music Awards: R&B/Soul Song of the Year (1974-1995, 2016-)
  • Billboard: R&B Song of the Year, 1942-.
  • Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI): R&B Song of the Year, 2001-. Music publishing company tracks most-played songs each year.
  • Grammys: Best Rhythm & Blues Performance (1959-1961), Best Rhythm & Blues Performance (1962-1968), Best R&B Song (1969)
  • Soul Train: Song of the Year (1989-1996, 2009-), Song of the Year by Male, Female, or Group/Duo (1987-2007)

See links at bottom of page for more details on above.

In some cases, awards are listed a year earlier than they were often given. For example, Bruno Mars won the Grammy for Best R&B Song in 2018 for “That’s What I Like” but the song is listed under 2017 because that was its eligibility year.

Click here to see other ‘Songs of the Year’ lists.


2023:
  • Billboard: SZA “Kill Bill”
  • Soul Train: SZA “Snooze”
2022:
  • AMA: WizKid with Tems “Essence”
  • Billboard: Jack Harlow “First Class”
  • DMDB: Lizzo “About Damn Time”
  • Grammy: Beyoncé “Cuff It”
  • Soul Train: Beyoncé “Break My Soul”

2021:
2020:
  • AMA: Kanye West “Heartless”
  • Billboard: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
  • BMI: Doja Cat “Say So”
  • DMDB: Chris Brown with Young Thug “Go Crazy”
  • Grammy: Robert Glasper with H.E.R. & Me’Shell Ndegeocello “Better Than I Imagined”
  • Soul Train: Chris Brown with Young Thug “Go Crazy”

2019:
  • AMA: Khalid “Talk”
  • Billboard: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
  • BMI: Khalid “Talk”
  • DMDB: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
  • Grammy: PJ Morton with JoJo “Say So”
  • Soul Train: Chris Brown with Drake “No Guidance”
2018:
  • AMA: Bruno Mars & Cardi B “Finesse”
  • Billboard: Drake “God’s Plan”
  • BMI: Drake “God’s Plan”
  • DMDB: Ella Mai “Boo’d Up”
  • Grammy: Ella Mai “Boo’d Up”
  • Soul Train: Ella Mai “Boo’d Up”
2017:

2016:
  • AMA: Rihanna with Drake “Work”
  • Billboard: Drake with WizKid & Kyla “One Dance”
  • BMI: G-Eazy with Bebe Rexha “Me, Myself & I”
  • DMDB: Rihanna with Drake “Work”
  • Grammy: Maxwell “Lake by the Ocean”
  • Soul Train: Beyoncé “Formation”
2015:

2014:
  • Billboard: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
  • BMI: John Legend “All of Me”
  • DMDB: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
  • Grammy: Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Drunk in Love”
  • Soul Train: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
2013:
  • Billboard: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop”
  • BMI: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us”
  • DMDB: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
  • Grammy: Justin Timberlake “Pusher Love Girl”
  • Soul Train: Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines”

2012:
  • Billboard: Rihanna “Diamonds”
  • BMI: Nicki Minaj “Starships”
  • DMDB: Bruno Mars “Locked Out of Heaven”
  • Grammy: Miguel “Adorn”
  • Soul Train: Tyrese “Stay”
2011:
  • Billboard: DJ Khaled with Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne “I’m on One”
  • BMI: Nicki Minaj “Super Bass”
  • DMDB: Rihanna with Calvin Harris “We Found Love”
  • Grammy: Cee-Lo Green with Melanie Fiona “Fool for You”
  • Soul Train: Kelly Rowland with Lil Wayne “Motivation”
2010:
  • Billboard: Alicia Keys “Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)”
  • BMI: B.o.B. with Bruno Mars “Nothin’ on You”
  • DMDB: Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)”
  • Grammy: John Legend & the Roots “Shine”
  • Soul Train: B.o.B. with Bruno Mars “Nothin’ on You”
2009:

2008:
2007:
  • Billboard: Robin Thicke “Lost Without U”
  • BMI: Beyoncé “Irreplaceable”
  • DMDB: Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella”
  • Grammy: Alicia Keys “No One”
  • Soul Train (Female): Beyoncé “Irreplaceable”
  • Soul Train (Male): John Legend “Save Room”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
2006:
  • Billboard: Mary J. Blige “Be Without You”
  • BMI: Beyoncé with Slim Thug & Bun B “Check on It”
  • DMDB: Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
  • Grammy: Mary J. Blige “Be Without You”
  • Soul Train (Female): Mariah Carey “We Belong Together”
  • Soul Train (Male): John Legend with will.i.am “Ordinary People”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Destiny’s Child “Cater 2 U”

2005:
2004:
  • Billboard: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
  • BMI: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
  • DMDB: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
  • Grammy: Alicia Keys “You Don’t Know My Name”
  • Soul Train (Female): Alicia Keys “You Don’t Know My Name”
  • Soul Train (Male): Luther Vandross “Dance with My Father”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Floetry “Say Yes”

2003:
  • Billboard: 50 Cent “In Da Club”
  • BMI: R. Kelly “Ignition (remix)”
  • DMDB: OutKast “Hey Ya!”
  • Grammy: Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love”
  • Soul Train (Female): Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish”
  • Soul Train (Male): Musiq Soulchild “Don’t Change”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): M2K with P. Diddy “Bump Bump Bump”
2002:
  • Billboard: Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish”
  • BMI: Nelly “Hot in Herre”
  • DMDB: Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish”
  • Grammy: Erykah Badu with Common “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)”
  • Soul Train (Female): Aaliyah “Rock the Boat”
  • Soul Train (Male): Musiq Soulchild “Love”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): The Isley Brothers with Chante Moore “Contagious”
2001:
  • Billboard: Usher “U Got It Bad”
  • BMI: Janet Jackson “All for You”
  • DMDB: Alicia Keys “Fallin’”
  • Grammy: Alicia Keys “Fallin’”
  • Soul Train (Female): Yolanda Adams “Open My Heart”
  • Soul Train (Male): R. Kelly “I Wish”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Jagged Edge “Let’s Get Married”
2000:
  • Billboard: Erykah Badu “Bag Lady”
  • BMI: Santana with the Product G&B “Maria Maria”
  • DMDB: Destiny’s Child “Independent Women”
  • Grammy: Destiny’s Child “Say My Name”
  • Soul Train (Female): Lauryn Hill “Ex-Factor”
  • Soul Train (Male): Maxwell “Fortunate”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): TLC “No Scrubs”
1999:
  • Billboard: Destiny’s Child “Bills, Bills, Bills”
  • DMDB: TLC “No Scrubs”
  • Grammy: TLC “No Scrubs”
  • Soul Train (Female): Deborah Cox “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here”
  • Soul Train (Male): Brian McKnight “Anytime”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Next “Too Close”
1998:
  • Billboard: Deborah Cox “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here”
  • DMDB: Brandy & Monica “The Boy Is Mine”
  • Grammy: Lauryn Hill “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
  • Soul Train (Female): Erykah Badu “On and On”
  • Soul Train (Male): Usher “U Make Me Wanna…”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Dru Hill “In My Bed”
1997:
  • Billboard: Usher “U Make Me Wanna…”
  • DMDB: Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You”
  • Grammy: R. Kelly “I Believe I Can Fly”
  • Soul Train (Female): Toni Braxton “You’re Makin’ Me High” / “Let It Flow”
  • Soul Train (Male): Maxwell “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Blackstreet with Dr. Dre & Queen Pen “No Diggity”
1996:
  • Billboard: R. Kelly with Ronald Isley “Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)”
  • DMDB: Toni Braxton “Un-Break My Heart”
  • Grammy: Whitney Houston “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)”
  • Soul Train: The Notorious B.I.G. “One More Chance”
  • Soul Train (Female): Whitney Houston “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)”
  • Soul Train (Male): D’Angelo “Brown Sugar”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): TLC “Waterfalls”
1995:
  • AMA: Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You”
  • Billboard: The Notorious B.I.G. “One More Chance” / “Stay with Me”
  • DMDB: Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day”
  • Grammy: Stevie Wonder “For Your Love”
  • Soul Train: Barry White “Practice What You Preach”
  • Soul Train (Female): Anita Baker “Body and Soul”
  • Soul Train (Male): R. Kelly “Bump N’ Grind”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You”

1994:
1993:
  • AMA: Michael Jackson “Remember the Time”
  • Billboard: Silk “Freak Me”
  • DMDB: Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes”
  • Grammy: Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes”
  • Soul Train: Boyz II Men “End of the Road”
  • Soul Train (Female): Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
  • Soul Train (Male): Michael Jackson “Remember the Time”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Boyz II Men “Please Don’t Go”

1992:
  • AMA: Color Me Badd “I Wanna Sex You Up”
  • Billboard: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
  • DMDB: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
  • Grammy: Boyz II Men “End of the Road”
  • Soul Train: Color Me Badd “I Wanna Sex You Up”
  • Soul Train (Female): Lisa Fischer “How Can I Ease the Pain?”
  • Soul Train (Male): Keith Washington “Kissing You”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Color Me Badd “I Wanna Sex You Up”
1991:
  • AMA: MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”
  • Billboard: Shanice “I Love Your Smile”
  • DMDB: Natalie Cole with Nat “King” Cole “Unforgettable”
  • Grammy: Luther Vandross “Power of Love/Love Power”
  • Soul Train: MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”
  • Soul Train (Female): Mariah Carey “Vision of Love”
  • Soul Train (Male): Johnny Gill “My My My”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): En Vogue “Hold On”

1990:
  • AMA: Janet Jackson “Miss You Much”
  • Billboard: Pebbles “Giving You the Benefit”
  • DMDB: C + C Music Factory “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”
  • Grammy: MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”
  • Soul Train: Soul II Soul “Keep on Movin’”
  • Soul Train (Female): Janet Jackson “Miss You Much”
  • Soul Train (Male): Luther Vandross “Here and Now”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Soul II Soul “Keep on Movin’”
1989:
  • AMA: Freddie Jackson “Nice N Slow”
  • Billboard: Karyn White “Superwoman”
  • DMDB: Soul II Soul “Back to Life (How Ever Do You Want Me)”
  • Grammy: Simply Red “If You Don’t Know Me by Now”
  • Soul Train: Anita Baker “Giving You the Best That I Got”
  • Soul Train (Female): Anita Baker “Giving You the Best That I Got”
  • Soul Train (Male): Michael Jackson “Man in the Mirror”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): E.U. “Da Butt”
1988:
  • AMA: Michael Jackson “Bad”
  • Billboard: Keith Sweat “I Want Her”
  • DMDB: Bobby McFerrin “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
  • Grammy: Anita Baker “Giving You the Best That I Got”
  • Soul Train (Female): Natalie Cole “I Live for Your Love”
  • Soul Train (Male): Michael Jackson “Bad”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Levert “Casanova”
  • Soul Train (Rap): LL Cool J “I Need Love”
1987:
  • AMA: Janet Jackson “Nasty”
  • Billboard: Michael Jackson “The Way You Make Me Feel”
  • DMDB: Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me”
  • Grammy: Club Nouveau “Lean on Me”
  • Soul Train (Female): Anita Baker “Sweet Love”
  • Soul Train (Male): Gregory Abbott “Shake You Down”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Cameo “Word Up!”
  • Soul Train (Rap): Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry “Walk This Way”
1986:
  • AMA: Whitney Houston “You Give Good Love”
  • Billboard: Prince “Kiss”
  • DMDB: Prince “Kiss”
  • Grammy: Anita Baker “Sweet Love”
1985:
  • AMA: Prince “When Doves Cry”
  • Billboard: Freddie Jackson “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Time’s Sake)”
  • DMDB: Dionne & Friends (Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) “That's What Friends Are For”
  • Grammy: Aretha Franklin “Freeway of Love”

1984:
1983:

1982:
  • AMA: Lionel Richie & Diana Ross “Endless Love”
  • Billboard: Marvin Gaye “Sexual Healing”
  • DMDB: Michael Jackson “Billie Jean”
  • Grammy: George Benson “Turn Your Love Around”
1981:
  • AMA: Diana Ross “Upside Down”
  • Billboard: Earth, Wind & Fire “Let’s Groove”
  • DMDB: Lionel Richie & Diana Ross “Endless Love”
  • Grammy: Bill Withers with Grover Washington Jr. “Just the Two of Us”
1980:
1979:
  • AMA: Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late”
  • Billboard: Chic “Good Times”
  • DMDB: Sister Sledge “We Are Family”
  • Grammy: Earth, Wind & Fire “After the Love Has Gone”
1978:
  • AMA: The Emotions “Best of My Love”
  • Billboard: Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove”
  • DMDB: Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive”
  • Grammy: Donna Summer “Last Dance”
1977:
  • AMA: Lou Rawls “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” and Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music”
  • Billboard: Earth, Wind & Fire “Serpentine Fire”
  • DMDB: Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive”
  • Grammy: Leo Sayer “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing”
1976:
  • AMA: KC & the Sunshine Band “Get Down Tonight”
  • Billboard: Johnnie Taylor “Disco Lady”
  • DMDB: Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music”
  • Grammy: Boz Scaggs “Lowdown”
1975:
  • AMA: Gladys Knight & the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia”
  • Billboard: The Isley Brothers “Fight the Power (Part 1)”
  • DMDB: Van McCoy “The Hustle”
  • Grammy: Betty Wright “Where Is the Love”
1974:
  • AMA: Stevie Wonder “Superstition”
  • Billboard: Roberta Flack “Feel Like Makin’ Love”
  • DMDB: Bob Marley & the Marleys “No Woman, No Cry”
  • Grammy: Stevie Wonder “Living for the City”

1973:
1972:
1971:
  • Billboard: Jean Knight “Mr. Big Stuff”
  • DMDB: Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On”
  • Grammy: Bill Withers “Ain’t No Sunshine”
1970:
  • Billboard: The Jackson 5 “The Love You Save”
  • DMDB: The Jackson 5 “I’ll Be There”
  • Grammy: Clarence Carter “Patches”
1969:
  • Billboard: Marvin Gaye “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby”
  • DMDB: The Jackson 5 “I Want You Back”
  • Grammy: The Winstons “Color Him Father”
1968:
1967:
  • Billboard: Aretha Franklin “Respect”
  • DMDB: Aretha Franklin “Respect”
  • Grammy: Aretha Franklin “Respect”

1966:
  • Billboard: The Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”
  • DMDB: Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)”
  • Grammy: Ray Charles “Crying Time”
1965:
1964:
  • Billboard: Mary Wells “My Guy”
  • DMDB: The Temptations “My Girl”
  • Grammy: Nancy Wilson “How Glad I Am”
1963:
1962:

1961:
  • Billboard: Bobby Lewis “Tossin’ and Turnin’”
  • DMDB: Ben E. King “Stand by Me”
  • Grammy: Ray Charles “Hit the Road Jack”
1960:
  • Billboard: Dinah Washington & Brook Benton “Baby, You’ve Got What It Takes”
  • DMDB: Chubby Checker “The Twist”
  • Grammy: Ray Charles “Let the Good Times Roll”
1959:
  • Billboard: Brook Benton “It’s Just a Matter of Time”
  • DMDB: Ray Charles “What’d I Say”
  • Grammy: Dinah Washington “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes”
1958:
  • Billboard: Jackie Wilson “Lonely Teardrops”
  • DMDB: Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode”
  • Grammy: The Champs “Tequila”
1957:
  • Billboard: The Coasters “Searchin’”
  • DMDB: The Coasters “Searchin’”
1956:
1955:
  • Billboard: Fats Domino “Ain’t That a Shame”
  • DMDB: Little Richard “Tutti Frutti”
1954:
1953:
1952:
  • Billboard: The Dominoes “Have Mercy Baby”
  • DMDB: Lloyd Price “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”
1951:
  • Billboard: The Dominoes “Sixty Minute Man”
  • DMDB: Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats “Rocket 88”
1950:
  • Billboard: Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers “Pink Champagne”
  • DMDB: Nat “King” Cole “Mona Lisa”
1949:
  • Billboard: Charles Brown “Trouble Blues”
  • DMDB: John Lee Hooker “Boogie Chillen”
1948:
  • Billboard: Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends “King Size Papa”
  • DMDB: Nat “King” Cole “Nature Boy”
1947:
  • Billboard: Louis Jordan “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens”
  • DMDB: T-Bone Walker “Call It Stormy Monday”
1946:
1945:
  • Billboard: Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers “The Honeydripper”
  • DMDB: Billie Holiday “Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)”
1944:
  • Billboard: The Ink Spots with Ella Fitzgerald “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall”
  • DMDB: Nat “King” Cole “Straighten Up and Fly Right”
1943:
  • Billboard: Erskine Hawkins with Jimmy Mitchelle “Don’t Cry Baby”
  • DMDB: The Ink Spots “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”
1942:
  • Billboard: Paul Whiteman with Billie Holiday “Travl’lin’ Light”
  • DMDB: The Mills Brothers “Paper Doll”

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First posted 11/23/2021; last updated 11/27/2023.

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