Taylor Swift took pop songwriter of the year at the 2024 BMI Pop Awards, which were held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Tuesday (June 4).
Swift had a hand in writing 10 of BMI’s most-performed songs of 2023 – “Anti-Hero,” “Bejeweled,” “Cruel Summer,” “Karma,” “Lavender Haze,” “Maroon,” “Midnight Rain,” “Snow on the Beach,” “Vigilante Shit” and “You’re on Your Own, Kid.” Swift has received a total of 65 BMI Awards, including the BMI President’s Award in 2009.
On Nov. 10, 2023, Swift received her seventh Grammy nomination for song of the year for “Anti-Hero,” which enabled her to set a new record for the most nods in the category.
Miley Cyrus, Gregory ‘Aldae’ Hein and Michael Pollack won the BMI Pop Award for song of the year for Cyrus’ megahit, “Flowers.” The smash entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1 and remained there for eight nonconsecutive weeks. It won Grammys for record of the year and best pop solo performance on Feb. 4 (and was nominated for song of the year).
Sony Music Publishing received publisher of the year for the seventh year in a row. The company represented 34 of the previous year’s most performed songs, including “Anti-Hero,” “Barbie World,” “Eyes Closed,” “Flowers,” “Trustfall” and “Unholy.”
As previously announced, Benny Blanco, 36, received the BMI President’s Award. Blanco has won 55 BMI Awards, was named songwriter of the year four times, and won pop song of the year in 2013 for co-writing “Moves Like Jagger” performed by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera.
Blanco has received two Grammy nods for song of the year, for the Julia Michaels hit “Issues” and the Justin Bieber smash “Love Yourself.” Blanco has gone 0-11 at the Grammys over the years, so this BMI recognition was probably especially meaningful.
Blanco was presented with the award by BMI president and CEO Mike O’Neill, who praised the songwriter as an “unstoppable creative force who has shaped the sound of popular music.” Some of Blanco’s top collaborators, including Lil Dicky, John Janick, Blake Slatkin and Ed Sheeran, sent in video congratulatory messages. Sia then hit the stage to perform Rihanna’s 2012 hit “Diamonds,” which she co-wrote with Blanco.
On receiving the honor, Blanco said, “We have the best job in the world, and we are so thankful and lucky to be in this room. We have the opportunity to make things better through music and help people. We’re giving the soundtrack to peoples’ lives.”
Previous recipients of the BMI President’s Award include Luis Fonsi, Noel Gallagher, Ellie Goulding, Imagine Dragons, Jay Kay of Jamiroquai, Ludacris, P!nk, Willie Nelson, Pitbull, Taylor Swift, Brian Wilson, and Dwight Yoakam.
BMI celebrated 53 first-time Pop Award winners including Sabrina Carpenter (“Nonsense”), Ice Spice (“Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2”), Jelly Roll and Rob Ragosta (“Need a Favor”), Kamille (“I’m Good (Blue)”) and Stephen Sanchez (“Until I Found You”).
The private event was co-hosted by O’Neill and BMI vice president, creative, worldwide, Barbara Cane.
For the full list of 2024 honorees, visit https://www.bmi.com/award-shows/pop-2024/