BMI Salutes its Top Songwriters for the 2021 BMI Country Awards
Jesse Frasure named Songwriter of the Year; “One of Them Girls” by Dallas Davidson and Ben Johnson receives Song of the Year; Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music tie for Publisher of the Year; 50 most-performed Country songs of the previous year also celebrated
BMI proudly paid tribute to the best in songwriting for its 69th Annual BMI Country Awards. The top songwriters, publishers and administrators of the previous year’s most-performed Country songs were celebrated across all BMI digital and social channels. Songwriter/producer Jesse Frasure was named Songwriter of the Year, “One of Them Girls,” co-written by Dallas Davidson and Ben Johnson, won Song of the Year and the Publisher of the Year Award went to both Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music in a historic tie. 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.
“Songwriters and publishers are the lifeblood of our business and our Nashville community, and it is an honor to represent and award our members every year,” said Clay Bradley, VP, Nashville. “We are thrilled to celebrate the phenomenal songwriters and publishers whose talent and hard work continue to propel our genre to new heights. We look forward to inviting you all back into our BMI home in 2022.”
Powerhouse songwriter Jesse Frasure is receiving the Songwriter of the Year honor for a second time. He penned five of the year’s most-performed songs, including “Almost Maybes,” “ hole in the bottle,” “One Big Country Song,” “One Thing Right,” and “What’s Your Country Song.”
Co-written by Dallas Davidson and Ben Johnson, Song of the Year, “One of Them Girls,” was recorded by Lee Brice and certified double platinum by the RIAA in August of this year. It spent three weeks at the No. 1 position on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and has remained in the Top 10 each recurrent week. Additionally, the song has over 390 million on-demand streams to date. This honor marks the 30th BMI County Award for Dallas Davidson and the very first for Ben Johnson.
For the first time in 33 years, the Publisher of the Year designation ended with a tie between Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music. Collectively, the publishing powerhouses represent a combined total of 36 of this year’s award-winning titles. Sony Music Publishing’s award-winning titles include “ONE BEER,” “ Lovin’ on You,” “I Called Mama,” and “Beer Can’t Fix.” Warner-Chappell Music’s titles include “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” “I Love My Country,” and “One Night Standards.”
BMI also celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed Country songs of the year. Among the songs honored are “Bluebird,” “Heartless,” “The Good Ones,” and “I Should Probably Go to Bed.” This year’s winners include 24 first-time BMI Country Award recipients, such as Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, and Taylor Kerr of Maddie & Tae. Additional winners include Miranda Lambert, Michael Hardy, Natalie Hemby, Shy Carter, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, and more.
For a complete list of 2021 BMI Country Award winners and to learn more about your favorite BMI songwriters, please visit bmi.com/country2021 and go to @BMI and #BMICountryAwards on social media to follow the conversation.
SONG OF THE YEAR
ONE OF THEM GIRLS
Dallas Davidson
Ben Johnson
Natalia’s Music Money
Round Hill Compositions
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
JESSE FRASURE
Almost Maybes
hole in the bottle
One Big Country Song
One Thing Right
What’s Your Country Song
PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR
SONY MUSIC PUBLISHING
Be a Light
Beer Can’t Fix
Beers and Sunshine
Better Together
Bluebird
Champagne Night
Cool Again
Does to Me
God Whispered Your Name
Happy Anywhere
I Called Mama
Just the Way
Lady
Lonely If You Are
Lovin’ on You
More Than My Hometown
Nobody but You
ONE BEER
One Big Country Song
Some Girls
The Good Ones
What’s Your Country Song
WARNER-TAMERLANE PUBLISHING CORP.
Almost Maybes
Be a Light
Better Together
Big, Big Plans
Champagne Night
Got What I Got
Happy Does
Hard to Forget
hole in the bottle
I Called Mama
I Hope You’re Happy Now
I Love My Country
I Should Probably Go to Bed
Long Live
Love You Like I Used To
Lovin’ on You
One Big Country Song
One Night Standards
One Thing Right
Pretty Heart
What’s Your Country Song
2021 COUNTRY AWARDS TOP 50 SONGS
AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY
Brandon Kinney
Josh Thompson
Big Music Machine
Music of MAM
MV2 Music
peermusic III Ltd.
Whiskey Tub Music
ALMOST MAYBES
Jesse Frasure
Songs of Roc Nation Music
Telemitry Rhythm House Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
BE A LIGHT
Josh Miller
Thomas Rhett
Josh Thompson
Big Music Machine
Cricket On The Line
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Jack 10 Publishing
Music of MAM
MV2 Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
BEER CAN’T FIX
Julian Bunetta
Thomas Rhett
Zach Skelton
Dragon Bunny Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Music of BIG FAMILY
BEERS AND SUNSHINE
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Iris in the Sky with Diamonds
BETTER TOGETHER
Luke Combs
Dan Isbell
Randy Montana
50 Egg Music
Big Music Machine
Sony/ATV Countryside
Straight Dimes Publishing
Sullivan’s Guns Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
BIG, BIG PLANS
Jacob Durrett
Chris Lane
Ernest Keith Smith
Big, Big Plans Publishing
Big Loud Mountain
Ern Dog Music
Magic Mustang Music, Inc.
Round Hill Works
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
BLUEBIRD
Luke Dick
Natalie Hemby
Miranda Lambert
Emileon Songs
Little Louder Songs
Pink Dog Publishing
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Tree
Wrucke For You Publishing
CHAMPAGNE NIGHT
Ester Dean
Charles Kelley
Dave Thomson (SOCAN)
Dat Damn Dean Music
RADIOBULLETSPUBLISHING
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
CHASIN’ YOU
Morgan Wallen
Big Loud Mountain
Round Hill Works
COOL AGAIN
Kane Brown
Lindsay Rimes (APRA)
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Kane Brown Music
Koala T Tunes
Songs of Universal, Inc.
DIE FROM A BROKEN HEART
Taylor Kerr (Maddie & Tae)
Big Music Machine
Jehovah Nissi Music
DOES TO ME
Luke Combs
Ray Fulcher
Tyler Reeve
50 Egg Music
Big Music Machine
Kirbfinder’s Mucho Love Music
Larkin Hill Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree
Straight Dimes Publishing
DONE
Chris Janson
Jamie Paulin
Matt Roy
Anthem Red Vinyl Music
BMG Platinum Songs US
Rounding Third Publishing
Songs of Universal, Inc.
SongsForTatum Publishing
DOWN TO ONE
Dallas Davidson
Kyle Fishman
Kyle Fishman Music
Natalia’s Music Money
Play It Again Entertainment
Round Hill Compositions
GOD WHISPERED YOUR NAME
Micah Carter
Shy Carter
James Slater
BMG Platinum Songs US
Bro 2 Bro Publishing
Protosail Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree
Worldwide EMG Music B
You Want How Much Of What Publishing
GOOD TIME
Jordan Minton
Here Comes The Boom Music
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
GOT WHAT I GOT
Thomas Archer
Alexander Palmer
Alexander Palmer Songs
Hits Like Hurricane
Music of MAM
MV2 Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
HAPPY ANYWHERE
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Endurance Romeo Charlie
Smack of Ham Songs
HAPPY DOES
Brock Berryhill
Brad Clawson
Greylan James
Jamie Paulin
Don’t Be A Gypsy
Five Miles West Songs
Hold On Can I Get A Number 1 Music
Mandy’s Favorite Songs
Murphy the Wolf Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
SongsForTatum Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
HARD TO FORGET
Russ Hull
Webb Pierce
Mary Jean Shurtz
Jamie Music Publishing Co.
Unichappell Music, Inc.
HEARTLESS
Henry Agincourt Allen
Charlie Handsome
Ryan Hurd
Ernest Keith Smith
Morgan Wallen
Big Loud Mountain
Bo Wallace Publishing
Duke City Music
Ern Dog Music
Hurdjamz
Round Hill Works
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Songs of Universal, Inc.
HOLE IN THE BOTTLE
Jesse Frasure
Songs of Roc Nation Music
Telemitry Rhythm House Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
I CALLED MAMA
Marv Green
Jimmy Yeary
All Night Linda Music
Cedar Church Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY NOW
Luke Combs
Randy Montana
50 Egg Music
Big Music Machine
Straight Dimes Publishing
Sullivan’s Guns Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
I LOVE MY COUNTRY
Kane Brown
Charlie Handsome
Chase McGill
Ernest Keith Smith
Will Weatherly
Big Loud Mountain
Big Tree Vibez Music
Ern Dog Music
Kane Brown Music
Mandy’s Favorite Songs
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Track House Worldwide Entertainment
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
I SHOULD PROBABLY GO TO BED
Sean Douglas
Jason Evigan
Shay Mooney
Bad Robot
BMG Platinum Songs US
Eastman Pond Publishing
Shay Mooney Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
IN BETWEEN
Scotty McCreery
Dagum Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
JUST THE WAY
Matt Thomas
JM Thomas Music
Sony/ATV Countryside
LADY
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Iris in the Sky with Diamonds
LONELY IF YOU ARE
Chase Rice
Lindsay Rimes (APRA)
Dack Janiels Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Koala T Tunes
Sony/ATV Countryside
LONG LIVE
Tyler Hubbard
Brian Kelley
Josh Miller
Big Loud Mountain
Jack 10 Publishing
Pranch Ringle Music
Round Hill Works
T Hubb Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
LOVE YOU LIKE I USED TO
Russell Dickerson
Parker Welling
BMG Platinum Songs US
Kailey’s Dream
Songs of Home Team Music
Tunes by TrailerParker
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
LOVIN’ ON YOU
Thomas Archer
Luke Combs
Ray Fulcher
James McNair
50 Egg Music
Big Music Machine
Larkin Hill Publishing
Music of MAM
MV2 Music
Sony/ATV Countryside
Sony/ATV Tree
Straight Dimes Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
MOMMA’S HOUSE
Rodney Clawson
Michael Lotten
Dylan Schneider
Anthem Music Publishing I
Ford Drives A Chevy
Lucky Mic Publishing
Music of Parallel
Round Hill Compositions
Shirt At Work
MORE THAN MY HOMETOWN
Charlie Handsome
Michael Hardy
Ernest Keith Smith
Morgan Wallen
Big Loud Mountain
Relative Music Group
Round Hill Works
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Countryside
Sony/ATV Tree
NOBODY BUT YOU
Ross Copperman
Tommy Lee James
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Endurance Romeo Charlie
Smack of Ham Songs
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Still Working For The Man Music, Inc.
ONE BEER
Michael Hardy
Jake Mitchell
ClearBox Benefit
Rednecker Music
Relative Music Group
Sea Gayle Tavern House Music
Sony/ATV Tree
West Pass Music
ONE BIG COUNTRY SONG
Jesse Frasure
Michael Hardy
Relative Music Group
Songs of Roc Nation Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Telemitry Rhythm House Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
ONE MARGARITA
Josh Thompson
Big Music Machine
Music of MAM
MV2 Music
ONE NIGHT STANDARDS
Ashley McBryde
Canned Biscuit Songs
Songs of Harpeth Valley
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
ONE OF THEM GIRLS
Dallas Davidson
Ben Johnson
Natalia’s Music Money
Round Hill Compositions
ONE THING RIGHT
Kane Brown
Jesse Frasure
Marshmello
Kane Brown Music
Marshmello Music
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Songs of Roc Nation Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Telemitry Rhythm House Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
PRETTY HEART
Parker McCollum
Randy Montana
ParkerMac Publishing
Sullivan’s Guns Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
SOME GIRLS
Michael Hardy
Jake Mitchell
ClearBox Benefit
Harding Road Music
New Writers of Sea Gayle Music
Relative Music Group
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree
West Pass Music
SOMEBODY LIKE THAT
Tenille Arts (SOCAN)
Oven Music, Inc.
STARTING OVER
Michael Henderson
Straight Six Music
Wixen Music Publishing, Inc.
THE GOOD ONES
Gabby Barrett
Zach Kale
Emily Landis
Jim McCormick
BMG Blue
BMG Platinum Songs US
Fox Landis Lyrics
GBF Music Global
Revinyl House
Songs of Jim McCormick
Sony/ATV Countryside
Sony/ATV Tree
WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG
Rhett Akins
Jesse Frasure
Thomas Rhett
Parker Welling
Cricket On The Line
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Ritten By Rhettro
Songs of Home Team Music
Songs of Roc Nation Music
Telemitry Rhythm House Music
Tunes by TrailerParker
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
WHY WE DRINK
Casey Beathard
Justin Moore
Big Music Machine
Double Barrel Ace Music
Little Louder Songs
Seven Ring Circus Songs
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
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