Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year
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The following list shows the recipients of the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year. This Award goes to the songwriter(s) and is for artistic achievement in songwriting. Any Country Music song with original words and music is eligible based upon the song's Country singles chart activity during the eligibility period. It is the sister category to the Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year, which recognizes the artist, producer and engineer.
Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year
Country
United States
Presented by
Country Music Association
First award
1967
Currently held by
Chris Stapleton and Dan Wilson (2024)
It was first handed out at the inaugural 1967 CMA Awards to Dallas Frazier for his song "There Goes My Everything" which had been popularised at that time by Jack Greene. K. T. Oslin became the first woman to win the award in 1988 for her hit "80's Ladies". Vince Gill is the most awarded songwriter in the category, with four wins, while two—time winner Alan Jackson and 2014 recipient Shane McAnally hold the record for most nominations, with ten each. Bob McDill and Brad Paisley are the most nominated writers not to win, with six nominations. The current holder of the award is Chris Stapleton and Dan Wilson, who wrote Stapleton's hit "White Horse", which won at the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2024.
To date, thirteen men: Dallas Frazier (1967), Bobby Russell (1968), Bob Ferguson (1969), Kris Kristofferson (1970), Freddie Hart (1971—2), Kenny O'Dell (1973), Don Wayne (1974), John Denver (1975), Larry Weiss (1976), Richard Leigh (1978), Don Schlitz (1979), Lee Greenwood (1985) and Vince Gill (1996) and seven women: K.T. Oslin (1988), Gretchen Peters (1995), Jennifer Nettles (2008), Kimberly Perry (2011), Lori McKenna (2016), Taylor Swift (2017) and Tracy Chapman (2023) have won the Song of the Year award with a solo composition.
To date, only three songs, "Easy Loving", "Always on My Mind" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today", have received the award in consecutive years and only Freddie Hart, Don Schlitz, Vince Gill and Lori McKenna have won in consecutive years.
Recipient
2020s
Year
Songwriter(s)
Title
Nominees
2025
Ella Langley Riley Green Aaron Raitiere
"You Look Like You Love Me"
“4x4xU” — Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
“Am I Okay?” — Megan Moroney, Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird
“I Never Lie” — Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top
“Texas” — Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Kyle Sturrock, Lalo Guzman
2024
Chris Stapleton Dan Wilson
"White Horse"
“Burn It Down” — Hillary Lindsey, Parker McCollum, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose
“Dirt Cheap — Josh Phillips
“I Had Some Help” — Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Jonathan Hoskins, Post Malone, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen and Chandler Paul Walters
"“The Painter” — Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins
2023
Tracy Chapman
"Fast Car"
"Heart Like a Truck" — Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson
"Next Thing You Know" — Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
"Tennessee Orange" — David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
"Wait in the Truck" — Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt
2022
Jacob Davis Jordan Davis Josh Jenkins Matt Jenkins
"Buy Dirt"
"Never Wanted to Be That Girl" — Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce
"Sand in My Boots" — Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy, Josh Osborne
"Things a Man Oughta Know" — Jason Nix, Jonathan Singleton, Lainey Wilson
"You Should Probably Leave" — Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley, Chris Stapleton
2021
Mike Henderson Chris Stapleton
"Starting Over"
"Forever After All" — Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Robert Williford
"The Good Ones" — Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Emily Landis and Jim McCormick
"Hell of A View" — Casey Beathard, Eric Church, Monty Criswell
"One Night Standards" — Nicolette Hayford, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde
2020
Maren Morris Jimmy Robbins Laura Veltz
"The Bones"
"Bluebird" — Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert
"Even Though I'm Leaving" — Luke Combs, Wyatt Durrette, Ray Fulcher
"I Hope You're Happy Now" — Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Carly Pearce, Jonathan Singleton
"More Hearts Than Mine" — Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis, Derrick Southerland
2010s
Year
Songwriter(s)
Title
Nominees
2019
Luke Combs Wyatt Durrette Robert Williford
"Beautiful Crazy"
"Girl" — Maren Morris, Sarah Aarons and Greg Kurstin
"God's Country" — Devin Dawson, Jordan Schmidt and Michael Hardy
"Rainbow" — Natalie Hemby, Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves
"Tequila" — Dan Smyers, Nicolle Galyon and Jordan Reynolds
2018
Mike Henderson Chris Stapleton
"Broken Halos"
"Body Like a Back Road" — Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne
"Drowns the Whiskey" — Brandon Kinney, Jeff Middleton and Josh Thompson
"Drunk Girl" — Scooter Carusoe, Tom Douglas and Chris Janson
"Tequila" — Dan Smyers, Nicolle Galyon and Jordan Reynold
2017
Taylor Swift
"Better Man"
"Blue Ain't Your Color" — Hillary Lindsey, Steven Lee Olsen and Clint Lagerberg
"Body Like a Back Road" — Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne
"Dirt on My Boots" — Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure and Ashley Gorley
"Tin Man" — Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall
2016
Lori McKenna
"Humble and Kind"
"Burning House" — Jeff Bhasker, Cam and Tyler Johnson
"Die a Happy Man" — Sean Douglas, Thomas Rhett and Joe Spargur
"My Church" — Busbee and Maren Morris
"Record Year" — Eric Church and Jeff Hyde
2015
Hillary Lindsey Lori McKenna Liz Rose
"Girl Crush"
"American Kids" — Rodney Clawson, Luke Laird and Shane McAnally
"Like a Cowboy" — Randy Houser and Brice Long
"Like a Wrecking Ball" — Eric Church and Casey Beathard
"Take Your Time" — Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne
2014
Brandy Clark Shane McAnally Kacey Musgraves
"Follow Your Arrow"
"Automatic" — Nicolle Galyon, Miranda Lambert and Hillary Lindsey
"Give Me Back My Hometown" — Eric Church and Luke Laird
"I Don't Dance" — Lee Brice, Dallas Davidson and Rob Hatch
"Any Man of Mine" — Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Shania Twain
"Check Yes or No" — Dana Hunt and Danny Wells
"The Keeper of the Stars" — Dickey Lee, Danny Mayo and Karen Staley
"Time Marches On" — Bobby Braddock
1995
Gretchen Peters
"Independence Day"
"Don't Take the Girl" — Larry Johnson and Craig Martin
"Gone Country" — Bob McDill
"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" — Burton Banks Collins and Karen Taylor—Good
"Thinkin' Problem" — David Ball, Allen Shamblin and Stuart Ziff
1994
Jim McBride Alan Jackson
"Chattahoochee"
"Don't Take the Girl" — Larry Johnson and Craig Martin
"He Thinks He'll Keep Her" — Mary Chapin Carpenter and Don Schlitz
"I Swear" — Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers
"Little Rock" — Tom Douglas
1993
Vince Gill John Barlow Jarvis
"I Still Believe in You"
"Ain't That Lonely Yet" — James House and Kostas Lazarides
"Boot Scootin' Boogie" — Ronnie Dunn
"Chattahoochee" — Jim McBride and Alan Jackson
"Seminole Wind" — John Anderson
1992
Max D. Barnes Vince Gill
"Look at Us"
"Achy Breaky Heart" — Don Von Tress
"Don't Rock the Jukebox" — Alan Jackson, Keith Stegall and Roger Murrah
"Down at the Twist and Shout" — Mary Chapin Carpenter
"Love, Me" — Max T. Barnes and Skip Ewing
1991
Tim DuBois Vince Gill
"When I Call Your Name"
"Don't Rock the Jukebox" — Alan Jackson, Keith Stegall and Roger Murrah
"Friends in Low Places" — Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee
"Here in the Real World" — Mark Irwin and Alan Jackson
"The Dance" — Tony Arata
1990
Don Henry Jon Vezner
"Where've You Been"
"Here in the Real World" — Mark Irwin and Alan Jackson
"If Tomorrow Never Comes" — Garth Brooks and Kent Blazy
"Killin' Time" — Clint Black and Hayden Nicholas
"When I Call Your Name" — Tim DuBois and Vince Gill
1980s
Year
Songwriter(s)
Title
Nominees
1989
Max D. Barnes Vern Gosdin
"Chiseled in Stone"
"A Better Man" — Clint Black and Hayden Nicholas
"After All This Time" — Rodney Crowell
"Don't Close Your Eyes" — Bob McDill
"Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" — Gene Nelson and Paul Nelson
1988
K. T. Oslin
"80's Ladies"
"Do Ya" — K. T. Oslin
"Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" — Gene Nelson and Paul Nelson
"I Told You So" — Randy Travis
"Life Turned Her That Way" — Harlan Howard
1987
Paul Overstreet Don Schlitz
"Forever and Ever, Amen"
"All My Ex's Live in Texas" — Linda Shafer and Sanger Shafer
"Can't Stop My Heart from Loving You" — Kieran Kane and Jamie O'Hara
"Daddy's Hands" — Holly Dunn
"On the Other Hand" — Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz
1986
Paul Overstreet Don Schlitz
"On the Other Hand"
"1982" — Buddy Blackmon and Vip Vipperman
"Bop" — Paul Davis and Jennifer Kimball
"Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days)" — Jamie O'Hara
"Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)" — Mike Reid, Troy Seals and Fred Parris
1985
Lee Greenwood
"God Bless the U.S.A."
"Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" — Bob McDill
"Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind" —Darlene Shafer and Sanger Shafer
"Mama He's Crazy" — Kenny O'Dell
"Seven Spanish Angels" — Eddie Setser and Troy Seals
1984
Larry Henley Jeff Silbar
"The Wind Beneath My Wings"
"A Little Good News" — Charlie Black, Rory Bourke and Tommy Rocco
"God Bless the U.S.A." — Lee Greenwood
"Islands in the Stream" — Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb
"To All the Girls I've Loved Before" — Hal David and Albert Hammond
1983
Wayne Carson Johnny Christopher Mark James
"Always on My Mind"
"16th Avenue" — Thom Schuyler
"I.O.U." — Kerry Chater and Austin Roberts
"If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)" — Max Barnes and Vern Gosdin
"Swingin'" — John Anderson and Lionel Delmore
1982
"Elvira" — Dallas Frazier
"I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home" — Dewayne Blackwell
"It Turns Me Inside Out" — Jan Crutchfield
"You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" — Larry Collins and Sandy Pinkard
1981
Bobby Braddock Curly Putman
"He Stopped Loving Her Today"
"Elvira" — Dallas Frazier
"I Believe in You" — Roger Cook and Sam Hogin
"I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" — Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan
"I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)" — Billy Joe Shaver
1980
"Coward of the County" — Roger Bowling and Billy Edd Wheeler
"Good Ole Boys Like Me" — Bob McDill
"In America" — Tom Crain, William DiGregorio, Charlie Daniels, Fred Edwards, Charles Hayward and James Marshall
"You Decorated My Life" — Debbie Hupp and Bob Morrison
1970s
Year
Songwriter(s)
Title
Nominees
1979
Don Schlitz
"The Gambler"
"Amanda" — Bob McDill
"Every Which Way but Loose" — Milton Brown, Stephen Dorff and Thomas Garrett
"She Believes in Me" — Steve Gibb
"Talking in Your Sleep" — Roger Cook and Bobby Wood
1978
Richard Leigh
"Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue"
"Heaven's Just a Sin Away" — Jerry Gillespie
"It Was Almost Like a Song" — Hal David and Archie Jordan
"Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" — Ed Bruce and Patsy Bruce
"Take This Job and Shove It" — David Allan Coe
1977
Roger Bowling Hal Bynum
"Lucille"
"(I'm A) Stand by My Woman Man" — Kent Robbins
"It Was Almost Like a Song" — Hal David and Archie Jordan
"Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" — Bobby Emmons and Chips Moman
"Southern Nights" — Allen Toussaint
1976
Larry Weiss
"Rhinestone Cowboy"
"I'll Get Over You" — Richard Leigh
"The Blind Man in the Bleachers" — Sterling Whipple
"The Door Is Always Open" — Dickey Lee and Bob McDill
"'Til I Can Make It on My Own" — George Richey, Billy Sherrill and Tammy Wynette
1975
John Denver
"Back Home Again"
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls" — Vivian Keith and Ben Peters
"(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" — Larry Bulter and Chips Moman
"I'm Not Lisa" — Jessi Colter
"Rainy Day Woman" — Waylon Jennings
1974
Don Wayne
"Country Bumpkin"
"If We Make It Through December" — Merle Haggard
"If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" — John Rostill
"The Most Beautiful Girl" — Rory Bourke, Billy Sherrill and Norro Wilson
"The Streak" — Ray Stevens
1973
Kenny O'Dell
"Behind Closed Doors"
"It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)" — Hank Cochran and Glenn Martin
"(Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine" — Tom T. Hall
"Satin Sheets" — John Volinkaty
"Why Me" — Kris Kristofferson
1972
Freddie Hart
"Easy Loving"
"Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'" — Ben Peters
"She's All I Got" — Gary Bonds and Jerry Williams
"The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." — Donna Fargo
"To Get to You" — Jean Chapel
1971
"Coal Miner's Daughter" — Loretta Lynn
"The Year Clayton Delaney Died" — Tom T. Hall
"Put Your Hand in the Hand" — Gene MacLellan
"When You're Hot, You're Hot" — Jerry Reed
1970
Kris Kristofferson
"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down"
"The Fightin' Side of Me" — Merle Haggard
"Hello Darlin'" — Conway Twitty
"My Woman, My Woman, My Wife" — Marty Robbins
"Okie from Muskogee" — Merle Haggard
1960s
Year
Songwriter(s)
Title
Nominees
1969
Bob Ferguson
"The Carroll County Accident"
"Daddy Sang Bass" — Carl Perkins
"Stand by Your Man" — Billy Sherrill and Tammy Wynette
"When the Grass Grows Over Me" — Don Chapel
"Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie" — Wayne Kemp
1968
Bobby Russell
"Honey"
"D—I—V—O—R—C—E" — Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman
"Harper Valley PTA" — Tom T. Hall
"Little Green Apples" — Bobby Russell
"Skip a Rope" — Jack Moran and Glenn Douglas Tubb
1967
Dallas Frazier
"There Goes My Everything"
"All The Time" — Mel Tillis and Wayne Walker
"It's Such a Pretty World Today" — Dale Noe
"My Elusive Dreams" — Curly Putman and Billy Sherrill
"Ode to Billie Joe" — Bobbie Gentry
Writers with multiple wins
Songwriters that received multiple awards
Awards
Artist
4
Vince Gill
3
Don Schlitz
2
Bill Anderson
Chris Stapleton
Freddie Hart
Lori McKenna
Mike Henderson
Paul Overstreet
Writers with multiple nominations
10 nominations
Alan Jackson
Shane McAnally
7 nominations
Bob McDill
6 nominations
Bob McDill
Bobby Braddock
Brad Paisley
Josh Osborne
Vince Gill
5 nominations
Ashley Gorley
Don Schlitz
Eric Church
Hillary Lindsey
Miranda Lambert
Wyatt Durrette
4 nominations
Billy Sherrill
Curly Putman
John Rich
Kacey Musgraves
Luke Combs
Natalie Hemby
Toby Keith
3 nominations
Allen Shamblin
Bill Anderson
Dallas Frazier
Merle Haggard
Michael Hardy
Hal David
Jon Randall
Luke Laird
Maren Morris
Nicolle Galyon
Paul Overstreet
Rodney Clawson
Roger Cook
Ronnie Dunn
Sam Hunt
Tom Douglas
Tom T. Hall
Troy Seals
Zac Brown
2 nominations
Archie Jordan
Ashley McBryde
Ben Peters
Bobby Russell
Brandy Clark
Brett James
Carly Pearce
Casey Beathard
Chips Moman
Chris DuBois
Clint Black
Craig Martin
Craig Wiseman
Dan Smyers
Dewayne Blackwell
Dickey Lee
Dierks Bentley
Frank J. Myers
Freddie Hart
Gary Baker
Gene Nelson
Gretchen Wilson
Hayden Nicholas
James House
Jamey Johnson
Jamie O'Hara
Jeff Hyde
Jim McBride
John Anderson
Johnny Christopher
Jonathan Singleton
Jordan Davis
Jordan Reynolds
Jordan Schmidt
Josh Kear
K. T. Oslin
Keith Stegall
Kenny O'Dell
Kris Kristofferson
Lainey Wilson
Lee Thomas Miller
Larry Cordle
Larry Johnson
Larry Shell
Lee Greenwood
Lori McKenna
Marcus Hummon
Mark Irwin
Mark James
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Matraca Berg
Max D. Barnes
Monty Criswell
Paul Nelson
Randy Travis
Richard Leigh
Robert Williford
Rodney Crowell
Roger Bowling
Roger Murrah
Rory Bourke
Sam Hogin
Sanger Shafer
Tammy Wynette
Taylor Swift
Tim DuBois
Vern Gosdin
Wayne Carson
Wynn Varble
Zach Crowell
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