Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media

The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media has been awarded since 1988 and is awarded to songs written for films, television, video games or other visual media. Through the years, it has gone through several name changes:

• 1988–1999: The Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television
• 2000–2011: The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
• 2012–present: The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media

The award goes to the composer(s) of the winning song, not to the performing artist(s) (except if the artist is also the composer).

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

2010s

58th Grammy Awards (2016)^[1]

• Selma – Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens for "Glory" (performed by Common and John Legend)
  • Fifty Shades of Grey – Ahmad Balshe, Stephan Moccio, Jason Quenneville & Abel Tesfaye for "Earned It" (performed by The Weeknd)
  • Fifty Shades of Grey – Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Tove Lo, Ali Payami & Ilya Salmanzadeh for "Love Me like You Do" (performed by Ellie Goulding)
  • Furious 7 – Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charlie Puth & Cameron Thomaz for "See You Again" (performed by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth)
  • The Hunting Ground – Lady Gaga & Diane Warren for "Til It Happens to You" (performed by Lady Gaga)

57th Grammy Awards (2015)^[2]

• Frozen – Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez for "Let It Go" (performed by Idina Menzel)
  • The Lego Movie – Joshua Bartholomew, Lisa Harriton, Shawn Patterson, Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone for "Everything Is Awesome!!!" (performed by Tegan & Sara ft. The Lonely Island)
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Ed Sheeran for "I See Fire" (performed by Ed Sheeran)
  • Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me – Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond for "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" (performed by Glen Campbell)
  • Her – Spike Jonze & Karen O for "The Moon Song" (performed by Scarlett Johansson & Joaquin Phoenix)

56th Grammy Awards (2014)

• Skyfall – Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth for "Skyfall" (performed by Adele)
  • The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin for "Atlas" (performed by Coldplay)
  • Silver Linings Playbook – Diane Warren for "Silver Lining (Crazy 'Bout You)" (performed by Jessie J)
  • Safe Haven – Colbie Caillat & Gavin DeGraw for "We Both Know" (performed by Colbie Caillat featuring Gavin DeGraw)
  • The Great Gatsby – Lana Del Rey & Rick Nowels for "Young and Beautiful" (performed by Lana Del Rey)
  • Orange Is the New Black – Regina Spektor for "You've Got Time" (performed by Regina Spektor)

55th Grammy Awards (2013)

• The Hunger Games – T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, John Paul White & Joy Williams for "Safe & Sound" (performed by Taylor Swift & The Civil Wars)
  • The Hunger Games – T Bone Burnett, Win Butler & Regine Chassagne for "Abraham's Daughter" (performed by Arcade Fire)
  • Brave – Mumford & Sons for "Learn Me Right" (performed by Birdy and Mumford & Sons)
  • Smash – Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman for "Let Me Be Your Star" (performed by Katharine McPhee & Megan Hilty)
  • The Muppets – Bret McKenzie for "Man or Muppet" (performed by Jason Segel & Walter)

54th Grammy Awards (2012)

• Tangled – Alan Menken & Glenn Slater (songwriters) for "I See the Light" (performed by Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi)
  • Never Say Never – Diane Warren for "Born To Be Somebody" (performed by Justin Bieber)
  • Family Guy – Ron Jones, Seth MacFarlane & Danny Smith for "Christmastime Is Killing Us" (performed by Bruce McGill and Seth MacFarlane)
  • Winnie The Pooh – Zooey Deschanel for "So Long" (performed by Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward)
  • Footloose – Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Drew Pearson and Anne Preven for "Where The River Goes" (performed by Zac Brown)
  • Burlesque – Diane Warren for "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" (performed by Cher)

53rd Grammy Awards (2011)

• Crazy Heart – Ryan Bingham & T Bone Burnett (songwriter); Ryan Bingham – For the song "The Weary Kind"
  • The Princess and the Frog – Randy Newman (songwriter); Dr. John – For the song "Down in New Orleans"
  • Avatar – Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell & James Horner (songwriters); Leona Lewis – For the song "I See You (Theme from Avatar)"
  • True Blood – Lucinda Williams (songwriter); Lucinda Williams & Elvis Costello – For the song "Kiss Like Your Kiss"
  • Treme – Steve Earle (songwriter); Steve Earle – For the song "This City"

52nd Grammy Awards (2010)^A

• Slumdog Millionaire – Gulzar; A.R. Rahman; Tanvi Shah – For the song "Jai Ho"
  • Where the Wild Things Are – Karen O; Nick Zinner – For the song "All Is Love"
  • Twilight – Josh Farro; Hayley Williams; Taylor York – For the song "Decode"
  • Cadillac Records – Ian Dench; James Dring; Amanda Ghost; Beyoncé Knowles; Scott McFarnon; Jody Street – For the song "Once In A Lifetime"
  • The Wrestler – Bruce Springsteen – For the song "The Wrestler"

^ "The Climb", written by Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe and featured in Hannah Montana: The Movie, was originally nominated but was withdrawn by Walt Disney Records because it had not been written specifically for a film as the category's eligibility rules require. NARAS released a statement thanking Disney for its honesty and announcing that "The Climb" had been replaced by "All Is Love", the song with the fifth highest initial votes.^[3]

2000s

51st Grammy Awards (2009)

• WALL-E – Peter Gabriel; Thomas Newman – For the song "Down to Earth"
  • The Bucket List – John Mayer – For the song "Say"
  • Enchanted – Alan Menken; Stephen Schwartz – For the song "Ever Ever After"
  • Enchanted – Alan Menken; Stephen Schwartz – For the song "That's How You Know"
  • Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story – Judd Apatow; Marshall Crenshaw; Jake Kasdan; John C. Reilly – For the song "Walk Hard"

50th Grammy Awards (2008)

• Dreamgirls – Siedah Garrett; Henry Krieger – For the song "Love You I Do"
  • Casino Royale – David Arnold; Chris Cornell – For the song "You Know My Name"
  • Happy Feet – Prince – For the song "The Song Of The Heart"
  • Into the Wild – Eddie Vedder – For the song "Guaranteed"
  • Once – Glen Hansard; Markéta Irglová – For the song "Falling Slowly"

49th Grammy Awards (2007)

• Cars – Randy Newman – For the song "Our Town"
  • The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – Imogen Heap – For the song "Can't Take It In"
  • An Inconvenient Truth – Melissa Etheridge – For the song "I Need To Wake Up"
  • The Producers – Mel Brooks – For the song "There's Nothing Like A Show On Broadway"
  • Transamerica – Dolly Parton – For the song "Travelin' Thru"

48th Grammy Awards (2006)

• The Polar Express – Glen Ballard; Alan Silvestri – For the song "Believe"
  • "Six Feet Under" – Arcade Fire – For the song "Cold Wind" – For Volume 2 – Everything Ends
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – John August; Danny Elfman – For the song "Wonka's Welcome Song"
  • Elizabethtown – Tom Petty – For the song "Square One"
  • Hotel Rwanda – Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis; Andrea Guerra; Wyclef Jean – For the song "Million Voices"

47th Grammy Awards (2005)

• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – Annie Lennox; Howard Shore; Fran Walsh – For the song "Into the West"
  • Cold Mountain – T-Bone Burnett; Elvis Costello – For the song "The Scarlet Tide"
  • Cold Mountain – Sting – For the song "You Will Be My Ain True Love"
  • Shrek 2 – David Bryson; Adam Duritz; David Immerglück; Matthew Malley; Dan Vickrey – For the song "Accidentally In Love"
  • Les Triplettes de Belleville – Benoît Charest; Sylvain Chomet – For the song "Belleville Rendez-Vous"

46th Grammy Awards (2004)

• A Mighty Wind – Christopher Guest; Eugene Levy; Michael McKean – For the song "A Mighty Wind"
  • 2 Fast 2 Furious – Ludacris; Keith McMasters – For the song "Act A Fool"
  • 8 Mile – Jeff Bass; Eminem; Luis Resto – For the song "Lose Yourself"
  • Chicago – Fred Ebb; John Kander – For the song "I Move On"
  • Gangs of New York – U2 – For the song "The Hands That Built America"

45th Grammy Awards (2003)

• Monsters, Inc. – Randy Newman – For the song "If I Didn't Have You"
  • Brown Sugar – Erykah Badu; Madukwu Chinwah; Common; Robert C. Ozuna; James Poyser; Raphael Saadiq; Glen Standridge – For the song "Love Of My Life – An Ode To Hip Hop"
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Enya; Nicky Ryan; Roma Ryan – For the song "May It Be"
  • Spider-Man – Chad Kroeger – For the song "Hero"
  • Vanilla Sky – Paul McCartney – For the song "Vanilla Sky"

44th Grammy Awards (2002)

• "Malcolm in the Middle" – John Flansburgh; John Linnell – For the song "Boss of Me"
  • The Emperor's New Groove – David Hartley; Sting – For the song "My Funny Friend And Me"
  • Men of Honor – Brandon Barnes; Brian McKnight – For the song "Win"
  • Pearl Harbor – Diane Warren – For the song "There You'll Be"
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Jorge Calandrelli; Tan Dun; James Schamus – For the song "A Love Before Time"

43rd Grammy Awards (2001)

• Toy Story 2 – Randy Newman – For the song "When She Loved Me"
  • Charlie's Angels – Samuel J. Barnes; Beyoncé Knowles; Jean Claude Olivier; Cory Rooney – For the song "Independent Women Part I"
  • Magnolia – Aimee Mann – For the song "Save Me"
  • Man on the Moon – Peter Buck; Mike Mills; Michael Stipe – For the song "The Great Beyond"
  • Wonder Boys – Bob Dylan – For the song "Things Have Changed"

42nd Grammy Awards (2000)

• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – Madonna; William Orbit – For the song "Beautiful Stranger"
  • A Bug's Life – Randy Newman – For the song "The Time Of Your Life"
  • Music of the Heart – Diane Warren – For the song "Music of My Heart"
  • The Prince of Egypt – Stephen Schwartz; Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – For the song "When You Believe"
  • Tarzan – Phil Collins – For the song "You'll Be in My Heart"

1990s

41st Grammy Awards (1999)

• Titanic – James Horner; Will Jennings – For the song "My Heart Will Go On"
  • Armageddon – Diane Warren – For the song "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"
  • City of Angels – Alanis Morissette – For the song "Uninvited"
  • Mulan – Matthew Wilder; David Zippel – For the song "True To Your Heart"
  • Tomorrow Never Dies – Sheryl Crow; Mitchell Froom – For the song "Tomorrow Never Dies"

40th Grammy Awards (1998)

• Space Jam – R. Kelly – For the song "I Believe I Can Fly"
  • Con Air – Diane Warren – For the song "How Do I Live"
  • Mandela and de Klerk – Cédric Gradus Samson – For the song "Father Of Our Nation"
  • One Fine Day – Jud Friedman; James Newton Howard; Allan Dennis Rich – For the song "For The First Time"
  • Soul Food – Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – For the song "A Song For Mama"

39th Grammy Awards (1997)

• Up Close & Personal – Diane Warren – For the song "Because You Loved Me"
  • Sabrina – John Williams; Alan Bergman (lyrics); Marilyn Bergman (lyrics) – For the song "Moonlight"
  • Waiting to Exhale – Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – For the song "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"
  • Waiting to Exhale – Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – For the song "It Hurts Like Hell"
  • Waiting to Exhale – Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds; Michael Houston; Whitney Houston – For the song "Count On Me"

38th Grammy Awards (1996)

• Pocahontas – Alan Menken; Stephen Schwartz – For the song "Colors of the Wind"
  • Bad Boys – Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – For the song "Someone to Love"
  • Clockers – Bruce Hornsby; Chaka Khan – For the song "Love Me Still"
  • Don Juan DeMarco – Bryan Adams; Michael Kamen; Robert John Lange – For the Song "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?"
  • The Pagemaster – James Horner; Barry Mann; Cynthia Weil – For the song "Whatever You Imagine"

37th Grammy Awards (1995)

• Philadelphia – Bruce Springsteen – For the song "Streets of Philadelphia"
  • Beethoven's 2nd – Carole Bayer Sager; Clif Magness; James Ingram – For the song "The Day I Fall In Love"
  • The Lion King – Elton John; Tim Rice – For the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"
  • The Lion King – Elton John; Tim Rice – For the song "Circle of Life"
  • With Honors – Madonna; Patrick Leonard; Richard Page – For the song "I'll Remember"

36th Grammy Awards (1994)

• Aladdin – Alan Menken; Tim Rice – For the song "A Whole New World"
  • Aladdin – Alan Menken; Howard Ashman – For the song "Friend Like Me"
  • The Bodyguard – David Foster; Linda Thompson – For the song "I Have Nothing"
  • The Bodyguard – Allan Dennis Rich; Jud Friedman – For the song "Run to You"
  • What's Love Got to Do with It – Steve DuBerry; Lulu Lawrie; Billy Lawrie – For the song "I Don't Wanna Fight"

35th Grammy Awards (1993)

• Beauty and the Beast – Howard Ashman; Alan Menken – For the song "Beauty and the Beast"
  • A League of Their Own – Carole King – For the song "Now and Forever"
  • Lethal Weapon 3 – Michael Kamen; Sting; Eric Clapton – For the song "It's Probably Me"
  • The Mambo Kings – Robert Kraft; Arne Glimcher – For the song "Beautiful Maria of My Soul"
  • Rush – Eric Clapton; Will Jennings – For the song "Tears in Heaven"

34th Grammy Awards (1992)

• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – Robert John Lange; Michael Kamen; Bryan Adams – For the song "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"
  • Home Alone – John Williams; Leslie Bricusse – For the song "Somewhere in My Memory"
  • Jungle Fever – Stevie Wonder – For the song "Gotta Have You"
  • Switch – Lyle Lovett – For the Song "You Can't Resist It"

33rd Grammy Awards (1991)

• The Little Mermaid – Alan Menken (composer); Howard Ashman (lyricist) – For the song "Under the Sea"
  • Dick Tracy – Stephen Sondheim – For the song "More"
  • Dick Tracy – Stephen Sondheim – For the song "Sooner or Later"
  • The Little Mermaid – Howard Ashman; Alan Menken – For the song "Kiss the Girl"
  • Young Guns II – Jon Bon Jovi – For the song "Blaze of Glory"

32nd Grammy Awards (1990)

• Working Girl – Carly Simon – For the song "Let the River Run"
  • Batman – Prince – For the song "Partyman"
  • Parenthood – Randy Newman – For the song "I Love To See You Smile"
  • Shirley Valentine – Alan Bergman; Marilyn Bergman; Marvin Hamlisch – For the song "The Girl Who Used To Be Me"
  • U2: Rattle and Hum – U2 – For the song "Angel of Harlem"

1980s

31st Grammy Awards (1989)

• Buster – Phil Collins; Lamont Dozier – For the song "Two Hearts"
  • 1988 Summer Olympics – Albert Hammond; John Bettis – For the song "One Moment in Time"
  • Bright Lights, Big City – Donald Fagen – For the song "Century's End"
  • Cocktail – Mike Love; Terry Melcher; John Phillips; Scott McKenzie – For the song "Kokomo"
  • Cry Freedom – George Fenton; Jonas Gwangwa – For the song "Cry Freedom"

30th Annual Grammy Awards (1988)

• An American Tail – James Horner; Barry Mann; Cynthia Weil – For the song "Somewhere Out There"
  • Moonlighting – Al Jarreau; Lee Holdridge – For the song "Moonlighting (theme)"
  • Dirty Dancing – Franke Pevite; John DeNicola; Donald Markowitz – For the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life"
  • Mannequin – Diane Warren; Albert Hammond – For the song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"
  • Who's That Girl – Patrick Leonard; Madonna – For the song "Who's That Girl"

References