Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year Country United States Presented by Country Music Association First awarded 1967 Currently held by Mike Henderson , Chris Stapleton (2021 )
The following list shows the recipients for the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year .[1] 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.[2]
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 . Song of the Year is awarded to the songwriters rather than the artist (unless the artist helped to co-write the song). 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 six women: K.T. Oslin (1988), Gretchen Peters (1995), Jennifer Nettles (2008), Kimberly Perry (2011), Taylor Swift (2018) and Lori McKenna (2019) 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.
Recipients [ ]
2021 recipient
Chris Stapleton .
Lori McKenna won the award in consecutive years (2015-16) and also received
Grammy Awards for the same songs.
2012 winner
Blake Shelton wrote "
Over You " about the death of his brother.
Jennifer Nettles is one of six women to receive the award for a solo composition.
Two-time winner
Jamey Johnson .
Renowned songwriter
Bill Anderson received the award in 2005 and 2007.
Four-time honoree
Vince Gill .
2020's [ ]
2010's [ ]
Year
Songwriter(s)
Title
Nominees
2019 [4]
Luke Combs Wyatt Durrette Robert Williford
"Beautiful Crazy "
2018 [5]
Mike Henderson Chris Stapleton
"Broken Halos "
2017
Taylor Swift
"Better Man "
2016
Lori McKenna
"Humble and Kind "
2015
Hillary Lindsey Lori McKenna Liz Rose
"Girl Crush "
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
"I Hold On " - Dierks Bentley and Brett James
2013
Jessi Alexander Connie Harrington Jimmy Yeary
"I Drive Your Truck "
2012
Miranda Lambert Blake Shelton
"Over You "
"Even If It Breaks Your Heart " - Will Hoge and Eric Paslay
"God Gave Me You " - Dave Barnes
"Home " - Brett Beavers , Dierks Bentley and Dan Wilson
"Springsteen " - Eric Church , Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell
2011
Kimberly Perry
"If I Die Young "
2010
Tom Douglas Allen Shamblin
"The House That Built Me "
2000's [ ]
1990's [ ]
1980's [ ]
Year
Songwriter(s)
Title
Nominees
1989
Max D. Barnes Vern Gosdin
"Chiseled in Stone "
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 "
1986
Paul Overstreet Don Schlitz
"On the Other Hand "
1985
Lee Greenwood
"God Bless the U.S.A. "
1984
Larry Henley Jeff Silbar
"Wind Beneath My Wings "
1983
Wayne Carson Johnny Christopher Mark James
"Always on My Mind "
1982
1981
Bobby Braddock Curly Putman
"He Stopped Loving Her Today "
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
1970's [ ]
1960's [ ]
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 "
Category facts [ ]
Most wins [ ]
Rank
1st
2nd
3rd
Artist
Vince Gill
Don Schlitz
Various artists
Total wins
4 wins
3 wins
2 wins
Most nominations [ ]
Rank
1st
2nd
3rd
Artist
Alan Jackson
Shane McAnally
Bob McDill
Total wins
10 nominations
9 nominations
7 nominations
References [ ]
Awards ceremonies Categories Related articles
1967−1970 1971-1980 1981-1990
"He Stopped Loving Her Today " - Bobby Braddock , Curly Putman (1981)
"Always on My Mind " - Wayne Carson , Johnny Christopher , Mark James (1982-3)
"Wind Beneath My Wings " - Larry Henley , Jeff Silbar (1984)
"God Bless the U.S.A. " - Lee Greenwood (1985)
"On the Other Hand " - Paul Overstreet , Don Schlitz (1986)
"Forever and Ever, Amen - Paul Overstreet , Don Schlitz (1987)
"80's Ladies " - K. T. Oslin (1988)
"Chiseled in Stone " - Max D. Barnes , Vern Gosdin (1989)
"Where've You Been " - Don Henry , Jon Vezner (1990)
1991-2000 2001-2010
"Murder on Music Row " - Larry Cordle , Larry Shell (2001)
"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) " - Alan Jackson (2002)
"Three Wooden Crosses " - Doug Johnson , Kim Williams (2003)
"Live Like You Were Dying " - Tim Nichols , Craig Wiseman (2004)
"Whiskey Lullaby " - Bill Anderson , Jon Randall (2005)
"Believe " - Ronnie Dunn , Craig Wiseman (2006)
"Give It Away " - Bill Anderson , Buddy Cannon , Jamey Johnson (2007)
"Stay " - Jennifer Nettles (2008)
"In Color " - Jamey Johnson , Lee Thomas Miller , James Otto (2009)
"The House That Built Me " - Tom Douglas , Allen Shamblin (2010)
2011-2020
"If I Die Young " - Kimberly Perry (2011)
"Over You " - Miranda Lambert , Blake Shelton (2012)
"I Drive Your Truck " - Jessi Alexander , Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary (2013)
"Follow Your Arrow " - Brandy Clark , Shane McAnally , Kacey Musgraves (2014)
"Girl Crush " - Hillary Lindsey , Lori McKenna , Liz Rose (2015)
"Humble and Kind " - Lori McKenna (2016)
"Better Man " - Taylor Swift (2017)
"Broken Halos " - Mike Henderson , Chris Stapleton (2018)
"Beautiful Crazy " - Luke Combs , Wyatt Durrette , Robert Williford (2019)