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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Song for Visual Media.

38 ceremonies, 1988–2025. 34 different winners.

Who won most recently?
Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson in 2025 for "It Never Went Away".
Who has won the most?
Randy Newman, 3 wins (2001, 2003, 2007).
  1. "It Never Went Away"Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson
  2. "What Was I Made For?"Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell
  3. "We Don't Talk About Bruno"Lin-Manuel Miranda
  4. "All Eyes on Me"Bo Burnham
  5. "No Time to Die"Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell
  6. "I'll Never Love Again"Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey & Aaron Raitiere
Years explored
1988–2025
Different winners
34
Category leader
Randy Newman · 3
About this record

Best Song Written for Visual Media was first awarded in 1988, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was previously known as Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

2000–2025

26 ceremonies

19882025

01 / The reigns

22 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2000–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Randy Newman3 wins
  2. 02
    Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell2 wins
  3. 03
    Lin-Manuel Miranda2 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.
Madonna & William Orbit'00
Randy Newman'01
John Flansburgh & John Linnell'02
Randy Newman'03
Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy & Michael McKean'04
Annie Lennox, Howard Shore & Fran Walsh'05
Glen Ballard & Alan Silvestri'06
Randy Newman'07
Siedah Garrett & Henry Krieger'08
Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman'09
Gulzar, A. R. Rahman & Tanvi Shah'10
Ryan Bingham & T Bone Burnett'11
Alan Menken & Glenn Slater'12
"Safe & Sound"'13
Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth'14
Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez'15
Common, Che Smith & John Legend'16
Max Martin, Shellback & Justin Timberlake'17
Lin-Manuel Miranda'18
"Shallow"'19
"I'll Never Love Again"'20
Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell'21
Bo Burnham'22
Lin-Manuel Miranda'23
Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell'24
Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson'25

03 / The near misses

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

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Diane Warren
    5 noms
  2. 02
    Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Diane Warren
    5L · 0W
  2. 02
    Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez
    3L · 1W
  3. 03
    Randy Newman
    3L · 3W
  4. 04
    Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz
    2L · 0W
  5. 05
    Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell
    1L · 2W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2025Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")
beat 4 others
  • Jessie Alexander, Luke Combs & Johnathan Singleton ("Ain't No Love in Oklahoma")
  • Amy Allen, Shellback & Justin Timberlake ("Better Place")
  • Dan Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo ("Can't Catch Me Now")
  • Walter Afanasieff, Charlie Midnight, Kara Talve & Hans Zimmer ("Love Will Survive")
Not listed
2024Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell ("What Was I Made For?")
beat 4 others
  • Isis Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika Maraj ("Barbie World")
  • Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt ("Dance the Night")
  • Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt ("I'm Just Ken")
  • Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Robyn Fenty & Temilade Openiyi ("Lift Me Up")
Not listed
2023Lin-Manuel Miranda ("We Don't Talk About Bruno")
beat 5 others
  • Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Darius Dixson Scott ("Be Alive")
  • Taylor Swift ("Carolina")
  • Michael Tucker & Stefani Germanotta ("Hold My Hand")
  • Angélique Kidjo, Jeremy Lutito & Jessy Wilson ("Keep Rising (The Woman King)")
  • Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell ("Nobody Like U")
Not listed
2022Bo Burnham ("All Eyes on Me")
beat 5 others
  • Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez ("Agatha All Along")
  • Alecia Moore, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul ("All I Know So Far")
  • Dernst Emile II, Gabriella Wilson & Tiara Thomas ("Fight for You")
  • Jamie Hartman, Jennifer Hudson & Carole Klein ("Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)")
  • Sam Ashworth & Leslie Odom Jr. ("Speak Now")
Not listed
2021Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell ("No Time to Die")
beat 4 others
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber & Taylor Swift ("Beautiful Ghosts")
  • Brandi Carlile, Phil and Tim Hanseroth ("Carried Me With You")
  • Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez ("Into the Unknown")
  • Joshuah Brian Campbell & Cynthia Erivo ("Stand Up")
Not listed
2020Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey & Aaron Raitiere ("I'll Never Love Again")
beat 4 others
  • Randy Newman ("The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy")
  • Dolly Parton & Linda Perry ("Girl in the Movies")
  • Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Timothy McKenzie & Ilya Salmanzadeh ("Spirit")
  • Thom Yorke ("Suspirium")
Not listed
2019Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt ("Shallow")
beat 4 others
  • Kendrick Duckworth, Solána Rowe, Alexander William Shuckburgh, Mark Anthony Spears & Anthony Tiffith ("All the Stars")
  • Sufjan Stevens ("Mystery of Love")
  • Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez ("Remember Me")
  • Benj Pasek & Justin Paul ("This Is Me")
Not listed
2018Lin-Manuel Miranda ("How Far I'll Go")
beat 4 others
  • Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul ("City of Stars")
  • Jack Antonoff, Sam Dew & Taylor Swift ("I Don't Wanna Live Forever")
  • Greg Kurstin & Sia Furler ("Never Give Up")
  • Common & Diane Warren ("Stand Up for Something")
Not listed
2017Max Martin, Shellback & Justin Timberlake ("Can't Stop the Feeling!")
beat 5 others
  • Tyler Joseph ("Heathens")
  • Oscar Holter, Max Martin, P!nk & Shellback ("Just Like Fire")
  • Shamann Cooke, Sonny Moore & William Roberts ("Purple Lamborghini")
  • Sia Furler & Stargate ("Try Everything")
  • Peter Gabriel ("The Veil")
Not listed
2016Common, Che Smith & John Legend ("Glory")
beat 4 others
  • Belly, Deheala, Stephan Moccio & Abel Tesfaye ("Earned It")
  • Ilya, Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Tove Lo & Ali Payami ("Love Me like You Do")
  • Andrew Cedar, DJ Frank E, Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth ("See You Again")
  • Lady Gaga & Diane Warren ("Til It Happens to You")
Not listed
2015Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez ("Let It Go")
beat 4 others
  • Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Joshua Bartholomew, Lisa Harriton & Shawn Patterson ("Everything Is Awesome")
  • Ed Sheeran ("I See Fire")
  • Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond ("I'm Not Gonna Miss You")
  • Spike Jonze & Karen O ("The Moon Song")
Not listed
2014Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth ("Skyfall")
beat 5 others
  • Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin ("Atlas")
  • Diane Warren ("Silver Lining (Crazy 'Bout You)")
  • Colbie Caillat & Gavin DeGraw ("We Both Know")
  • Regina Spektor ("You've Got Time")
  • Elizabeth Grant & Rick Nowels ("Young and Beautiful")
Not listed
2013T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, Joy Williams & John Paul White ("Safe & Sound")
beat 4 others
  • T Bone Burnett, Win Butler & Regine Chassagne ("Abraham's Daughter")
  • Mumford & Sons ("Learn Me Right")
  • Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman ("Let Me Be Your Star")
  • Bret McKenzie ("Man or Muppet")
Not listed
2012Alan Menken & Glenn Slater ("I See the Light")
beat 5 others
  • Diane Warren ("Born to Be Somebody")
  • Ron Jones, Seth MacFarlane & Danny Smith ("Christmastime Is Killing Us")
  • Zooey Deschanel ("So Long")
  • Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Drew Pearson & Anne Preven ("Where the River Goes")
  • Diane Warren ("You Haven't Seen the Last of Me")
Not listed
2011Ryan Bingham & T Bone Burnett ("The Weary Kind")
beat 4 others
  • Randy Newman ("Down in New Orleans")
  • James Horner, Simon Franglen & Thaddis Harrell ("I See You")
  • Lucinda Williams ("Kiss Like Your Kiss")
  • Steve Earle ("This City")
Not listed
2010Gulzar, A. R. Rahman & Tanvi Shah ("Jai Ho")
beat 4 others
  • Karen O & Nick Zinner ("All Is Love")
  • Josh Farro, Hayley Williams & Taylor York ("Decode")
  • Ian Dench, James Dring, Amanda Ghost, Beyoncé Knowles, Scott McFarnon & Jody Street ("Once in a Lifetime")
  • Bruce Springsteen ("The Wrestler")
Not listed
2009Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman ("Down to Earth")
beat 4 others
  • Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz ("Ever Ever After")
  • John Mayer ("Say")
  • Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz ("That's How You Know")
  • Judd Apatow, Marshall Crenshaw, Jake Kasdan & John C. Reilly ("Walk Hard")
Not listed
2008Siedah Garrett & Henry Krieger ("Love You I Do")
beat 4 others
  • Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová ("Falling Slowly")
  • Eddie Vedder ("Guaranteed")
  • Prince ("Song of the Heart")
  • David Arnold & Chris Cornell ("You Know My Name")
Not listed
2007Randy Newman ("Our Town")unverified
beat 4 others
  • Imogen Heap ("Can't Take It In")
  • Melissa Etheridge ("I Need to Wake Up")
  • Mel Brooks ("There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway")
  • Dolly Parton ("Travelin' Thru")
Not listed
2006Glen Ballard & Alan Silvestri ("Believe")
beat 4 others
  • Arcade Fire ("Cold Wind")
  • Andrea Guerra, Wyclef Jean & Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis ("Million Voices")
  • Tom Petty ("Square One")
  • Danny Elfman & John August ("Wonka's Welcome Song")
Not listed
2005Annie Lennox, Howard Shore & Fran Walsh ("Into the West")
beat 4 others
  • David Bryson, Adam Duritz, David Immerglück, Matthew Malley & Dan Vickrey ("Accidentally in Love")
  • Benoît Charest & Sylvain Chomet ("Belleville Rendez-Vous")
  • T-Bone Burnett & Elvis Costello ("The Scarlet Tide")
  • Sting ("You Will Be My Ain True Love")
Not listed
2004Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy & Michael McKean ("A Mighty Wind")
beat 4 others
  • Christopher Bridges & Keith McMasters ("Act a Fool")
  • U2 ("The Hands That Built America")
  • John Kander & Fred Ebb ("I Move On")
  • Jeff Bass, Marshall Mathers & Luis Resto ("Lose Yourself")
Not listed
2003Randy Newman ("If I Didn't Have You")
beat 4 others
  • Chad Kroeger ("Hero")
  • Erykah Badu, Madukwu Chinwah, Common, Robert C. Ozuna, James Poyser, Raphael Saadiq & Glen Standridge ("Love of My Life – An Ode to Hip Hop")
  • Enya, Nicky Ryan & Roma Ryan ("May It Be")
  • Paul McCartney ("Vanilla Sky")
Not listed
2002John Flansburgh & John Linnell ("Boss of Me")
beat 4 others
  • Jorge Calandrelli, Tan Dun & James Schamus ("A Love Before Time")
  • David Hartley & Sting ("My Funny Friend and Me")
  • Diane Warren ("There You'll Be")
  • Brandon Barnes & Brian McKnight ("Win")
Not listed
2001Randy Newman ("When She Loved Me")
beat 4 others
  • Peter Buck, Mike Mills & Michael Stipe ("The Great Beyond")
  • Samuel J. Barnes, Beyoncé Knowles, Jean Claude Olivier & Cory Rooney ("Independent Women Part I")
  • Aimee Mann ("Save Me")
  • Bob Dylan ("Things Have Changed")
Not listed
2000Madonna & William Orbit ("Beautiful Stranger")
beat 4 others
  • Diane Warren ("Music of My Heart")
  • Randy Newman ("The Time of Your Life")
  • Stephen Schwartz & Babyface ("When You Believe")
  • Phil Collins ("You'll Be in My Heart")
Not listed