2025 AIMP Nashville Country Awards Winners Revealed

The Association of Independent Music Publishers celebrated the work, successes and creativity of Nashville’s independent music publishers and songwriters on Tuesday evening (April 8) during the AIMP Nashville Country Awards held at Marathon Music Works. The evening awarded winners in eight categories.

Hosted by media personality Storme Warren, the event saw many of Nashville’s songwriting and publishing elites gather to fete top songs, songwriters, artists and publishers. Rising artist-writer of the year and artist of the year nominees and winners, both past and present, paid homage to various tunes that have previously won the song of the year category.

HARDY performed the Little Big Town-recorded “Girl Crush,” Jordan Davis sang Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” Hailey Whitters offered a rendition of Midland’s “Drinkin’ Problem” and Carly Pearce performed Kacey Musgraves’ “Rainbow.” Lee Brice performed the Maren Morris hit “The Bones,” while Jackson Dean performed Brice’s “One of Them Girls.” Old Dominion sang Morgan Wallen’s “Sand in My Boots,” while Ashley McBryde sang Chris Stapleton’s “You Should Probably Leave.” Hannah Ellis and Nick Wayne teamed up to perform Davis’s hit “Next Thing You Know.”

The evening also included a tender video tribute to the late Warner Chappell Music Nashville president/CEO Ben Vaughn, who passed away in January.

Wrensong Entertainment’s Ree Guyer said in a statement, “What a magical night celebrating the Nashville independent community of writers and publishers. There was an undeniable sense of community in the room. Thank you to my amazing awards committee, who worked incredibly hard to bring this night to life.”

See the list of this year’s winners and nominees below:

Rising songwriter of the year:

*7 nominees (because of a tie)
Abram Dean – Independently published by Concord Music Publishing
WINNER: Jon Decious – Independently published by OneRiot, Reservoir
Lalo Guzman – Independently published by SMACKSongs
Wyatt McCubbin – Independently published by 50 Egg Music, Tape Room Music
Steve Moakler – Independently published by Creative Nation
Daniel Ross – Independently published by Big Machine Music
Chandler Walters – Independently published by Ern’s Cadillac Music, Big Loud Publishing

Rising artist writer of the year:

George Birge – Independently published by Big Machine Music
Laci Kaye Booth – Independently published by Big Machine Music
Dylan Marlowe – Independently published by Play It Again Music, Relative Music Group
Vincent Mason – Independently published by Hang Your Hat Music, Concord Music Publishing
WINNER: Zach Top – Independently published by Major Bob Music
Tucker Wetmore – Independently published by Back Blocks Music

Artist-writer of the year:

Ashley Cooke – Independently published by Back Blocks Music, Big Loud Publishing
WINNER: Jordan Davis – Independently published by Anthem Entertainment
Jackson Dean – Independently published by Little Louder Music
ERNEST – Independently published by Big Loud Publishing
HARDY – Independently published by Relative Music Group
Carly Pearce – Independently published by Altadena Music

Song champion of the year:

WINNER: Courtney Allen – Sr. Director, A&R, Concord Music Publishing
Greg Gallo – VP, Creative, Reservoir
Shannan Hatch – SVP, Creative, SESAC
MaryAnn Keen – Director, Creative, BMI Nashville
Sara Knabe – SVP, A&R, Big Loud Music
Melissa Spillman – VP, A&R, Concord Music Publishing

Publisher pick of the year:
“Casseroles” written by Hillary Lindsey, Tom Douglas, and James Slater; Independently published by Concord Music Publishing
Performed by Hailey Whitters
WINNER: “Hell Is A Dance Floor” written by Vincent Mason and Chase McDaniel; Independently published by Hang Your Hat Music, Concord Music Publishing 
Performed by Vincent Mason
“Killed A Man” written by Joe Fox, Geoff Warburton, and Jimi Bell; Independently published by Liz Rose Music, Big Machine Music, Range Music Publishing, Worktape Music 
Performed by Post Malone
“Made In The USA” written by Ben Stennis, Emily Falvey, and Adam James; Independently published by SMACKSongs, Kobalt Music Publishing, Young Guns Publishing 
Performed by Cody Johnson
“Midwest Rock & Roll” written by Ryan Hurd, Mark Holman, and Randy Montana; Independently published by Big Machine Music, Big Loud Publishing 
Performed by Ryan Hurd
“The Loneliest Girl In The World” written by Laci Kaye Booth, Jon Stark, and Aby Gutierrez; Independently published by Big Machine Music, Dream3 Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing 
Performed by Laci Kaye Booth

Song of the year:

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” written by Mark Allen Williams, Joe Kent, Sean Cook, Collins Obinna Chibueze, Nevin Sastry, and Jerell Jones; Independently published by Kobalt Music, Seeker Music, Range Music Publishing
Performed by Shaboozey
“Burn It Down” written by Hillary Lindsey, Liz Rose, Lori McKenna, and Parker McCollum; Independently published by Concord Music Publishing, Liz Rose Music, Creative Nation
Performed by Parker McCollum
“I Had Some Help” written by Ernest Keith Smith, Chandler Walters, Ashley Gorley, Morgan Wallen, Austin Post, Hoskins, Louis Bell, Ryan Vojtesak; Independently published by Big Loud Publishing, Ern’s Cadillac Music, Domain Capitol Group 
Performed by Post Malone & Morgan Wallen
“Lies Lies Lies” written by Jessie Jo Dillon, Daniel Ross, Chris Tompkins, Josh Miller;  Independently published by Big Machine Music, Concord Music Publishing, Boom Music Group
Performed by Morgan Wallen
WINNER: “The Painter” written by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, and Ryan Larkins; Independently published by Big Machine Music
Performed by Cody Johnson
“Wind Up Missin’ You” written by Tucker Wetmore, Chris LaCorte, and Thomas Archer; Independently published by BackBlocks Music, Hang Your Hat Music, Concord Music Publishing, Combustion Music
Performed by Tucker Wetmore

Songwriter of the year:

Rocky Block – Independently published by Big Loud Publishing
WINNER: Jessie Jo Dillon – Independently published by Big Machine Music
Ashley Gorley – Independently published by Domain Capitol Group
Hunter Phelps – Independently published by Tape Room Music
Taylor Phillips – Independently published by Tape Room Music
Jonathan Singleton – Independently published by 50 Egg Music

Top independent music publisher of the year:

Big Loud Publishing
WINNER: Big Machine Music
Concord Music Publishing
Purple Rabbit Music

Related Images: