# 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 (containing both melody and lyrics) 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(s) 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 (Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel and Chris Shiflett) 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

| Year | Recipient(s) | Work | Performing artist(s) | Nominees (Performer(s) in parentheses) |
| 1992 | Sting | "The Soul Cages" | Sting | Bryan Adams, Robert Lange – "Can't Stop This Thing We Started" (Bryan Adams) Eric Avery, Perry Farrell – "Been Caught Stealing" (Jane's Addiction) Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich – "Enter Sandman" (Metallica) Tom Petty – "Learning to Fly" (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) Chris DeGarmo – "Silent Lucidity" (Queensrÿche) |
| 1993 | Eric Clapton Jim Gordon | "Layla" (Unplugged version) | Eric Clapton | Peter Gabriel – "Digging in the Dirt" (Peter Gabriel) Kurt Cobain – "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Nirvana) Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament – "Jeremy" (Pearl Jam) Bruce Springsteen – "Human Touch" (Bruce Springsteen) |
| 1994 | Dave Pirner | "Runaway Train" | Soul Asylum | Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Taylor Rhodes – "Cryin'" (Aerosmith) Tyler, Perry, Mark Hudson – "Livin' on the Edge" (Aerosmith) Lenny Kravitz, Craig Ross – "Are You Gonna Go My Way" (Lenny Kravitz) Jim Steinman – "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" (Meat Loaf) |
| 1995 | Bruce Springsteen | "Streets of Philadelphia" | Bruce Springsteen | Melissa Etheridge – "Come to My Window" (Melissa Etheridge) Etheridge – "I'm the Only One" (Melissa Etheridge) Kurt Cobain – "All Apologies" (Nirvana) Chris Cornell – "Black Hole Sun" (Soundgarden) |
| 1996 | Alanis Morissette Glen Ballard | "You Oughta Know" | Alanis Morissette | Bob Dylan – "Dignity" (Bob Dylan) Trent Reznor – "Hurt" (Nine Inch Nails) Bono – "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (U2) Neil Young – "Downtown" (Neil Young) |
| 1997 | Tracy Chapman | "Give Me One Reason" | Tracy Chapman | Dave Matthews Band – "Too Much" (Dave Matthews Band) Duke Erikson, Shirley Manson, Steve Marker, Butch Vig – "Stupid Girl" (Garbage) John Hiatt – "Cry Love" (John Hiatt) Noel Gallagher – "Wonderwall" (Oasis) Jakob Dylan – "6th Avenue Heartache" (The Wallflowers) |
| 1998 | Jakob Dylan | "One Headlight" | The Wallflowers | Fiona Apple – "Criminal" (Fiona Apple) Meredith Brooks, Shelly Peiken – "Bitch" (Meredith Brooks) Dave Matthews – "Crash into Me" (Dave Matthews Band) Jakob Dylan – "The Difference" (The Wallflowers) |
| 1999 | Alanis Morissette | "Uninvited" | Alanis Morissette | John Hiatt – "Have a Little Faith in Me" (John Hiatt) Billy Corgan, Eric Erlandson, Courtney Love – "Celebrity Skin" (Hole) Dan Wilson – "Closing Time" (Semisonic) Richard Ashcroft, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards – "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (The Verve) |
| 2000 | Flea John Frusciante Anthony Kiedis Chad Smith | "Scar Tissue" | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Melissa Etheridge, John Shanks – "Angels Would Fall" (Melissa Etheridge) Duke Erikson, Shirley Manson, Steve Marker, Butch Vig – "Special" (Garbage) Tom Petty – "Room at the Top" (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) Bruce Springsteen – "The Promise" (Bruce Springsteen) |
| 2001 | Scott Stapp Mark Tremonti | "With Arms Wide Open" | Creed | Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Matt Roberts – "Kryptonite" (3 Doors Down) Lenny Kravitz – "Again" (Lenny Kravitz) Rob Thomas – "Bent" (Matchbox Twenty) Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith – "Californication" (Red Hot Chili Peppers) |
| 2002 | Charlie Colin Rob Hotchkiss Pat Monahan Jimmy Stafford Scott Underwood | "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" | Train | Marti Frederiksen, Steven Tyler – "Jaded" (Aerosmith) Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin – "Yellow" (Coldplay) Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge and Larry Mullen, Jr. – "Elevation" (U2) Bono, Clayton, The Edge, Mullen – "Walk On" (U2) |
| 2003 | Bruce Springsteen | "The Rising" | Bruce Springsteen | Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Chris Henderson, Matt Roberts – "When I'm Gone" (3 Doors Down) Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett – "All My Life" (Foo Fighters) Sully Erna – "I Stand Alone" (Godsmack) Chad Kroeger – "Hero" (Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott) |
| 2004 | Jack White | "Seven Nation Army" | The White Stripes | David Hodges, Amy Lee, Ben Moody – "Bring Me to Life" (Evanescence) Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Ryan Vikedal – "Someday" (Nickelback) Jorge Calderón, Warren Zevon – "Disorder in the House" (Bruce Springsteen & Warren Zevon) Charlie Colin, Patrick Monahan, Jimmy Stafford, Scott Underwood – "Calling All Angels" (Train) |
| 2005 | Bono Adam Clayton The Edge Larry Mullen, Jr. | "Vertigo" | U2 | Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool – "American Idiot" (Green Day) Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr. – "Somebody Told Me" (The Killers) Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci, Eric Judy, Benjamin Weikel – "Float On" (Modest Mouse) Duff, Dave Kushner, Slash, Matt Sorum, Scott Weiland – "Fall to Pieces" (Velvet Revolver) |
| 2006 | Bono Adam Clayton The Edge Larry Mullen, Jr. | "City of Blinding Lights" | U2 | Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin – "Speed of Sound" (Coldplay) Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett – "Best of You" (Foo Fighters) Bruce Springsteen – "Devils & Dust" (Bruce Springsteen) Rivers Cuomo – "Beverly Hills" (Weezer) |
| 2007 | Flea John Frusciante Anthony Kiedis Chad Smith | "Dani California" | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Bob Dylan – "Someday Baby" (Bob Dylan) Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr. – "When You Were Young" (The Killers) Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, Jonny Quinn, Tom Simpson – "Chasing Cars" (Snow Patrol) Neil Young – "Lookin' for a Leader" (Neil Young) |
| 2008 | Bruce Springsteen | "Radio Nowhere" | Bruce Springsteen | Chris Daughtry, Gregg Wattenberg, Mark Wilkerson, Brett Young – "It's Not Over" (Daughtry) Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett – "The Pretender" (Foo Fighters) Jack White – "Icky Thump" (The White Stripes) Lucinda Williams – "Come On" (Lucinda Williams) |
| 2009 | Bruce Springsteen | "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" | Bruce Springsteen | Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin – "Violet Hill" (Coldplay) Ben Gibbard, Nick Harmer, Jason McGerr, Chris Walla– "I Will Possess Your Heart" (Death Cab for Cutie) Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill, Nathan Followill – "Sex on Fire" (Kings of Leon) Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway, Thom Yorke – "House of Cards" (Radiohead) |
| 2010 | Caleb Followill Jared Followill Matthew Followill Nathan Followill | "Use Somebody" | Kings of Leon | Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool – "21 Guns" (Green Day) Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder – "The Fixer" (Pearl Jam) Bruce Springsteen – "Working on a Dream" (Bruce Springsteen) Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr. – "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" (U2) |
| 2011 | Neil Young | "Angry World" | Neil Young | Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney – "Tighten Up" (The Black Keys) Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill, Nathan Followill – "Radioactive" (Kings of Leon) Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford, Winston Marshall – "Little Lion Man" (Mumford & Sons) Matthew Bellamy – "Resistance" (Muse) |
| 2012 | Dave Grohl Taylor Hawkins Nate Mendel Chris Shiflett Pat Smear | "Walk" | Foo Fighters | Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin – "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" (Coldplay) Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford, Winston Marshall – "The Cave" (Mumford & Sons) Colin Meloy – "Down by the Water" (The Decemberists) Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway, Thom Yorke – "Lotus Flower" (Radiohead) |
| 2013 | Dan Auerbach Brian Burton Patrick Carney | "Lonely Boy" | The Black Keys | Matthew Bellamy – "Madness" (Muse) Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, Marcus Mumford – "I Will Wait" (Mumford & Sons) Bruce Springsteen – "We Take Care of Our Own" (Bruce Springsteen) Jack White – "Freedom at 21" (Jack White) |
| 2014 | Dave Grohl Paul McCartney Krist Novoselic Pat Smear | "Cut Me Some Slack" | Paul McCartney and Nirvana | Matthew Bellamy – "Panic Station" (Muse) Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne – "God Is Dead?" (Black Sabbath) Gary Clark Jr. – "Ain't Messin 'Round" (Gary Clark Jr.) Mick Jagger, Keith Richards – "Doom and Gloom" (The Rolling Stones) |
| 2015 | Hayley Williams Taylor York | "Ain't It Fun" | Paramore | Ryan Adams – "Gimme Something Good" (Ryan Adams) Dan Auerbach, Brian Burton, Patrick Carney – "Fever" (The Black Keys) Beck Hansen – "Blue Moon" (Beck) Jack White – "Lazaretto" (Jack White) |
| 2016 | Zac Cockrell Heath Fogg Brittany Howard Steve Johnson | "Don't Wanna Fight" | Alabama Shakes | Dave Bassett, Elle King – "Ex's & Oh's" (Elle King) Iain Archer, James Bay – "Hold Back the River" (James Bay) Richard Meyer, Ryan Meyer, Johnny Stevens – "Lydia" (Highly Suspect) John Hill, Tom Hull, Florence Welch – "What Kind of Man" (Florence + the Machine) |
| 2017 | David Bowie | "Blackstar" | David Bowie | Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Philip Selway, Thom Yorke – "Burn the Witch" (Radiohead) James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich – "Hardwired" (Metallica) Tyler Joseph – "Heathens" (Twenty One Pilots) Richard Meyer, Ryan Meyer, Johnny Stevens – "My Name Is Human" (Highly Suspect) |
| 2018 | Dave Grohl Taylor Hawkins Rami Jaffee Nate Mendel Chris Shiflett Pat Smear | "Run" | Foo Fighters | James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich – "Atlas, Rise!" (Metallica) Kristine Flaherty, Justin Daly – "Blood in the Cut" (K.Flay) Ben Anderson, Jonny Hawkins, Will Hoffman, Daniel Oliver, David Pramik, Mark Vollelunga – "Go to War" (Nothing More) Zachary Baker, Brian Haner, Matthew Sanders, Jonathan Seward, Brooks Wackerman – "The Stage" (Avenged Sevenfold) |
| 2019 | Jack Antonoff Annie Clark | "Masseduction" | St. Vincent | Jacob Thomas Kiszka, Joshua Michael Kiszka, Samuel Francis Kiszka, Daniel Robert Wagner – "Black Smoke Rising" (Greta Van Fleet) Tyler Joseph – "Jumpsuit" (Twenty One Pilots) Jordan Fish, Matthew Kean, Lee Malia, Matthew Nicholls, Oliver Sykes – "Mantra" (Bring Me the Horizon) Tom Dalgety, A Ghoul Writer – "Rats" (Ghost) |
| 2020 | Gary Clark Jr. | "This Land" | Gary Clark Jr. | Danny Carey, Justin Chancellor, Adam Jones, Maynard James Keenan – "Fear Inoculum" (Tool) George Daniel, Adam Hann, Matthew Healy, Ross MacDonald – "Give Yourself a Try" (The 1975) Ezra Koenig – "Harmony Hall" (Vampire Weekend) Brittany Howard – "History Repeats" (Brittany Howard) |
| 2021 | Brittany Howard | "Stay High" | Brittany Howard | Phoebe Bridgers, Morgan Nagler, Marshall Vore – "Kyoto" (Phoebe Bridgers) Kevin Parker – "Lost in Yesterday" (Tame Impala) Adrianne Lenker – "Not" (Big Thief) Fiona Apple – "Shameika" (Fiona Apple) |
| 2022 | Dave Grohl Taylor Hawkins Rami Jaffee Nate Mendel Chris Shiflett Pat Smear | "Waiting on a War" | Foo Fighters | Rivers Cuomo, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Ilsey Juber – "All My Favorite Songs" (Weezer) Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill, Nathan Followill – "The Bandit" (Kings of Leon) Wolfgang Van Halen – "Distance" (Mammoth WVH) Paul McCartney – "Find My Way" (Paul McCartney) |
| 2023 | Brandi Carlile Phil Hanseroth Tim Hanseroth | "Broken Horses" | Brandi Carlile | Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith – "Black Summer" (Red Hot Chili Peppers) Brady Ebert, Daniel Fang, Franz Lyons, Pat McCrory, Brendan Yates – "Blackout" (Turnstile) Robbie Bennett, Adam Granduciel – "Harmonia's Dream" (The War On Drugs) John Osbourne, Chad Smith, Ali Tamposi, Robert Trujillo, Andrew Wotman – "Patient Number 9" (Ozzy Osbourne featuring Jeff Beck) |
| 2024 | Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus | "Not Strong Enough" | Boygenius | Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Andrew Watt – "Angry" (The Rolling Stones) Dan Nigro, Olivia Rodrigo – "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" (Olivia Rodrigo) Dean Fertita, Joshua Homme, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore, Troy Van Leeuwen – "Emotion Sickness" (Queens of the Stone Age) Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear – "Rescued" (Foo Fighters) |
| 2025 | Annie Clark | "Broken Man" | St. Vincent | Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney, Beck Hansen, Daniel Nakamura – "Beautiful People (Stay High)" (The Black Keys) Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder, Andrew Watt – "Dark Matter" (Pearl Jam) Billie Joe Armstrong, Tré Cool, Mike Dirnt – "Dilemma" (Green Day) Jon Beavis, Mark Bowen, Adam Devonshire, Lee Kiernan, Joe Talbot – "Gift Horse" (IDLES) |
* The performing artist is only listed but does not receive the award.
* Showing the name of the songwriter(s), the nominated song and in parentheses the performer's name(s).