Parker McCollum Commemorates Fourth Consecutive No. 1 Hit

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Pictured (L-R, back row): Concord’s Brad Kennard, Liz Rose Music’s Dave Pacula, BMI’s Mason Hunter, MCA Nashville’s Miranda McDonald, ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, Warner Chappell’s Jessi Stevenson and Creative Nation’s Emily Furman. (L-R, front row): Lori McKenna (BMI), Liz Rose (BMI), Parker McCollum (BMI), Hillary Lindsey (ASCAP) and Studio Bank’s Ron Cox. Photo: Aubrey Wise for BMI

“Long live the Love Junkies!” one publisher shared from the stage at BMI where the industry was gathered to celebrate Parker McCollum‘s fourth consecutive hit “Burn It Down” earlier this week.

Written by McCollum and Junkies Liz Rose, Lori McKenna and Hillary Lindsey, the CMA Song of the Year-nominated tune brought together happy celebrators. The party was hosted by BMI and ASCAP.

Parker McCollum and BMI’s Mason Hunter pose with three BMI Million-Air Awards for “Pretty Heart,” “To Be Loved By You” and “Handle On You” each surpassing two million broadcast performances on U.S. radio. Photo: Aubrey Wise for BMI

BMI’s Mason Hunter presided. He highlighted BMI affiliates, sharing that Rose will join the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame next month and McKenna is a three-time Grammy winner. Later he surprised McCollum with three BMI Million-Air Awards—certificates given to songwriters whose works have achieved the rare feat of surpassing one million broadcast performances on U.S. radio—for his consecutive chart-toppers “Handle On You” (two million), “Pretty Heart” (two million) and “To Be Loved By You” (two million).

ASCAP’s Mike Sistad shared words about Lindsey, reminding the crowd that she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York earlier this year.

The hitmakers had a slew of top publishers speak about them, including Concord’s Brad Kennard, Liz Rose Music’s Dave Pacula, Warner Chappell’s Jessi Stevenson and Creative Nation’s Emily Furman. All of them commented on the generosity and excellence of the Love Junkies, and recognized McCollum for his commitment to writing and recording quality country songs.

MCA Nashville’s Miranda McDonald shared words of congratulations to her radio promo team and said that McCollum is the first MCA Nashville artist to have every single released reach the top of the charts. She also shared that “Burn It Down” is the only song that McCollum has specifically identified as a radio single.

Studio Bank’s Ron Cox made a special donation presentation on behalf of McCollum and the songwriters in support of Folds of Honor. The organization grants educational scholarships for children and spouses of fallen men and women in the military and first responders.

When it came time for the “Burn It Down” creators to speak, they bragged on each other and McCollum and thanked their teams.

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s John Nix Arledge; Lori McKenna, Liz Rose, Parker McCollum and Hillary Lindsey pose with their MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coins; MusicRow’s LB Cantrell. Photo: Aubrey Wise for BMI

“Most of all, I want to thank Parker for being a such a songwriter-artist,” Rose shared. “I love the way you have been so careful and respectful of songwriters and your songs. The fact that we get to write with you is really amazing. We appreciate it because we know how careful you are and how much you care about your songs, music and what you say.”

“It’s hard not to write a song with [Parker] because he oozes it. We were lucky enough to be in the room that day,” Lindsey said. “It was a magical day. I’m so thankful.”

“Parker, you’re a Love Junkie,” McKenna said. “We call ourselves Hocus Pocus when we’re with Parker. We were staying at his house [in Texas] for a few days and he took us around to local restaurants. You could see everyone in town watching Parker and three old women walk by. It was pretty much Parker and Hocus Pocus.”

“You know you’re in good company when your wife will go to her parents’ house for a week while three women come over,” McCollum joked. “To be sitting up on stage with three of the best songwriters country music has ever seen and get to have a No. 1 with them…is amazing.

“I care so much about the people that came before me and the what the songwriters I look up to would think about any song that I write,” McCollum added. “I’ve always been so hard on myself about writing songs that could stand the test of time and were good for country music. My hope is that Steve Earle, Chris Knight, James McMurtry and George Strait might hear them one day and not talk shit about them.”

McCollum, Rose, Linsey and McKenna’s “Burn It Down” will compete for Song of the Year at the 58th annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

LB Cantrell
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