News Archive
A storyteller, songwriter, and visionary, Jake Wesley Rogers expresses his queer authenticity and artistry through his music. Rogers and his love for musical theater and songwriting led to his eventual signing with Justin Tranter’s Warner Records imprint, Facet Records (Tranter is notably a fellow BMI affiliate), and he turned his…
The BMI Stage Returns to Grant Park for Lollapalooza 2021
BMI is pleased to announce the return of the BMI Stage at Lollapalooza. From Thursday, July 29 to Sunday, August 1, the lights on the BMI Stage will shine for the first time in two years, presenting 24 incredible acts that festivalgoers need to know, including headliners Migrant Motel, Mothica,…
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…
10 Ways to Push the Creative Envelope With Your Songs
Sometimes, playing it safe is the most dangerous thing we can do. This is especially applicable when our goal is to write songs that rise above the competition; songs that become artists’ signature songs; and songs that impact audiences and propel artists to a next level. We need to find…
The BMI Stage at Lolla: A Retrospective
“I will always remember performing on the BMI stage at Lollapalooza. The energy was electric, so much fun and it was an amazing opportunity for me – it was my first festival performance as a solo artist!” – Bebe Rexha For fourteen years, BMI has been showcasing stellar lineups of…
What Makes a Song a Hit?
When I worked in the A & R Department at a major record label, and later, as production coordinator for albums by hit artists, in many cases, my ears were the first barrier that had to be crossed when a song was submitted for those acts. Almost all the songs…
BMI Sponsors 4th Annual SONA Songwriter Summit
BMI’s Michael Crepezzi, Krystina DeLuna and Barbie Quinn proudly represented BMI at the Songwriters of North America (SONA) Summit in Los Angeles on June 3. The standing room-only event, which BMI sponsored, featured a performance by BMI songwriter Justin Tranter, who also participated in a panel discussion about the music…
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.…
How to Write Non-Visual Lyrics That Engage Listeners
“Show—Don’t Tell” is one of the basic tenets taught in almost every songwriting class. Writing cinematic lyrics—lyrics that incorporate visual imagery that listeners can envision like a movie in their minds—is often thought of as one of the most effective ways to connect with audiences. Cinematic lyrics do not spell…
How to Write Song Hooks That “Hook” You in
What constitutes a hook? Any element of a song that grabs a listener’s attention and “hooks” them in. With there being so much competition for our listeners’ attention, including multiple hooks throughout our songs has become more important than ever. According to an article in The Atlantic magazine, “A short-attention-span…