BMI Honors Christian Music’s Best at 2016 Awards Ceremony

For King and Country’s ‘Shoulder’ named Song of the Year; Word Music Publishing earns Publisher of the Year; Matt Maher and Chris Tomlin Named Songwriters of the Year

Posted in News on June 21, 2016
BMI’s Leslie Roberts, BMI Songwriters of the Year Chris Tomlin and Matt Maher, BMI’s Mike O’Neill, Del Bryant and BMI’s Jody Williams at the 2016 BMI Christian Awards
BMI’s Leslie Roberts, BMI Songwriters of the Year Chris Tomlin and Matt Maher, BMI’s Mike O’Neill, Del Bryant and BMI’s Jody Williams at the 2016 BMI Christian Awards Photo: Steve Lowry

BMI proudly honored the songwriters and publishers of the top 25 songs played on Christian radio during the past year at the 2016 BMI Christian Awards, held this evening at the Company’s Nashville office on Music Row. In addition, the Christian Songwriters of the Year, Publisher of the Year and Song of the Year were crowned at the annual ceremony.

“We’re honored to be able to celebrate these top Christian music creators,” Jody Williams, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, noted. “These songwriters and publishers earned incredible airplay while spreading a wonderful message.”

The Song of the Year title went to “Shoulders,” written by BMI songwriter Luke Smallbone with Ben Glover, Joel Smallbone and Tedd Tjornhom and published by Dayspring Music, Kilns Music and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation. The song was recorded by For King and Country and reached #4 on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart.

The Songwriter of the Year award went to two outstanding songwriters this year. Matt Maher earned the title for his songs “Because He Lives (Amen),” Come As You Are” and “Soul On Fire.” His co-writer on “Because He Lives (Amen),” Chris Tomlin, was also awarded Songwriter of the Year for the song, as well as “At The Cross (Love Ran Red)” and “Jesus Loves Me.”

Word Music Publishing (Dayspring Music and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation) took home the Publisher of the Year award, having earned the highest percentage of copyright ownership among the year’s most-performed songs, including the hits “More Than You Think I Am,” “Save My Life,” “Shoulders,” “Through All Of It” and “Who I Am.”

Along with the award presentations, the invitation-only event featured a special tribute to Joe Moscheo by Steven Curtis Chapman, as well as performances by All Sons & Daughters, and Matt Maher. Williams and Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Leslie Roberts, served as the evening’s hosts.

Here’s a complete list of the 2016 BMI Christian Award winners:

SONG OF THE YEAR

“Shoulders”
Luke Smallbone
Ben Glover*
Joel Smallbone*
Tedd Tjornhom*
Dayspring Music
Kilns Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

SONGWRITERS OF THE YEAR

Matt Maher
“Because He Lives (Amen)”
“Come As You Are”
“Soul On Fire”

Chris Tomlin
“At The Cross (Love Ran Red)”
“Because He Lives (Amen)”
“Jesus Loves Me”

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR

Word Music Publishing
(Dayspring Music and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.)

“More Than You Think I Am”
“Save My Life”
“Shoulders”
“Through All Of It”
“Who I Am”

*Share not licensed by BMI

AWARD WINNING SONGS

AT THE CROSS (LOVE RAN RED)
Ed Cash
Jonas Myrin
Chris Tomlin
Atlas Mountain Songs
McKittrick Music
S.D.G. Publishing
sixsteps Songs
Universal Music-Brentwood Benson Songs
Worship Together Music
Chris Tomlin

BACK TO YOU
Richard Alan Powell
Be Essential Songs
Oomoo Music
Mandisa

BECAUSE HE LIVES (AMEN)
Ed Cash
Bill Gaither
Gloria Gaither
Matt Maher
Chris Tomlin
Alletrop Music
Be Essential Songs
Hanna Street Music
I am a Pilgrim Songs
S.D.G. Publishing
sixsteps Songs
Worship Together Music
Matt Maher

BEYOND ME 
Toby McKeehan
Achtober Songs
tobyMac

BROTHER
Bear Rinehart
Bo Rinehart
Bear Lee Breathing Music
Needtobreathe Music
Needtobreathe

COME AS YOU ARE
Matt Maher
Capitol CMG Paragon
Valley of Songs Music
Crowder

DO LIFE BIG
Toby McKeehan
Achtober Songs
Jamie Grace

EVERYBODY’S GOING THROUGH SOMETHING
Karen Peck
Kenna West
Christian Taylor Music
Karen Peck Music
Karen Peck and New River

FLAWLESS
Solomon Jerome Olds
Soul Glow Activator Music
MercyMe

GLORYBOUND
Monty Allen
Robert Arthur
Bet The Farm Music
Kenziegray Music
Sir Rob Art Music
The Whisnants

HE KNOWS MY NAME
Mia Fieldes
Be Essential Songs
Upside Down Under
Francesca Battistelli

HOW CAN IT BE 
Jeffrey D. Johnson (SOCAN)
Lauren Daigle

JESUS LOVES ME
Chris Tomlin
S.D.G. Publishing
sixsteps Songs
Worship Together Music
Chris Tomlin

JOYS OF HEAVEN
Dianne Wilkinson
Christian Taylor Music
Kingdom Heirs

LOVE THEM TO JESUS
Rodney Birch
Asheville Music Publishing
The Old Paths

MADE NEW
Lincoln Brewster
Integrity’s Praise! Music
Worldwide Echoes
Lincoln Brewster

MORE THAN YOU THINK I AM
Danny Gokey
Bernie Herms
Tim Nichols
BMG Platinum Songs
Creative Heart Publishing
Dayspring Music
G650 Music
Made For This Music
Pure Note Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Danny Gokey

OH YES I AM
Regina Walden
Asheville Music Publishing
Chris White Music
Kingsmen Quartet

OVERWHELMED
Phil Wickham
Phil Wickham Music
Seems Like Music
Sing My Songs
Big Daddy Weave

SAVE MY LIFE
Dave Frey
Ben McDonald
Dayspring Music
Sidewalk Prophets

SHOULDERS
Luke Smallbone
Dayspring Music
Kilns Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
for KING & COUNTRY

SOUL ON FIRE
Matt Maher
Be Essential Songs
I am a Pilgrim Songs
Third Day

THRIVE 
Mark Hall
Be Essential Songs
My Refuge Music
Casting Crowns

THROUGH ALL OF IT 
Molly Reed
Dayspring Music
Goes Something Like This Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Colton Dixon

WHO I AM
Blanca Callahan
Mia Fieldes
Be Essential Songs
Curly Pop Music Publishing
Dayspring Music
Upside Down Under
Blanca

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