BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) paid tribute to the best in songwriting at the 2023 BMI Pop Awards held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The multiple platinum-selling recording artist and songwriter Khalid was honored with the BMI Champion Award, celebrating his musical contributions and philanthropic efforts that support today’s youth and the next generation of songwriters. In addition, BMI’s Pop Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and BMI’s top 50 most-performed pop songs in the U.S. of the previous year were also announced. The private event was hosted by BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill and Vice President Worldwide Creative Barbara Cane.
As the night’s top honoree, Khalid was presented with the BMI Champion Award by O’Neill, who praised his groundbreaking musical contributions and work to benefit the lives of young people. After receiving the award, Khalid treated the audience with an acoustic performance of some of his biggest hits including, “Location,” “Better,” and “Talk.”
In receiving this honor, Khalid joins previous BMI Champion Award recipients who were honored for their commitment and efforts supporting future songwriters and music makers, including Mark Ronson, Residente, Sebastian Krys, Keith Urban and Lee Thomas Miller.
Full list of winners here
BMI’s Pop Songwriter of the Year went to Doja Cat with six of the previous year’s most-performed songs, including “Get Into It (Yuh)” (co-written with SULLY and Y2K), “I Like You (A Happier Song)” (co-written with Jasper Harris), “Need to Know,” “Vegas” (co-written with Rogét Chahayed and Yeti Beats), “Woman” (co-written with Aaron Horn (PRS), Linden Jay (PRS), Jidenna and Yeti Beats) and “You Right.” The celebrated rapper/singer/songwriter/producer has received seven BMI Awards over her career, including BMI’s R&B/Hip-Hop Song of the Year for co-writing “Say So” in 2021.
Sony Music Publishing received Publisher of the Year for representing 24 of the previous year’s most performed songs, including “Bad Habit,” “Numb,” “Running Up That Hill” and “Shivers” to name a few.
BMI also welcomed 53 first time Pop Award winners including GAYLE and Sara Davis ("abcdefu"), Steve Lacy, Diana Gordon, and Matthew Castellanos ("Bad Habit"), Tyler Cole ("Meet Me at Our Spot") and dazy and Nicky Youre ("Sunroof").
For a full list of the 2023 honorees, visit bmi.com/pop2023
