The suspense wasn’t killing anyone: Ashley Gorley was named songwriter of the year as the winners of the ASCAP Country Awards were revealed in Nashville Monday night, claiming the honor for the 11th time.
Gorley came up for other kudos, too. One of the hits he co-wrote, Morgan Wallen’s crossover smash “Last Night,” earned ASCAP’s award for song of the year. It’s the fourth time Gorley has had a hand in ASCAP’s song of the year to go along with his acknowledgement for his overall work.
Also in the no-surprises department, Sony Music Publishing was named publisher of the year… also for an 11th time.
There was at least some turnover with the fourth major award ASCAP gives out as part of the festivities. Chris Stapleton won the award for songwriter/artist of the year. Last year, that went to Jordan Davis.
Gorley is widely considered contemporary country’s most successful writer, with 80 No. 1 country songs at this point, a status that has led to honors outside of his usual stopping place at the ASCAPs. Last December, he was honored by Variety at the publication’s annual Hitmakers event in Los Angeles as the songwriter of the year. Right now, he’s nominated for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Gorley co-wrote 11 of ASCAP’s most played songs this year, including Nate Smith’s “World on Fire” and “Bulletproof,” Dan + Shay’s “Save Me the Trouble,” Chris Janson’s “All I Need Is You,” Hardy’s “Truck Bed” and Russell Dickerson’s “God Gave Me a Girl.”
“Last Night” was celebrated for its ASCAP-signatory writers, Gorley and Jkash, and six publishing companies, Sony Music Publishing (naturally), Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Domain Capital Group, Poppy’s Picks, Prescription Songs and Rap Kingpin Music.
The Wallen smash spent 16 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 heart, which stood as a record for the 21s century until it was surpassed earlier this month by Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Speaking of the Shaboozey song, it was one of 24 songs on ASCAP’s most-played list that had Sony Music Publishing in the credits. Others included “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).
The winners were celebrated Monday night in a private party at the Twelve Thirty Club in Nashville.
A complete list of ASCAP 2024 Country Music Award winners (as is customary, only the co-writers affiliated with the PRO in question are named):
● SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Ashley Gorley
● SONGWRITER/ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Chris Stapleton
● SONG OF THE YEAR: “Last Night”
○ Writer: Ashley Gorley, Jacob “JKash” Hindlin
○ Publishers: Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Domain Capital Group, Poppy’s Picks, Prescription Songs, Rap Kingpin Music, Sony Music Publishing
● PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR: Sony Music Publishing
MOST PERFORMED SONGS:
5 LEAF CLOVER
Writer: Jessi Alexander
Publishers: Damn Country Music Publishing, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music
A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
Writers: Shaboozey, Sean Cook, Jerrell “J-KWON” Jones, Joe Capo Kent, Mark “Tarboy” Williams
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing, Essancy Music, LLC, Hood Hop Music, Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Kreshendo, Seeker Music, Range Music Publishing, Tarpo Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music
AIN’T NO LOVE IN OKLAHOMA
Writers: Jessi Alexander, Jonathan Singleton
Publishers: Braven Baker Music, Hits of 50 Egg Music, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Where I Started Music Publishing
ALL I NEED IS YOU
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Mitchell Oglesby
Publishers: KJM Music Publishing, Domain Capital Group, Mitchell Marlow Music, Round Hill Songs, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music
AUSTIN
Writer: Cheyenna
Publishers: Bossy Songs, , Sony Music Publishing
BACK THEN RIGHT NOW
Writer: David Garcia
Publishers: 4Ever Songz, Songs Of Spirit II Nashville, Spiritvault Songs II
BOYS BACK HOME
Publishers: Liz Rose Music, Warner Chappell Music
BULLETPROOF
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Hunter Phelps
Publishers: Nontypical Music, Round Hill Songs, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Tape Room Music
BURN IT DOWN
Writer: Hillary Lindsey
Publishers: 410 Music, Concord Music Publishing
BUT I GOTTA BEER IN MY HAND
Writers: Matt Dragstrem
Publishers: M Drag Songs, Big Machine Music
CAB IN A SOLO
Writers: Brent Anderson, Frank Rogers
Publishers: Beats By Baby Brent, Fluid Tunes, FLUIDTUNES II, Songs Of Spirit II Nashville, Spirit Music Nashville, The Vault Music
CAN’T BREAK UP NOW
Writers: Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Emily Weisband
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing, Trevor’s Advocate Publishing, Twelve6 Dogwood, Warner Chappell Music, Weistribe Publishing
CHEVROLET
Writers: Jessi Alexander, Hunter Phelps, Mentor Williams
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing Group, Nontypical Music, Warner Chappell Music, Where I Started Music Publishing, Tape Room Music
COWGIRLS
Writers: Ashley Gorley, James Maddocks
Publishers: Empire SF, , Michael Scott Paper Company Publishing Company, Sony Music Publishing
DANCE WITH YOU
Writers: Jimmy Robbins, Brett Young
Publishers: Caliville Publishing, Cinq Music Publishing, LLC, JRM, Muse Magic, Round Hill Songs, Big Machine Music
DIFFERENT ROUND HERE
Writer: Jonathan Singleton
Publishers: Spirit Music Nashville, Big Machine Music
GLORY DAYS
Writer: Emily Weisband
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing, Weis Owl Publishing
GOD GAVE ME A GIRL
Writers: Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley
Publishers: Tape Room Music, Foxwood Entertainment Group, Michael Scott Paper Company Publishing Company, Round Hill Songs, Sony Music Publishing
HALFWAY TO HELL
Writer: Matt Jenkins
Publishers: Jenktown, Songs of Madfun, Warner Chappell Music
HEARTBROKEN
Writers: Amy Allen, Polo G, Emeric Boxall, Jessie Murph, Thomas Wesley Pentz, Elie Rizk
Publishers: Artist Publishing Group, Kenny + Betty Tunes, Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Manatee With A Machine Gun, Sony Music Publishing, superreal Publishing
I CAN FEEL IT
Writers: Phil Collins, Gabe Foust
Publishers: Verse 2 Music, Concord Music Publishing, Sony Music Publishing
I HAD SOME HELP
Writers: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley
Publishers: Bell Ear Publishing, Domain Capital Group, Poppy’s Picks, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Nashville
I’M NOT PRETTY
Writer: Ben Williams
Publisher: Major Bob Music, Inc.
IF YOU GO DOWN (I’M GOIN’ DOWN TOO)
Writer: Kelsea Ballerini
Publishers: Feel Your Way Through Publishing, Sony Music Publishing
LIGHT ON IN THE KITCHEN
Writer: Jessi Alexander
Publishers: Damn Country Music Publishing, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music
MAMAW’S HOUSE
Writer: Matt Dragstrem
Publishers: Concord Music Publishing, Big Machine Music
MIND ON YOU
Writer: George Birge
Publishers: Endurance Music Group, Whiskey Side, Wide Open Music
NOBODY’S NOBODY
Writers: Mike Elizondo, John Osborne, TJ Osborne
Publishers: King Pen Music, Simma Da Na Music, Songstein Publishing, Trampy McCauley, Warner Chappell Music
OUT OF THAT TRUCK
Writer: David Garcia
Publishers: Spirit Nashville Allegro, Spirit Music Nashville, The Vault Music
OUTSKIRTS
Writers: Zach Crowell, Jerry Flowers, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Tape Room Music, Foxwood Entertainment Group, Jflo Records And Tapes, Round Hill Songs, Sony Music Publishing, Twelve6 Dogwood, Warner Chappell Music
SAVE ME THE TROUBLE
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers
Publishers: Beats And Banjos, Domain Capital Group, Poppy’s Picks, Sony Music Publishing, Sugarplumsongs, Warner Chappell Music
SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER
Writers: David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey
Publishers: 410 Music, Concord Music Publishing, Spirit Nashville Allegro, Spirit Music Nashville, The Vault Music
STARS LIKE CONFETTI
Writer: Zach Crowell
Publishers: Tape Room Music, Miller Crow Music, Round Hill Songs, Spirit Music Nashville
TAKE HER HOME
Writer: Hunter Phelps
Publishers: Nontypical Music, Warner Chappell Music, Tape Room Music
TEXAS HOLD ‘EM
Writers: Brian “Killah B” Bates, Lowell, bülow, Nathan Ferraro, Beyonce, Raphael Saadiq
Publishers: Artist Publishing Group, Arts & Crafts Music, Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Oakland 13 Music, Sony Music Publishing, Toplinemusicgroup, Ugmoe Music, Universal Music Publishing Nashville
THINK I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU
Writer: Chris Stapleton
Publishers: I Wrote These Songs, Warner Chappell Music
THIS TOWN’S BEEN TOO GOOD TO US
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Dylan Scott
Publishers: Curb Songs, Domain Capital Group, Poppy’s Picks, Sony Music Publishing
TRUCK BED
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Hunter Phelps
Publishers: Michael Scott Paper Company Publishing Company, Nontypical Music, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Tape Room Music
TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN
Writers: Kurt Allison, Kelley Lovelace, Neil Thrasher
Publishers: BMG Gold Songs, King Pen To Paper Songs, Makena Cove Music, Songs Of Red Street Country, Spirit Music Nashville, The Vault Music, That’s Me!! Music Publishing, Thrash Town Music, Warner Chappell Music
TUCSON TOO LATE
Writers: Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Matt Jenkins
Publishers: Anthem Entertainment, Bentprop Pub, Songs of Madfun , Universal Music Publishing Nashville, Warner Chappell Music
WATERMELON MOONSHINE
Writers: Josh Kear, Jordan Schmidt
Publishers: Ikigai Music, Louisiana Lady, Pile Of Schmidt Songs, Sony Music Publishing, Tree Vibez Music, Warner Chappell Music
WE DON’T FIGHT ANYMORE
Writer: Carly Pearce
Publishers: BMG Gold Songs, Altadena, Redfeather Publishing, Warner Chappell Music
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Writer: Dave Turnbull
Publishers: 10 & 2 Bullfish Music, Clearbox Advantage, Me Gusta Music, Sea Gayle Music, RareSpark Media (Spark Ark Songs)
WHITE HORSE
Writers: Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson
Publishers: BMG Gold Songs, Clearbox Advantage, Sea Gayle Music, Son Of A Miner Songs, Songs From The Alcove Music, Spirit Music Nashville, Warner Chappell Music
WILD ONES
Writer: Jessie Murph
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing
WILDFLOWERS AND WILD HORSES
Writer: Paul Sikes
Publishers: Endurance Music Group, Louisiana Lady, Endurance Music Group, Sony Music Publishing
WORLD ON FIRE
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Nate Smith
Publishers: The Core Entertainment, Domain Capital Group, Nate Smith Music Publishing Company, Poppy’s Picks, Sony Music Publishing
YOUNG LOVE & SATURDAY NIGHTS
Writers: Ashley Gorley, David Bowie
Publishers: BMG Gold Songs, Sony Music Publishing, Jones Music America, Michael Scott Paper Company Publishing Company, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music
YOUR PLACE
Writer: Mark Trussell
Publishers: Big Loud Publishing, Warner Chappell Music
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