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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Roots Song.

12 ceremonies, 2014–2025. 11 different winners.

Who won most recently?
Sierra Ferrell in 2025 for American Dreaming.
Who has won the most?
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, 2 wins (2018, 2024).
  1. American DreamingSierra Ferrell
  2. Cast Iron SkilletJason Isbell and the 400 Unit
  3. Just Like ThatBonnie Raitt
  4. CryJon Batiste
  5. I Remember EverythingJohn Prine
  6. Call My NameI'm with Her
Years explored
2014–2025
Different winners
11
Category leader
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit · 2
About this record

Best American Roots Song was first awarded in 2014, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

2014–2025

12 ceremonies

20142025

01 / The reigns

11 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2014–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit2 wins
One band per year, because no winner has gone back-to-back in the years on record. Colored by label; scroll sideways for the full run.
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell'14
Rosanne Cash'15
Jason Isbell'16
The Time Jumpers'17
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit'18
Brandi Carlile'19
I'm with Her'20
John Prine'21
Jon Batiste'22
Bonnie Raitt'23
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit'24
Sierra Ferrell'25

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Independent leads the recorded label credits with 5 wins, 2014–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Independent5 wins
Southeastern3 wins
Universal2 wins
Low Country Sound1 win
Oh Boy1 win
Wins by label
  1. Independent542%
  2. Southeastern325%
  3. Universal217%
  4. Low Country Sound18%
  5. Oh Boy18%

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2014–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Allison Russell
    2 noms
  2. 02
    Sarah Jarosz
    2 noms
  3. 03
    The Mavericks
    2 noms
  4. 04
    Yola
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Allison Russell
    2L · 0W
  2. 02
    John Prine
    2L · 1W
  3. 03
    Sarah Jarosz
    2L · 0W
  4. 04
    The Mavericks
    2L · 0W
  5. 05
    Yola
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    Rosanne Cash
    1L · 1W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2014–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2025Sierra Ferrell (American Dreaming)
beat 4 others
  • Mark Knopfler (Ahead of the Game)
  • Iron & Wine featuring Fiona Apple (All in Good Time)
  • Aoife O'Donovan (All My Friends)
  • Shemekia Copeland (Blame It on Eve)
Rounder
2024Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Cast Iron Skillet)
beat 4 others
  • The War and Treaty (Blank Page)
  • Billy Strings featuring Willie Nelson (California Sober)
  • Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile (Dear Insecurity)
  • Allison Russell (The Returner)
Southeastern
2023Bonnie Raitt (Just Like That)
beat 5 others
  • Anaïs Mitchell (Bright Star)
  • Sheryl Crow (Forever)
  • Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (High and Lonesome)
  • Aoife O'Donovan and Allison Russell (Prodigal Daughter)
  • Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius (You and Me on the Rock)
Redwing
2022Jon Batiste (Cry)
beat 5 others
  • Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi (Avalon)
  • Linda Chorney featuring Becca Byram, EJ Ouellette and Trevor Sewell (Bored)
  • Valerie June featuring Carla Thomas (Call Me a Fool)
  • Yola (Diamond Studded Shoes)
  • Allison Russell (Nightflyer)
Verve
2021John Prine (I Remember Everything)
beat 4 others
  • The Secret Sisters (Cabin)
  • Sierra Hull (Ceiling to the Floor)
  • Sarah Jarosz (Hometown)
  • Lucinda Williams (Man Without a Soul)
Oh Boy
2020I'm with Her (Call My Name)
beat 4 others
  • Our Native Daughters (Black Myself)
  • Rosanne Cash (Crossing to Jerusalem)
  • Yola (Faraway Look)
  • Vince Gill (I Don't Wanna Ride the Rails No More)
Rounder
2019Brandi Carlile (The Joke)
beat 4 others
  • Lee Ann Womack (All the Trouble)
  • Mavis Staples (Build a Bridge)
  • John Prine (Knockin' on Your Screen Door)
  • John Prine (Summer's End)
Low Country Sound/Elektra
2018Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (If We Were Vampires)
beat 4 others
  • David Rawlings (Cumberland Gap)
  • The Mavericks (I Wish You Well)
  • Rodney Crowell featuring Rosanne Cash and John Paul White (It Ain't Over Yet)
  • Gregg Allman (My Only True Friend)
Southeastern
2017The Time Jumpers (Kid Sister)
beat 4 others
  • Robbie Fulks (Alabama at Night)
  • The White Stripes (City Lights)
  • Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars (Gulfstream)
  • Lori McKenna (Wreck You)
Rounder
2016Jason Isbell (24 Frames)
beat 4 others
  • The Mavericks (All Night Long)
  • Don Henley and Merle Haggard (The Cost of Living)
  • Punch Brothers (Julep)
  • Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell (The Traveling Kind)
Southeastern
2015Rosanne Cash (A Feather's Not a Bird)
beat 4 others
  • Jesse Winchester (Just So Much)
  • Del McCoury Band (The New York Trains)
  • Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell (Pretty Little One)
  • John Hiatt (Terms of My Surrender)
Blue Note
2014Steve Martin and Edie Brickell (Love Has Come for You)
beat 4 others
  • Sarah Jarosz (Build Me Up from Bones)
  • Steve Earle and the Dukes (and Duchesses) (Invisible)
  • Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott (Keep Your Dirty Lights On)
  • Allen Toussaint (Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed)
Rounder