Sony Music Publishing wins Pop Writer of the 12 months at 2026 BMI Awards… as Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Luther’ takes Music of the 12 months

Sony Music Publishing has been named the Pop Writer of the 12 months on the 2026 BMI Pop Music Awards.

The Sony-owned writer landed the title on the again of 24 BMI-honored pop songs by SMP-affiliated writers throughout the previous awards yr.

BMI’s ceremony was held on Tuesday (Might 12) in Los Angeles, California.

BMI’s Music of the 12 months honor went to Luther, Kendrick Lamar and SZA‘s No. 1 collaboration, with acknowledged co-writers together with Matthew “MTech” Bernard, Atia “Ink” Boggs, Mark “Sounwave” Spears, Roselilah (BUMA), and Sam Dew.

The night’s Songwriter Of The 12 months prize was shared by Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter.

“Being named Pop Writer of the 12 months is a proud second for our whole group, and one which belongs to the songwriters on the coronary heart of this award – this honor is yours.”

Katie Welle, Sony Music Publishing

SMP-affiliated writers honored for different pop songs included Woman Gaga for Abracadabra, J. White Did It for 30 For 30, Ed Sheeran for Azizam, Julian Bunetta and Mikky Ekko for Unhealthy Goals, Addison Rae for Food regimen Pepsi, Linus “Lotus IV” Wiklund and Noonie Bao for Apple, Mags Duval for Strange, and Gigi Perez for Sailor Music.

Different SMP honorees on the evening included Ravyn Lenae, Sarah Aarons, Mike Dean, Sam de Jong, The Child Laroi, Dylan Wiggins, Eddie Benjamin, Noah Ehler, Mike Hector, Brent Reynolds, John Ryan, Charlie Good-looking, and Joe Reeves.

“Being named Pop Writer of the 12 months is a proud second for our whole group, and one which belongs to the songwriters on the coronary heart of this award – this honor is yours,” stated Katie Welle, Sony Music Publishing‘s President, Head of A&R.

“Thanks to BMI, and to our superb group for all that you simply do for SMP songwriters. Congratulations to all this yr’s winners!”

The complete record of all 2026 BMI Pop Awards winners, together with writers from outdoors SMP‘s roster, is revealed on the PRO’s web site.

BMI‘s annual Pop Awards acknowledge the writers and publishers behind the most-performed pop songs within the PRO’s repertoire throughout the yr of eligibility.

BMI (aka Broadcast Music, Inc.) is likely one of the United States’ main efficiency rights organizations.

BMI was acquired by US personal fairness agency New Mountain Capital in early 2024, in a deal that transformed what had traditionally been a not-for-profit group right into a for-profit firm.

Sony Music Publishing is led by Chairman and CEO Jon Platt, who joined the corporate from Warner Chappell Music in 2019.

The BMI honor follows SMP‘s win on the 2026 ASCAP Pop Music Awards on Thursday (April 30) – its tenth Writer of the 12 months win on the ASCAP ceremony. SMP took the ASCAP title for its contributions throughout 27 of the previous yr’s most-performed pop songs within the PRO’s repertoire.

On Monday (Might 11), SMP confirmed an settlement to accumulate Blackstone‘s Recognition Music Group catalog, encompassing over 45,000 songs.

The catalog contains Journey‘s Don’t Cease Believin’, Beyoncé‘s Single Girls (Put A Ring On It), and Mariah Carey‘s All I Need For Christmas Is You.Music Enterprise Worldwide