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Devin Kennedy is an in-demand singer/songwriter and producer from Los Angeles, CA. Raised in a musical household, Devin started playing drums, guitar, and bass all before the age of 10. At 17, he was accepted into Berklee College of Music, where he combined his passion for writing and producing in…
Which Point of View Is Best For Your Song
I’m often asked which point of view is the strongest for songs. Point of view, which is sometimes referred to as the narrative perspective, determines whether the singer is sharing his or her own story and feelings; telling someone else’s story and feelings; or acting as an impartial narrator. Let’s…
Duets and Featured Artists: The Hot Trend in Recordings
It would be hard to look at a list of current hit songs without noticing a trend: the growing use of featured artists. A featured artist is one who makes a guest appearance on another artist’s recording to create a collaboration. What’s the difference between a duet and a song…
“Bring Me Something New”—What Song Publishers Really Mean
I recently forwarded three songs to a list of publishers who have agreed to listen to songs that I screen. One of the publishers responded, “This song is very well written and commercial. But I’ve already got this kind of stuff by the dozens. Seems that most writers are all…
Lolla Indie Spotlight: Shy Carter
With roots stretching from gospel and jazz to R&B, soul, and hip-hop, Shy Carter’s gift for storytelling and love of organic instrumentation led to a natural transition into country music. A songwriter, artist, and producer, Carter’s credits include Kane Brown’s “Heaven,” Charlie Puth’s “One Call Away,” Billy Currington’s “It Don’t…
BMI Celebrates the 2021 Pop Awards
BMI proudly celebrates the 69th Annual BMI Pop Awards, recognizing the songwriters, publishers and administrators of the previous year’s most-performed pop songs in the United States across radio and digital streaming platforms. All winners were announced in a special online celebration and on BMI’s social channels, including the recipients of…
BMI Congratulates its 2019 GRAMMY Nominees
BMI is exceptionally proud to congratulate its many affiliates nominated for awards by the Recording Academy at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, scheduled to be held on February 10, 2019 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Nominations for the music industry’s most prestigious accolades were announced on December 7. In…
Are Your Songs Too “Rangy” for Today’s Singers?
At the beginning of my career, I had a song go on hold for a female country music star whose singles regularly went to #1. The head of her record label said my song was a “must-cut” situation, and I was faced with a daunting decision: should I buy a…
Mark Ronson Receives the BMI Champion Award at the 66th BMI Pop Awards
BMI honored internationally renowned super producer, artist, songwriter and DJ Mark Ronson last night with the BMI Champion Award at its 66th Annual BMI Pop Awards. The evening also celebrated the songwriters, publishers and administrators of the past year’s most-performed pop songs in the United States from BMI’s extensive catalogue.…
Rewind With BMI’s 2016 Songs of the Year
Every year BMI celebrates the immense talent of our affiliates over the course of eight different awards shows. The coveted Song of the Year award, which is given to the track that received the most performances within that genre, salutes the songwriter’s ability to dominate the airwaves. Here’s a chance…