Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year

[2] It is the sister category to the Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year, which recognizes the artist, producer and engineer.

It was first handed out at the inaugural 1967 CMA Awards to Dallas Frazier for his song "There Goes My Everything" which had been popularised at that time by Jack Greene.

Vince Gill is the most awarded songwriter in the category, with four wins, while two—time winner Alan Jackson and 2014 recipient Shane McAnally hold the record for most nominations, with ten each.

To date, thirteen men: Dallas Frazier (1967), Bobby Russell (1968), Bob Ferguson (1969), Kris Kristofferson (1970), Freddie Hart (1971—2), Kenny O'Dell (1973), Don Wayne (1974), John Denver (1975), Larry Weiss (1976), Richard Leigh (1978), Don Schlitz (1979), Lee Greenwood (1985) and Vince Gill (1996) and seven women: K.T.

Oslin (1988), Gretchen Peters (1995), Jennifer Nettles (2008), Kimberly Perry (2011), Lori McKenna (2016), Taylor Swift (2017) and Tracy Chapman (2023) have won the Song of the Year award with a solo composition.

Tracy Chapman became the first black woman to win a CMA award when Luke Combs ' cover of her 1988 hit " Fast Car " won Song of the Year.
Three—time recipient Chris Stapleton .
Lori McKenna won the award in consecutive years (2015—16) and also received Grammy Awards for the same songs.
2012 winner Blake Shelton wrote " Over You " about the death of his brother.
Jennifer Nettles is one of seven women to receive the award for a solo composition.
Two—time winner Jamey Johnson .
Renowned songwriter Bill Anderson received the award in 2005 and 2007.
Four—time honoree Vince Gill .
1970 recipient Kris Kristofferson won for his classic hit " Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down ".