Recap of the 2026 BMI Pop Awards: Paul Anka Receives BMI Icon Award, Kendrick Lamar's 'luther' Wins Song of the Year
The 2026 BMI Pop Awards took place at Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California, where legendary songwriter Paul Anka was honored with the BMI Icon Award for his remarkable career. Anka expressed his gratitude for the recognition and performed his hit song "My Way" to a standing ovation. He joined a prestigious group of past BMI Icon recipients like Barry Manilow and Carole King.
The event also celebrated the 50 most-performed pop songs of the previous year in the U.S., with Kendrick Lamar's "luther" winning BMI Pop Song of the Year. Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter were named Songwriters of the Year for their contributions to the music industry. Sony Music Publishing was recognized as Publisher of the Year for representing numerous hit songs.
Several first-time Pop Award winners were acknowledged, including Philip Lawrence, Gigi Perez, Addison Rae, sombr, Ravyn Lenae, and Mags Duval, Cal Shapiro, and Adam Yaron. The evening highlighted the talent and creativity of songwriters and performers in the pop music genre.
For a complete list of the 2026 honorees, visit the BMI website and join the conversation on social media using #BMIPopAwards. Stay tuned for photos and video clips from the event.