BMI Salutes its Top Songwriters for the 2020 BMI Country Awards

Ross Copperman named Songwriter of the Year; “Whiskey Glasses” by Ben Burgess received Song of the Year; Warner-Chappell Music Publishing awarded Publisher of the Year

The 50 Most-Performed Country Songs of the Previous Year Were Also Celebrated

Posted in News on November 9, 2020

BMI paid tribute to the best in songwriting for its 68th Annual BMI Country Awards. The top songwriters, publishers and administrators of the previous year’s most-performed Country songs were celebrated across BMI’s digital and social channels. Major award winners for Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Publisher of the Year were also announced. 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 Country songwriters. The special page also includes an exclusive video feature from BMI Icon Dolly Parton in conversation with some of our award-winning songwriters.

“The BMI Country Awards are always the pinnacle of our year, and we look forward to this time when we are able to applaud our creators,” says Clay Bradley, VP, Creative Nashville. “To celebrate the most successful songs in our genre, our songwriters, publishers, and our community is a huge honor. This year has been a challenge for all of Music City, but this community has adapted beautifully and supported one another so unfailingly. Though this ceremony may look different, BMI is as proud as ever to once again honor the most performed songs of the year.”

The in-demand award for Songwriter of the Year was given to hitmaker Ross Copperman, who received this honor for the fourth time. He penned six of the year’s most performed songs, including “Catch,” “Living,” “Love Ain’t,” “Love Someone,” “Tip of My Tongue,” and “What She Wants Tonight.”

The clever, classic country break-up song “Whiskey Glasses,” co-written by Ben Burgess, was awarded Song of the Year, nabbing Burgess his first BMI Country Award. The song has been certified three times platinum and was a multi-week number one single at country radio. The song also topped Billboard’s year-end charts (both Hot Country and Airplay) as the number one Country song of 2019.

Warner Chappell received the coveted Publisher of the Year designation for the third year in a row. The publishing powerhouse represented 21 of the previous year’s top 50 songs, including Song of the Year “Whiskey Glasses,” “The Bones,” “God’s Country,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “10,000 Hours,” and “Good As You.”

BMI also celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed Country songs of the previous year. This year’s group of honorees includes 20 first-time BMI Country award recipients, who have amassed over 19 million song performances collectively. Among the songs honored are “Heartache Medication,” ”Look What God Gave Her,” ”More Hearts Than Mine,” “Old Town Road (Remix),” and “Tip of My Tongue.” Additional award winners include Ed Sheeran, Ingrid Andress, Randy Montana, Kane Brown, and more.

SONG OF THE YEAR

WHISKEY GLASSES
Ben Burgess
Bump Into Genius Music
Mr. Buck Lucky
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

ROSS COPPERMAN
Catch
Living
Love Ain’t
Love Someone
Tip of My Tongue
What She Wants Tonight

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR

WARNER-TAMERLANE PUBLISHING CORP.
10,000 Hours
All to Myself
Back to Life
Beer Never Broke My Heart
Caught Up in the Country
God’s Country
Good as You
Homecoming Queen?
Homemade
Homesick
I Wish Grandpas Never Died
Look What God Gave Her
Love Someone
Remember You Young
Ridin’ Roads
Southbound
The Bones
Thought About You
We Back
What Happens in a Small Town
Whiskey Glasses

2020 COUNTRY AWARDS TOP 50 SONGS

10,000 Hours
Jessie Jo Dillon
Shay Mooney
Big Ass Pile of Dimes Music
Big Music Machine
Shay Mooney Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

After a Few
Kelly Archer
Travis Denning
Downtown Music Publishing
I’m About to Go Red on Ya Music
Stars and Stripes and Maple Leaf Music
Travis Denning Music

All Day Long
Mitch Rossell
Me Gusta 30 Music
Rezemblance Music
Roy Rivers Publishing
Songs of Reehits

All to Myself
Nicolle Galyon
Shay Mooney
Shay Mooney Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Back to Life
Shay Mooney
Fred Wilhelm
Farm Thang Music
Me Gusta 30 Music
Shay Mooney Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Beer Never Broke My Heart
Luke Combs
Randy Montana
50 Egg Music
Big Music Machine
Straight Dimes Publishing
Sullivan’s Guns Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Catch
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Endurance Romeo Charlie
Smack of Ham Songs

Caught Up in the Country
Connie Harrington
Mike Walker
Make It Matter Music
Songs of Mojo One
Sony/ATV Tree
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Dive Bar
Mitch Rossell
Me Gusta 30 Music
Rezemblance Music
Roy Rivers Publishing
Songs of Reehits

Even Though I’m Leaving
Luke Combs
Ray Fulcher
50 Egg Music
Big Music Machine
Larkin Hill Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree
Straight Dimes Publishing

Every Little Thing
Russell Dickerson
Parker Welling
BMG Platinum Songs US
Hillbilly Science and Research Publishing
Kailey’s Dream
Music That Is Russelled
Trailerparker Music

Eyes on You
Chase Rice
Dack Janiels Publishing
Sony/ATV Countryside

Girl
Sarah Aarons (APRA)
Maren Morris
Aggressively Average Songs
International Dog Music
Purple Hayes Publishing Worldwide
Sony/ATV Songs LLC

God’s Country
Devin Dawson
Michael Hardy
Neon Cross Music
Relative Music Group
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Good as You
Brock Berryhill
Kane Brown
Shy Carter
Taylor Phillips
Will Weatherly
BMG Platinum Songs US
Don’t Be A Gypsy
Kane Brown Music
Mandy’s Favorite Songs
Songs of Universal, Inc.
TDP Publishing
Track House Worldwide Entertainment
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
You Want How Much Of What Publishing

Good Vibes
Chris Janson
Anthem Red Vinyl Music
Buckkilla Music

Heartache Medication
Barry Dean
Natalie Hemby
Jon Pardi
Concord
Cowboy and Gus Publishing
Creative Pulse Music
Happy Song Factory
HappyGoWrucke
Music of MAM
Pulse Nation
Songs of MV2
Sony/ATV Countryside
These Are Pulse Songs

Homecoming Queen?
Nicolle Galyon
A Boy Named Ford
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Homemade
Jared Mullins
Drew Parker
Bobby Pinson
ClearBox Benefit
Mullins it Over Music
New Writers of Sea Gayle Music
Not A Track Guy Music
Oak Tree Swing Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree
Tree Vibez Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Homesick
Brock Berryhill
Kane Brown
Taylor Phillips
Don’t Be A Gypsy
Kane Brown Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
TDP Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

I Don’t Know About You
Michael Hardy
Relative Music Group
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing

I Hope
Gabby Barrett
Zach Kale
GBF Music Global
Revinyl House
Sony/ATV Countryside
Sony/ATV Tree

I Wish Grandpas Never Died
Riley Green
Back 40 Publishing International
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Living
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Endurance Romeo Charlie
Smack of Ham Songs

Look What God Gave Her
Rhett Akins
Julian Bunetta
Ammar Malik
Thomas Rhett
John Ryan
Don Wyan Music
Dragon Bunny Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Maru La La
Music of BIG FAMILY
Ritten By Rhettro
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Love Ain’t
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Endurance Romeo Charlie
Smack of Ham Songs

Love Someone
Ross Copperman
Brett Eldredge
Heather Morgan
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Endurance Romeo Charlie
Heather Feather Songs
One O’Clock Road, Inc.
Smack of Ham Songs
Sony/ATV Tree
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Love Wins
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music

Love You Too Late
Brandon Kinney
Cole Swindell
Colden Rainey Music
peermusic III Ltd.
Sony/ATV Tree
Whiskey Tub Music

Miss Me More
David Hodges
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing

More Hearts Than Mine
Ingrid Andress
Derrick Southerland
Songs for a Stone Heart
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Straight from the Art Music

Old Town Road (Remix)
Billy Ray Cyrus
Lil Nas X
Atticus Ross
YoungKio
Songs In The Key Of Mink
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Sunnageronimo Publishing, Inc.

Prayed for You
Ash Bowers
Big Spaces Music
Sony/ATV Countryside

Raised on Country
Chris Young
Songs of Universal, Inc.
They’ve Gone to Plaid Publishing LLC

Rearview Town
Bobby Pinson
ClearBox Benefit
New Writers of Sea Gayle Music
Not A Track Guy Music

Remember You Young
Jesse Frasure
Thomas Rhett
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Songs of Roc Nation Music
Telemitry Rhythm House Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Ridin’ Roads
Dustin Lynch
Magic Mustang Music, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Some of It
Eric Church
Clint Daniels
Jeff Hyde
Bobby Pinson
ClearBox Benefit
Little Louder Songs
Longer And Louder Music
Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music
New Writers of Sea Gayle Music
Not A Track Guy Music
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree

Southbound
Josh Miller
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music
Jack 10 Publishing
Songs of the Corn
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Talk You Out of It
Michael Hardy
Relative Music Group
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing

The Bones
Maren Morris
Laura Veltz
Big Music Machine
International Dog Music
Oh Denise Publishing
Purple Hayes Publishing Worldwide
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home
Chase McGill
Justin Moore
Big Music Machine
Double Barrel Ace Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.

Thought About You
Lee Thomas Miller
Brad Warren
Brett Warren
Big Loud Brad Music
Big Loud Brett Songs
Big Loud Proud Crowd
Round Hill Works
The Country And Western Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Tip of My Tongue
Kenny Chesney
Ross Copperman
Ed Sheeran (PRS)
Basuare Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Endurance Romeo Charlie
Smack of Ham Songs
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC

We Back
Tyler Hubbard
Brad Warren
Brett Warren
Big Loud Mountain
Chifforobe Songs
Free Dive Music
Loyal Feather Music
Round Hill Works
Songs of TriScore
T Hubb Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

We Were
Eric Church
Jeff Hyde
Ryan Tyndell
Harold’s Purple Heart Music
Little Louder Songs
Longer And Louder Music
Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree

What Happens in a Small Town
Rhett Akins
Brock Berryhill
Josh Dunne
Brantley Gilbert
Don’t Be A Gypsy
Indiana Angel Music
Lily Arkansas Music
Nettwerk One B Music US
Revelry Music
Ritten By Rhettro
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

What If I Never Get Over You
Ryan Hurd
Laura Veltz
Big Music Machine
Hurdjamz
Never Veltz So Good Publishing
Songs of Universal, Inc.

What She Wants Tonight
Luke Bryan
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Endurance Romeo Charlie
Peanut Mill Songs
Smack of Ham Songs
Sony/ATV Tree

Whiskey Glasses
Ben Burgess
Bump Into Genius Music
Mr. Buck Lucky
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

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