Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance

2025-03-24T22:35:13Z

2003:C0:BF2D:CB00:74D4:7831:BFF9:A8D4: /* Recipients */

{{Short description|Honor presented to recording artists for quality rock vocal performances}}
{{Infobox award
| name = Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
| awarded_for = Quality vocal performances in the [[rock music]] genre
| image =
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption =
| presenter = [[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]]
| country = United States
| year = 1988
| year2 = 2011
| holder = [[Paul McCartney]], "[[Helter Skelter (song)|Helter Skelter]]" ([[53rd Annual Grammy Awards|2011]])
| website = [http://www.grammy.com/ grammy.com]
}}
The '''Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance''' was an award presented at the [[Grammy Award]]s, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards,<ref name=Grammy>{{cite news|url=http://theenvelope.latimes.com/awards/grammys/env-grammy_awards_info,0,5279018.htmlstory?track=center|title=Grammy Awards at a Glance|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309064412/http://theenvelope.latimes.com/factsheets/env-grammy_awards_info%2C0%2C5838827.htmlstory|archive-date=March 9, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing quality vocal performances 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".<ref name=Overview>{{cite web|url=http://www2.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/ |title=Overview |access-date=April 24, 2010 |publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027163924/http://www.grammy.com/recording_academy/ |archive-date=October 27, 2009 }}</ref>

Originally called the '''Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo''', the award was first presented to [[Bruce Springsteen]] in 1988 for the album ''[[Tunnel of Love (album)|Tunnel of Love]]''. Since then, the award was presented in 1992 and 1994, and has been awarded each year since 2005. Beginning with the 2005 ceremony, the name of the award was changed to Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance. For these years, the award combined and replaced the gender-specific awards for [[Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance|Best Male Rock Vocal Performance]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance|Best Female Rock Vocal Performance]]. This fusion has been criticized, especially when females are not nominated under the solo category.<ref name=Females>{{cite news|url=https://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/02/08/all_my_rocking_ladies_dont_bother_putting_your_hands_up/|title=All my rocking ladies, don't bother putting your hands up|first=Sarah|last=Rodman|date=February 8, 2009|access-date=April 26, 2010|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704213859/http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/02/08/all_my_rocking_ladies_dont_bother_putting_your_hands_up/|archive-date=July 4, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Strauss>{{cite news|title='94 Grammy Nominations: Not Just the Familiar|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/06/arts/94-grammy-nominations-not-just-the-familiar.html|date=January 6, 1995|first=Neil|last=Strauss|access-date=November 29, 2010|work=[[The New York Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928083426/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/06/arts/94-grammy-nominations-not-just-the-familiar.html|archive-date=September 28, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The Academy has cited a lack of eligible recordings in the female rock category as the reason for the mergers.<ref name=U2>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-15-ca-24178-story.html|title=U2, Jackson Top Grammy Nominees: Simon, Winwood Seek Reprise of '87 Wins|date=January 15, 1988|access-date=April 26, 2010|first=Dennis|last=Hunt|work=Los Angeles Times|page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015150931/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-01-15/entertainment/ca-24178_1_michael-jackson/2|archive-date=October 15, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

The award was discontinued in 2012 in a major overhaul of Grammy categories. All solo or duo/group performances in the rock category are now honored in the [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance|Best Rock Performance]] category.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/announcement/explanation-for-category-restructuring |title=Explanation For Category Restructuring |publisher=GRAMMY.org |access-date=2011-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203215528/http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/announcement/explanation-for-category-restructuring |archive-date=2011-12-03 |url-status=live }}</ref> Springsteen holds the record for the most wins in this category, with five (he has also received three awards for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/rockmale.htm|title=Grammy Awards: Best Rock Vocal Performance – Male|access-date=January 6, 2011|publisher=Rock on the Net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006200837/http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/rockmale.htm|archive-date=October 6, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> No other performing artists had received the award more than once. [[Neil Young]] holds the record for the most nominations without a win, with four.

==Recipients==
[[Image:Bruce_Springsteen_-_Roskilde_Festival_2012.jpg|right|upright|thumb|alt=A man holding a guitar, wearing a blue shirt and a dark vest|Five-time award winner [[Bruce Springsteen]], performing in 2012]]
[[Image:BonnieRaitt2004.jpg|right|upright|thumb|alt=A woman with curly red hair wearing a blue shirt holding a guitar.|[[34th Grammy Awards|1992]] award winner [[Bonnie Raitt]] performing in 2010.]]
[[Image:Bob Dylan - Azkena Rock Festival 2010 2.jpg|right|upright|thumb|alt=A man behind a microphone stand, wearing a white hat and black suit. The man is playing the guitar and singing into the microphone.|[[49th Grammy Awards|2007]] award winner [[Bob Dylan]], performing in 2006]]
[[Image:Paul McCartney black and white 2010.jpg|right|upright|thumb|alt=A black and white image of man holding a guitar.|[[53rd Grammy Awards|2011]] award winner [[Paul McCartney]]]]
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" style="background:#efefef;"|Year{{ref|1|[I]}}
! scope="col" style="background:#efefef;"|Performing artist
! scope="col" style="background:#efefef;"|Work
! scope="col" style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable"|Nominees
! scope="col" style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[30th Grammy Awards|1988]]
| {{sortname|Bruce|Springsteen}}
| {{sort|Tunnel of Love|''[[Tunnel of Love (album)|Tunnel of Love]]''}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Joe Cocker]] – "[[Unchain My Heart (song)|Unchain My Heart]]"
* [[Richard Marx]] – "[[Don't Mean Nothing]]"
* [[Bob Seger]] – "[[Shakedown (Bob Seger song)|Shakedown]]"
* [[Tina Turner]] – "[[Better Be Good to Me]] (Live)"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy1988>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CeslAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZfwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6885,4044707&dq|title=Irish rockers among Grammy nominees|date=January 15, 1988|first=Larry|last=McShane|work=[[The Telegraph (Nashua)|The Telegraph]]|location=Nashua, New Hampshire|publisher=Telegraph Publishing Company|access-date=June 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313072402/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CeslAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZfwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6885,4044707&dq|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[31st Grammy Awards|1989]]–[[33rd Grammy Awards|1991]]{{ref|2|[II]}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy1989>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UUAaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=miQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7019,2655419&dq|title=Complete list of Grammy nominees|date=January 13, 1989|access-date=June 9, 2010|work=[[Times-News (Hendersonville, North Carolina)|Times-News]]|publisher=The New York Times Company|location=Hendersonville, North Carolina|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313072804/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UUAaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=miQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7019,2655419&dq|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name=Grammy1990>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0hYpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=woQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6625,4056376&dq|title=Here's list of nominees from all 77 categories|date=January 12, 1990|access-date=June 9, 2010|work=[[Deseret News]]|publisher=Deseret News Publishing Company|location=Salt Lake City, Utah|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313073321/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0hYpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=woQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6625,4056376&dq|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name=Grammy1991>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6CAaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZiQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3882,2017387&dq|title=List of Grammy Award nominations|date=January 11, 1991|access-date=June 9, 2010|work=Times-News|publisher=The New York Times Company|location=Hendersonville, North Carolina|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313073710/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6CAaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZiQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3882,2017387&dq|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[34th Grammy Awards|1992]]
| {{sortname|Bonnie|Raitt}}
| {{sort|Luck of the Draw|''[[Luck of the Draw (album)|Luck of the Draw]]''}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Bryan Adams]] – "[[Can't Stop This Thing We Started]]"
* [[Eric Clapton]] – ''[[24 Nights]]''
* [[John Mellencamp]] – "Whenever We Wanted"
* [[Robbie Robertson]] – ''[[Storyville (album)|Storyville]]''
* [[Bob Seger]] – ''[[The Fire Inside (Bob Seger album)|The Fire Inside]]''}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy1992>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Gl4eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o8gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3840,1147988&dq|title=Nominees announced for Grammy Awards|date=January 8, 1992|access-date=June 9, 2010|work=[[TimesDaily]]|publisher=Tennessee Valley Printing|location=Florence, Alabama|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313073453/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Gl4eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o8gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3840,1147988&dq|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[35th Grammy Awards|1993]]{{ref|2|[II]}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy1993>{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1993/01/08/grammy-nominees-4/|title=Grammy nominees|date=January 8, 1993|access-date=June 9, 2010|page=1|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|publisher=Tribune Company|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902075657/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-01-08/features/1993008073_1_eric-clapton-celine-dion-dion-and-peabo|archive-date=September 2, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[36th Grammy Awards|1994]]
| [[Meat Loaf]]
| {{sort|I'd Do Anything for Love|"[[I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)]]"}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Neil Young]] – "[[All Along the Watchtower]]"
* [[Peter Gabriel]] – "[[Steam (Peter Gabriel song)|Steam]]"
* [[Lenny Kravitz]] – "[[Are You Gonna Go My Way (song)|Are You Gonna Go My Way]]"
* [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] – "[[Demolition Man (song)|Demolition Man]]"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy1994>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V6ssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6RQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7168,2073187&dq|title=Sting, Joel top Grammy nominations|date=January 7, 1994|access-date=June 9, 2010|first=Mary|last=Campbell|work=[[Star-News]]|publisher=The New York Times Company|location=Wilmington, North Carolina|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313073743/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V6ssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6RQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7168,2073187&dq|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | [[37th Grammy Awards|1995]]–[[46th Grammy Awards|2004]]{{ref|2|[II]}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[47th Grammy Awards|2005]]
| {{sortname|Bruce|Springsteen}}
| {{sort|Code of Silence|"Code of Silence"}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Ryan Adams]] – "[[Wonderwall (song)|Wonderwall]]"
* [[Steve Earle]] – "The Revolution Starts Now"
* [[Melissa Etheridge]] – "[[Breathe (Greenwheel song)#Melissa Etheridge version|Breathe]]"
* [[Tom Waits]] – "Metropolitan Glide"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy2005>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2002112383_grammys08.html |title=Kanye West is at top of Grammy list |date=December 8, 2004 |access-date=June 9, 2010 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |publisher=[[The Seattle Times Company]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629020925/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2002112383_grammys08.html |archive-date=June 29, 2011 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[48th Grammy Awards|2006]]
| {{sortname|Bruce|Springsteen}}
| {{sort|Devils & Dust|"[[Devils & Dust (song)|Devils & Dust]]"}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Eric Clapton]] – "[[Revolution (Eric Clapton song)|Revolution]]"
* [[Robert Plant]] – "[[Shine It All Around]]"
* [[Rob Thomas (musician)|Rob Thomas]] – "[[This Is How a Heart Breaks]]"
* [[Neil Young]] – "[[The Painter (Neil Young song)|The Painter]]"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy2006>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/09/arts/09iht-web.1209grammylist.html|title=Complete list of Grammy nominees|date=December 12, 2005|access-date=June 9, 2010|work=The New York Times|page=1}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[49th Grammy Awards|2007]]
| {{sortname|Bob|Dylan}}
| {{ sort|Someday Baby|"[[Someday Baby]]"}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Beck]] – "[[Nausea (Beck song)|Nausea]]"
* [[John Mayer]] – "[[Route 66 (song)|Route 66]]"
* [[Tom Petty]] – "[[Saving Grace (Tom Petty song)|Saving Grace]]"
* [[Neil Young]] – "[[Lookin' for a Leader]]"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy2007>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2006/12/07/grammys-2007-list-nominees|title=Grammys 2007: The Nominees|date=December 7, 2006|access-date=June 9, 2010|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.|Time Inc]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090729052826/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1567505,00.html|archive-date=July 29, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[50th Grammy Awards|2008]]
| {{sortname|Bruce|Springsteen}}
| {{sort|Radio Nowhere|"[[Radio Nowhere]]"}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Beck]] – "[[Timebomb (Beck song)|Timebomb]]"
* [[Paul McCartney]] – "[[Only Mama Knows]]"
* [[John Mellencamp]] – "[[Our Country (song)|Our Country]]"
* [[Lucinda Williams]] – "Come On"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy2008>{{cite news|url=http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071207/LIFE/712070302 |title=Kanye West and Amy Winehouse lead Grammy nominees |first=Jeff |last=Leeds |work=[[Cape Cod Times]] |publisher=[[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]] |date=December 7, 2007 |access-date=June 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617051006/http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20071207%2FLIFE%2F712070302 |archive-date=June 17, 2011 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[51st Grammy Awards|2009]]
| {{sortname|John|Mayer}}
| {{sort|Gravity|"[[Gravity (John Mayer song)|Gravity]]"}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Paul McCartney]] – "[[I Saw Her Standing There]]"
* [[Bruce Springsteen]] – "[[Girls in Their Summer Clothes]]"
* [[Eddie Vedder]] – "Rise"
* [[Neil Young]] – "[[No Hidden Path]]"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy2009>{{cite web|url=http://www2.grammy.com/grammy_awards/51st_show/list.aspx#04 |title=The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Winners List |publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |access-date=June 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102161757/http://www2.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/51st_show/list.aspx |archive-date=January 2, 2010 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[52nd Grammy Awards|2010]]
| {{sortname|Bruce|Springsteen}}
| {{sort|Working on a Dream|"[[Working on a Dream (song)|Working on a Dream]]"}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Bob Dylan]] – "[[Beyond Here Lies Nothin']]"
* [[John Fogerty]] – "Change in the Weather"
* [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] – "Dreamer"
* [[Neil Young]] – "Fork in the Road"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy2010>{{cite web|url=http://www2.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/52nd_show/list.aspx#04 |publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |access-date=June 9, 2010 |title=The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Nominees List |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618185140/http://www2.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/52nd_show/list.aspx |archive-date=June 18, 2010 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|[[53rd Grammy Awards|2011]]
| {{sortname|Paul|McCartney}}
| {{sort|Helter Skelter|"[[Helter Skelter (song)|Helter Skelter]]"}}
| {{smalldiv|
* [[Eric Clapton]] – "Run Back to Your Side"
* [[John Mayer]] – "[[Cross Road Blues|Crossroads]]"
* [[Robert Plant]] – "Silver Rider"
* [[Neil Young]] – "[[Angry World]]"}}
| style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=Grammy2011>{{cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/grammy-awards-2011-the-winners-20110213|title=Grammy Awards: Complete Coverage|work=[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]|date=February 13, 2011|access-date=June 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416183200/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/grammy-awards-2011-the-winners-20110213|archive-date=April 16, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|}
{{note|1|[I]}} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year. 
{{note|2|[II]}} Award was separated into the gender-specific awards for [[Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance|Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance|Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Rock music}}
* [[American rock]]
* [[List of Grammy Award categories]]
{{clear}}

==References==
;General
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search|title=Past Winners Search|publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]]|access-date=March 4, 2011|archive-date=December 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219095456/http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search|url-status=live}} Note: User must select the "Rock" category as the genre under the search feature.
* {{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/rocksolo.htm|title=Grammy Awards: Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance|publisher=Rock on the Net|access-date=June 8, 2010|archive-date=October 26, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026104959/http://www.rockonthenet.com//grammy/rocksolo.htm|url-status=live}}
{{refend}}

;Specific
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Grammy Award years}}
{{Grammy Award categories}}

{{featured list}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grammy Award For Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance}}
[[Category:Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance| ]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:2011 disestablishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Awards disestablished in 2011]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1988]]
[[Category:Grammy Award categories|Solo Rock Vocal Performance]]

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Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance