The winners list has been revealed for the 59th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards.
In place of an in-person event, the writers and publishers of country music’s most-performed songs of the past year will be honored by ASCAP on their social media platforms beginning today. Using the hashtag #ASCAPAWARDS, exclusive winner photos, videos, and acceptance speeches will be posted to @ASCAP on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Dedicated posts for each winning song will be rolled out on @ASCAP social media each day through Nov. 10.
ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams, Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Matthews and EVP, Chief Creative Officer John Titta kicked off the online festivities with a joint welcome video message along with congratulations from ASCAP Vice President, Membership Nashville Mike Sistad and the ASCAP Nashville team.
Hitmaker Josh Osborne is this year’s ASCAP Country Music Songwriter of the Year for the first time. He is credited with eight chart-topping songs this year, including “7 Summers” (Morgan Wallen), “Beers and Sunshine” (Darius Rucker), “Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90’s” (Sam Hunt), “Happy Anywhere” (Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani), “Hard to Forget” (Sam Hunt), “How They Remember You” (Rascal Flatts), “Next Girl” (Carly Pearce) and “Nobody But You” (Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani). This is Osborne’s 35th ASCAP Award, including Song of the Year wins in 2015, 2018 and 2020. George Strait, one of Osborne’s biggest influences, shared news of the win with Osborne in an exclusive video to be featured on @ASCAP social media.
Ashley Gorley’s chart-topping “One of Them Girls” (recorded by Lee Brice) received ASCAP Country Music Song of the Year honors. ASCAP will share Gorley’s award acceptance for the certified Platinum single, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, along with kudos from Brice and several of the song’s publishers on social media this week.
Sony Music Publishing wins Publisher of the Year for the first time since 2012. Its winning songs include “Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90’s” (Sam Hunt), “Hole in the Bottle” (Kelsea Ballerini), “Lady” (Brett Young) and “Things a Man Oughta Know” (Lainey Wilson). SMP CEO Nashville, Rusty Gaston, will appear on @ASCAP social media thanking the company’s songwriters and staff.
For a full list of winners, visit ascap.com.
The social media event will also include a celebration of the life of Connie Bradley, former head of ASCAP Nashville who passed away earlier this year. Bradley was a beloved trailblazer in the music business who served more than three decades at ASCAP, rising to Senior Vice President and head of the Nashville office at a time when women filled very few top leadership positions in the music industry. The video tribute features remembrances from Wynonna Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Amy Grant and more.
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