# Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award went to the artist. Singles or tracks only are eligible.
The awards have quite a convoluted history:
* From 1959 to 1960 there was an award called Best Vocal Performance, Male, which was for work in the pop field
* In 1961 the award was separated into Best Vocal Performance Single Record Or Track and Best Vocal Performance Album, Male
* From 1962 to 1963 the awards from the previous year were combined into Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male
* From 1964 to 1968 the award was called Best Vocal Performance, Male
* In 1969, the awards were combined and streamlined as the award for Best Contemporary-Pop Vocal Performance, Male
* From 1970 to 1971 the award was known as Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Male
* From 1972 to 1994 the award was known as Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
* From 1995 to 2011 it was known as Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
The award was discontinued in 2012 in a major overhaul of Grammy categories. From 2012, all solo performances in the pop category (male, female, and instrumental) were shifted to the newly formed Best Pop Solo Performance category.
Sting, Stevie Wonder, and John Mayer, with four wins each, are the artists with the most awards in the category. Elton John is the artist with the most nominations at twelve.
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

## Recipients

| Year | Winner(s) | Work | Nominees |
| 1959 | Perry Como | "Catch a Falling Star" | Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare) – Domenico Modugno "Come Fly With Me" – Frank Sinatra "Witchcraft" – Frank Sinatra "The Hawaiian Wedding Song" – Andy Williams |
| 1960 | Frank Sinatra | Come Dance with Me! | Belafonte at Carnegie Hall – Harry Belafonte Guess Who – Jesse Belvin "Mack the Knife" – Bobby Darin An Evening with Lerner and Loewe – Robert Merrill |
| 1961 (Single) | Ray Charles | "Georgia on My Mind" | "Misty" – Johnny Mathis "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" – Elvis Presley "He'll Have to Go" – Jim Reeves "Nice 'n' Easy" – Frank Sinatra |
| 1961 (Album) | Ray Charles | The Genius of Ray Charles | "Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall" – Harry Belafonte "Wild Is Love" – Nat King Cole "G.I. Blues" – Elvis Presley "Nice 'n' Easy" – Frank Sinatra |
| 1962 | Jack Jones | "Lollipops and Roses" | "Big Bad John" – Jimmy Dean "A Little Bitty Tear" – Burl Ives Portrait of My Love – Steve Lawrence Danny Boy – Andy Williams |
| 1963 | Tony Bennett | "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" | "I Can't Stop Loving You" – Ray Charles What Kind of Fool Am I and Other Show-Stoppers – Sammy Davis, Jr. "What Kind of Fool Am I?" – Anthony Newley Comin' Home Baby! – Mel Torme |
| 1964 | Jack Jones | "Wives and Lovers" | I Wanna Be Around... – Tony Bennett "Busted" – Ray Charles Catch a Rising Star – John Gary "Days of Wine and Roses" – Andy Williams |
| 1965 | Louis Armstrong | "Hello, Dolly!" | Who Can I Turn To? – Tony Bennett Getz/Gilberto – João Gilberto Everybody Loves Somebody (The Hit Version) – Dean Martin Call Me Irresponsible – Andy Williams |
| 1966 | Frank Sinatra | "It Was a Very Good Year" | "The Shadow of Your Smile" – Tony Bennett "Yesterday" – Paul McCartney "King Of The Road" – Roger Miller "Baby the Rain Must Fall" – Glenn Yarbrough |
| 1967 | Frank Sinatra | "Strangers in the Night" | "Almost Persuaded" – David Houston The Impossible Dream – Jack Jones "Eleanor Rigby" – Paul McCartney "Distant Drums" – Jim Reeves |
| 1968 | Glen Campbell | "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" | My Cup Runneth Over – Ed Ames "Yesterday" – Ray Charles Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim – Frank Sinatra "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" – Frankie Valli |
| 1969 | José Feliciano | "Light My Fire" | "Wichita Lineman" – Glen Campbell "Honey" – Bobby Goldsboro "MacArthur Park" – Richard Harris "Little Green Apples" – O.C. Smith |
| 1970 | Harry Nilsson | "Everybody's Talkin'" | "My Way" – Frank Sinatra Games People Play – Joe South Gitarzan – Ray Stevens "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" – B.J. Thomas |
| 1971 | Ray Stevens | "Everything Is Beautiful" | "Rainy Night in Georgia" – Brook Benton Mad Dogs & Englishmen – Joe Cocker Elton John – Elton John "Sweet Baby James" – James Taylor |
| 1972 | James Taylor | "You've Got a Friend" | "It's Impossible" – Perry Como "I Am... I Said" – Neil Diamond "If You Could Read My Mind" – Gordon Lightfoot "Ain't No Sunshine" – Bill Withers |
| 1973 | Harry Nilsson | "Without You" | Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me – Mac Davis "The Candy Man" – Sammy Davis, Jr. "American Pie" – Don McLean "Alone Again (Naturally)" – Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 1974 | Stevie Wonder | "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" | "And I Love You So" – Perry Como "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" – Jim Croce "Daniel" – Elton John There Goes Rhymin' Simon – Paul Simon |
| 1975 | Stevie Wonder | Fulfillingness' First Finale | "Cat's in the Cradle" – Harry Chapin "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" – Elton John "Please Come to Boston" – Dave Loggins "Nothing From Nothing" – Billy Preston |
| 1976 | Paul Simon | Still Crazy After All These Years | "Feelings" – Morris Albert "Rhinestone Cowboy" – Glen Campbell Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy – Elton John "Bad Blood" – Neil Sedaka |
| 1977 | Stevie Wonder | Songs in the Key of Life | "This Masquerade" – George Benson "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" – Gordon Lightfoot "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" – Lou Rawls Silk Degrees – Boz Scaggs |
| 1978 | James Taylor | "Handy Man" | "On and On" – Stephen Bishop "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" – Andy Gibb "After the Lovin'" – Engelbert Humperdinck "When I Need You" – Leo Sayer |
| 1979 | Barry Manilow | "Copacabana (At the Copa)" | "Running on Empty" – Jackson Browne "Sometimes When We Touch" – Dan Hill "Baker Street" – Gerry Rafferty "I Just Wanna Stop" – Gino Vannelli |
| 1980 | Billy Joel | 52nd Street | "Sad Eyes" – Robert John "She Believes in Me" – Kenny Rogers "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" – Rod Stewart "Up on the Roof" – James Taylor |
| 1981 | Kenny Loggins | "This Is It" | Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross "Lady" – Kenny Rogers "Late in the Evening" – Paul Simon "Theme from New York, New York" – Frank Sinatra |
| 1982 | Al Jarreau | Breakin' Away | "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" – Christopher Cross "Just Once" – James Ingram Double Fantasy – John Lennon "Just the Two of Us" – Bill Withers |
| 1983 | Lionel Richie | "Truly" | "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)" – Donald Fagen "Steppin' Out" – Joe Jackson "Blue Eyes" – Elton John "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" – Michael McDonald "Don't Talk to Strangers" - Rick Springfield |
| 1984 | Michael Jackson | Thriller | "Uptown Girl" – Billy Joel 1999 – Prince "All Night Long" – Lionel Richie "Maniac" – Michael Sembello |
| 1985 | Phil Collins | "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" | "Footloose" – Kenny Loggins "Hello" – Lionel Richie "Missing You" – John Waite "I Just Called to Say I Love You" – Stevie Wonder |
| 1986 | Phil Collins | No Jacket Required | "The Heat Is On" – Glenn Frey The Dream of the Blue Turtles – Sting "Part-Time Lover" – Stevie Wonder "Every Time You Go Away" – Paul Young |
| 1987 | Steve Winwood | "Higher Love" | "Glory of Love" – Peter Cetera "Danger Zone" – Kenny Loggins "Sweet Freedom" – Michael McDonald Graceland – Paul Simon |
| 1988 | Sting | Bring on the Night | Bad – Michael Jackson "Moonlighting (theme)" – Al Jarreau "Candle in the Wind (live 1986)" – Elton John "Brilliant Disguise" – Bruce Springsteen |
| 1989 | Bobby McFerrin | "Don't Worry, Be Happy" | "A Groovy Kind of Love" – Phil Collins "Father Figure" – George Michael "Be Still My Beating Heart" – Sting "Roll With It" – Steve Winwood |
| 1990 | Michael Bolton | "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" | "We Didn't Start the Fire" – Billy Joel "Right Here Waiting" – Richard Marx "You Got It" – Roy Orbison Batman – Prince |
| 1991 | Roy Orbison | "Oh, Pretty Woman (live 1987)" | "Another Day in Paradise" – Phil Collins "Georgia on My Mind" – Michael Bolton "I Don't Have the Heart" – James Ingram Storm Front – Billy Joel "Downtown Train" – Rod Stewart |
| 1992 | Michael Bolton | "When a Man Loves a Woman" | "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" – Bryan Adams "Walking in Memphis" – Marc Cohn "Freedom! '90" – George Michael Warm Your Heart – Aaron Neville "Crazy" – Seal |
| 1993 | Eric Clapton | "Tears in Heaven" | Us – Peter Gabriel "Black or White" – Michael Jackson "The One" – Elton John Joshua Judges Ruth – Lyle Lovett |
| 1994 | Sting | "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" | "The Crying Game" – Boy George "The River of Dreams" – Billy Joel "Don't Take Away My Heaven" – Aaron Neville "Have I Told You Lately" – Rod Stewart |
| 1995 | Elton John | "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" | "Said I Loved You...But I Lied" – Michael Bolton "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" – Prince "Prayer for the Dying" – Seal "Love the One You're With" – Luther Vandross |
| 1996 | Seal | "Kiss from a Rose" | "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" – Bryan Adams "You Are Not Alone" – Michael Jackson "Believe" – Elton John "When We Dance" – Sting |
| 1997 | Eric Clapton | "Change the World" | "Let's Make a Night to Remember" – Bryan Adams "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" – John Mellencamp "Nobody Knows" – Tony Rich Project "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot" – Sting |
| 1998 | Elton John | "Candle in the Wind 1997" | "Every Time I Close My Eyes" – Babyface "Whenever Wherever Whatever" – Maxwell "Fly Like an Eagle" – Seal "Barely Breathing" – Duncan Sheik |
| 1999 | Eric Clapton | "My Father's Eyes" | "Save Tonight" – Eagle-Eye Cherry "Anytime" – Brian McKnight "Lullaby" – Shawn Mullins "You Were Meant for Me" – Sting |
| 2000 | Sting | "Brand New Day" | "I Need to Know" – Marc Anthony "Mambo No. 5" – Lou Bega "Sogno" – Andrea Bocelli "Livin' la Vida Loca" – Ricky Martin |
| 2001 | Sting | "She Walks This Earth" | "You Sang to Me" – Marc Anthony "Taking You Home" – Don Henley "She Bangs" – Ricky Martin "6, 8, 12" – Brian McKnight |
| 2002 | James Taylor | "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" | "Fill Me In" – Craig David "You Rock My World" – Michael Jackson "I Want Love" – Elton John "Still" – Brian McKnight |
| 2003 | John Mayer | "Your Body Is a Wonderland" | "7 Days" – Craig David "Original Sin" – Elton John "Fragile" (live) – Sting "October Road" – James Taylor |
| 2004 | Justin Timberlake | "Cry Me a River" | "Any Road" – George Harrison "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" – Michael McDonald "Send Your Love" – Sting "Keep Me in Your Heart" – Warren Zevon |
| 2005 | John Mayer | "Daughters" | "Let's Misbehave" – Elvis Costello "You Raise Me Up" – Josh Groban "Cinnamon Girl" – Prince "Love's Divine" – Seal |
| 2006 | Stevie Wonder | "From the Bottom of My Heart" | "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" – Jack Johnson "Fine Line" – Paul McCartney "Walk on By" – Seal "Lonely No More" – Rob Thomas |
| 2007 | John Mayer | "Waiting on the World to Change" | "You're Beautiful" – James Blunt "Save Room" – John Legend "Jenny Wren" – Paul McCartney "Bad Day" – Daniel Powter |
| 2008 | Justin Timberlake | "What Goes Around... Comes Around" | "Everything" – Michael Bublé "Belief" – John Mayer "Dance Tonight" – Paul McCartney "Amazing" – Seal |
| 2009 | John Mayer | "Say" | "All Summer Long" – Kid Rock "That Was Me" – Paul McCartney "I'm Yours" – Jason Mraz "Closer" – Ne-Yo "Wichita Lineman" – James Taylor |
| 2010 | Jason Mraz | "Make It Mine" | "This Time" – John Legend "Love You" – Maxwell "If You Don't Know Me by Now" – Seal "All About the Love Again" – Stevie Wonder |
| 2011 | Bruno Mars | "Just the Way You Are" | "Haven't Met You Yet" – Michael Bublé "This Is It" – Michael Jackson "Whataya Want from Me" – Adam Lambert "Half of My Heart" – John Mayer |

## Category records

Most wins
| Rank | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Artist | Sting Stevie Wonder John Mayer | Frank Sinatra Eric Clapton James Taylor | Jack Jones Harry Nilsson Michael Bolton Phil Collins Elton John Justin Timberlake |
| Total wins | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Most nominations
| Rank | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Artist | Elton John | Sting | Frank Sinatra Seal |
| Total nominations | 12 | 11 | 8 |

## Contemporary (R&R) Performance

In 1966 the Recording Academy established a similar, but different, category in the Pop Field for Best Contemporary (rock & roll) Performances. The category went through a number of changes before being discontinued after the 1968 awards.
* In 1966 the award was called Best Contemporary (R&R) Vocal Performance - Male
* In 1967 the award from the previous year was combined with the equivalent award for women as the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary (R&R) Solo Vocal Performance - Male or Female
* In 1968 the previous award was once again separated by gender, with the male award called Best Contemporary Male Solo Vocal Performance