P!nk receives BMI President’s Award; Nico and Vinz honored

By Yvette Caslin
May 13, 2015
10:31 am

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MAY 12: Honoree .P!nk poses with the BMI President's Award during the 63rd Annual BMI Pop Awards held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on May 12, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images for BMI) — BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MAY 12: Honoree .P!nk poses with the BMI President’s Award during the 63rd Annual BMI Pop Awards held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on May 12, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images for BMI)

Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) the global leader in music rights management, honored the songwriters and music publishers behind the year’s most-performed pop songs at the organization’s 63rd annual Pop Awards, held May 12 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

Dynamic singer-songwriter P!nk received the BMI President’s Award for her outstanding achievement in songwriting and global impact on pop culture and the entertainment industry. As the 2015 President’s Award recipient, P!nk joins an elite list of past honorees that includes Adam Levine, Juanes, Kike Santander, Taylor Swift, Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Pitbull and Willie Nelson.

Taylor Swift; Tim Bergling, aka Avicii; Benny Blanco;, Ed Sheeran; and Noel Zancanella all earned the coveted BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year title. Each penned three songs on the most-performed list. Swift composed “22,” “Everything Has Changed,” and “Shake It Off.” Bergling wrote “Hey Brother,” “Wake Me Up,” and co-penned Coldplay’s “Sky Full of Stars.” Blanco co-wrote Iggy Azalea’s “Black Widow,” Maroon 5’s “Maps,” and Rixton’s “Me and My Broken Heart.” Sheeran was honored for co-penning “Lego House,” “Sing” and Swift’s “Everything Has Changed.” Zancanella co-wrote Ellie Goulding’s “Burn,” Maroon 5’s “Maps,” and Demi Lovato’s “Neon Lights.”

John Legend clinched the BMI Pop Song of the Year honor for co-writing “All of Me.” With 27 songs among the year’s most-performed, Sony/ATV Publishing claimed the prestigious BMI Pop Publisher of the Year crystal.

The musical tribute to P!nk featured pop-folk duo The Weepies and alt-country purveyor Brandi Carlile. The Weepies offered a powerful rendition of P!nk’s “F—in’ Perfect,” while Carlile commandeered “Who Knew.” Alecia Moore (P!nk) then joined troubadour Dallas Green on stage as You+Me for a trio of songs including “You and Me,” “Unbeliever” and “Open Door.” Closing out the evening, P!nk was joined by Billy Mann for a meaningful rendition of “Dear Mr. President.”

The 63nd annual BMI Pop Awards were hosted by BMI vice president and general manager, writer/publisher relations, Barbara Cane; and BMI president and CEO, Mike O’Neill.