Grammy Award for Best Rock Song


The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
The award, reserved for songwriters, was first presented to English musician Sting in 1992. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award honors new songs or songs "first achieving prominence" during the period of eligibility. Songs containing prominent samples or interpolations are not eligible.
The award goes to the songwriter. If the song contains samples or interpolations of earlier songs, the publisher and the original songwriter can apply for a Winners Certificate.
Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear hold the record for the most wins, having won four awards each. Springsteen also holds the record for most nominations with nine. Other winners of multiple awards include the other members of Foo Fighters with three wins, and Alanis Morissette and the bands Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2, each with two. Award-winning songs have been performed by American artists more than any other nationality, though they have also been performed by musicians or groups originating from Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. There have been four instances in which one artist or group was nominated for two works in the same year: the group Aerosmith was nominated for both "Cryin'" and "Livin' on the Edge" in 1994, Melissa Etheridge received nominations for "Come to My Window" and "I'm the Only One" in 1995, Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers won for "One Headlight" and was also nominated for "The Difference" in 1998, and U2 was nominated for the songs "Elevation" and "Walk On" in 2002. Chad Smith also received two nominations in 2023, receiving songwriting credits for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ozzy Osbourne songs nominated. Coldplay holds the record for the most nominations without a win, with four.

Recipients

YearRecipientWorkPerforming artistNominees
Ref.
1992StingSting
1993
Jim Gordon
1994Soul Asylum
1995
1996
Glen Ballard
1997
1998The Wallflowers
1999
2000Flea
John Frusciante
Anthony Kiedis
Chad Smith		Red Hot Chili Peppers
2001
Mark Tremonti		Creed
2002Charlie Colin
Rob Hotchkiss
Pat Monahan
Jimmy Stafford
Scott Underwood		Train
2003
2004The White Stripes
2005Bono
Adam Clayton
The Edge
Larry Mullen, Jr.		U2
2006Bono
Adam Clayton
The Edge
Larry Mullen, Jr.		U2
2007Flea
John Frusciante
Anthony Kiedis
Chad Smith		Red Hot Chili Peppers
2008
2009
2010Caleb Followill
Jared Followill
Matthew Followill
Nathan Followill		Kings of Leon
2011Neil Young
2012Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear		"Walk"Foo Fighters
2013Dan Auerbach
Brian Burton
Patrick Carney		"Lonely Boy"The Black Keys
2014Dave Grohl
Paul McCartney
Krist Novoselic
Pat Smear		"Cut Me Some Slack"Paul McCartney and Nirvana
2015Hayley Williams
Taylor York		"Ain't It Fun"Paramore
2016Zac Cockrell
Heath Fogg
Brittany Howard
Steve Johnson		"Don't Wanna Fight"Alabama Shakes
2017David Bowie"Blackstar"David Bowie
2018Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Rami Jaffee
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear		"Run"Foo Fighters
2019Jack Antonoff
Annie Clark		"Masseduction"St. Vincent
2020Gary Clark Jr."This Land"Gary Clark Jr.
2021Brittany Howard"Stay High"Brittany Howard
2022Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Rami Jaffee
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear		"Waiting on a War"Foo Fighters
2023Brandi Carlile
Phil Hanseroth
Tim Hanseroth		"Broken Horses"Brandi Carlile
2024Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus"Not Strong Enough"Boygenius
2025Annie Clark"Broken Man"St. Vincent
2026

  • The performing artist is only listed but does not receive the award.
  • Showing the name of the songwriter, the nominated song and in parentheses the performer's name.

    Multiple wins

;4 wins
  • Dave Grohl
  • Pat Smear
  • Bruce Springsteen
;3 wins
  • Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel and Chris Shiflett
;2 wins
  • Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge and Larry Mullen, Jr.
  • Annie Clark
  • Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith
  • Rami Jaffee
  • Alanis Morissette
  • Brittany Howard

    Multiple nominations

;10 nominations
  • Bruce Springsteen
;8 nominations
  • Dave Grohl
;7 nominations
  • Nate Mendel and Chris Shiflett
;6 nominations
  • Bono
  • Taylor Hawkins
;5 nominations
  • Adam Clayton, The Edge and Larry Mullen, Jr.
  • Pat Smear
  • Chad Smith
;4 nominations
  • Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney
  • Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin
  • Flea, John Frusciante and Anthony Kiedis
  • Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill and Nathan Followill
  • Jack White
;3 nominations
;2 nominations