Which Grammy category was first presented at the 1959 ceremony for a song’s composer?

Song of the Year was presented at the first Grammy ceremony for a song’s composer.

The category recognizes songwriting: the composer or songwriters receive the award for the underlying composition. This differs from Record of the Year, which honors the recorded performance and its production, and from Album of the Year, which honors a complete album.

At the inaugural 1959 ceremony, Domenico Modugno won Song of the Year for “Volare,” officially titled “Nel blu, dipinto di blu.” The song became an international hit after Italy’s entry at the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest.

The same recording also won Record of the Year, demonstrating why the two categories are often confused. One award honored the song itself, while the other recognized the specific recorded version. Song of the Year remains one of the Grammy Awards’ four general-field categories.