2016 MusicRow Awards: Song Of The Year

MusicRow’s Song of the Year honors Nashville writers and publishers on the craft of songwriting, not necessarily chart performance.

Finalists for the 2016 MusicRow Awards, Nashville’s longest-running music industry trade publication honors, were revealed earlier this week.

SONG OF THE YEAR NOMINEES:
Publishing information included inside nominee announcement.

“Burning House”
Cam shared a devastating dream with her co-writers Tyler Johnson and Jeff Bhasker, leading them to write “Burning House.” The ballad established Cam’s career at country radio, earned a Grammy nomination and achieved platinum status.

“Buy Me a Boat”
Chris Janson sailed to stardom after “Buy Me a Boat” caught the attention of country radio, CMT and millions of fans. Co-written with Chris DuBois, the tune has more hooks than a tackle box and became one of the summer’s biggest hits.

“Humble and Kind”
Lori McKenna wrote “Humble and Kind” as a letter to her children, but its wise message reached Tim McGraw too. With his own daughters growing up and leaving home, his perspective and believability resonated with listeners of every age.

“Peter Pan”
Even before it was a single, Kelsea Ballerini says she saw “Peter Pan” connect with girls at her shows. Written with Forest Glen Whitehead and Jesse Lee, the song shows the heartache that comes from loving someone who won’t let a relationship mature.

“Record Year”
When the breakup is final, you turn to vinyl. That’s the theme of Eric Church’s “Record Year,” where he drops the needle on heroes like Willie Nelson and Stevie Wonder. Co-written with Jeff Hyde, the song shows the healing power of music.

The MusicRow Awards are often a key predictor for select CMA Awards categories. For example, Song of the Year honors at both ceremonies went to “Girl Crush” (2015), “I Drive Your Truck” (2013), “If I Die Young” (2011), “The House That Built Me” (2010) and “In Color” (2009).

The MusicRow Awards will be presented at a private ceremony at BMI on Wednesday, June 29. Winners are determined solely by MusicRow subscribers. See the final nominees.

Voting closes on Tuesday, May 24 at 5 p.m. If you do not have a subscription, you may subscribe to receive your ballot.