| Year | Artist | Work | Nominees |
| 1965 | Dottie West | "Here Comes My Baby" | - Skeeter Davis — "He Says the Same Things to Me"
- Wanda Jackson — Two Sides of Wanda
- Jean Shepard — "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)"
- Connie Smith — "Once a Day"
|
| 1966 | Jody Miller | "Queen of the House" | |
| 1967 | Jeannie Seely | "Don't Touch Me" | - Jan Howard — "Evil on Your Mind"
- Loretta Lynn — "Don't Come Home a Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)"
- Connie Smith — "Ain't Had No Lovin'"
- Dottie West — "Would You Hold It Against Me"
|
| 1968 | Tammy Wynette | "I Don't Wanna Play House" | - Liz Anderson — "Mama Spank"
- Skeeter Davis — "What Does it Take"
- Connie Smith — "Cincinnati, Ohio"
- Dottie West — "Paper Mansions"
|
| 1969 | Jeannie C. Riley | "Harper Valley P.T.A." | - Lynn Anderson — "Big Girls Don't Cry"
- Jan Howard — "My Son"
- Dottie West — "Country Girl"
- Tammy Wynette — "D-I-V-O-R-C-E"
|
| 1970 | Tammy Wynette | "Stand By Your Man" | - Lynn Anderson — "That's a No No"
- Jeannie C. Riley — "The Backside of Dallas"
- Connie Smith — "Ribbon of Darkness"
- Diana Trask — "I Fall to Pieces"
|
| 1971 | Lynn Anderson | "Rose Garden" | - Wanda Jackson — "A Woman Lives for Love"
- Dolly Parton — "Mule Skinner Blues"
- Jean Shepard — "Then He Touched Me"
- Tammy Wynette — "Run Woman Run"
|
| 1972 | Sammi Smith | "Help Me Make It Through the Night" | - Lynn Anderson — "How Can I Unlove You"
- Jody Miller — "He's So Fine"
- Dolly Parton — "Joshua"
- Tammy Wynette — Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)"
|
| 1973 | Donna Fargo | "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" | - Skeeter Davis — "One Tin Soldier"
- Loretta Lynn — "One's on the Way"
- Dolly Parton — "Touch Your Woman"
- Tanya Tucker — "Delta Dawn"
- Tammy Wynette — "My Man"
|
| 1974 | Olivia Newton-John | "Let Me Be There" | - Barbara Fairchild — "Teddy Bear Song"
- Marie Osmond — "Paper Roses"
- Dottie West — "Country Sunshine"
- Tammy Wynette — "Kids Say the Darnest Things"
|
| 1975 | Anne Murray | "A Love Song" | - Dolly Parton — "Jolene"
- Tanya Tucker — "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)"
- Dottie West — "Last Time I Saw Him"
- Tammy Wynette — "Woman to Woman"
|
| 1976 | Linda Ronstadt | "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" | - Jessi Colter — "I'm Not Lisa"
- Emmylou Harris — "If I Could Only Win Your Love"
- Loretta Lynn — "The Pill"
- Dolly Parton — "Jolene" (track from album In Concert)
|
| 1977 | Emmylou Harris | Elite Hotel | - Crystal Gayle — "I'll Get Over You"
- Dolly Parton — "All I Can Do"
- Mary Kay Place — Tonite at the Capri Lounge: Loretta Hagers
- Tammy Wynette — "'Til I Can Make It on My Own"
|
| 1978 | Crystal Gayle | "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" | - Janie Fricke — "What're You Doing Tonight"
- Emmylou Harris — "Making Believe"
- Barbara Mandrell — "After the Lovin'"
- Dolly Parton — "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher"
|
| 1979 | Dolly Parton | Here You Come Again | - Crystal Gayle — "Talking in Your Sleep"
- Emmylou Harris — Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town
- Barbara Mandrell — "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed"
- Anne Murray — "Walk Right Back"
|
| 1980 | Emmylou Harris | Blue Kentucky Girl | - Crystal Gayle – We Should Be Together
- Brenda Lee – "Tell Me What It's Like"
- Barbara Mandrell – Just for the Record
- Billie Jo Spears – "I Will Survive"
|
| 1981 | Anne Murray | "Could I Have This Dance" | - Crystal Gayle – "If You Ever Change Your Mind"
- Emmylou Harris – Roses in the Snow
- Barbara Mandrell – "The Best of Strangers"
- Sissy Spacek – "Coal Miner's Daughter"
|
| 1982 | Dolly Parton | "9 to 5" | - Rosanne Cash – Seven Year Ache
- Terri Gibbs – Somebody's Knockin'
- Barbara Mandrell – "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool"
- Juice Newton – "Queen of Hearts"
|
| 1983 | Juice Newton | "Break It to Me Gently" | - Rosanne Cash – "Ain't No Money"
- Emmylou Harris – Cimarron
- Dolly Parton – "I Will Always Love You"
- Sylvia – "Nobody"
|
| 1984 | Anne Murray | "A Little Good News" | - Deborah Allen – "Baby I Lied"
- Crystal Gayle – "Baby, What About You"
- Emmylou Harris – Last Date
- Dolly Parton – Burlap & Satin
|
| 1985 | Emmylou Harris | "In My Dreams" | - Janie Fricke – "Your Heart's Not in It"
- Crystal Gayle – "The Sound of Goodbye"
- Anne Murray – Heart over Mind
- Dolly Parton – "Tennessee Homesick Blues"
|
| 1986 | Rosanne Cash | "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me" | - Janie Fricke – "She's Single Again"
- Emmylou Harris – The Ballad of Sally Rose
- Juice Newton – "You Make Me Want to Make You Mine"
- Dolly Parton – Real Love
|
| 1987 | Reba McEntire | "Whoever's in New England" | - Crystal Gayle – "Cry"
- Holly Dunn – "Daddy's Hands"
- Emmylou Harris – "Today I Started Loving You Again"
- Kathy Mattea – "Love at the Five and Dime"
|
| 1988 | K. T. Oslin | "80s Ladies" | - Rosanne Cash – King's Record Shop
- Emmylou Harris – Angel Band
- Reba McEntire – "The Last One to Know"
- Tanya Tucker – "Love Me Like You Used To"
|
| 1989 | K. T. Oslin | "Hold Me" | - Emmylou Harris – "Back in Baby's Arms"
- k.d. lang – "I'm Down to My Last Cigarette"
- Reba McEntire – Reba
- Tanya Tucker – "Strong Enough to Bend"
|
| 1990 | k.d. lang | Absolute Torch and Twang | - Rosanne Cash – "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party"
- Emmylou Harris – Bluebird
- Kathy Mattea – Willow in the Wind
- Dolly Parton – "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That"
|
| 1991 | Kathy Mattea | "Where've You Been" | - Mary Chapin Carpenter – "Quittin' Time"
- Carlene Carter – I Fell in Love
- Reba McEntire – "You Lie"
- K.T. Oslin – "Come Next Monday"
|
| 1992 | Mary Chapin Carpenter | "Down at the Twist and Shout" | - Kathy Mattea – Time Passes By
- Reba McEntire – For My Broken Heart
- Tanya Tucker – "Down to My Last Teardrop"
- Trisha Yearwood – "She's in Love with the Boy"
|
| 1993 | Mary Chapin Carpenter | "I Feel Lucky" | - Wynonna Judd – Wynonna
- Reba McEntire – "The Greatest Man I Never Knew"
- Lorrie Morgan – "Something in Red"
- Pam Tillis – "Maybe It Was Memphis"
|
| 1994 | Mary Chapin Carpenter | "Passionate Kisses" | - Emmylou Harris – "High Powered Love"
- Tanya Tucker – "Soon"
- Wynonna Judd – "Only Love"
- Trisha Yearwood – "Walkaway Joe"
|
| 1995 | Mary Chapin Carpenter | "Shut Up and Kiss Me" | - Wynonna Judd – "Is It Over Yet"
- Patty Loveless – "How Can I Help You Say Goodbye"
- Martina McBride – "Independence Day"
- Reba McEntire – "She Thinks His Name Was John"
|
| 1996 | Alison Krauss | "Baby Now That I've Found You" | - Patty Loveless – "You Don't Even Know Who I Am"
- Martina McBride – "Safe in the Arms of Love"
- Pam Tillis – "Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)"
- Shania Twain – "Any Man of Mine"
|
| 1997 | LeAnn Rimes | "Blue" | - Mary Chapin Carpenter – "Let Me into Your Heart"
- Deana Carter – "Strawberry Wine"
- Alison Krauss – "Baby Mine"
- Trisha Yearwood – "Believe Me Baby (I Lied)"
|
| 1998 | Trisha Yearwood | "How Do I Live" | - Deana Carter – "Did I Shave My Legs For This?"
- Patty Loveless – "The Trouble with the Truth"
- LeAnn Rimes – "How Do I Live"
- Pam Tillis – "All the Good Ones Are Gone"
|
| 1999 | Shania Twain | "You're Still the One" | - Emmylou Harris – "Love Still Remains"
- Faith Hill – "This Kiss"
- Lee Ann Womack – "A Little Past Little Rock"
- Trisha Yearwood – "There Goes My Baby"
|
| 2000 | Shania Twain | "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" | - Emmylou Harris – "Ordinary Heart"
- Faith Hill – "Let Me Let Go"
- Alison Krauss – "Forget About It"
- Martina McBride – "I Love You"
|
| 2001 | Faith Hill | "Breathe" | - Jo Dee Messina – "That's the Way"
- Dolly Parton – "Travelin' Prayer"
- Lee Ann Womack – "I Hope You Dance"
- Trisha Yearwood – "Real Live Woman"
|
| 2002 | Dolly Parton | "Shine" | - Sheryl Crow – "Long Gone Lonesome Blues"
- Jamie O'Neal – "There Is No Arizona"
- Lucinda Williams – "Cold, Cold Heart"
- Trisha Yearwood – "I Would've Loved You Anyway"
|
| 2003 | Faith Hill | "Cry" | - Martina McBride – "Blessed"
- Dolly Parton – "Dagger Through the Heart"
- Lucinda Williams – "Lately"
- Lee Ann Womack – "Something Worth Leaving Behind"
|
| 2004 | June Carter Cash | "Keep on the Sunny Side" | - Patty Loveless – "On Your Way Home"
- Martina McBride – "This One's for the Girls"
- Dolly Parton – "I'm Gone"
- Shania Twain – "Forever and for Always"
|
| 2005 | Gretchen Wilson | "Redneck Woman" | - Alison Krauss – "You Will Be My Ain True Love"
- Loretta Lynn – "Miss Being Mrs."
- Martina McBride – "In My Daughter's Eyes"
- Shania Twain – "She's Not Just a Pretty Face"
|
| 2006 | Emmylou Harris | "The Connection" | - Faith Hill – "Mississippi Girl"
- Gretchen Wilson – "All Jacked Up"
- Lee Ann Womack – "I May Hate Myself in the Morning"
- Trisha Yearwood – "Georgia Rain"
|
| 2007 | Carrie Underwood | "Jesus, Take the Wheel" | - Miranda Lambert – "Kerosene"
- Martina McBride – "I Still Miss Someone"
- LeAnn Rimes – "Something's Gotta Give"
- Gretchen Wilson – "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today"
|
| 2008 | Carrie Underwood | "Before He Cheats" | - Alison Krauss – "Simple Love"
- Miranda Lambert – "Famous in a Small Town"
- LeAnn Rimes – "Nothin' Better to Do"
- Trisha Yearwood – "Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love"
|
| 2009 | Carrie Underwood | "Last Name" | - Martina McBride – "For These Times"
- LeAnn Rimes – "What I Cannot Change"
- Lee Ann Womack – "Last Call"
- Trisha Yearwood – "This Is Me You're Talking To"
|
| 2010 | Taylor Swift | "White Horse" | - Miranda Lambert – "Dead Flowers"
- Martina McBride – "I Just Call You Mine"
- Carrie Underwood – "Just a Dream"
- Lee Ann Womack – "Solitary Thinkin'"
|
| 2011 | Miranda Lambert | "The House That Built Me" | - Jewel – "Satisfied"
- LeAnn Rimes – "Swingin'"
- Carrie Underwood – "Temporary Home"
- Gretchen Wilson – "I'd Love to Be Your Last"
|