What was the first recording to win the Grammy for Record of the Year?

“Nel blu, dipinto di blu” was the first recording to win the Grammy for Record of the Year.

Domenico Modugno won Record of the Year at the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1959 for the Italian-language recording. The song is widely known internationally by its nickname, “Volare,” although “Volare” is not the song’s official Italian title.

Modugno co-wrote the song with Franco Migliacci. Its dramatic melody and repeated “Volare” refrain helped it become a major international hit, unusual for a recording performed primarily in Italian on the American popular-music market.

The award recognized the recorded performance and production as a whole. That makes Record of the Year different from Song of the Year, which honors the songwriting composition. The same work can therefore be discussed in both categories for different reasons.