BMI HONORS ICON PAUL ANKA AMONG TOP SONGWRITERS AT THE 2026 BMI POP AWARDS
The music industry’s biggest songwriters, producers, and publishers gathered this week as BMI celebrated the creators behind some of the year’s most-played hits at the 2026 BMI Pop Awards.
Held May 12 at the iconic Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the annual event honored the talent shaping today’s pop music landscape while spotlighting legendary singer-songwriter Paul Anka with the prestigious BMI Icon Award.
Known for recognizing the writers behind the songs dominating radio, streaming, and charts, the BMI Pop Awards celebrated the creators of hits including “APT.,” “Bed Chem,” “Daisies,” “luther,” “MUTT,” “Ordinary,” and “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else.” The evening brought together an impressive mix of established hitmakers and rising stars for one of the industry’s most songwriter-focused nights.
Among the notable names in attendance were Benson Boone, Gigi Perez, Eddie Benjamin, Julian Bunetta, INK, Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, Sam Dew, Philip Lawrence, Sounwave, Laura Veltz, and Linda Thompson, alongside producers, publishers, and executives from across the music business.
One of the night’s biggest highlights was the tribute to Paul Anka, whose legendary career spans decades of songwriting and performing. The BMI Icon Award recognizes artists whose “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers” has had a lasting impact on the industry, and Anka’s catalog remains one of the most celebrated in pop music history.
Throughout the evening, BMI also announced its top honors including Pop Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year, and the most-performed songs of the previous year in the United States.
The private event was hosted by BMI executives Mike Steinberg, Barbara Cane, Samantha Cox, and Tracie Verlinde, who praised the songwriting community for continuing to shape culture through music.
Beyond the awards themselves, the evening served as a reminder of the creative forces behind today’s biggest songs — the writers and producers whose work fuels pop culture moments around the world.
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