May 12, 2026
LOS ANGELES, CA – May 13, 2026 – BMI paid tribute to the best in songwriting at the 2026 BMI Pop Awards tonight at Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California. Legendary songwriter Paul Anka received the BMI Icon Award honoring the trailblazer's illustrious career, defined by remarkable longevity and versatility. In addition, BMI's Pop Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and BMI's top 50 most-performed pop songs in the U.S. of the previous year were also announced. The private event was hosted by BMI CEO Mike O'Neill; BMI EVP, Chief Revenue & Creative Officer Mike Steinberg; VP, Worldwide Creative Barbara Cane; VP, Creative, NY Samantha Cox and VP, Creative, LA Tracie Verlinde.
In presenting the BMI Icon Award, Steinberg deemed Anka "music royalty" and went on to say, "tonight, we offer you BMI's highest honor to celebrate your incomparable catalog, your unmatched influence, and your legacy as one of the greatest hitmakers—and songwriters—of all time."
After receiving the award, Anka thanked BMI and said, "I've been doing this a long time and to be among my own is the biggest kick. I don't accept (this award) on an individual level, I'm going to accept it collectively in front of my brothers and sisters who do what I do. I share this with you." He added, "The process that we are all enjoying is a process that starts with the song…. Always has been." Anka then took to the stage for a captivating and intimate performance including a special rendition of his signature hit "My Way," which brought the audience to their feet for a roaring standing ovation.
As the newest BMI Icon honoree, Anka joins an elite group of songwriters who have received BMI's highest honor for their "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Previous recipients include Barry Manilow, The Bee Gees, Brian Wilson, Carlos Santana, Carole King, Crosby, Stills & Nash, David Foster, Dolly Parton, the Jacksons, John Fogerty, Kris Kristofferson, Mann & Weil, Merle Haggard, Nile Rodgers, Paul Simon, Stevie Nicks, Sting, Willie Nelson, Mike Stoller and Carole Bayer Sager among others.
Throughout the ceremony, the 50 most-performed pop songs of the previous year in the U.S. were also awarded, leading up to BMI's Pop Song of the Year, which went to "luther" written and performed by Kendrick Lamar with BMI co-writers Matthew "MTech" Bernard, Atia "INK" Boggs, Sam Dew, Roselilah (BUMA), Mark "Sounwave" Spears and SZA. This smash hit landed at #2 on Billboard's 2025 Year End Hot 100 Songs chart and made history for most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at 23 weeks, surpassing the previous record of 22 weeks for Lamar's own "Not Like Us."
BMI's Pop Songwriter of the Year was shared between Taylor Swift—marking her third consecutive and sixth career win in this category—and first-time recipient Sabrina Carpenter, for each writing six of the most-performed songs of the past year. Swift's award-winners were "But Daddy I Love Him," "Florida!!!," "Guilty as Sin?," "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys," "So Long, London," and "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived." In addition to this coveted honor, Swift now has received 53 BMI Pop Awards, along with the BMI President's Award in 2009 and the BMI Taylor Swift Award in 2016.
Carpenter's award-winning hits, "Bed Chem," "Busy Woman," "Good Graces," "Juno," "Manchild," and "Taste," now bring her to a total of 11 BMI Awards. In an acceptance video, Carpenter thanked BMI saying, "I feel so privileged because storytelling is one of my favorite things and has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Songwriting is sort of like being in a relationship that continues to charm you and surprise you and humble you, so over the years I feel like I've learned so much about myself and about other people through writing, and it has been the biggest gift to me."
Sony Music Publishing was named Publisher of the Year for representing 24 of the previous year's most-performed songs, including "30 for 30" (Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Anthony "J.White Did It" White), "Abracadabra" (Lady Gaga, Andrew Watt), "Apple" (Noonie Bao [STIM], Linus "LotusIV" Wiklund [STIM]), "Bad Dreams" (Rocky Block, Julian Bunetta, Mikky Ekko, John Ryan, Sarah "Solly" Solovay, and Teddy Swims), "Ordinary" (Mags Duval, Cal Shapiro, Adam Yaron) and "Sailor Song" (Gigi Perez) to name just a few.
BMI also named 32 first-time Pop Award winners, including Philip Lawrence for co-writing "APT" by Rosé and Bruno Mars, Gigi Perez for writing her hit "Sailor Song," Addison Rae for co-writing and performing "Diet Pepsi," sombr for "back to friends" and "undressed," Ravyn Lenae for co-writing her breakout track "Love Me Not," and Mags Duval, Cal Shapiro and Adam Yaron for "Burning Down," "Carry You Home" and "Ordinary," performed by Alex Warren, among others.
For a complete list of 2026 BMI Pop Award winners, please visit:
https://awards.bmi.com/show/pop-2026
High-resolution photos, performances and video footage can be downloaded now by going to:
https://publicity.gettyimages.com/event/2026-bmi-pop-awards
ABOUT PAUL ANKA:
Anka's career, spanning more than 70 years, is defined by extraordinary influence and timeless hits, starting with his first No. 1, "Diana," at age 15, and building a catalog of over 900 songs while becoming the only artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 across seven consecutive decades. Rising alongside early rock and roll legends, he later joined Frank Sinatra's circle and wrote the iconic "My Way," followed by a string of hits that cemented his status as a pop music icon. Anka has collaborated with a wide range of world-renowned artists, recorded over 120 albums, selling nearly 90 million copies worldwide, and composed the long-running theme for The Tonight Show. His numerous accolades include 24 BMI Awards, induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame along with SHOF's prestigious Johnny Mercer Award and has stars on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Canada Walk of Fame. Most recently, he released a new album, Inspirations of Life and Love, an HBO documentary, Paul Anka: His Way, and announced the development of an autobiographic Broadway musical.
ABOUT BMI:
Celebrating over 80 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in over 25 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.4 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI's repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on X and Instagram @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.'s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI's The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.
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