Khalid, Post Malone, Halsey Win Big at BMI Pop Awards

Jem Aswad
·3 min read

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Khalid and Post Malone tied for Songwriter of the Year and Halsey’s “Without Me,” co-written with Delacey, won Song of the Year at the 2020 BMI Music Awards. Sony/ATV Music won awarded Publisher of The Year for the eighth time.

BMI also celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed Pop songs of the previous year. This year’s group of honorees includes 47 first-time BMI Pop award recipients, who have amassed over 25 million song performances collectively. Among the songs honored are Taylor Swift’s “ME!” (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco) co-written by Grammy Award-winner Joel Little, “7 Rings” co-written by Tayla Parx, Michael Foster and Kaydence, top-charting single “Sucker” co-written by Mustafa Ahmed, Adam “Frank Dukes” Feeney, Homer Steinweiss and co-written and performed by the Jonas Brothers, “Done For Me” co-written by John Ryan and co-written and performed by hitmaker Charlie Puth, and Marshmello’s “Happier,” which spent a record 69 weeks at number one on the US Dance/Electronic Songs chart. Additional award-winners include P!nk, Camila Cabello, Billy Ray Cyrus, Teddy Geiger, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, Bazzi, Ricky Reed, Young Thug, Mark Ronson and more.

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In the absence of a proper awards show in this pandemic year, to honor these achievements, BMI created a special page on its website where fans can watch video messages, listen to award-winning music and learn more about their favorite pop songwriters. For more information on BMI’s top pop songwriters, go to https://www.bmi.com/pop2020.

“We’re so proud to recognize BMI’s incomparable family of pop songwriters and music publishers whose talent, originality and creativity helped inspire many of the most popular songs of the past year,” said Barbara Cane, Vice President, Worldwide Creative. “With unique artistry and fearless authenticity, their music has the ability to inspire, uplift and empower us to drive the positive change that is so needed right now. We thank our community of music creators for sharing their gift of songwriting, and we look forward to celebrating with everyone in person at next year’s ceremony.”

Honors for Songwriter of the Year were shared by global superstars Khalid and Post Malone, who each penned four of BMI’s top-performing songs of 2019. Khalid’s “Beautiful People,” “Better,” “Eastside” and “Talk” dominated the airways and the charts, alongside Post Malone’s “Goodbyes,” “Jackie Chan,” “Sunflower” and “Wow.” Khalid’s “Talk” earned over 186 million streams on Spotify and garnered a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year, his sixth nod to date. Post Malone teamed up with fellow BMI songwriter Swae Lee for “Sunflower,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted in the top ten for a total of 33 weeks. The single received two Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Post Malone was also named BMI’s R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year in 2019.

The break-up anthem “Without Me,” co-written by pop powerhouse Halsey and singer/songwriter Delacey, was awarded Song of the Year, nabbing Halsey her sixth BMI Pop Award and the first for Delacey. The song became Halsey’s first No. 1 single as a lead artist.

Sony/ATV Music Publishing received the coveted Publisher of the Year designation for the eighth time. The publishing giant represented 25 of the previous year’s top 50 songs, including “Dancing with a Stranger,” “High Hopes,” “Old Town Road (Remix),” “Señorita,” “Truth Hurts” and “You Need To Calm Down,” among others.

 

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