BMI presented its 2024 BMI Country Awards last night, honoring the unparalleled career of BMI Icon Award recipient Randy Owen as well as the Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year. The 72nd annual event also celebrated the top songwriters and music publishers behind this past year’s 50 most-performed songs in Country music. BMI’s President & CEO Mike O’Neill hosted the evening alongside Nashville’s VP, Creative, Clay Bradley.
As this year’s BMI Icon, Owen joins an elite group of songwriters who have had an indelible influence on music makers over generations, including Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Dean Dillon, Hank Williams, Jr., Bill Anderson and Vince Gill. During the evening, Owen’s chart-topping Alabama hits were on display as Riley Green put a southern spin on “My Home’s in Alabama” and Luke Bryan performed his own rendition of “Feels So Right.” Blake Shelton closed out the tribute with the Alabama classic, “Mountain Music.”
The evening began with a heartfelt collaboration from Ella Langley, Lukas Nelson and Aaron Raitiere who joined forces on “With a Little Help from My Friends,” as the Country community was praised for its charitable efforts throughout the year. Chase McGill and Zach Bryan tied for the coveted BMI Songwriter of the Year award, as each songwriter co-wrote six of BMI’s most-performed songs in Country music. McGill co-wrote Morgan Wallen’s “Ain’t That Some,” Luke Bryan’s “But I Got a Beer in My Hand,” Conner Smith’s “Creek Will Rise,” Russell Dickerson’s “God Gave Me a Girl,” Jordan Davis’ “Next Thing You Know” and Thomas Rhett’s “Mamaw’s House.” Bryan serves as a writer behind “Burn, Burn, Burn,” “Dawns,” “Hey Driver,” “I Remember Everything,” “Oklahoma Smokeshow” and “Sun to Me.”
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” was named 2024 BMI Country Song of the Year, published by Big Loud Mountain, John Byron Music, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. BMI’s most-performed Country Song of the Year was written by John Byron and Charlie Handsome and was No. One on the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 nonconsecutive weeks, the most ever for a solo song.
The Publisher of the Year accolade went to Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., which published 34 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, including megahits like Parker McCollum’s “Burn It Down,” Tyler Hubbard’s “Dancin’ in the Country,” Riley Green’s “Different ‘Round Here,” Warren Zeiders’ “Pretty Little Poison,” and Bailey Zimmerman’s “Religiously.”
During the ceremony, BMI also saluted the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed country songs of the previous year including Chayce Beckham’s “23,” Chris Janson’s “All I Need Is You,” Kane Brown’s “Bury Me In Georgia,” Jelly Roll’s “Need a Favor,” Cody Johnson’s “The Painter,” and Luke Combs’ “Where the Wild Things Are.”
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