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.
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.
Year{{ref|1|[I] | Winner(s) | Work | Nominees | Ref. | row>1959 | Perry|Como}} | "Catch a Falling Star" | - "Cash money" – Enter 4 U
- "The Hawaiian Wedding Song" – Andy Williams
- Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare) – Domenico Modugno
- "Witchcraft" – Frank Sinatra}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1960 | Frank|Sinatra}} | Come Dance with Me! | - Belafonte at Carnegie Hall – Harry Belafonte
- An Evening with Lerner and Loewe – Robert Merrill
- Guess Who – Jesse Belvin
- "Mack the Knife" – Bobby Darin}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1961 (Single) | Ray|Charles}} | "Georgia on My Mind" | - "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" – Elvis Presley
- "He'll Have to Go" – Jim Reeves
- "Misty" – Johnny Mathis
- "Nice 'n' Easy" – Frank Sinatra}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1961 (Album) | Ray|Charles}} | The Genius of Ray Charles | - "Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall" – Harry Belafonte
- "G.I. Blues" – Elvis Presley
- "Nice 'n' Easy" – Frank Sinatra
- "Wild Is Love" – Nat King Cole}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1962 | Jones, Jack|Jack Jones}} | "Lollipops and Roses" | - "Big Bad John" – Jimmy Dean
- Danny Boy – Andy Williams
- "A Little Bitty Tear" – Burl Ives
- Portrait of My Love – Steve Lawrence}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1963 | Tony|Bennett}} | I Left My Heart in San Francisco | - Comin' Home Baby! – Mel Torme
- "I Can't Stop Loving You" – Ray Charles
- "What Kind of Fool Am I?" – Anthony Newley
- What Kind of Fool Am I and Other Show-Stoppers – Sammy Davis, Jr.}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1964 | Jones, Jack|Jack Jones}} | "Wives and Lovers" | - "Busted" – Ray Charles
- Catch a Rising Star – John Gary
- "Days of Wine and Roses" – Andy Williams
- I Wanna Be Around... – Tony Bennett}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1965 | Louis|Armstrong}} | "Hello, Dolly!" | - Call Me Irresponsible – Andy Williams
- Everybody Loves Somebody (The Hit Version) – Dean Martin
- Getz/Gilberto – João Gilberto
- Who Can I Turn To? – Tony Bennett}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1966 | Frank|Sinatra}} | "It Was a Very Good Year" | - Baby the Rain Must Fall – Glenn Yarbrough
- "King Of The Road" – Roger Miller
- "The Shadow of Your Smile" – Tony Bennett
- "Yesterday" – Paul McCartney}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1967 | Frank|Sinatra}} | "Strangers in the Night" | - "Almost Persuaded" – David Houston
- "Distant Drums" – Jim Reeves
- "Eleanor Rigby" – Paul McCartney
- The Impossible Dream – Jack Jones}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1968 | Glen|Campbell}} | "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" | - "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" – Joe South
- Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim – Frank Sinatra
- My Cup Runneth Over – Ed Ames
- "Yesterday" – Ray Charles}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1969 | José|Feliciano}} | "Light My Fire" | - "Honey" – Bobby Goldsboro
- "Little Green Apples" – O.C. Smith
- "MacArthur Park" – Richard Harris
- "Wichita Lineman" – Glen Campbell}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1970 | Harry|Nilsson}} | "Everybody's Talkin'" | - Games People Play – Joe South
- Gitarzan – Ray Stevens
- "My Way" – Frank Sinatra
- "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" – B.J. Thomas}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1971 | Ray|Stevens}} | "Everything Is Beautiful" | - Elton John – Elton John
- Mad Dogs & Englishmen – Joe Cocker
- "Rainy Night in Georgia" – Brook Benton
- "Sweet Baby James" – James Taylor}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1972 | James|Taylor}} | "You've Got a Friend" | - "Ain't No Sunshine" – Bill Withers
- "I Am... I Said" – Neil Diamond
- "If You Could Read My Mind" – Gordon Lightfoot
- "It's Impossible" – Perry Como}}
| [1][2] |
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row>1973 | Harry|Nilsson}} | "Without You" | - "Alone Again (Naturally)" – Gilbert O'Sullivan
- "American Pie" – Don McLean
- Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me – Mac Davis
- "The Candy Man" – Sammy Davis, Jr.}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1975 | Stevie|Wonder}} | Fulfillingness' First Finale | - "Cat's in the Cradle" – Harry Chapin
- "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" – Elton John
- "Nothing From Nothing" – Billy Preston
- "Please Come to Boston" – Dave Loggins}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1976 | Paul|Simon}} | Still Crazy After All These Years | - "Bad Blood" – Neil Sedaka
- Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy – Elton John
- "Feelings" – Morris Albert
- "Rhinestone Cowboy" – Glen Campbell}}
| [1][2] |
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row>1977 | Stevie|Wonder}} | Songs in the Key of Life | - Silk Degrees – Boz Scaggs
- "This Masquerade" – George Benson
- "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" – Gordon Lightfoot
- "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" – Lou Rawls}}
| [1][2] |
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row>1978 | James|Taylor}} | "Handy Man" | - "After the Lovin'" – Englebert Humperdink
- "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" – Andy Gibb
- "On and On" – Stephen Bishop
- "When I Need You" – Leo Sayer}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1979 | Barry|Manilow}} | "Copacabana (At the Copa)" | - "Baker Street" – Gerry Rafferty
- "I Just Wanna Stop" – Gino Vannelli
- "Running on Empty" – Jackson Browne
- "Sometimes When We Touch" – Dan Hill}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1980 | Billy|Joel}} | 52nd Street | - "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" – Rod Stewart
- "Sad Eyes" – Robert John
- "She Believes in Me" – Kenny Rogers
- "Up on the Roof" – James Taylor}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
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row>1982 | Al|Jarreau}} | Breakin' Away | - "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" – Christopher Cross
- Double Fantasy – John Lennon
- "Just Once" – James Ingram
- "Just the Two of Us" – Bill Withers}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1983 | Lionel|Richie}} | "Truly" | - "Blue Eyes" – Elton John
- "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)" – Donald Fagen
- "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" – Michael McDonald
- "Steppin' Out" – Joe Jackson
- "Don't Talk to Strangers" – Rick Springfield}}
| [1][2] |
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row>1984 | Michael|Jackson}} | Thriller | - 1999 – Prince
- "All Night Long" – Lionel Richie
- "Maniac" – Michael Sembello
- "Uptown Girl" – Billy Joel}}
| [1][2] |
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row>1985 | Phil|Collins}} | "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" | - "Footloose" – Kenny Loggins
- "Hello" – Lionel Richie
- "I Just Called to Say I Love You" – Stevie Wonder
- "Missing You" – John Waite}}
| [1][2] |
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row>1986 | Phil|Collins}} | No Jacket Required | - The Dream of the Blue Turtles – Sting
- "Every Time You Go Away" – Paul Young
- "The Heat Is On" – Glenn Frey
- "Part-Time Lover" – Stevie Wonder}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1987 | Steve|Winwood}} | "Higher Love" | - "Danger Zone" – Kenny Loggins
- "Glory of Love" – Peter Cetera
- Graceland – Paul Simon
- "Sweet Freedom" – Michael McDonald}}
| [1][2] |
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row>1988 | Sting | Bring on the Night | - Bad – Michael Jackson
- "Brilliant Disguise" – Bruce Springsteen
- "Candle in the Wind (live 1986)" – Elton John
- "Moonlighting (theme)" – Al Jarreau}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1989 | Bobby McFerrin | "Don't Worry, Be Happy" | - "A Groovy Kind of Love" – Phil Collins
- "Be Still My Beating Heart" – Sting
- "Father Figure" – George Michael
- "Roll With It" – Steve Winwood}}
| [1][2] |
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row>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}}
| [1][2] |
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row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1993 | Eric|Clapton}} | "Tears in Heaven" | - Us – Peter Gabriel
- "Black or White" – Michael Jackson
- "The One" – Elton John
- Joshua Judges Ruth – Lyle Lovett}}
| [1][2] |
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row>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}}
| [1][2] |
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row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>1999 | Eric|Clapton}} | "My Father's Eyes" | - "Save Tonight" – Eagle-Eye Cherry
- "Anytime" – Brian McKnight
- "Lullaby" – Shawn Mullins
- "You Were Meant for Me" – Sting}}
| [1][2] |
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row>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}}
| [1][2] |
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row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>2003 | John|Mayer}} | "Your Body Is a Wonderland" | - "7 Days" – Craig David
- "Original Sin" – Elton John
- "Fragile" (live) – Sting
- "October Road" – James Taylor}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>2005 | John|Mayer}} | "Daughters" | - "Let's Misbehave" – Elvis Costello
- "You Raise Me Up" – Josh Groban
- "Cinnamon Girl" – Prince
- "Love's Divine" – Seal}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][2] |
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row>2008 | Justin|Timberlake}} | "What Goes Around... Comes Around" | - "Everything" – Michael Bublé
- "Belief" – John Mayer
- "Dance Tonight" – Paul McCartney
- "Amazing" – Seal}}
| [1][2] |
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row>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}}
| [1][2] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][3] |
---|
row>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}}
| [1][4] |
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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.
1. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 {{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=&field_nominee_work_value=&year=All&genre=24|title=Past Winners Search|publisher=Grammy.Com}}
2. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 {{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/popsolo.htm|title=Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male|publisher=Rock on the Net}}
3. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1968-218.html|title=Grammy Awards 1968|publisher=Awards & Shows}}
4. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1968-218.html|title=Grammy Awards 1968|publisher=Awards & Shows}}