ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, announces the winners of the 62nd ASCAP Country Music Awards, celebrating the songwriters and publishers of country music’s most-performed ASCAP songs of the past year.
Ashley Gorley wins his 11th ASCAP Country Music Songwriter of the Year honor, extending his record as the winningest ASCAP songwriter in the country format. Among ASCAP’s 11 most-performed country songs of the year penned by Gorley are “World on Fire” and “Bulletproof” (Nate Smith), “Save Me the Trouble” (Dan + Shay), “All I Need Is You” (Chris Janson), “Truck Bed” (Hardy), and “God Gave Me s Girl” (Russell Dickerson). Gorley was recently nominated for induction to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Chris Stapleton receives the ASCAP Country Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year honor and his “White Horse” (co-written by ASCAP member Dan Wilson) and “Think I’m in Love with You” are among ASCAP’s most-performed country songs of the year. Stapleton has two Grammy nominations and is up for five CMA Awards including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year at Wednesday’s CMA Awards.
“Last Night” is the ASCAP Country Song of the Year. Co-written by JKash and Ashley Gorley, the song gives Gorley his fourth ASCAP Country Song of the Year win. Sony Music Publishing, Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Domain Capital Group, Poppy’s Picks, Prescription Songs and Rap Kingpin Music celebrated with them. The Grammy-nominated single hit #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, the Billboard Country Airplay chart and the Billboard Hot 100 where it spent 16 non-consecutive weeks in the top spot. The song is among Gorley’s astounding 80 #1 hits, a record accomplishment across all genres.
Sony Music Publishing was named ASCAP Country Music Publisher of the Year for the 11th time with 24 of this year’s most-performed songs. Among their impressive list of works are “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey’s mega-hit that was #1 concurrently on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and is the longest-running #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024. The song is up for a CMA Single of the Year honor with Shaboozey nominated for five Grammys and in the CMA New Artist of the Year category. Additional Sony most-performed titles include “Can’t Break Up Now” (Old Dominion and Megan Moroney), “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” (Kelsea Ballerini), “Texas Hold ‘Em” (Beyoncé), “Outskirts” (Sam Hunt), “Bulletproof” (Nate Smith), “Save Me the Trouble” (Dan + Shay), “I Can Feel It” (Kane Brown), “Light On in the Kitchen” (Ashley McBryde) and “Austin” (Dasha), among others. Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston accepted the award.
ASCAP celebrated the winners at an exclusive gathering in Nashville where guests enjoyed a performance of “High and Lonesome,” a recent single by rising duo Everette. ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews, ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams and ASCAP Vice President of Nashville Membership Mike Sistad handed out awards as writers of the most-performed songs enjoyed catching up with peers and friends at the invitation-only celebration.
