SONY/ATV WINS BIG IN NASHVILLE ONCE AGAIN

Sony/ATV has claimed Publisher of the Year honors at the BMI Country Awards for the 15th consecutive time. Naturally, Marty Bandier and Nashville chief Troy Tomlinson sparked up a couple of Cohibas and poured a round of Fireball shots.

The pubco also claimed Song of the Year ("Die a Happy Man," co-penned by Thomas Rhett) and, via the very busy Ross Copperman, Songwriter of the Year. Copperman co-penned six of the songs honored during the evening: The Florida Georgia Line tune "Confession," Luke Bryan's "Strip It Down," Brett Eldredge's "Drunk on Your Love" and "Lose My Mind," Keith Urban's "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16," "Smoke" by A Thousand Horses.

House of Marty tunesmith and the man behind this week's #1 album release, Kenny Chesney, received the BMI President's Award, which goes to songwriters "who have distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry."

22 songs under the Sony/ATV umbrella were honored, including co-writes by Chesney, Eric Church, Jeff Bhasker and Cole Swindell.

Bandier declared: “When Sony/ATV Nashville a few years back won the ‘Triple Crown’ of ASCAP, BMI and SESAC Publisher of the Year in the same year I thought that was the pinnacle. However, what Troy and his team have now achieved with this unparalleled 15-year domination as BMI’s top publisher surpasses all that. This feat is a testament to our incredible staff in Nashville and all the talented songwriters we have signed to us. Here’s to the next 15 years!”

Said Tomlinson: “To win BMI Publisher of the Year once is amazing, but to be able to string together a 15-year run is really beyond anything I could ever have imagined. We owe that first and foremost to our songwriters and our creative team, and additionally to all of the artists, producers, record labels and management teams who believed in our songs and made them hits.”