Honoring pop music’s hottest songwriters, producers and publishers, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) today announces the winners of the 2021 ASCAP Pop Music Awards, which will be celebrated on @ASCAP social media through April 15. After a record-setting year following the release of his double platinum album After Hours, pop superstar Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye is named ASCAP Songwriter of the Year for the first time in his career.
Known for his signature alternative R&B sound, velvety voice and pitch-perfect falsetto, The Weeknd undeniably dominated the charts in 2020. Taking home the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year honor and two most-performed song awards for smash hits “Blinding Lights” and “Heartless,” The Weeknd is now a 13-time ASCAP Awards winner. As the critical and commercial success of After Hours continues, “Blinding Lights” closes in on diamond-certified status, while becoming the first song in history to spend an entire year in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10.
ASCAP Pop Music Awards Song of the Year goes to Post Malone’s megahit “Circles,” honoring ASCAP hitmakers Louis Bell, Kaan Güneşberk and Billy Walsh alongside publishers Nyan King Music, Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group. The third single off the chart-topping album Hollywood’s Bleeding, “Circles” spent 39 weeks in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and marks the artist’s first #1 hit as a solo billing.
Warner Chappell Music receives Publisher of the Year. The prestigious award recognizes the prominent publisher for their contribution to the pop music soundtrack of 2020 with top tracks “10,000 Hours,” “Blinding Lights,” “Lose You to Love Me,” “ROCKSTAR” and more.
The celebration kicked off yesterday with an ASCAP Pop Music Awards Instagram Live interview and performance from Lewis Capaldi’s “Before You Go” co-writer and ASCAP Award winner Phil Plested (additional co-writers Ben Kohn and Pete “Merf” Kelleher are also winners). Later this week “Kings & Queens” co-writers Madison Emiko Love and Leland will take the ASCAP Instagram Live stage to tell the story behind their hit for Ava Max (co-written by winners Desmond Child, Cirkut, and Mimoza) on Wednesday, April 14 at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT. The social media events will also include an exclusive performance of “Die From a Broken Heart” from Maddie & Tae featuring ASCAP Award-winning songwriter Maddie Marlow (co-writers Deric Ruttan and Jonathan Singleton are also winners).
ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams, Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Matthews and Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer John Titta open the event with a special video introduction on @ASCAP social media.
The 2021 ASCAP Pop Music Awards recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most performed songs of the past year in pop music. Providing an unprecedented look at the music creators behind 2020’s biggest hits, ASCAP will premiere exclusive winner video acceptance speeches, virtual studio tours, stories behind the songs, and more on @ASCAP social media. Starting at 10 AM ET/ 7 AM PT on Tuesday, April 13 through Thursday, April 15, friends, fans and peers can tune in to the festivities via @ASCAP on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, using the hashtag #ASCAPAwards.
The complete list of winners is available on the ASCAP website.
