Grammy Record of the Year: Country Music Nominees and Winners Through the Years
Grammy Record of the Year: Country Music Nominees and Winners Through the Years
Written by Amanda Tempel
Record of the Year is one of the Grammy’s “Big Four” categories along with Album, Song, and Best New Artist. This all-genre category recognizes the artists, producers, and engineers who are involved with the creative recording process of a song. Throughout the Grammy’s history, 33 country songs have been nominated for this prestigious award; three songs have won.
This list details every nominated song that has received airplay on the country charts. 32 of the 33 songs are considered crossover songs because they charted on not only the country charts, but another chart like the Billboard 100, R&B, Pop Airplay, or Adult Contemporary. The lone song that was strictly a country hit was “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” a top five hit for Mary Chapin Carpenter.
The sixties and seventies are the decades with the most country nominations, with ten each. Although country music has reached a wider cross-genre audience in recent years, Beyoncé earns the only country nomination so far for this decade. Her song “Texas Hold ‘Em” reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country songs chart, which calculates radio airplay and streaming, while it peaked at thirty-three on the Country Airplay chart in the U.S. and twenty-five in Canada.
Lady A is the only country act to win the Grammy’s Record of the Year, as well as the Single of the Year from both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music. Their worldwide hit “Need You Now” made that historic three-peat victory in 2010.
Country Winners for Grammy Record of the Year:
1974 - Olivia Newton John – I Honestly Love You
2006 - Not Ready To Make Nice – The Chicks
2010 - Lady A – Need You Now
Most Country Nominations for Grammy Record of the Year:
Glen Campbell – 3
Billy Ray Cyrus, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Taylor Swift– 2
Country Songs Nominated for Grammy Record of the Year:
1959
The Browns – The Three Bells
Elvis Presley – A Fool Such As I
1960
Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome Tonight
1961
Jimmy Dean – Big Bad John
1965
Roger Miller – King of the Road
1966
David Houston – Almost Persuaded
1967
Bobbie Gentry – Ode To Billie Joe
Glen Campbell – By The Time I Get To Phoenix
1968
Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman
Bobby Goldsboro – Honey
Jeannie C Riley – Harper Valley PTA
1969
Johnny Cash – A Boy Named Sue
1970
Ray Stevens – Everything Is Beautiful
1973
Charlie Rich – Behind Closed Doors
1974
Olivia Newton John – I Honestly Love You – Winner
1975
Glen Campbell – Rhinestone Cowboy
Eagles – Lyin' Eyes
1977
Debby Boone – You Light Up My Life
Crystal Gayle – Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
Linda Ronstadt – Blue Bayou
1978
Anne Murray – You Needed Me
1979
Kenny Rogers – The Gambler
1980
Kenny Rogers – Lady
1982
Willie Nelson - Always On My Mind
1992
Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart
1994
Mary Chapin Carpenter – He Thinks He’ll Keep Her
1998
Shania Twain – You're Still The One
2006
The Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice – Winner
2009
Taylor Swift – You Belong with Me
2010
Lady A – Need You Now – Winner
2012
Taylor Swift - We Are Never Getting Back Together
2019
Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus - Old Town Road
2024
Beyonce - Texas Hold ‘Em
Where to Watch The 2025 Grammy’s
Watch the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 2, on CBS! Don’t miss the Grammy Preview episode of Across The Country with Amanda airing the week of January 26 - find your local station here.
Listen to Across The Country With Amanda, a weekly syndicated radio program featuring the legends you love, and the best in today’s country! Find a station near you here.
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