2026 Grammy Nominees for Record and Song of the Year: What’s Behind the Similarities?

Record and Song of the Year Nominations Through the Decades

The Grammy Awards have seen a fascinating evolution in the nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, illustrating shifts in the music landscape from 1959 to 2026. Below is a detailed overview of selected years, highlighting key nominees and their impacts.

1959
Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. earned a nomination for Record of the Year with “The Chipmunk Song,” while Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s “Gigi” was nominated for Song of the Year. The former dominated the Hot 100, securing the No. 1 spot for four weeks. Meanwhile, Vic Damone’s rendition of “Gigi” peaked at No. 88. “Gigi” would later win the Oscar for Best Original Song, contributing to the film’s record-setting nine Oscar wins.

1968
In 1968, Nancy and Frank Sinatra’s duet “Somethin’ Stupid” was nominated for Record of the Year, while John Hartford’s "Gentle on My Mind" was recognized for Song of the Year. “Somethin’ Stupid” reached No. 1 for four weeks. Glen Campbell’s version of “Gentle on My Mind” peaked at No. 39. Campbell also earned a record of the year nomination that year for “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.” This marked a significant moment in Grammys history due to category constraints, allowing only one nomination per artist in the Record category.

1969
Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman” was nominated for Record of the Year, while Bobby Russell’s “Little Green Apples” was nominated for Song of the Year. Despite reaching No. 3 on the Hot 100, “Wichita Lineman” is frequently considered among the best songs ever written, a sentiment underscored by its song of the year snub. Meanwhile, “Little Green Apples” won the award, with O.C. Smith’s version emerging as a significant hit, peaking at No. 2.

1971
The Carpenters dominated the 1971 nominations, with “(They Long to Be) Close to You” nominated for Record of the Year and “We’ve Only Just Begun,” co-written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols, nominated for Song of the Year. Both tracks achieved impressive success on the Hot 100, with the former reaching No. 1. However, since “Close to You” was written in 1963, it was ineligible for the Song of the Year category.

1973
Nilsson’s “Without You” was nominated for Record of the Year, while “The Summer Knows” earned a nomination for Song of the Year. "Without You" topped the charts for four weeks, standing out as a significant hit across the music industry. However, the only charted version of “The Summer Knows” was an instrumental by Peter Nero, which peaked at No. 21.

1974
Jim Croce’s narrative hit “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” received a nod for Record of the Year, while “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree,” written by L. Russell Brown and Irwin Levine, contended for Song of the Year. “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” reached the top of the charts just two months before Croce’s untimely death, while "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" topped the charts for four weeks to become the No. 1 single of the year.

1981
In 1981, there were no nominations for Record of the Year from that year’s songs. However, Dolly Parton’s “Fame,” co-written by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford, was nominated for Song of the Year. The song reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 and won the Oscar for Best Original Song in a competitive field.

1982
John Lennon’s “(Just Like) Starting Over” was nominated for Record of the Year, while Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” was nominated for Song of the Year. Both songs achieved notable success on the Hot 100 before Parton won two Grammys for her hit, further solidifying her impact on the genre.

1984
Irene Cara’s “Flashdance…What a Feeling” was nominated for Record of the Year, while Michael Jackson’s iconic “Billie Jean” was nominated for Song of the Year. Both tracks became long-running No. 1 hits, and Cara’s song won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

1987
Whitney Houston’s powerful rendition of “Greatest Love of All” was nominated for Record of the Year, though it was ineligible for Song of the Year due to its earlier origins. Paul Simon’s “Graceland” received a nomination for Song of the Year but did not secure any nominations in other categories that year.

1990
Fine Young Cannibals’ “She Drives Me Crazy” was nominated for Record of the Year, while “Don’t Know Much,” co-written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, was nominated for Song of the Year. “She Drives Me Crazy” reached No. 1 while “Don’t Know Much” peaked at No. 2.

1991
M.C. Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” marked a historic nomination in 1991 for Record of the Year, with “Hold On,” co-written by Glen Ballard and others, nominated for Song of the Year. The former reached No. 8, while “Hold On” reached No. 1, drawing significant attention for its cultural impact.

1994
Whitney Houston again made waves with “I Will Always Love You,” nominated for Record of the Year while Jim Steinman’s “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” was nominated for Song of the Year. Houston’s track set a record by holding the top spot for 14 weeks.

2007
Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” was nominated for Record of the Year, while “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” written by Brett James and others, contended for Song of the Year. The former made significant waves, logging several weeks at No. 2 on the charts.

2012
Katy Perry’s anthem “Firework” was nominated for Record of the Year, while “All of the Lights,” featuring Kanye West, was nominated for Song of the Year, securing both accolades in its own right.

2015
In 2015, Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX’s “Fancy” was recognized in the Record of the Year category while Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” earned a Song of the Year nomination. Both songs reached impressive positions on the charts.

2026
Looking ahead to 2026, Chappell Roan’s “The Subway” is up for Record of the Year, while “Golden” by EJAE and team is nominated for Song of the Year. The nominations highlight an ongoing evolution in the music industry, underscoring the diverse array of talent present today.

The landscape of Grammy nominations not only reflects the evolution of music but also the shifting cultural significance of the songs that dominate the airwaves.