Awards
In 2014, John Mellencamp signed a lifetime recording agreement with Republic Records. He demonstrated why that was a smart investment on Republic’s part with a winning performance at the second annual Grammy Hall of Fame Gala. The event was held on Friday night (May 16) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. — the site of the first Grammy ceremony in 1959.
Mellencamp performed as part of a salute to Republic Records, which was this year’s record company honoree. Conan Gray performed his 2020 hit “Heather” as part of that salute, though Muni Long, who had been announced as a third performer in the segment, did not appear. (Atlantic Records was the label honoree at last year’s inaugural Grammy Hall of Fame Gala, which was held at the Novo Theater at L.A. Live.)
The Grammy Hall of Fame Gala, presented jointly by the Recording Academy and the Grammy Museum, was conceived as a way to elevate the stature of the annual Hall of Fame inductions, which had long announced with little more than a press release. The Grammy Hall of Fame was established by the Recording Academy’s national trustees in 1973, initially to honor recordings that were released prior to the inception of the Grammy Awards in 1959. The selection criteria was long ago changed to include any recording that is at least 25 years old.
The Grammy Hall of Fame used to be the only major institutional award to honor classic recordings, but the arrival in 2002 of the National Recording Registry, administered by the Library of Congress, means the Grammy Hall of Fame no longer has this field all to itself.
Though it’s not their stated purpose, the Grammy Hall of Fame serves as a second chance for the Grammys to honor recordings they may have missed when they were first released. Of this year’s 13 honorees, 11 were released since the inception of the Grammy Awards. Of those 11, only two — Santana’s Supernatural (1999) and Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball (1995) — had won Grammys when they were eligible. Only one other — Luther Vandross’ Never Too Much (1981) — had even been nominated.
Inducted recordings are selected annually by a member committee, with final ratification by the academy’s national board of trustees. Counting these 13 new titles, the Grammy Hall of Fame has 1,165 inducted recordings. The full list of past inducted recordings can be found here.
The artists could have as much or as little involvement in the Grammy Hall of Fame Gala as they wanted. Harris performed two songs from Wrecking Ball. R&B veteran Eddie Floyd performed his 1966 hit “Knock on Wood.”
Carlos Santana, honored for Supernatural, and Yusuf, the former Cat Stevens, honored for his 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman, accepted their awards with remarks on video. Santana thanked Clive Davis, who signed the band to both Columbia Records and, 30 years later, Arista Records. Of the Arista deal, which kicked off with Supernatural, he thanked Davis “and his belief that we could rock the world. Together we created a masterpiece of joy.”
JAY-Z, who is tied with Ye (formerly Kanye West), for the most Grammy wins by a rapper (25), didn’t even send in a video to acknowledge his Hall of Fame induction for his 1996 album, Reasonable Doubt.
The event attempted to serve multiple agendas. At one point, the proceedings were interrupted by a fund-raising drive for the Grammy Museum. That’s a worthy endeavor, but it undermined the program’s momentum.
Anthony Mason of CBS News hosted the event, with production led by Ken Ehrlich, who produced or executive produced the Grammy telecast for 40 years. Ron Basile, Lindsay Saunders Carl and Lynne Sheridan were also on the production team. Grammy and Latin Grammy winner Cheche Alara served as music director.
Here are eight highlights of the second annual Grammy Hall of Fame Gala.
John Mellencamp Honors Republic Records
For the Italian public, he is now an artist who needs no introduction. His surprising climb to second place at the Sanremo Festival 2025 with the song “Volevo Essere un Duro” (“I Wanted to Be a Tough Guy”) made him famous thanks to its mix of tenderness, irony and aesthetic and musical references to glam rock – reinterpreted in his own way. However, for the international public of Eurovision 2025, Lucio Corsi is an artist who is still to be discovered.
Italy’s presence among the “Big Five” guarantees him direct access to the final, but will he be able to replicate his unexpected success of Sanremo? He openly does not aim for victory: “Music for me is not a competition. It would make no sense: how can you compete in music? It’s not a sport,” he says, sounding sincere.
However, everyone’s eyes and ears are focused on the Saturday (May 17) final, where the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest winner will be decided. Billboard Italy interviewed the “anti-hero” songwriter after his performance in the first semifinal to gather his thoughts and impressions before the final.
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What was your first impression of Eurovision?
It was interesting to see how many rehearsals there are before the performance. They are repeated several times a day and there is great attention to every little detail. There is also great readiness to improve the shots and the sound. It is a fortune to be able to invent what we want on stage.
What are the similarities and differences between Sanremo and Eurovision?
In Sanremo everything is very concentrated: from morning to evening there are interviews, rehearsals, performances. Here, instead, everything is more dilated in time and there are fewer things on your schedule. In Sanremo you continuously breathe the atmosphere of the festival, here you can also isolate yourself: in some moments you don’t even feel like you are at Eurovision. It is also interesting to be able to encounter other types of musical expression, from other countries and with other conceptions of the songs.
You said that you particularly like Napa, the Portuguese band. Have you had the chance to meet other Eurovision artists in person?
Yes, I met Go-Jo, the Australian artist. I first met him by chance while walking in Rome: we turned a corner and found ourselves face to face. It’s a small world…. Then I met [Estonian artist] Tommy Cash here in the hotel. These encounters are among the nice things of these experiences.
After your performance, many people appreciated your reference to a glam rock sound and aesthetic. Is it an element you are counting on to appeal to an international audience?
I have always tried to find my own way of being inspired by that type of sound. I have always liked it, since adolescence. It is not something aimed at making an impression: it just interests me on the level of composition, sound, research. However, I like many types of music, from folk to prog rock. In the future, I would like to delve into other things as well. This is just a snapshot of this period of mine.
How was your “anti-hero” style received by those who didn’t know you before?
I’m very happy that the English subtitles to the lyrics did their job. I’m happy to see that foreign journalists understood the meaning of the song. I hope that can happen in the final, too. The English translation we did is the simplest possible, because it has to reach non-native speakers as well. We didn’t need a sophisticated translation but a clear, immediate text.
Your collaboration with Tommaso Ottomano, who is with you on stage, is very close: tell us about the human and professional relationship that binds you guys.
He’s like a brother. We’ve known each other since we were kids and we’ve invented everything together, from songs to music videos [Ottomano is also a director, ed.]. We both come from Tuscan, in particular from Maremma, which is a sort of Italian Wild West. Music took us away from the boredom of the province, which is also wonderful because it’s very similar to peace. Learning to deal with such boredom as kids gave us the opportunity to find escapes in music. Also, the stories of people from the provinces are very epic: since the places are “small,” these stories have to be in some way gigantic. This inspires me a lot.
Lucio Corsi
Francis Delacroix/Billboard Italy
Lil Wayne, Teyana Taylor, GloRilla, Playboi Carti, and Leon Thomas are the first performers announced for the 2025 BET Awards. The 25th anniversary show will air live from Peacock Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Monday, June 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET.
GloRilla is one of this year’s leading nominees, with six nominations, including album of the year for Glorious. Playboi Carti has one of the most successful albums of 2025; Music (which was released after the eligibility period for the 2025 BET Awards ended) topped the Billboard 200 for three weeks in March and April.
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More performers and honorees will be announced. Comedian Kevin Hart will host the show. It’s his second time fronting the show, having previously hosted in 2011.
“We’re setting the tone for a night that celebrates 25 years of impact, creativity, and Black culture,” Connie Orlando, evp of specials, music programming & music strategy at BET, said in a statement. “With electrifying performances from some of the biggest names in music and an iconic comedic host, BET Awards 2025 will be a can’t-miss celebration of everything the culture represents.”
BET will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the launch of its music video countdown show 106 & Park with a special tribute, with creative direction by Teyana Taylor and The Aunties Production. Former hosts AJ Calloway, Free Marie Wright, Julissa Bermudez, Keshia Chanté, Rocsi Diaz, and Terrence J will reunite on stage for a nostalgic celebration. The tribute will feature performances by Bow Wow (who hosted the show from 2012-14), Amerie, B2K, Jim Jones, Mya, T.I., and more. 106 & Park aired on BET from 2000-14. There are reports that a reboot of the show will premiere by September.
Kendrick Lamar leads the 2025 BET Awards nominations with 10 nods. Doechii, Drake, Future and GloRilla are tied with six nominations, Metro Boomin earned five, and SZA and The Weeknd are tied with four each.
Orlando serves as the executive producer for BET Awards 2025, with Jamal Noisette, svp of tentpoles & music community engagement, for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.
Atticus Ross was named a BMI Icon at the 2025 Film, TV and Visual Media Awards on Wednesday (May 14), in recognition of his body of work across film and television. The private ceremony held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., was hosted by Mike O’Neill, BMI president & CEO, and Tracy McKnight, BMI vp, creative, film, TV & visual media.
O’Neill presented Ross with the BMI Icon Award, expressing that his “innovative spirit and passion for pushing the boundaries of composition have literally reengineered the way we experience storytelling.” He went on to say, “we are very proud to honor your incomparable contributions to the world of music as a composer, a rock pioneer and an icon.”
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Ross was emotional upon receiving the honor and stated, “The thing I love about film music is that there aren’t any rules, there aren’t any pros. Essentially, to my mind, it’s all about how we make people feel, and that’s what music is about.” Moreover, he voiced, “I put a lot of effort into making sure that this never feels like a job. I wake up every day grateful for the opportunity to make music, this is my dream, and I don’t take it lightly.”
Ross is a multifaceted musician, composer and producer who has received two Oscars, two Grammys, one Primetime Emmy, one BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards and three Critics Choice Awards. He’s also won 18 BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards, as well as one BMI Country, one BMI Pop and one BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Award.
In addition to his work as a composer, Ross has had a successful career as a member of Nine Inch Nails and a longtime collaboration with bandmate Trent Reznor. Together, they’ve created some of the most memorable film and TV scores of the past two decades, including The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Soul, Challengers and Watchmen. Ross has also collaborated with his brother Leopold Ross and wife Claudia Sarne on movies such as The Book of Eli and Triple 9 and series like Black Mirror, Dear Mama and Shōgun.
Previous BMI Icon Award recipients include Terence Blanchard, Mychael Danna, Alexandre Desplat, Ramin Djawadi, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Newton Howard, Christopher Lennertz, Thomas Newman, Rachel Portman (PRS), Mike Post, Alan Silvestri, Brian Tyler and John Williams.
During the ceremony, composers were honored for music featured in the past year’s top-grossing films, top-rated network television series, highest-ranking cable network and streamed media programs, and the most popular video games. Multiple award winners, in addition to Ross, included Fil Eisler, Tom Howe, Andrew Lockington, Blake Neely, Julia Newman, Mike Post, Carlos Rafael Rivera, Tyler Strickland and Atli Örvarsson.
The event celebrated 29 first-time award winners including Kathryn Bostic, Goh Nakamura, Kara Talve, Dara Taylor and Zack Ryan.
For a complete list of winners, visit here.
2025 American Music Awards nominees Benson Boone and Lainey Wilson have been added as performers on this year’s show, which will air live from Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Monday, May 26. Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani and Reneé Rapp have also been added as performers, joining the previously announced Jennifer Lopez (who is also hosting) and Janet Jackson (who will receive an ICON Award).
The 51st AMAs will air live coast-to-coast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS, and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
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Breakout artist and first-time American Music Award nominee Benson Boone will perform his latest single “Mystical Magical,” from his upcoming sophomore album American Heart, which is due June 20.
Three-time American Music Award winner Blake Shelton will make his AMAs performance debut with a track from his new album For Recreational Use Only, which was released on May 9.
Gloria Estefan will mark her first performance on the AMAs in 32 years, celebrating five decades of her career in music. Estefan co-hosted the AMAs twice – in 1990 (with Alice Cooper, Anita Baker and The Judds) and again in 1993 (with Bobby Brown and Wynonna Judd).
American Music Award winner Gwen Stefani will perform a medley celebrating the 20th anniversary of her debut solo album Love.Angel.Music.Baby, including her Billboard Hot 100-topping smash “Hollaback Girl,” and a song from her newest album Bouquet, which was released in November.
Fresh from winning four awards at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards, country music star Lainey Wilson will perform. Wilson has recently headlined shows across Europe ahead of embarking on the U.S. leg of her Whirlwind World Tour.
Pop star Reneé Rapp will make her AMAs performance debut with new music off her upcoming sophomore album. Rapp performed on the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, on the Extended Play stage, a platform for new and breaking artists.
As previously announced, Janet Jackson will receive the ICON Award, which recognizes an artist whose body of work has marked a global influence over the music industry. The 11-time American Music Award-winner will also take the stage, marking her first television performance since 2018.
Fan voting is now open via VoteAMAs.com and the @AMAs Instagram profile in all award categories. Voting closes tonight (Thursday, May 15) at 11:59:59 p.m. PT, with the exception of collaboration of the year and social song of the year, which will remain open for web voting through the first 30 minutes of the AMAs broadcast.
Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s nominees with 10 nominations, followed closely by Post Malone with eight nods, and Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey, with seven each.
American Music Awards winners are voted entirely by fans. Nominees are based on key fan interactions – as reflected on the Billboard charts – including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and tour grosses. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and Luminate, and cover the data tracking eligibility period of March 22, 2024, through March 20, 2025.
The American Music Awards is the world’s largest fan-voted awards show. Tickets to show are available now on Ticketmaster.
This Memorial Day, the AMAs will pay special tribute to our U.S. troops and veterans through performances and moments.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar are the top nominees for the 2025 Kids’ Choice Awards, with four nods each. They are followed by Jack Black, Dwayne Johnson, Selena Gomez and Jelly Roll, with three nominations each.
Tyla is set to host the show, which will air live on Saturday, June 21 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. Tyla is also nominated for favorite global music star and favorite music collaboration for “Show Me Love,” a collab with WizTheMc and bees & honey.
Tyla won the inaugural Grammy Award for best African music performance in 2024 for “Water,” which was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. She received the Impact Award at the 2025 Billboard Women in Music event. She’s the first African pop star to host the Kids’ Choice Awards, a sign of the genre’s growing popularity. (Other music stars to have hosted or co-hosted the show over the years include DJ Khaled, Blake Shelton, Nick Jonas, Justin Timberlake, LL Cool J, Whitney Houston and Debbie Gibson.)
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First-time nominees include Gracie Abrams, Zach Bryan, Jordan Chiles, Frankie Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Keith Lee, Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, Shohei Ohtani, and Florence Pugh.
Three K-pop stars – JENNIE, LISA and ROSÉ – are in the running for favorite female breakout artist.
Bruno Mars is competing with himself for favorite music collaboration. He’s nominated for both “APT.” (with ROSÉ) and “Die With a Smile” (with Lady Gaga).
Wicked: The Soundtrack is nominated for favorite album. Two tracks from the album, “Defying Gravity” and “Popular,” are nominated for favorite song from a movie.
The Kids’ Choice Awards will celebrate fans’ favorites from across the worlds of film, television, music, sports and more. The show will simulcast across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, the Nick Jr. channel, MTV2 and CMT, and also air on Nickelodeon channels around the world.
The Kids’ Choice Awards broadcast will feature collaborations, skateboarding stunts, high-energy dancing; Nickelodeon’s signature orange blimp trophy and epic slimings. Musical performances will be announced at a later date.
Beginning today, fans can cast their votes across 35 categories on the Kids’ Choice Awards website, KidsChoiceAwards.com.
Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2025 is produced by Nickelodeon Productions and overseen by: Ashley Kaplan, executive vp, Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Unscripted & Digital Franchise Studio; Paul J Medford, vp, Unscripted Current Series; Luke Wahl, vp, Unscripted Creative; and Jennifer Bernstein, vp, Talent. Guy Carrington & Kevin Hermanson of Done and Dusted serve as executive producers, with Rob Paine serving as co-executive producer. The show is directed by James Merryman.
Here’s a full list of nominations in all categories.
MUSIC
Favorite Female Artist
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Cardi B
Katy Perry
Lady Gaga
Selena Gomez
SZA
Taylor Swift
Favorite Song
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
“Cry for Me” – The Weeknd
“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” – Taylor Swift
“squabble up” – Kendrick Lamar
“Taste” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Wildflower” – Billie Eilish
Favorite Male Artist
Bad Bunny
Bruno Mars
Drake
Jelly Roll
Kendrick Lamar
Post Malone
The Weeknd
Travis Scott
Favorite Music Group
blink-182
Coldplay
Imagine Dragons
Jonas Brothers
Linkin Park
Stray Kids
TWICE
Favorite Music Collaboration
“APT.” – ROSÉ and Bruno Mars
“Call Me When You Break Up” – Selena Gomez, benny blanco with Gracie Abrams
“Die With A Smile” – Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
“luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
“Please Please Please” – Sabrina Carpenter (ft. Dolly Parton)
“Show Me Love” – WizTheMc, bees & honey, and Tyla
“Slow Motion” – Marshmello and Jonas Brothers
Favorite Female Breakout Artist
Addison Rae
Chappell Roan
Doechii
GloRilla
JENNIE
LISA
ROSÉ
Sabrina Carpenter
Favorite Male Breakout Artist
Alex Warren
Benson Boone
d4vd
Djo
Leon Thomas
Myles Smith
Shaboozey
Zach Bryan
Favorite Album
Beautifully Broken – Jelly Roll
F-1 Trillion – Post Malone
GNX – Kendrick Lamar
Hurry Up Tomorrow – The Weeknd
I Said I Love You First – Selena Gomez, benny blanco
Mayhem – Lady Gaga
Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
Wicked: The Soundtrack
Favorite Global Music Star
Africa: Tyla
Asia: Stray Kids
Australia: The Kid LAROI
Europe: David Guetta
Latin America: Shakira
North America: Bruno Mars
UK: Ed Sheeran
Favorite Song From a Movie
“Can I Get a Chee Hoo?” – Dwayne Johnson (Moana 2)
“Defying Gravity” – Cynthia Erivo (ft. Ariana Grande) (Wicked)
“Higher Love” – DESI TRILL (ft. DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Natania, Subhi) (Smurfs)
“I Always Wanted A Brother” – Braelyn Rankins, Theo Somolu, Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Mufasa: The Lion King)
“I Feel Alive” – Jack Black (A Minecraft Movie)
“Kiss the Sky” – Maren Morris (The Wild Robot)
“Popular” – Ariana Grande (Wicked)
“Run It” – Jelly Roll (Sonic the Hedgehog 3)
Favorite Viral Song
“Apple” – Charli xcx
“Bluest Flame” – Selena Gomez, benny blanco
“Diet Pepsi” – Addison Rae
“Messy” – Lola Young
“Ordinary” – Alex Warren
“Pink Pony Club” – Chappell Roan
“Sports car” – Tate McRae
“That’s So True” – Gracie Abrams
TELEVISION
Favorite Kids TV Show
Ayla & The Mirrors
Bunk’d
The Really Loud House
The Thundermans: Undercover
Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
Favorite Male TV Star (Kids)
David Henrie (Justin Russo, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place)
Dylan Gilmer (Young Dylan, Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan)
Hero Hunter (Charlie Wilson, Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan)
Israel Johnson (Noah Lambert, Bunk’d)
Jack Griffo (Max Thunderman, The Thundermans: Undercover)
Trevor Tordjman (Parker Preston, Bunk’d)
Favorite Female TV Star (Kids)
Celina Smith (Rebecca Wilson, Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan)
Janice LeAnn Brown (Billie, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place)
Kira Kosarin (Phoebe Thunderman, The Thundermans: Undercover)
Mallory James Mahoney (Destiny Baker, Bunk’d)
Maya Le Clark (Chloe Thunderman, The Thundermans: Undercover)
Miranda May (Lou Hockhauser, Bunk’d)
Favorite Family TV Show
Abbott Elementary
Cobra Kai
Goosebumps: The Vanishing
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
XO, Kitty
Favorite Male TV Star (Family)
Damon Wayans Jr. (Damon, Poppa’s House)
David Schwimmer (Anthony Brewer, Goosebumps: The Vanishing)
George Lopez (George, Lopez vs Lopez)
Jude Law (Jod Na Nawood, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew)
Sam McCarthy (Devin Brewer, Goosebumps: The Vanishing)
Xolo Maridueña (Miguel Diaz, Cobra Kai)
Favorite Female TV Star (Family)
Anna Cathcart (Kitty, XO, Kitty)
Janelle James (Ava Coleman, Abbott Elementary)
Jayden Bartels (Cece Brewer, Goosebumps: The Vanishing)
Peyton List (Tory Nichols, Cobra Kai)
Reba McEntire (Bobbie, Happy’s Place)
Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Fern, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew)
Favorite Reality TV Show
American Idol
American Ninja Warrior
America’s Funniest Home Videos
America’s Got Talent
MasterChef Junior
The Masked Singer
Favorite Cartoon
Dragon Ball DAIMA
Monster High
SpongeBob SquarePants
Teen Titans Go!
The Loud House
The Simpsons
FILM
Favorite Movie
A Minecraft Movie
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Captain America: Brave New World
Descendants: The Rise of Red
Paddington in Peru
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
THUNDERBOLTS*
Wicked
Favorite Movie Actor
Chris Evans (Jack O’Malley, Red One)
Chris Pratt (Keats, The Electric State)
Dwayne Johnson (Callum Drift, Red One)
Jack Black (Steve, A Minecraft Movie)
Jason Momoa (Garrett Garrison, A Minecraft Movie)
Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog 3)
Favorite Movie Actress
Ariana Grande (Glinda, Wicked)
Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba, Wicked)
Emma Myers (Natalie, A Minecraft Movie)
Jenna Ortega (Astrid Deetz, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)
Millie Bobby Brown (Michelle Greene, The Electric State)
Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)
Favorite Animated Movie
Despicable Me 4
Dog Man
Inside Out 2
Moana 2
Mufasa: The Lion King
Plankton: The Movie
The Wild Robot
Transformers One
Favorite Male Animated Voice From a Movie
Ben Schwartz (Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 3)
Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax, Transformers One)
Dwayne Johnson (Maui, Moana 2)
Keanu Reeves (Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 3)
Steve Carell (Gru, Despicable Me 4)
Will Ferrell (Maxime Le Mal, Despicable Me 4)
Favorite Female Animated Voice From a Movie
Amy Poehler (Joy, Inside Out 2)
Auli’i Cravalho (Moana, Moana 2)
Kristen Wiig (Lucy, Despicable Me 4)
Lupita Nyong’o (Roz, The Wild Robot)
Maya Hawke (Anxiety, Inside Out 2)
Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1, Transformers One)
Favorite Villain
Frankie Grande (Frankini, Henry Danger: The Movie)
Harrison Ford (President Thaddeus Ross/Red Hulk, Captain America: Brave New World)
Jeff Goldblum (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked)
Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog 3)
Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)
Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible, Wicked)
Rita Ora (Queen of Hearts, Descendants: The Rise of Red)
Favorite Butt-Kicker
Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America, Captain America: Brave New World)
Emma Myers (Natalie, A Minecraft Movie)
Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova, THUNDERBOLTS*)
Jace Norman (Henry Hart, Henry Danger: The Movie)
Jack Black (Steve, A Minecraft Movie)
Kylie Cantrall (Princess Red, Descendants: The Rise of Red)
Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes, THUNDERBOLTS*)
OTHER CATEGORIES
Favorite Female Sports Star
Alex Morgan
Angel Reese
Caitlin Clark
Coco Gauff
Jordan Chiles
Naomi Osaka
Sha’Carri Richardson
Simone Biles
Favorite Male Sports Star
Jalen Hurts
Jayson Tatum
LeBron James
Lionel Messi
Patrick Mahomes
Shohei Ohtani
Stephen Curry
Travis Kelce
Favorite Male Creator
Adam Rose
Dhar Mann
Keith Lee
Mark Rober
MrBeast
SeanDoesMagic
Favorite Female Creator
Brooke Monk
Charli D’Amelio
Emma Chamberlain
Lexi Rivera
Salish Matter
Sofie Dossi
Favorite Gamer
Aphmau
IBella
IShowSpeed
Kai Cenat
Ninja
Pokimane
Unspeakable
Fan Favorite Kids Creator
A for Adley
Danny Go!
Kids Diana Show
Ms. Rachel
Ryan Kaji/Ryan’s World
Toys and Colors
Favorite Podcast
American Girl: The Smart Girl’s Podcast
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Avatar: Braving the Elements
Baby, This Is Keke Palmer
LOL Podcast
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Super Great Kids’ Stories
The Nikki & Brie Show
Favorite Video Game
Fortnite
Just Dance 2025 Edition
Madden NFL 25
Minecraft
Roblox
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Benson Boone, Taylor Swift and Teddy Swims took top honors at the 2025 BMI Pop Awards, which were held on Tuesday (May 13) at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. The private event was hosted by Mike O’Neill, BMI president & CEO; Barbara Cane, vp of worldwide creative; Samantha Cox, vp of creative, NY; and Tracie Verlinde, vp.
Boone was presented with the BMI Champion Award by O’Neill, who praised his “boundless talent and creativity.” Previous recipients include Peso Pluma, SZA, Jonathan McReynolds, Khalid, Mark Ronson, Residente, Sebastian Krys, Keith Urban and Lee Thomas Miller.
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After receiving the award, Boone thanked BMI, his team, family and the songwriters in the room, sharing “This is not my award, this is for everyone who has been a part of working on this project. To the songwriters, producers, to my mother and father… to my label to Warner Chappell, to everyone who has played a part… it takes a huge powerhouse of a team to do what I’m trying to do, and I have a wonderful team.”
Boone also paid tribute to his cowriter and collaborator Jack LaFrantz, sharing, “If you’re a songwriter or producing or have anything to do with the creation process of music, you understand how incredible it is when you find someone you really like to work with and work well with. I would just like to give a special thank you to Mr. Jack LaFrantz. Any of these songs that you hear you would not be hearing them without him. If you’re trying to release songs, find people that you love and make it something that you love. I promise you it is the best thing ever when you find gold in the room.”
Boone then took to the stage for an intimate three-song performance backed by piano. He started off with “Slow it Down,” followed by “Drunk in My Mind” and “Beautiful Things.”
In addition to his BMI Champion honor, Boone received two BMI Pop Awards for “Beautiful Things” and “Slow It Down,” with co-writer LaFrantz. The backflipping singer-songwriter received his first BMI Pop award in 2023 for “GHOST TOWN.”
Swift was named BMI’s Pop Songwriter of the Year, which ups her collection of BMI Awards to a staggering 72 – including the BMI President’s Award in 2009 and the BMI Taylor Swift Award in 2016.
This was the second year in a row Swift has been named Pop Songwriter of the Year. She co-wrote seven of the previous year’s most-performed songs: “Don’t Blame Me,” “Down Bad,” “Fortnight,” “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart,” “Is It Over Now?,” “Now That We Don’t Talk,” and “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?.”
BMI’s Pop Song of the Year went to “Lose Control” written and performed by Teddy Swims with BMI co-writers Julian Bunetta, Marco “Infamous” Rodriguez and Mikky Ekko. The smash hit has spent a record-breaking 60 nonconsecutive weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 1 in March 2024.
Universal Music Publishing Group was named Publisher of the Year for representing 28 of the previous year’s most performed songs, including “Agora Hills” performed by Doja Cat, “Espresso” performed by Sabrina Carpenter and “Houdini” by Eminem.
Throughout the ceremony, the 50 most-performed pop songs of the previous year in the U.S. were also awarded. BMI welcomed 61 first-time Pop Award winners, including J. Cole for “All My Life” by Lil Durk, Jesse Fink; Peter Finn for “Stargazing” performed by Myles Smith; Djo for “End of Beginning”; and Nevin Sastry for “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey. This also marked the first BMI Pop award for country superstar Morgan Wallen for “I Had Some Help,” co-written with Charlie Handsome and other first-time BMI Pop winners Hoskins, ERNEST and Chandler Paul Walters.
For a full list of the 2024 honorees, visit the BMI site.
Some of Australia’s biggest musical exports are up for high-profile honors at this year’s AIR Awards, set to be handed out on July 31 at the Adelaide Town Hall in South Australia.
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Leading the charge in this year’s event are the likes of Royel Otis, who are up for four awards, just one year after being named breakthrough independent artist of the year at the 2024 edition. This year sees them up for the likes of best independent rock album or EP, independent album of the year, and independent marketing team of the year.
Royel Otis will be in fine company, sharing the former two categories with both Amyl and the Sniffers and King Stingray. Amyl, meanwhile, are also up for independent song of the year for “U Should Not Be Doing That,” which recently took out song of the year at the APRA Music Awards last month.
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Other well-represented artists at this year’s ceremony are Emily Wurramara, Confidence Man and Alice Ivy, who are up for four awards each, with the latter pair in contention for best independent dance, electronica or club single and Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP. Acts such as Indigenous hip-hop supergroup 3%, Gut Health, and others are also hoping to take home multiples at the event.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognise the work the independent music industry does in providing talented and emerging artists and music businesses with a platform to share their art with a wider audience,” commented South Australian minister for arts, Andrea Michaels MP.
Officially known as the Australian Independent Record Awards, the awards were first established in 2006 as an effort to “recognise, promote, and celebrate the success of Australia’s Independent Music sector.” This year also features a new category, with independent mix, studio or mastering engineer of the year set to be handed out at the July ceremony for the first time.
Some of Australia’s biggest musical exports have been recognized by the AIRs in recent years, including RVG, who took home last year’s best independent album for Brain Worms, and Jem Cassar-Daley, whose “King of Disappointment” was named best independent single/EP.
2025 AIR Awards Nominations
Best Independent Blues And Roots Album or EPEmma Donovan – Til My Song Is DoneLittle Quirks – Little QuirksMia Dyson – Tender HeartQueenie – New MoultSteph Strings – Cradle Mountain
Best Independent Hip Hop Album or EP3% – Kill The DeadDobby – Warrangu; River StoryLithe – What Would You Do?Miss Kaninna – KaninnaZiggy Ramo – Human?
Best Independent Country Album or EPHenry Wagons – The Four SeasonsKasey Chambers – BackboneLane Pittman – Lane PittmanMichael Waugh – Beauty & TruthThe Whitlams Black Stump – Kookaburra
Best Independent Jazz Album or EPClaire Cross – Sleep CycleLucy Clifford – Between Spaces Of KnowingMolly Lewis – On The LipsParvyn – MaujudaSam Anning – Earthen
Best Independent Classical Album or EPAustralian Chamber Orchestra – Memoir Of A SnailElectric Fields X Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Live In ConcertKatie Noonan & Karin Schaupp – Songs Of The Southern Skies Vol 2Nat Bartsch – Forever ChangedSimon Mavin – Some Days EP
Best Independent Children’s Album or EPBunny Racket – PowerEmma Memma – Twirly TunesTeeny Tiny Stevies – The Green AlbumThe Quokkas – Songs For Silly BilliesThe Wiggles – The Wiggles Sound System: Rave Of Innocence
Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club SingleAlice Ivy – Do I Need To Know What Love Is? Feat. Josh TeskeyConfidence Man – I Can’t Lose YouHaiku Hands – KicksMoktar – Haraka ’حركة’Odd Mob – Vertigo Feat. Ed Graves
Best Independent Punk Album or EPDon’t Thank Me, Spank Me! – Don’t Thank Me, Spank Me!Dune Rats – If It Sucks, Turn It UpGut Health – StilettoRadio Free Alice – PolyesterRegurgitator – Invader
Best Independent Heavy Album or EPNorthlane – Mirror’s EdgeOcean Grove – OddworldRedhook – MutationThe Amity Affliction – Let The Ocean Take Me (Redux)The Southern River Band – D.I.Y
Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP1tbsp – Megacity1000Alice Ivy – Do What Makes You HappyConfidence Man – 3am (La La La)Ninajirachi – Girl EdmPnau – Hyperbolic
Best Independent Rock Album or EPAmyl And The Sniffers – Cartoon DarknessKing Stingray – For The DreamsParty Dozen – Crime In AustraliaRoyel Otis – Pratts & PainThe Rions – Happiness In A Place It Shouldn’t Be
Best Independent Soul/Rnb Album or EPBeckah Amani – This Is How I Remember It.Don West – Don WestElla Thompson – Ripple On The WingMilan Ring – MangosRadical Son – Bilambiyal
Best Independent Pop Album or EPAnnie Hamilton – Stop And Smell The LightningAsha Jefferies – Ego RideEmma Russack – About The GirlGood Morning – Good Morning SevenSheppard – Zora
Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year – Presented By PPCA3%Gut HealthMiss KaninnaQueenieThe Dreggs
Independent Song of the YearAlice Ivy – Do I Need To Know What Love Is? Feat. Josh TeskeyAmyl And The Sniffers – U Should Not Be Doing ThatJem Cassar-Daley – Big ContainerOcean Alley – TangerineSycco – Meant To Be
Independent Album of the YearAmyl And The Sniffers – Cartoon DarknessEmily Wurramara – NaraKing Stingray – For The DreamsRoyel Otis – Pratts & PainThe Dreggs – Caught In A Reverie
Best Independent LabelABC MusicDinosaur CityEtcetc.I Oh YouImpressed Recordings
Independent Marketing Team of the YearABC Music, The Annex – Emily Wurramara, NaraFuture Classic, The Annex – Sycco, ZorbGyrostream – Lithe, Fall BackI Oh You, Mushroom Music – Confidence Man, 3am (La La La)Ourness, The Annex – Royel Otis, Pratts & Pain
Independent Publicity Team of the YearI Oh You, Mushroom Music – Confidence Man, 3am (La La La)Liz Ansley – Emily Wurramara, NaraSuper Duper – Radio Free Alice, PolyesterThinking Loud – Royel Otis, Pratts & PainTwnty Three Pr – The Rions, Happiness In A Place It Shouldn’t Be
Independent Music Video of the YearClaudia Sangiorgi Dalimore – Emily Wurramara, Lordy Lordy Ft. Tasman KeithNick Rae, Jordan Ruyi Blanch – 3%, Won’t Stop Feat. Jessica MauboyPond – Pond, (I’m) Stung!Rosemary Whatmuff – Kasey Chambers, Backbone (The Desert Child)Stephanie Jane Day – Emma Russack, Everything Is Big
Independent Producer of the YearAlice Ivy – Do What Makes You HappyBonnie Knight – Coldwave, The Ants/Italia ’06Dave Hammer – Lime Cordiale, Enough Of The Sweet TalkNick Didia – Ocean Alley, TangerineNina Wilson – Ninajirachi, Girl Edm
Independent Mix, Studio or Mastering Engineer of the YearNick Herrera – Miss Kaninna, KaninnaRobert Muinos – Rowena Wise, Senseless Acts Of BeautyRohan Sforcina, Lachlan Carrick – Emma Donovan, Til My Song Is DoneSteven Schram – Crowded House, Gravity StairsTom Iansek – Tom Snowdon, Lonely Tree
One hip-hop legend saluted another at the 29th annual Webby Awards, when Ice-T presented Snoop Dogg with the Webby Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The awards, hosted by comedian, actor, advocate, and creator Ilana Glazer, were held on Monday (May 12) at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
Ice-T saluted Snoop for his leadership in the online cannabis industry space, his record label and more. “Of course, the internet changed the game, but one thing didn’t change: Snoop Dogg. He’s never gonna change, and Snoop is still on top,” said Ice-T when presenting the award.
The event featured the show’s signature Webby five-word acceptance speeches from winners such as Walton Goggins, Questlove, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Marcello Hernández and Andrew McCarthy. Presenters and attendees included Justin Theroux, Sean Evans, Kenan Thompson, Peppermint and NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson.
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“Tonight’s theme is ‘All Good’ because the title ‘The Broligarchy’s Speeding of the Onslaught of Facism in the Face of the Climate Catastrophe at the Point of No Return’ would have bummed everybody out,” joked Glazer.
Other winners from the music world included Kendrick Lamar, whose “Not Like Us” won for video and film: music video; Laufey, who won for creators, art, culture and music; and U2, whose U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere, won for AI, immersive and games, best performance.
Webby Awards executive director Jesse Feister, who was marking his first Webby Awards in this new role, said, “What I love most about the internet is that it gives talented, self-made, creative people a way in. And tonight’s winners are proof of that.”
Additional highlights from this year’s ceremony included Walton Goggins receiving the Best Actor Webby Award, presented by Justin Theroux. This recognition was based on Goggin’s performances across such streaming hits as The White Lotus, The Righteous Gemstones and Fallout. “Walton’s acting is a masterclass in commitment, nuance, and the rare art of making you laugh, cry, and ask yourself, ‘When does this motherf–ker take a nap?’ said Theroux. Goggins accepted his award with this five-word speech: “If it happens, be grateful.”
Sean Evans presented Amelia Dimoldenberg with a Webby special achievement award recognizing for her work redefining the classic celebrity interview with her hit series Chicken Shop Date (which is commissioned under her production company, Dimz Inc). While accepting her award, Dimoldenberg encouraged the audience: “Don’t wait. Make it yourself.”
Kenan Thompson presented Marcello Hernández with a Webby Award for outstanding comedic performance, highlighting his sharp, culturally resonant humor on Saturday Night Live and his viral impact on the internet, redefining digital comedy for a new generation. “Marcello is a master at connecting with audiences across platforms,” said Thompson. In his acceptance remarks, Hernández listed “Kenan, Mama, Lorne, Domingo, gracias,” counting on his fingers.
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett accepted the advocate of the year Webby Award, presented by NAACP President Derrick Johnson, recognizing her use of platforms to drive national conversations, mobilize communities, and champion the rights of marginalized groups across the Internet and beyond. “Only organized outrage overcomes oppression,” declared Congressman Crockett.
Kara Swisher presented Dr. Fei-Fei Li with the Webby lifetime achievement award for her foundational contributions to artificial intelligence and her leadership in advancing ethical, human-centered AI. “Dr. Li is a genius with unimaginable grit … and deserves much of the credit that she is not getting — others are sucking up,” Swisher proclaimed, to which Dr. Li said “Artificial intelligence must benefit humanity.”
Also new this year, the Webbys partnered with Adobe to present designer and educator Norman Teague with a Webby special achievement in creative AI. Teague was celebrated for his breakthrough MoMA exhibition Jam Sessions, where he used Adobe Firefly as a “search engine for his imagination,” reinterpreting iconic objects from MoMA’s collection through the lens of Black aesthetics. When accepting his award, presented by Hannah Elsakr and Spencer Nugent, who called out his role in reimagining the future of industrial design, Teague proclaimed “Respect history. Reimagine futures.”
Here are 10 of the night’s best five-word acceptance speeches:
“If it happens, be grateful.” –Walton Goggins
“Don’t wait. Make it yourself.” –Amelia Dimoldenberg
“Kenan, Mama, Lorne, Domingo, gracias.” –Marcello Hernández
“Only organized outrage overcomes oppression.” –Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett
“Long live the Brat pack.” –Andrew McCarthy (Actor and Director of BRATS)
“Just start a f–king blog.” –Toni Lodge and Ryan Jon (Hosts, Toni & Ryan Podcast)
“Retirement – the enemy of longevity.” –Howard Tucker (Oldest practicing doctor)
“Artificial intelligence must benefit humanity.” –Dr. Fei-Fei Li
“AI’s cool. People are cooler.” –Robert Wong (Co-Founder, Google Creative Lab)
“Dad it’s Shopify, not Spotify.” –Maggie Fost (Creative Director, Shopify)
Watch the best moments from The Webby Awards at @TheWebbyAwards across social media and at the Webby’s website.
This year’s Country Music Assn. Awards will be held Nov. 19, keeping the 59th edition of the show in the same late November slot it occupied last year.
The CMA Awards ceremony was moved two weeks back from its usual early November time frame in 2024 to distance itself from the general election. The move also avoids any potential conflict with the World Series, in case the baseball series goes to game seven as it did in 2016 for the CMA Awards’ 50th anniversary. “Even a number of our board members who are Cubs fans went to the game and skipped the awards that year,” CMA CEO Sarah Trahern says.
Last year, “when we tested being out of that early window because of the election, we felt good,” Trahern says. “The ratings were strong. Also, ABC used to have another award show in that space where they no longer have it. So, getting through all of the end-of-the-season shows that tend to finale in November gave us a little bit of a window right before Thanksgiving. It was a good tune-in window, so we’re going to try it again.” The move also gives the show two extra weeks after the final nominations are announced for set up and pre-production. The show will air on ABC and Disney + Nov. 19 and then on Hulu starting the day after.
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The move could become permanent, Trahern says, “if the window continues to do well for us. Every year, ABC might make up their mind based on other competitive programming situations, but I think we’re feeling pretty good about that third week.”
The CMA has also examined its voting procedures and made significant changes this year to reflect the broadening reach of country music.
“One of the things that we’ve really spent the last year on culminated in some membership category changes to impact this year’s voting,” Trahern says. “It has to do with broadening the reach of some of the categories and being able to make folks [at] the coastal labels eligible to vote because more people are actually in the country music space.”
Though the changes weren’t implemented until this year, Tiffany Kerns, CMA senior vp of industry relations and philanthropy, stresses that discussions on how to incorporate New York and Los Angeles executives working in the country music space began a few years ago as artists like Zach Bryan, Warren Zeiders, Koe Wetzel and Megan Moroney began to emerge.
“We always have to look at not only the artists, but the teams that are behind those artists and what is preventing them from being engaged with us, because it is more than just voting,” Kerns says. “We need them to understand, especially if [they’re] not familiar with how we interact or what our voting process is.”
As the CMA had those conversations with coastal companies, they realized that many of the executives weren’t eligible to vote. It wasn’t because they didn’t meet the professional voting criteria of working full time in music and earning their income primarily from the country music industry, it was because there wasn’t room on their company’s voting roster. To maintain the integrity of the voting process and to avoid bloc voting, the number of voting members any company can have, whether it’s a label, management company or booking agency, is limited.
But Kerns says the need to expand was crucial, as long as it was done in the right way. “We need to make sure that we are not just thinking of preserving what we have but being inclusive and thinking about what we don’t. We have to be forward thinking. We have to be the membership organization that is helping drive the future of country music,” she says. “[We had] conversations with the label heads to make sure that they were on board with us, but we also wrestled with it a bit too. We want to make sure, again, that we’re upholding that integrity piece, [and] making sure when our current members see the changes, they’re not concerned.”
That meant reassuring the current members that the criteria to be an individual voter had not changed, only that the number of voters any label could have on its roster expanded. Previously, an eligible voter on a coastal label had to be included on its Nashville-based counterpart’s voting roster and often spaces were already filled. Now, coastal labels that work directly with country artists can have their own voting roster that is proportionate to the number of country artists it works with.
Kerns says that around 70% of CMA’s 6,468 voting members live in Tennessee, with the remainder largely coming from Texas, California and New York. “Texas was a really good model for how we needed to approach the coastals, because they have also operated really siloed from Nashville as well,” she says.
Kerns and her team also “got under the tent with all sorts of different businesses” to make sure they had appropriate representations on committees and voting, Trahern says, calling it the biggest membership realignment in at least 20 years. “The industry has changed so much so we want to make sure that not just for voting purposes, but for everything else we offer our members that we are reflecting the way the country music industry shows up today.”
The expansion for the coastal voters will not significantly alter the overall number of voters, Kerns says. “I don’t anticipate it having a big impact this year. There will definitely be a few 100, but the coastals are not going to provide 1000s of members,” she says. “If you think about a coastal [company] adding three to four, you’re not going to see this giant impact. We didn’t do it as a tactic to recruit or have a certain number of members. It was more about who is not able to participate right now that needs to be and then making sure that we are evolving to support that.”
As a way of further supporting and recruiting members, the CMA launched the Member Ambassador Program in April. The program empowers a selected number of CMA members to help recruit new members and answer questions any potential new members may have.
“There is going to be no better way to educate and inform potential members and or current members than by their peers,” Kerns says. “I think for us, we wanted to identify individuals that are eager, ready, comfortable and confident to essentially be extensions of the CMA staff.”