Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award went to the artist. Singles or tracks only are eligible.

Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Awarded for	quality male vocal performances in the pop music genre
Country	United States
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded	1959
Last awarded	2011
Currently held by	Bruno Mars, "Just the Way You Are" (2011)
Website	grammy.com

The awards have quite a convoluted history:

From 1959 to 1960 there was an award called Best Vocal Performance, Male, which was for work in the pop field
In 1961 the award was separated into Best Vocal Performance Single Record Or Track and Best Vocal Performance Album, Male
From 1962 to 1963 the awards from the previous year were combined into Best Solo Vocal Performance, Male
From 1964 to 1968 the award was called Best Vocal Performance, Male
In 1969, the awards were combined and streamlined as the award for Best Contemporary-Pop Vocal Performance, Male
From 1970 to 1971 the award was known as Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Male
From 1972 to 1994 the award was known as Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
From 1995 to 2011 it was known as Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

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.

Sting, Stevie Wonder, and John Mayer, with four wins each, are the artists with the most awards in the category. Elton John is the artist with the most nominations at twelve.

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

Recipients

Year^[I]	Winner(s)	Work	Nominees	Ref.
1959	Perry Como	"Catch a Falling Star"	"Come Fly With Me" – Frank Sinatra "The Hawaiian Wedding Song" – Andy Williams Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare) – Domenico Modugno "Witchcraft" – Frank Sinatra	[1][2]
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]
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]
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]
1962	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]
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]
1964	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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
1984	Michael Jackson	Thriller	1999 – Prince "All Night Long" – Lionel Richie "Maniac" – Michael Sembello "Uptown Girl" – Billy Joel	[1][2]
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]
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]
1987	Steve Winwood	"Higher Love"	"Danger Zone" – Kenny Loggins "Glory of Love" – Peter Cetera Graceland – Paul Simon "Sweet Freedom" – Michael McDonald	[1][2]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
2005	John Mayer	"Daughters"	"Let's Misbehave" – Elvis Costello "You Raise Me Up" – Josh Groban "Cinnamon Girl" – Prince "Love's Divine" – Seal	[1][2]
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]
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]
2008	Justin Timberlake	"What Goes Around... Comes Around"	"Everything" – Michael Bublé "Belief" – John Mayer "Dance Tonight" – Paul McCartney "Amazing" – Seal	[1][2]
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]
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]
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]

Category records

Most wins

Rank	1st	2nd	3rd
Artist	Sting Stevie Wonder John Mayer	Frank Sinatra Eric Clapton James Taylor	Jack Jones Harry Nilsson Michael Bolton Phil Collins Elton John Justin Timberlake
Total wins	4	3	2

Most nominations

Rank	1st	2nd	3rd
Artist	Elton John	Sting	Frank Sinatra Seal
Total nominations	12	11	8

Contemporary (R&R) Performance

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.

In 1966 the award was called Best Contemporary (R&R) Vocal Performance - Male
In 1967 the award from the previous year was combined with the equivalent award for women as the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary (R&R) Solo Vocal Performance - Male or Female
In 1968 the previous award was once again separated by gender, with the male award called Best Contemporary Male Solo Vocal Performance

References

"Past Winners Search". Grammy.Com.
"Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male". Rock on the Net.
"Grammy Awards 1968". Awards & Shows.
"Grammy Awards 1968". Awards & Shows.