BMI Honors Christian Music’s Best at the 2019 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville

Last night, BMI honored the top 25 songs played on U.S. Christian radio during the past year at the 2019 BMI Christian Awards, held at BMI’s Nashville offices on Music Row. The songwriters and publishers of the most performed Christian rock, contemporary Christian, inspirational, southern and urban gospel songs are honored at the annual awards.

“I love celebrating the writers, publishers, and artists at this awards dinner,” said Leslie Roberts, Executive Director, Creative. “Every year I am blown away by our performances, and as always, I am honored to present awards to the writers and publishers of this genre.”

Kicking off the invitation-only event was a set by comedian John Crist. Performances included Mallary Hope’s current single “Me,” Zach Williams’ Fear Is A Liar,” and Koryn Hawthorne’s “Speak The Name.”

The Song of the Year title went to “Reckless Love,” written by Ran Jackson and published by Be Essential Songs and Richmond Park Publishing. The song hit number one on Billboard’s U.S. Hot Christian Songs chart and remained there for 18 weeks. The song spent 68 weeks in total on the chart, with 53 weeks in the Top 10, and was ranked as the top Christian Song of 2018 by Billboard.

The Songwriter of the Year award went to Ethan Hulse, who wrote “Old Church Choir,” “When We Pray,” “Whole Heart” and “Word Of Life.” 

Be Essential Songs took home the Publisher of the Year award. The company had the highest percentage of copyright ownership among the year’s most-performed songs, including the hits “Different,” “Do It Again,” “Fear Is A Liar,” “God of All My Days,” “Old Church Choir,” “O’Lord,” “Reckless Love,” “When We Pray,” “Whole Heart,” “Words of Life,” and “Your Love Defends Me.”

During the program, Jody Williams, VP, Creative honored Elwyn Raymer with the BMI Compass Award for his contributions to the genre of Christian music throughout his career. The BMI Compass Award honors a person in the industry who exemplifies the unique ability to always find the correct way to achieve the greater good.

Song of the Year

Reckless Love
Ran Jackson
Be Essential Songs
Richmond Park Publishing

Songwriter of the Year

Ethan Hulse
Old Church Choir
When We Pray
Whole Heart
Word Of Life

Publisher of the Year

Be Essential Songs
Different
Do It Again
Fear Is a Liar
God of All My Days
Old Church Choir
O’Lord
Reckless Love
When We Pray
Whole Heart
Word Of Life
Your Love Defends Me

Award Winning Songs

ALL MY HOPE
Ed Cash
Alletrop Music
Map Catalogs

CLEAR SKIES
Ernie Haase
Wayne Haun
Joel Lindsey
Curb Dayspring Music
Ernie Sig Sound Music
Sea Smoke Music
Songs From The Inside
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

COME TO THE TABLE
Dave Frey
Ben McDonald
Curb Dayspring Music
Pencil Prophet Publishing
Run Run Milo
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

DIFFERENT
Micah Tyler
Be Essential Songs
Fair Trade Global Songs

DO IT AGAIN
Mack Brock
Chris Brown
Steven Furtick
Be Essential Songs
Music By Elevation Worship Publishing

FEAR IS A LIAR
Jonathan Smith
Zach Williams
Anthems of Hope
Be Essential Songs
Wisteria Drive Music

GOD OF ALL MY DAYS
Mark Hall
Be Essential Songs
My Refuge Music
Sparrow Song

GOD OF THE STORMS
Gerald Crabb
Christian Taylor Music
Clearbox Benefit
Gerald Crabb’s Songs

GRACE GOT YOU
Solomon Jerome Olds
Moon and Musky Music
Soul Glow Activator Music

HERE HE COMES
Joseph Habedank
Christian Taylor Music
Clearbox Benefit

I JUST NEED U.
Toby McKeehan
Blake NeeSmith
Achtober Songs
Harper and Hudson
House of Emack Music
Map Catalogs
River Oaks Music Company

JOY IN THE HOUSE
Marcia Henry
Barbara Ann Huffman
Christian Taylor Music
Clearbox Benefit
Sunset Gallery Music

OLD CHURCH CHOIR
Ethan Hulse
Zach Williams
Anthems of Hope
Be Essential Songs
EGH Music Publishing
Wisteria Drive Music

O’LORD
Joe Williams
Be Essential Songs
Sound District

POINT TO YOU
Darren Mulligan
Curb Dayspring Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

RECKLESS LOVE
Ran Jackson
Be Essential Songs
Richmond Park Publishing

RESURRECTION POWER
Tony Brown
Ed Cash
Alletrop Music
Bethel Worship Publishing
Capitol CMG Paragon
Map Catalogs
S.D.G. Publishing

SO WILL I (100 BILLION X)
Michael Fatkin (APRA)
Ben Hastings (APRA)
Joel Houston (APRA)
Capitol CMG Paragon

THANKFUL, SO THANKFUL
Lee Black
Scott Inman
Christian Taylor Music
Clearbox Benefit
Sunset Gallery Music

THE COMEBACK
Danny Gokey
Cameron James
BMG Platinum Songs
Creative Heart Publishing
Hello Darling Music

THE GOSPEL
Toby McKeehan
Achtober Songs
River Oaks Music Company

WHEN WE PRAY
Ethan Hulse
Tauren Wells
Be Essential Songs
Crucial Music Entertainment
EGH Music Publishing

WHOLE HEART
Brandon Heath
Ethan Hulse
Be Essential Songs
EGH Music Publishing
Haidaway Music
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing, Inc.

WORD OF LIFE
Ethan Hulse
Be Essential Songs
EGH Music Publishing

YOUR LOVE DEFENDS ME
Matt Maher
Be Essential Songs
I am a Pilgrim Songs