2025 BMI Country Awards Honors Clint Black, Top Songwriters & Publishers

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Mike O’Neill, President/CEO, BMI, Clint Black and Clay Bradley, Vice President, Creative, Nashville, BMI. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images for BMI

The 2025 BMI Country Awards took over Music Row last night (Nov. 18), honoring the prolific career of BMI Icon Award recipient Clint Black, as well as the Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year.

Taking place once again at BMI’s Nashville headquarters, the 73rd annual event also celebrated the top songwriters and music publishers behind this past year’s 50 most-performed songs in country music. BMI’s President & CEO Mike O’Neill hosted the evening alongside Chief Revenue & Creative Officer Mike Steinberg, and Nashville’s VP, Creative, Clay Bradley.

Throngs of guests mixed and mingled at the last PRO award show of the season, and dined on a platted dinner of roast beef, mashed potatoes, asparagus and a chocolate fudge dessert. After much merry-making, the evening began with some words from O’Neill about the work BMI has been doing for songwriters.

Pictured (L-R): Shannon Sanders, Austen Adams, Charlie Handsome, Katie Welle, ERNEST, Chandler Walters, Seth England and Clay Bradley. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images for BMI

Throughout the evening, BMI recognized the songwriters and publishers behind the 50 most-performed country songs of the previous year, calling up songwriters and publishers to take a photo on stage while the crowd cheered them on.

Between the awards being given out, Black was honored with several performances and video tributes.

Since his affiliation with BMI in 1993, Black has achieved 22 No. 1 singles, all of which he either wrote or co-wrote himself. He has received 20 BMI Country Awards throughout his career, and at this year’s awards ceremony, he joined an elite group of songwriters who have had an indelible influence on music makers over generations, including Bill Anderson, Matraca Berg, Dean Dillon, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Randy Owen, Dolly Parton and Hank Williams, Jr.

To honor Black, Midland opened the ceremony with his debut chart-topper “Better Man.” Later in the evening, Jamey Johnson performed “Untanglin’ My Mind,” Wynonna Judd and Randy Houser brought the house down on “A Bad Goodbye,” and Riley Green closed the tribute with “Killin’ Time.”

The Warner Chappell Nashville team. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images for BMI

When Black accepted the honor, he spoke about his love for songwriting and the Nashville community, and the hard work of his team.

“You don’t get up here and do what we do without a long train of people behind you, pushing you up the hill,” he said. “There’s been a lot of people in my life who are as much responsible for this moment as I am.”

After visiting the stage multiple times to collect awards for many of the 50 most-performed country songs of the year, Charlie Handsome was named BMI Country Songwriter of the Year. Handsome co-wrote five of BMI’s most-performed songs in country music including Post Malone featuring Luke Combs’ “Guy For That,” Dylan Scott’s “This Town’s Been Too Good To Us,” Morgan Wallen’s “Love Somebody,” Post Malone featuring Wallen on, “I Had Some Help,” and Post Malone featuring Blake Shelton on “Pour Me A Drink.”

Charlie Handsome speaks onstage. Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images for BMI

Handsome thanked his wife, friends, publishers at Sony, friends at Big Loud and frequent collaborators.

“I Had Some Help” performed by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen was named the 2025 BMI Country Song of the Year, published by Big Loud Mountain, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp and written by Handsome, Hoskins, Ernest Keith Smith, Wallen and Chandler Paul Walters.

The 2025 BMI Publisher of the Year accolade went to Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., which published 32 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year.

Marking a record-breaking year, 38 first-time award winners were recognized including Seth Ennis’ for Dylan Marlowe and Dylan Scott’s “Boys Back Home,” Thomas Eriksen for Kane Brown’s “Miles On It,” Mackenzie Carpenter for Megan Moroney’s “I’m Not Pretty,” Travis Heidelman for Dasha’s “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’), Carrie Karpinen for Koe Wetzel’s “High Road,” Chase Matthew for his hit “Love You Again,” Nevin Sastry for Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Zach Top for his hit “I Never Lie” and Tucker Wetmore for his hit “Wind Up Missin’ You.”

For a complete list of the 2025 BMI Country Awards winners, click here.

LB Cantrell
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