The Country Music Association (CMA) Award for Single of the Year is one of the most prestigious honors in country music, recognizing the artist, record producer, and mix engineer of the year’s best single track. Below is the complete history of every nominated single, from 1967 to today.
1967
WINNER
“There Goes My Everything”
Jack Greene
NOMINEES
“Danny Boy”
Ray Price
“It’s Such a Pretty World Today”
Wynn Stewart
“The Fugitive”
Merle Haggard
1968
WINNER
NOMINEES
“By the Time I Get to Phoenix”
Glen Campbell
“Honey”
Bobby Goldsboro
1969
WINNER
NOMINEES
“All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)”
Charley Pride
“Daddy Sang Bass”
“Games People Play”
Freddy Weller
1970
WINNER
“Okie from Muskogee”
Merle Haggard
NOMINEES
“The Fightin’ Side of Me”
Merle Haggard
“Hello Darlin’”
Conway Twitty
“(I’m So) Afraid of Losing You Again”
Charley Pride
“My Woman, My Woman, My Wife”
Marty Robbins
1971
WINNER
“Help Me Make It Through the Night”
Sammi Smith
NOMINEES
“Amos Moses”
Jerry Reed
“Easy Loving”
Freddie Hart
“When You’re Hot, You’re Hot”
Jerry Reed
1972
WINNER
“The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
Donna Fargo
NOMINEES
“Four in the Morning”
Faron Young
“Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’”
Charley Pride
“One’s on the Way”
Loretta Lynn
“To Get to You”
Jerry Wallace
1973
WINNER
NOMINEES
“(Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine”
Tom T. Hall
“Satin Sheets”
Jeanne Pruett
“The Lord Knows I’m Drinking”
Cal Smith
“Why Me”
Kris Kristofferson
1974
WINNER
“Country Bumpkin”
Cal Smith
NOMINEES
“As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone”
Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
“If You Love Me (Let Me Know)”
Olivia Newton—John
“The Most Beautiful Girl”
Charlie Rich
“The Streak”
Ray Stevens
1975
WINNER
“Before the Next Teardrop Falls”
Freddy Fender
NOMINEES
“(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”
B. J. Thomas
“I’m Not Lisa”
Jessi Colter
“Rhinestone Cowboy”
Glen Campbell
“Thank God I’m a Country Boy”
John Denver
1976
WINNER
“Good Hearted Woman”
Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
NOMINEES
“Convoy”
C. W. McCall
“Teddy Bear”
Red Sovine
“The Blind Man in the Bleachers”
Kenny Starr
“The Door Is Always Open”
Dave & Sugar
1977
WINNER
“Lucille”
Kenny Rogers
NOMINEES
“It Was Almost Like a Song”
Ronnie Milsap
“Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)”
Waylon Jennings
“Southern Nights”
Glen Campbell
1978
WINNER
“Heaven’s Just a Sin Away”
The Kendalls
NOMINEES
“Here You Come Again”
Dolly Parton
“Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys”
Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
1979
WINNER
NOMINEES
“If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don’t Want to Be Right)”
Barbara Mandrell
Featured on: Songs About Cheating
“You Needed Me”
Anne Murray
1980
WINNER
“He Stopped Loving Her Today”
George Jones
NOMINEES
“All the Gold in California”
Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
Featured on: Songs About California, Songs About Los Angeles
“Coward of the County”
Kenny Rogers
“Good Ole Boys Like Me”
Don Williams
“In America”
Charlie Daniels Band
1981
WINNER
“Elvira”
Oak Ridge Boys
NOMINEES
“I Believe in You”
Don Williams
“I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”
Barbara Mandrell
“Old Flame”
Alabama
“Somebody’s Knockin’”
Terri Gibbs
1982
WINNER
“Always on My Mind”
Willie Nelson
NOMINEES
“Crying My Heart Out Over You”
Ricky Skaggs
“I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home”
David Frizzell
“It Turns Me Inside Out”
Lee Greenwood
“Love in the First Degree”
Alabama
1983
WINNER
“Swingin’”
John Anderson
NOMINEES
“Heartbroke”
Ricky Skaggs
“I Always Get Lucky with You”
George Jones
“I.O.U.”
Lee Greenwood
“Pancho and Lefty”
Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson
1984
WINNER
“A Little Good News”
Anne Murray
NOMINEES
“Holding Her and Loving You”
Earl Thomas Conley
“Islands in the Stream”
Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
“Mama He’s Crazy”
The Judds
“To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”
Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson
1985
WINNER
“Why Not Me”
The Judds
NOMINEES
“Country Boy”
Ricky Skaggs
The Highwaymen
1986
WINNER
“Bop”
Dan Seals
NOMINEES
“Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days)”
The Judds
“Nobody in His Right Mind Would’ve Left Her”
George Strait
“On the Other Hand”
Randy Travis
“Whoever’s in New England”
Reba McEntire
1987
WINNER
“Forever and Ever, Amen”
Randy Travis
NOMINEES
“Can’t Stop My Heart from Loving You”
The O’Kanes
“The Right Left Hand”
George Jones
“Walk the Way the Wind Blows”
Kathy Mattea
1988
WINNER
“Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses”
Kathy Mattea
NOMINEES
“Do Ya”
K. T. Oslin
“I Told You So”
Randy Travis
“Somebody Lied”
Ricky Van Shelton
“Tennessee Flat Top Box”
Rosanne Cash
1989
WINNER
“I’m No Stranger to the Rain”
Keith Whitley
NOMINEES
“A Better Man”
Clint Black
“After All This Time”
Rodney Crowell
“Chiseled in Stone”
Vern Gosdin
“I’ll Leave This World Loving You”
Ricky Van Shelton
1990
WINNER
“When I Call Your Name”
Vince Gill
NOMINEES
“Here in the Real World”
Alan Jackson
“If Tomorrow Never Comes”
Garth Brooks
“Killin’ Time”
Clint Black
“Where’ve You Been”
Kathy Mattea
1991
WINNER
NOMINEES
“Don’t Rock the Jukebox”
Alan Jackson
“Don’t Tell Me What to Do”
Pam Tillis
“Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”
Travis Tritt
“Pocket Full of Gold”
Vince Gill
1992
WINNER
NOMINEES
“I Feel Lucky”
Mary Chapin Carpenter
“Look at Us”
Vince Gill
“Love, Me”
Collin Raye
“Maybe It Was Memphis”
Pam Tillis
1993
WINNER
NOMINEES
“Ain’t That Lonely Yet”
Dwight Yoakam
“Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away”
Vince Gill
“I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair”
George Jones
“Two Sparrows in a Hurricane”
Tanya Tucker
1994
WINNER
NOMINEES
“Does He Love You”
Reba McEntire & Linda Davis
“Don’t Take the Girl”
Tim McGraw
“How Can I Help You Say Goodbye”
Patty Loveless
1995
WINNER
“When You Say Nothing at All”
Alison Krauss & Union Station
NOMINEES
“Any Man of Mine”
Shania Twain
“Baby Likes to Rock It”
The Tractors
“Gone Country”
Alan Jackson
“The Keeper of the Stars”
Tracy Byrd
1996
WINNER
“Check Yes or No”
George Strait
NOMINEES
“My Maria”
Brooks & Dunn
“Time Marches On”
Tracy Lawrence
1997
WINNER
“Strawberry Wine”
Deana Carter
NOMINEES
“All the Good Ones Are Gone”
Pam Tillis
“Carried Away”
George Strait
“It’s Your Love”
Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill
“One Night at a Time”
George Strait
1998
WINNER
“Holes in the Floor of Heaven”
Steve Wariner
NOMINEES
“A Broken Wing”
Martina McBride
“I Just Want to Dance with You”
George Strait
“This Kiss”
Faith Hill
“You Don’t Seem to Miss Me”
Patty Loveless ft. George Jones
1999
WINNER
NOMINEES
“Choices”
George Jones
“Don’t Laugh at Me”
Mark Wills
“Please Remember Me”
Tim McGraw
2000
WINNER
NOMINEES
“Breathe”
Faith Hill
“Buy Me a Rose”
Kenny Rogers
“He Didn’t Have to Be”
Brad Paisley
“How Do You Like Me Now?!”
Toby Keith
2001
WINNER
“Man of Constant Sorrow”
The Soggy Bottom Boys
NOMINEES
“Ain’t Nothing ’bout You”
Brooks & Dunn
“Born to Fly”
Sara Evans
“One More Day”
Diamond Rio
2002
WINNER
“Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
Alan Jackson
NOMINEES
“Blessed”
Martina McBride
“Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”
Toby Keith
“I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song)”
Brad Paisley
2003
WINNER
Johnny Cash
NOMINEES
“Beer for My Horses”
Toby Keith ft. Willie Nelson
“Celebrity”
Brad Paisley
“Have You Forgotten?”
Darryl Worley
“Three Wooden Crosses”
Randy Travis
2004
WINNER
Tim McGraw
NOMINEES
“I Love This Bar”
Toby Keith
“Redneck Woman”
Gretchen Wilson
2005
WINNER
“I May Hate Myself in the Morning”
Lee Ann Womack
NOMINEES
“Alcohol”
Brad Paisley
“As Good as I Once Was”
Toby Keith
“Baby Girl”
Sugarland
Rascal Flatts
2006
WINNER
“Believe”
Brooks & Dunn
NOMINEES
“Better Life”
Keith Urban
“Jesus, Take the Wheel”
Carrie Underwood
“Summertime”
Kenny Chesney
2007
WINNER
NOMINEES
“Anyway”
Martina McBride
“Lost in This Moment”
Big & Rich
“Ticks”
Brad Paisley
“Wrapped”
George Strait
2008
WINNER
“I Saw God Today”
George Strait
NOMINEES
“Don’t Blink”
Kenny Chesney
2009
WINNER
“I Run to You”
Lady A
NOMINEES
“In Color”
Jamey Johnson
“People Are Crazy”
Billy Currington
“Then”
Brad Paisley
2010
WINNER
NOMINEES
“A Little More Country Than That”
Easton Corbin
“Hillbilly Bone”
Blake Shelton ft. Trace Adkins
2011
WINNER
NOMINEES
“A Little Bit Stronger”
Sara Evans
“Don’t You Wanna Stay”
Jason Aldean ft. Kelly Clarkson
“Honey Bee”
Blake Shelton
2012
WINNER
“Pontoon”
Little Big Town
NOMINEES
“Dirt Road Anthem”
Jason Aldean
“God Gave Me You”
Blake Shelton
“Home”
Dierks Bentley
2013
WINNER
“Cruise”
Florida Georgia Line
NOMINEES
“Highway Don’t Care”
Tim McGraw ft. Taylor Swift & Keith Urban
“Mama’s Broken Heart”
Miranda Lambert
“Merry Go ‘Round”
Kacey Musgraves
2014
WINNER
“Automatic”
Miranda Lambert
NOMINEES
“Give Me Back My Hometown”
Eric Church
“Meanwhile Back at Mama’s”
Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill
“Mine Would Be You”
Blake Shelton
2015
WINNER
NOMINEES
“American Kids”
Kenny Chesney
“I Don’t Dance”
Lee Brice
“Take Your Time”
Sam Hunt
“Talladega”
Eric Church
2016
WINNER
“Die a Happy Man”
Thomas Rhett
NOMINEES
“Humble and Kind”
Tim McGraw
“My Church”
Maren Morris
“Nobody to Blame”
Chris Stapleton
“Record Year”
Eric Church
2017
WINNER
NOMINEES
“Better Man”
Little Big Town
“Dirt on My Boots”
Jon Pardi
“Tin Man”
Miranda Lambert
2018
WINNER
“Broken Halos”
Chris Stapleton
NOMINEES
“Drinkin’ Problem”
Midland
“Drowns the Whiskey”
Jason Aldean ft. Miranda Lambert
“Meant to Be”
Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line
2019
WINNER
“God’s Country”
Blake Shelton
NOMINEES
“Burning Man”
Dierks Bentley ft. Brothers Osborne
“Girl”
Maren Morris
“Millionaire”
Chris Stapleton
“Speechless”
Dan + Shay
2020
WINNER
“The Bones”
Maren Morris
NOMINEES
“Bluebird”
Miranda Lambert
“I Hope”
Gabby Barrett
2021
WINNER
“Starting Over”
Chris Stapleton
NOMINEES
“Famous Friends”
Chris Young ft. Kane Brown
“The Good Ones”
Gabby Barrett
“Hell of a View”
Eric Church
“One Night Standards”
Ashley McBryde
2022
WINNER
“Til You Can’t”
Cody Johnson
NOMINEES
“Buy Dirt”
Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan
“Half of My Hometown”
Kelsea Ballerini ft. Kenny Chesney
“Never Wanted to Be That Girl”
Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde
“You Should Probably Leave”
Chris Stapleton
2023
WINNER
NOMINEES
“Need a Favor”
Jelly Roll
“Next Thing You Know”
Jordan Davis
“Wait in the Truck”
HARDY ft. Lainey Wilson
2024
WINNER
“White Horse”
Chris Stapleton
NOMINEES
“Watermelon Moonshine”
“Dirt Cheap”
Cody Johnson
“I Had Some Help”
Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen
2025
WINNER
“You Look Like You Love Me”
Ella Langley & Riley Green
NOMINEES
“Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma”
“Am I Okay?”
Megan Moroney
Zach Top
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