BMI Honors Taylor Swift and Legendary Songwriting Duo Mann & Weil at the 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards
Taylor Swift named Songwriter of the Year; ‘Uptown Funk’ awarded Song of the Year; Sony/ATV Publishing presented with Publisher of the Year
BMI celebrated the songwriters and publishers behind the year’s most-performed pop songs at the 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards last night at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
Global superstar Taylor Swift was presented with the first-ever Taylor Swift Award, a special award bearing her name in recognition of her incomparable creative and artistic talent and influence on music lovers around the world. This is only the second time in BMI’s 76-year history that the company has presented an award in someone’s name. The first was to Michael Jackson in 1990.
The accomplished lyricist also took home the coveted BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year title once again for penning four of the year’s most-performed songs from her hit album 1989: “Bad Blood,” “Blank Space,” “Style,” and “Wildest Dreams.”
Songwriting visionaries Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil were awarded the BMI Icon Award for their indelible contributions to the craft of songwriting. The SoCal VoCals, University of Southern California’s premier a capella group, paid homage to the prolific songwriting team with a musical tribute. The talented vocalists performed a medley of Mann and Weil’s most iconic songs including “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place,” “Just Once,” “You’re My Soul and Inspiration,” “On Broadway,” “Somewhere Out There,” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.”
Throughout the evening, the 50 best performing songs in BMI’s vast catalogue were named leading up to the announcement of the BMI Pop Song of the Year. Jeff Bhasker, Devon Gallaspy, Trinidad James, Mark Ronson, Lonnie Simmons, Rudy Taylor, Charlie Wilson, Robert Wilson and Ronnie Wilson shared that honor for their infectious GRAMMY-winning hit “Uptown Funk.” Sony/ATV Publishing claimed the prestigious BMI Pop Publisher of the Year crystal with 23 of year’s most performed songs.
The 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards were hosted by BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations Barbara Cane. Here is the complete list of 2016 winners.
Song of the Year
UPTOWN FUNK
Jeff Bhasker
Devon Gallaspy
Trinidad James
Mark Ronson
Lonnie Simmons
Rudy Taylor
Charlie Wilson
Robert Wilson
Ronnie Wilson
Bruno Mars*
Philip Lawrence*
SONGS MP
Songs of Imagem Music
Songs of Zelig
Sony/ATV Ballad
Sony/ATV Song LLC
Taking Care of Business Music
TIG7 Publishing LLC
Trinlanta Publishing
Way Above Music
Songwriter of the Year
Taylor Swift
“Bad Blood”
“Blank Space”
“Style”
“Wildest Dreams”
Publisher of the Year
SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING
(EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Screen Gems-EMI Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Ballad, Sony/ATV Melody, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Sony/ATV Tree)
“Bad Blood”
“Blank Space”
“Centuries”
“Don’t”
“Ex’s & Oh’s”
“Fight Song”
“Good For You”
“Habits (Stay High)”
“Heroes (We Could Be)”
“Hey Mama”
“I’m Not The Only One”
“Night Changes”
“One Last Time”
“Photograph”
“Somebody”
“Style”
“Take Me To Church”
“Thinking Out Loud”
“Time of Our Lives”
“Try”
“Uma Thurman”
“Uptown Funk”
“Wildest Dreams”
Taylor Swift Award
Taylor Swift
Icon Award
Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil
Award Winning Songs
ANIMALS
Benjamin “Benny Blanco” Levin
Adam Levine
Matza Ballzack Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sudgee 2 Music
Where Da Kasz At?
Maroon 5
BAD BLOOD
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar
BANG BANG
Nicki Minaj
Harajuku Barbie Music
Money Mack Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
BLAME
John Newman (PRS)
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Calvin Harris featuring John Newman
BLANK SPACE
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
BUDAPEST
George Ezra (PRS)
BMG Platinum Songs US
George Ezra
CENTURIES
Andy Hurley
Raja Kumari
JR Rotem
Patrick Stump
Justin Tranter
Joe Trohman
Pete Wentz
Chicago X Softcore Songs
Jonathan Rotem Music
Justin’s School For Girls
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Fall Out Boy
CHAINS
Jason Evigan
Ammar Malik
Danny Parker
Bad Robot
BIG DEAL Beats
BMG Platinum Songs US
Danny Clementine Music
Maru Cha Cha
Nick Jonas
CHEERLEADER
Mark Antonio Bradford (Maranto)
Ultra Empire Music
Omi
DANGEROUS
Daniel Armbruster
Painted Desert Music Corporation
Rain Company
Seven Summits Music
Big Data featuring Joywave
DON’T
Benjamin “Benny Blanco” Levin
Dawn Robinson
Ed Sheeran (PRS)
Matza Ballzack Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Melody
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Stratinum Songs
Watermelon Girl Music
Where Da Kasz At?
Ed Sheeran
EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY)
Stephan Moccio (SOCAN)
Songs of Universal, Inc.
U P G Music Publishing
the Weeknd
EX’S & OH’S
Elle King
Elle King Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Elle King
FIGHT SONG
Rachel Platten
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Platten Music Publishing
Rachel Platten
GHOST
Noel Zancanella
Blastronaut Publishing
Songs of Patriot Games
Ella Henderson
GOOD FOR YOU
A$AP Rocky
Hector Delgado
Nolan Lambroza
Julia Michaels
Nick Monson
Justin Tranter
A$AP Rocky Publishing LLC
BOK Music
Clockworklabs Music
Justin’s School For Girls
Maxwell and Carter Global Publishing
Reach Global Songs
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky
HABITS (STAY HIGH)
Daniel Ledinsky (STIM)
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Tove Lo
HEARTBEAT SONG
Mitch Allan
Kara DioGuardi
Jason Evigan
Art In The Fodder Music
Bad Robot
BMG Bumblebee
BMG Platinum Songs US
Part Of The Problem Publishing
Sunshine Terrace Music
Kelly Clarkson
HEROES (WE COULD BE)
David Bowie (PRS)
Brian Eno (PRS)
Alessandro “Alesso’ Lindblad (STIM)
Screen Gems-EMI Music, Inc.
Tintoretto Music
Universal Music-Careers
Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.
Alesso featuring Tove Lo
HEY MAMA
Afrojack (BUMA)
Ester Dean
Sean Douglas
Alan Lomax
John A. Lomax, Sr.
Nicki Minaj
Bebe Rexha
Giorgio Tuinfort
BMG Platinum Songs US
Dat Damn Dean Music
Eastman Pond Publishing
Harajuku Barbie Music
Kiss Me If You Can Music
Ludlow Music, Inc.
Money Mack Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack
HONEY I’M GOOD
Andy Grammer
Ladder Soul Music LLC
S-Curve Songs Worldwide, a BMG company
Andy Grammer
I BET MY LIFE
Ben McKee
Daniel Platzman
Dan Reynolds
Wayne “Wing” Sermon
Imagine Dragons Publishing
Songs for KIDinaKORNER
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Imagine Dragons
I LIVED
Noel Zancanella
Blastronaut Publishing
Songs of Patriot Games
One Republic
I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE
Sam Smith (PRS)
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Stellar Songs Limited
Sam Smith
JEALOUS
Nick Jonas
Nolan Lambroza
Simon Wilcox (SOCAN)
Nick Jonas Publishing
peermusic lll, Ltd.
Songs of Universal, Inc.
The Messengers Joints
Nick Jonas
LEAN ON
MØ aka Karen Marie Ørsted
Reservoir 416
Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MØ
LOCKED AWAY
Toni Tennille
Moonlight and Magnolias, Inc.
R. City featuring Adam Levine
LOVE ME HARDER
Peter Svensson (STIM)
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Ariana Grande & the Weeknd
NIGHT CHANGES
Julian Bunetta
Niall Horan (PRS)
Zayn Malik (PRS)
Liam Payne (PRS)
John Ryan
Jamie Scott (PRS)
Harry Styles (PRS)
Louis Tomlinson (PRS)
BMG Platinum Songs US
Bob Erotik Music
Downtown DMP Songs
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Holy Cannoli Music
Music of BIG DEAL
Songs of Universal, Inc.
The Family Songbook
One Direction
ONE LAST TIME
Giorgio Tuinfort
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Ariana Grande
OUTSIDE
Ellie Goulding (PRS)
Songs of Global Entertainment
Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Goulding
PHOTOGRAPH
Johnny McDaid
Ed Sheeran (PRS)
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Ed Sheeran
RENEGADES
Alex Da Kid
Noah Feldshuh
Casey Harris
Sam Harris
Adam Levin
Crean Publishing
Handsome Harris Publishing
Noah Feldshuh Music
SONGS MP
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Stoned and Funky Publishing
X Ambassadors
SEE YOU AGAIN
Charlie Puth
Wiz Khalifa
Artist 101 Publishing Group
Charlie Puth Music Publishing
U P G Music Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Wiz Khalifa Publishing
Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth
SOMEBODY
Flo Rida
Natalie La Rose
Will Lobban-Bean
George Merrill
Shannon Rubicam
Krystin Watkins p/k/a Rook Monroe
Artist 101 Publishing Group
BMG Platinum Songs US
Boy Meets Girl Music
Irving Music
Songs By Cook Classic
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Natalie La Rose featuring Jeremih
STYLE
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
SUGAR
Adam Levine
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sudgee 2 Music
Maroon 5
TAKE ME TO CHURCH
Andrew Hozier-Byrne
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Hozier
THE HEART WANTS WHAT IT WANTS
Tim James
Akashic Field Music
Downtown DMP Songs
Selena Gomez
THINKING OUT LOUD
Ed Sheeran (PRS)
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Ed Sheeran
THIS SUMMER’S GONNA HURT…
Adam Levine
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sudgee 2 Music
Maroon 5
TIME OF OUR LIVES
Alfred Lazaro “Al Burna”
Armando “Pitbull” Perez
Abuela Y Tia Songs
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Pitbull & Ne-Yo
TRUMPETS
Jonathan David Bellion
Jason Derülo
Art In The Fodder Music
BELUGA HEIGHTS MUSIC
BMG Bumblebee
BMG Platinum Songs US
Irving Music
Jason Derülo Publishing
Songs of A Beautiful Mind
Jason Derülo
TRY
Colbie Caillat
Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds
Cocomarie Music
Faze 2 Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Colbie Caillat
UMA THURMAN
Andy Hurley
Jack Marshall
Robert L. Mosher
Liam O’Donnell (PRS)
Jake Sinclair
Patrick Stump
Joe Trohman
Pete Wentz
BMG Platinum Songs US
Chicago X Softcore Songs
Manes And Reins Publishing
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
USI B Music Publishing
Fall Out Boy
UPTOWN FUNK
Jeff Bhasker
Devon Gallaspy
Mark Ronson
Lonnie Simmons
Rudy Taylor
Trinidad James
Charlie Wilson
Ronnie Wilson
Robert Wilson
SONGS MP
Songs of Imagem Music
Songs of Zelig
Sony/ATV Ballad
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Taking Care of Business Music
TIG7 Publishing LLC
Trinlanta Publishing
Way Above Music
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
WANT TO WANT ME
Mitch Allan
Jason Derülo
Ian Kirkpatrick
Art In The Fodder Music
BELUGA HEIGHTS MUSIC
BMG Platinum Songs US
Buckley Tenenbaum Publishing
Irving Music
Jason Derülo Publishing
Part Of The Problem Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Jason Derülo
WAVES
Dennis Stehr (BUMA)
BMG Platinum Songs US
Mr Probz
WHERE ARE Ü NOW
Karl Rubin
Jordan Waré
BMG Platinum Songs US
Songs 4 Mimi
Jack Ü with Justin Bieber
WILDEST DREAMS
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
*Share not licensed by BMI
Community
Connect with BMI & Professional Songwriters