The Grammy Awards are THIS weekend and we can’t wait to see who will take home those shiny gold gramophones!
You can see the full list of nominees here if you want to do a little homework before Sunday.
One of our favorite categories is Record of the Year. This award honors a specific recording of a song and recognizes the artists, producers, and engineers who contributed to that recording. It’s a little different from Song of the Year, which recognizes the composition of a song and awards the songwriters.
There have been some GREAT Records of the Year – especially throughout the 1980s and ’90s. So, here is our list of the five Records of the Year that truly stand the test of time. They’re the ones that you turn up when they come on, the ones you sing along to, the ones you instantly know and still love!
“Beat It” by Michael Jackson (1984)
Hard to believe it’s been 40 years since MJ’s big night at the Grammys. He won Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, and Best R&B Song.
“What’s Love Got to Do With It” by Tina Turner (1985)
Tina Turner is said to have launched one of the greatest comebacks in music history with the release of her album “Private Dancer.” She won Record of the Year for “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and that was her first and only No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Turner also won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in ’84.
“Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin (1989)
This is one of those songs that just instantly lifts your mood! McFerrin also won multiple Grammys in ’89. In addition to Record of the Year, he also won Song of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Bonus points if you can whistle along AND sing!
“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston (1994)
It’s the song featured in the soundtrack for “The Bodyguard” and it was a huge hit for Houston. The song won Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. It also became the best-selling single of all time by a female artist. The soundtrack also won for Album of the Year.
“My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion (1999)
How many times have you watched “Titanic” and heard this song? It’s the iconic song from the epic film. Dion won Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the ’99 Grammys. We should also note that this song is the second-best selling single of all time by a female artist(see Whitney Houston above).
Watch the 2024 Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 4, at 7 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+.
