Grammy Award for Best Country Song

The Grammy Award for Best Country Song (sometimes known as the Country Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1965. The award is given to the writer(s) of the song, not to the artist, except if the artist is also the songwriter.

There have been several minor changes to the name of the award:

• From 1965 to 1968 it was known as Best Country & Western Song
• From 1969 to 1983 it was awarded as Best Country Song
• In 1984 it was awarded as Best New Country Song
• From 1985 to the present it has again been awarded as Best Country Song

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for music released in the previous year.

2010s

Year	Songwriter(s)	Title	Artist(s)	Nominees (Performer(s) in parenthesis)	Ref.
2016				Hayes Carll for Chances Are (Lee Ann Womack) Barry Dean, Luke Laird & Jonathan Singleton for Diamond Rings And Old Barstools (Tim McGraw) Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose for Girl Crush (Little Big Town) Brandy Clark & Mark Stephen Jones for Hold My Hand (Brandy Clark) Chris Stapleton for Traveller (Chris Stapleton)
2015	Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond	"I'm Not Gonna Miss You"	Glen Campbell	Rodney Clawson, Luke Laird & Shane McAnally for American Kids (Kenny Chesney) Nicole Galyon, Natalie Hemby & Miranda Lambert for Automatic (Miranda Lambert) Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston & Jeffrey Steele for Meanwhile Back at Mama's (Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill) Eric Church & Luke Laird for Give Me Back My Hometown (Eric Church)
2014	Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne	"Merry Go 'Round"	Kacey Musgraves	Taylor Swift for Begin Again (Taylor Swift) Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington & Jimmy Yeary for I Drive Your Truck (Lee Brice) Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves for Mama's Broken Heart (Miranda Lambert) Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington & Deric Ruttan for Mine Would Be You (Blake Shelton)
2013	Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins	"Blown Away"	Carrie Underwood	Philip Coleman & Ronnie Dunn for Cost of Livin' (Ronnie Dunn) Will Hoge & Eric Paslay for Even If It Breaks Your Heart (Eli Young Band) Jay Knowles & Adam Wright for So You Don't Have to Love Me Anymore (Alan Jackson) Eric Church, Jeff Hyde & Ryan Tyndell for Springsteen (Eric Church)
2012	Taylor Swift	"Mean"	Taylor Swift	Jim Collins & David Lee Murphy for Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not (Thompson Square) Dave Barnes for God Gave Me You (Blake Shelton) Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell & Ed Hill for Just Fishin' (Trace Adkins) Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Will Owsley & Dillan O'Brian for Threaten Me with Heaven (Vince Gill) Matraca Berg & Deana Carter for You and Tequila (Kenny Chesney ft. Grace Potter)
2011	Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott	"Need You Now"	Lady Antebellum	Casey Beathard, Dean Dillon & Jessie Jo Dillon for The Breath You Take (George Strait) Zac Brown for Free (Zac Brown Band) Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin for The House That Built Me (Miranda Lambert) Rivers Rutherford, Annie Tate & Sam Tate for I'd Love To Be Your Last (Gretchen Wilson) Kimberly Perry for If I Die Young (The Band Perry)
2010	Liz Rose & Taylor Swift	"White Horse"	Taylor Swift	Casey Beathard & Tim James for All I Ask For Anymore (Trace Adkins) Jamey Johnson & James T. Slater for High Cost of Living (Jamey Johnson) Tom Douglas, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott for I Run to You (Lady Antebellum) Bobby Braddock & Troy Jones for People Are Crazy (Billy Currington)

2000s

Year	Songwriter(s)	Title	Artist(s)	Nominees (Performer(s) in parenthesis)	Ref.
2009	Jennifer Nettles	"Stay"	Sugarland	Ashley Gorley & Bob Regan for Dig Two Graves (Randy Travis) Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell & Wade Kirby for I Saw God Today (George Strait) Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller & James Otto for In Color (Jamey Johnson) Ashley Gorley & Lee Thomas Miller for You're Gonna Miss This (Trace Adkins)
2008	Chris Tompkins & Josh Kear	"Before He Cheats"	Carrie Underwood	Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon & Jamey Johnson for Give It Away (George Strait) Tony Lane & David Lee for I Need You (Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill) Tim McGraw, Brad Warren & Brett Warren for If You're Reading This (Tim McGraw) Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Steve Bogard for Long Trip Alone (Dierks Bentley)
2007	Hillary Lindsey, Brett James & Gordie Sampson	"Jesus, Take the Wheel"	Carrie Underwood	Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Steve Bogard for Every Mile a Memory (Dierks Bentley) Matraca Berg & Jim Collins for I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today (Gretchen Wilson) Melanie Castleman & Robert Lee Castleman for Like Red on a Rose (Alan Jackson) Steve Robson & Jeffrey Steele for What Hurts the Most (Rascal Flatts)
2006	Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna & Marcus Hummon	"Bless the Broken Road"	Rascal Flatts	Brad Paisley for Alcohol (Brad Paisley) Vicky McGehee, John Rich & Gretchen Wilson for All Jacked Up (Gretchen Wilson) Keb Mo', Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines & Emily Robison for I Hope (Dixie Chicks) Odie Blackmon for I May Hate Myself in the Morning (Lee Ann Womack)
2005	Tim Nichols & Craig Wiseman	"Live Like You Were Dying"	Tim McGraw	Rodney Crowell & Vince Gill for It's Hard to Kiss The Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long (Notorious Cherry Bombs) Loretta Lynn for Miss Being Mrs. (Loretta Lynn) Loretta Lynn & Allen Shamblin for Portland Oregon (Loretta Lynn & Jack White) John Rich & Gretchen Wilson for Redneck Woman (Gretchen Wilson)
2004	Jim "Moose" Brown & Don Rollins	"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"	Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett	Scotty Emerick & Toby Keith for Beer for My Horses (Willie Nelson & Toby Keith) Brad Paisley forCelebrity (Brad Paisley) Robert John "Mutt" Lange & Shania Twain for Forever And For Always (Shania Twain) Pat Green, David Neuhauser & Justin Pollard for Wave on Wave (Pat Green)
2003	Alan Jackson	"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)"	Alan Jackson	Kelley Lovelace & Lee Thomas Miller for The Impossible (Joe Nichols) Darrell Scott for Long Time Gone (Dixie Chicks) Matt Serletic & Bernie Taupin for Mendocino County Line (Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack) Radney Foster & Pat Green for Three Days (Pat Green)
2002	Robert Lee Castleman	"The Lucky One"	Alison Krauss & Union Station	Gary Baker, Richie McDonald & Frank Myers for I'm Already There (Lonestar) Steven Dale Jones & Bobby Tomberlin for One More Day (Diamond Rio) Lisa Drew, Jamie O'Neal & Shaye Smith for There Is No Arizona (Jamie O'Neal) Roxie Dean, Jamie O'Neal & Sonny Tillis for When I Think About Angels (Jamie O'Neal)
2001	Mark D. Sanders & Tia Sillers	"I Hope You Dance"	Lee Ann Womack	Stephanie Bentley & Holly Lamar for Breathe (Faith Hill) Vince Gill for Feels Like Love (Vince Gill) Don Cook & David Malloy for One Voice (Billy Gilman) Michael Dulaney & Keith Follese for The Way You Love Me (Faith Hill)
2000	Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Shania Twain	"Come On Over"	Shania Twain	Marv Green, Chris Lindsey and Aimee Mayo for Amazed (Lonestar) Mike Curtis & Billy Yates for Choices (George Jones) Marcus Hummon & Martie Seidel for Ready to Run (Dixie Chicks) Bill Anderson & Steve Wariner for Two Teardrops (Steve Wariner)

1990s

Year	Songwriter(s)	Title	Artist(s)	Nominees (Performer(s) in parenthesis)	Ref.
1999	Robert John "Mutt" Lange & Shania Twain	"You're Still the One"	Shania Twain	Billy Kirsh and Steve Wariner for Holes in the Floor of Heaven (Steve Wariner) Vince Gill & Troy Seals for If You Ever Have Forever in Mind (Vince Gill) Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner & Annie Roboff for This Kiss (Faith Hill) Bob Dylan for To Make You Feel My Love (Garth Brooks)
1998	Bob Carlisle & Randy Thomas	"Butterfly Kisses"	Bob Carlisle / Jeff Carson / the Raybon Brothers	Pam Tillis for All the Good Ones Are Gone (Pam Tillis) Deana Carter & Rhonda Hart for Did I Shave My Legs For This? (Deana Carter) Bobby Wood, John Peppard & Garth Brooks for In Another's Eyes (Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood) Stephony Smith for It's Your Love (Tim McGraw & Faith Hill)
1997	Bill Mack	"Blue"	LeAnn Rimes	Angelo Petraglia, Larry Gottlieb & Kim Richey for Believe Me Baby (I Lied) (Trisha Yearwood) Vince Gill for High Lonesome Sound (Vince Gill feat. Alison Krauss & Union Station) Junior Brown for My Wife Thinks You're Dead (Junior Brown) Matraca Berg & Gary Harrison for Strawberry Wine (Deana Carter)

• Grammy Awards of 1996
  • Vince Gill for "Go Rest High on That Mountain"

"Any Man Of Mine" (Robert John "Mutt" Lange & Shania Twain) Shania Twain

"Gone Country" (Bob McDill) Alan Jackson

"I Can Love You Like That" (Maribeth Derry, Steve Diamond & Jennifer Kimball) John Michael Montgomery

"You Don't Even Know Who I Am" (Gretchen Peters) Patty Loveless

• Grammy Awards of 1995
  • Gary Baker & Frank J. Myers for "I Swear" performed by John Michael Montgomery

"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" (Burton Banks Collins & Karen Taylor Good) Patty Loveless

"Independence Day" (Gretchen Peters) Martina McBride

"Shut Up and Kiss Me" (Mary Chapin Carpenter) Mary Chapin Carpenter

"When Love Finds You" (Vince Gill & Michael Omartian) Vince Gill

• Grammy Awards of 1994
  • Lucinda Williams for "Passionate Kisses" performed by Mary Chapin Carpenter

"Ain't That Lonely Yet" (Kostas & James House) Dwight Yoakam

"Chattahoochee" (Alan Jackson & Jim McBride) Alan Jackson

"Does He Love You" (Sandy Knox & Billy Stretch) Reba McEntire & Linda Davis

"The Hard Way" (Mary Chapin Carpenter) Mary Chapin Carpenter

• Grammy Awards of 1993
  • Vince Gill and John Barlow Jarvis for "I Still Believe in You" performed by Vince Gill

"I Feel Lucky" (Mary Chapin Carpenter & Don Schlitz) Mary Chapin Carpenter

"Achy Breaky Heart" (Don Von Tress) Billy Ray Cyrus

"She Is His Only Need" (Dave Loggins) Wynonna Judd

"The Greatest Man I Never Knew" (Richard Leigh & Layng Martine, Jr.) Reba McEntire

• Grammy Awards of 1992
  • John Barlow Jarvis, Naomi Judd & Paul Overstreet for "Love Can Build a Bridge" performed by The Judds

"Don't Rock The Jukebox" (Alan Jackson, Roger Murrah & Keith Stegall) Alan Jackson

"Down at the Twist and Shout" (Mary-Chapin Carpenter) Mary Chapin Carpenter

"Eagle When She Flies" (Dolly Parton) Dolly Parton

"Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" (Travis Tritt) Travis Tritt

• Grammy Awards of 1991
  • Don Henry & Jon Vezner for "Where've You Been" performed by Kathy Mattea

"Come Next Monday" (K.T. Oslin, Rory Michael Bourke & Charlie Black) K.T. Oslin

"The Dance" (Tony Arata) Garth Brooks

"Friends In Low Places" (DeWayne Blackwell & Earl Bud Lee) Garth Brooks

"When I Call Your Name" (Vince Gill & Tim DuBois) Vince Gill

• Grammy Awards of 1990
  • Rodney Crowell for "After All This Time" performed by Rodney Crowell

"A Better Man" (Clint Black & Hayden Nicholas) Clint Black

"Luck in My Eyes" (k.d. lang & Ben Mink) k.d. lang

"She Don't Love Nobody" (John Hiatt) The Desert Rose Band

"There's a Tear in My Beer" (Hank Williams, Sr.) Hank Williams, Sr. & Hank Williams, Jr.

1980s

• Grammy Awards of 1989
  • K.T. Oslin for "Hold Me"

"Chiseled in Stone" (Vern Gosdin & Max Barnes)

"I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried" (Rodney Crowell)

"She's No Lady" (Lyle Lovett)

"Streets of Bakersfield" (Homer Joy) Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens

• Grammy Awards of 1988
  • Paul Overstreet & Don Schlitz for "Forever and Ever, Amen" performed by Randy Travis

"All My Ex's Live In Texas" (Sanger D. Shafer & Lyndia J. Shafer) George Strait

"80's Ladies" (K.T. Oslin)

"I'll Still Be Loving You" (Todd Cerney, Mary Ann Kennedy, Pat Bunch & Pam Rose) Restless Heart

"Telling Me Lies" (Linda Thompson & Betsy Cook)

• Grammy Awards of 1987
  • Jamie O'Hara for "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days)" performed by The Judds

"Daddy's Hands" (Holly Dunn)

"Guitar Town" (Steve Earle)

"Guitars, Cadillacs" (Dwight Yoakam)

"Whoever's in New England" (Quentin Powers & Kendall Franceschi) Reba McEntire

• Grammy Awards of 1986
  • Jimmy L. Webb for "Highwayman" performed by The Highwaymen

"Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" (Bob McDill)

"Desperados Waiting for a Train" (Guy Clark)

"40 Hour Week (For a Livin')" (Dave Loggins, Lisa Silver & Don Schlitz)

"I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me" (Rosanne Cash & Rodney Crowell) Rosanne Cash

"Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)" (Mike Reid, Troy Seal & Fred Parris) Ronnie Milsap

"Love Is Alive" (Kent M. Robbins)

• Grammy Awards of 1985
  • Steve Goodman for "City of New Orleans" performed by Willie Nelson

"All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" (Hank Williams, Jr.)

"Faithless Love" (John David Souther)

"God Bless The USA" (Lee Greenwood)

"Mama He's Crazy" (Kenny O'Dell) The Judds

• Grammy Awards of 1984
  • Mike Reid for "Stranger in My House" performed by Ronnie Milsap

"Baby I Lied" (Deborah Allen, Rory Bourke & Rafe Van Hoy) Deborah Allen

"I.O.U." (Kerry Chater & Austin Roberts) Lee Greenwood

"Lady Down on Love" (Randy Owen)

"A Little Good News" (Tommy Rocco, Charlie Black & Rory Bourke) Anne Murray

• Grammy Awards of 1983
  • Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher & Mark James for "Always on My Mind" performed by Willie Nelson

"I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home" (D. Blackwell)

"Nobody" (Kye Flemming & Dennis Morgan) Sylvia

"Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands" (Don Goodman, Pam Rose & Mary Ann Kennedy) Lee Greenwood

"She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)(Tim DuBois)

• Grammy Awards of 1982
  • Dolly Parton for "9 to 5"

"Elvira" (Dallas Frazier) Oak Ridge Boys

"I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" (Kye Fleming & Dennis Morgan) Barbara Mandrell

"Somebody's Knockin'" (Ed Penney & Jerry Gillespie) Terri Gibbs

"You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" (Larry Collins & Sandy Pinkard) David Frizzell & Shelly West

• Grammy Awards of 1981
  • Willie Nelson for "On the Road Again"

"Drivin' My Life Away" (Eddie Rabbitt, Even Stevens & David Malloy) Eddie Rabbitt

"He Stopped Loving Her Today" (Bobby Braddock & Curly Putman) George Jones

"I Believe in You" (Roger Cook & Sam Hogin) Don Williams

"Lookin' For Love" (Bob Morrison, Wanda Mallette & Patti Ryan) Johnny Lee

• Grammy Awards of 1980
  • Debbie Hupp & Bob Morrison for "You Decorated My Life" performed by Kenny Rogers
  • "All the Gold in California" - (Larry Gatlin)
  • "Blue Kentucky Girl" - (Johnny Mullins) Emmylou Harris
  • "Every Which Way But Loose" - (Steve Dorff, Milton Brown, Snuff Garrett) Eddie Rabbitt
  • "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" - (David Bellamy) The Bellamy Brothers

1970s

Year	Winner	Nominations
1979	Don Schlitz for "The Gambler" performed by Kenny Rogers	Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce for "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" performed by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings David Allen Coe for Take This Job and Shove It" performed by Johnny Paycheck Jan Dyer, Jeffrey Tweel for "Every Time Two Fools Collide" performed by Kenny Rogers and Dottie West Archie Jordan, Naomi Martin for "Let's Take the Long Way Around the World" performed by Kenny Rogers"
1978	Richard Leigh for "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" performed by Crystal Gayle	Roger Bowling, Hal Bynum for "Lucille" performed by Kenny Rogers Archie Jordan, Hal David for "It Was Almost Like a Song" performed by Ronnie Milsap Glenn Frey, Don Henley for "Desperado" performed by Johnny Rodriguez Bobby Emmons, Chips Moman for "Luckenbach, Texas" performed by Waylon Jennings"
1977	Larry Gatlin for "Broken Lady" performed by Larry Gatlin	Paul Craft for "Dropkick Me Jesus" performed by Bobby Bare Paul Craft for "Hank Williams You Wrote My Life" performed by Moe Bandy Bob McDill, Dickey Lee for "The Door is Always Open" performed by Dave & Sugar Charlie Rich, Billy Sherrill for "Everytime You Touch Me I Get High performed by Charlie Rich
1976	Chips Moman, Larry Butler for "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" performed by B. J. Thomas	Jessi Colter for "I'm Not Lisa" performed by Jessi Colter John Martin Sommers for "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" performed by John Denver Fred Rose for "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" performed by Willie Nelson Vivian Keith, Ben Peters for "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" performed by Freddy Fender
1975	Norro Wilson, Billy Sherrill for "A Very Special Love Song" performed by Charlie Rich	Merle Haggard for "If We Make it Through December" performed by Merle Haggard Anita Pointer, Bonnie Pointer for "Fairytale" performed by The Pointer Sisters Ray Pennington for "I'm a Ramblin' Man" performed by Waylon Jennings Janice Torre, Fred Spielman for "Paper Roses" performed by Marie Osmond
1974	Kenny O'Dell for "Behind Closed Doors" performed by Charlie Rich	Rory Bourke, Billy Sherrill, Norro Wilson for "The Most Beautiful Girl" performed by Charlie Rich Billy Davis, Dottie West for "Country Sunshine" performed by Dottie West Kris Kristofferson for "Why Me" performed by Kris Kristofferson Tom T. Hall for "Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine" performed by Tom T. Hall
1973	Ben Peters for "Kiss An Angel Good Morning" performed by Charley Pride	Donna Fargo for "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" performed by Donna Fargo Donna Fargo for "Funny Face" performed by Donna Fargo Alex Harvey, Larry Collins for "Delta Dawn" performed by Tanya Tucker Gary S. Paxton for "Woman (Sensuous Woman)" performed by Don Gibson
1972	Kris Kristofferson for "Help Me Make It Through the Night" performed by Sammi Smith	Freddie Hart for "Easy Loving" performed by Freddie Hart Kris Kristofferson for "For the Good Times" performed by Ray Price Kris Kristofferson, Fred Foster for "Me and Bobby McGee" performed by Bobby Bare Joe South for "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden" performed by Lynn Anderson
1971	Marty Robbins for "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife" performed by Marty Robbins	Merle Haggard for "The Fightin' Side of Me" performed by Merle Haggard Glenn Martin, Dave Kirby for "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone" performed by Charley Pride Bill Rice for "Wonder Could I Live There Anymore" performed by Charley Pride Conway Twitty for "Hello Darlin'" performed by Conway Twitty
1970	Shel Silverstein for "A Boy Named Sue" performed by Johnny Cash	Dallas Frazier, A. L. Owens for "All I Have To Offer You is Me" performed by Charley Pride Marty Robbins for "You Gave Me a Mountain" performed by Marty Robbins Don Sumner for "The Things That Matter" performed by Van Trevor Billy Sherrill, Tammy Wynette for "Stand By Your Man" performed by Tammy Wynette

1960s

Year	Winner	Nominations
1969	Bobby Russell for "Little Green Apples", performed by Roger Miller	Curly Putman, Bobby Braddock for "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" performed by Tammy Wynette Tom T. Hall for "Harper Valley PTA" performed by Jeannie C. Riley Bobby Russell for "Honey", performed by Bobby Goldsboro Glenn Tubb, Jack Moran for "Skip a Rope", performed by Henson Cargill
1968	John Hartford for "Gentle On My Mind" performed by Glen Campbell	Bill Anderson for "The Cold Hard Facts of Life" performed by Porter Wagoner John D. Loudermilk for "Break My Mind" performed by George Hamilton IV Dale Noe for "It's Such a Pretty World Today" performed by Wynn Stewart Don Robertson, John Crutchfield, Doris Clement for "Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger" performed by Charley Pride
1967	Billy Sherrill, Glenn Sutton for "Almost Persuaded" performed by David Houston	Hank Cochran for "Don't Touch Me" performed by Jeannie Seely Tompall Glaser, Harlan Howard for "The Streets of Baltimore" performed by Bobby Bare Dallas Frazier for "There Goes My Everything performed by Jack Greene Roger Miller for "Husbands and Wives", performed by Miller
1966	Roger Miller for "King of the Road" performed by Miller	Carl Belew, B. J. Moore, Eddie Busch for "What's He Doing in My World", performed by Eddy Arnold Lew DeWitt for "Flowers on the Wall" performed by The Statler Brothers Ted Harris for "Crystal Chandelier" performed by Charley Pride Neal Merritt for "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" performed by Little Jimmy Dickens
1965	Roger Miller for "Dang Me" performed by Roger Miller	Bill Anderson for "Once a Day" performed by Connie Smith Sonny James, Bob Tubert for "You're the Only World I Know" performed by Sonny James Betty Sue Perry for "Wine, Women, and Song" performed by Loretta Lynn Dottie West, Bill West for "Here Comes My Baby" performed by Dottie West