BMI Icon Awards

BMI Awards: 2002-2026

BMI is an organization which collects royalties on behalf of artists. It gives out annual awards to artists in various categories, including country, Latin, London, pop, and urban (later changed to R&B/hip-hop), in honor of what the website calls a songwriter’s “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” While these awards are generally referred to as BMI Icon Awards, there are other times references are made to BMI President’s Awards and there is also the BMI Champions Award. Whether these represent different criteria is anyone’s guess due to the failure of the BMI site to make details clear on these awards. It isn’t even clear when the awards were started, although the earliest awards found were for 2002. Because of the lack of an easy-access list at BMI or anywhere else, this list has been cobbled together as best as possible but there are bound to be omissions. See other lifetime achievement awards. Bill Anderson (country icon: 2002) Paul Anka (pop icon) David Arnold (film/TV) Babyface (urban icon: 2006) Banda el Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga (Latin icon: 2013) Martin Bandier (pop icon: 2019) Ana Bárbara (Latin) John Barry (film/TV) The Bee Gees (pop icon: 2007) Matraca Berg (country icon) Chuck Berry (pop icon: 2002) Birdman (R&B/hip-hop icon: 2013) Clint Black (country icon) Don Black (London, 2010) Terence Blanchard (film/TV) Bobby Braddock (country icon: 2011) Brandy (R&B/hip-hop President’s Award: 2019) Toni Braxton (R&B/hip-hop President’s Award: 2016) James Brown (urban icon: 2002) Busta Rhymes (R&B/hip-hop) Mariah Carey (urban icon: 2012) Mariah Carey receives BMI Icon award, image from rollingstone.com Steven Curtis Chapman (Christian icon) Kenny Chesney (country icon: 2016) George Clinton (urban icon: 2009) George S. Clinton (film/TV) Steve Cropper (country icon: 2018) Crosby, Stills & Nash (pop icon: 2006) Charlie Daniels (country icon: 2005) Mychael Danna (film/TV) Ray Davies (London icon: 2006) Mac Davis (country icon: 2015) Alexandre Desplat (film/TV) Bo Diddley (pop icon: 2002) Dean Dillon (country icon: 2013) Bob DiPiero (country icon: 2017) Ramin Diawadi (film/TV) Donovan (London icon: 2009) Lamont Dozier (pop icon: 2003) Randy Edelman (film/TV) Danny Elfman (film/TV) Gloria Estefan (Latin icon: 2009) Gloria Estefan receives BMI Icon award, image from gettyimages.com Bryan Ferry (London icon: 2008) John Fogerty (pop icon: 2010) Luis Fonsi (Latin President’s Award: 2018) David Foster (pop icon: 2011) Charles Fox (film/TV) Peter Gabriel (London icon: 2007) Noel Gallagher (London: President’s Award, 2019) Kenneth Gamble (pop icon: 2009) The Gap Band (urban icon: 2005) Sergio George (Latin: President’s Award, 2015) Vince Gill (country icon: 2014) Jerry Goldsmith (film/TV) Graham Gouldman (London icon: 2015) Al Green (urban icon: 2004) Harry Gregson-Williams (London icon: 2018, film/TV) Dave Grusin (film/TV) Juan Luis Guerra (Latin icon: 2006) Earle Hagen (film/TV) Merle Haggard (country icon: 2006) Daryl Hall & John Oates (pop icon: 2008) Tom T. Hall (country icon: 2012) Isaac Hayes (urban icon: 2003) Brian Holland (pop icon: 2003) Eddie Holland (pop icon: 2003) James Newton Howard (film/TV) Leon Huff (pop icon: 2009) Imagine Dragons (pop President’s Award: 2019) The Jackson 5/The Jacksons (urban icon: 2008) Janet Jackson (R&B/hip-hop President’s Award: 2018) Janet Jackson receives BMI Icon award, image from billboard.com Juanes (Latin President’s Award: 2010) Michael Kamen (film/TV) Jay Kay (London President’s Award: 2017) Toby Keith (country icon) Gary Kemp (London icon) Rolfe Kent (film/TV) Carole King (pop icon: 2012) Kris Kristofferson (country icon: 2009) Patti LaBelle (R&B/hip-hop icon: 2017) Mario Quintero Lara (Latin President’s Award: 2019) Christopher Lennertz (film/TV) Adam Levine (pop President’s Award: 2013) Lil Wayne (R&B/hip-hop icon) Little Richard (pop icon: 2002) Los Lobos (Latin icon: 2016) Los Tigres Del Norte (Latin icon: 2007) Ludacris (R&B/hip-hop President’s Award: 2014) John Lydon (London icon: 2013) Graham Lyle (London icon) Loretta Lynn (country icon: 2004) Barry Manilow (pop icon: 2017) Barry Mann (pop icon: 2016) Cliff Martinez (film/TV) Alan Menken (film/TV) Van Morrison (London icon: 2004) Mark Mothersbaugh (film/TV) Willie Nelson (country icon: 2007) Willie Nelson receives BMI Icon award, image from CBS News David Newman (film/TV) Thomas Newman (film/TV) Stevie Nicks (pop icon: 2014) Randy Owen (country icon) Dolly Parton (country icon: 2003) Pink (pop President’s Award: 2015) Pitbull (Latin President’s Award: 2012) Rachel Portman (film/TV) Mike Post (film/TV) Queen (London icon: 2011) Antonio “L.A.” Reid (urban icon: 2006) Tim Rice (London icon: 2014) Nile Rodgers (R&B/hip-hop icon: 2015) Mark Ronson (pop Champion Award: 2018) Atticus Ross (film/TV) Carole Bayer Sager (pop icon) Carlos Santana (Latin icon: 2005) Kike Santander (Latin President’s Award: 2011) Gustavo Santaolalla (Latin icon: 2008) Theodore Shapiro (film/TV) Richard Sherman (film/TV) Robert Sherman (film/TV) Billy Sherrill (country icon: 2010) Alan Silvestri (film/TV) Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons (urban icon: 2007) Paul Simon (pop icon: 2005) Slim (R&B/hip-hop icon: 2013) Snoop Dogg (urban icon: 2011) Sting (London icon: 2016) Sting receives BMI Icon award, image from udiscovermusic.com Mike Stoller (pop icon) Taylor Swift (pop President’s Award: 2016) Gloria Trevi (Latin President’s Award: 2016) Brian Tyler (film/TV) Carlos Vives (Latin President’s Award: 2014) W.G. Snuffy Walden (film/TV) Cynthia Weil (pop icon: 2016) Hank Williams Jr. (country icon: 2008) John Williams (film/TV) Patrick Williams (film/TV) Brian Wilson (pop icon: 2004) Steve Winwood (London icon: 2005) Wisin y Yandel (Latin President’s Award: 2020) Dwight Yoakam (country President’s Award: 2019) Christopher Young (film/TV) Hans Zimmer (film/TV) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Lifetime Achievement Awards” BMI.com BMI Icon Recipients (list and categories only) BMI.com BMI Country Awards BMI.com BMI Latin Awards BMI.com BMI London Awards BMI.com BMI Pop Awards BMI.com BMI Urban Awards First posted 3/30/2017; last updated 6/7/2026.

Billboard Career Achievement Awards

Billboard Awards: 1988-2022

Billboard magazine has given out several career-achievement awards through the years. The Artist Achievement Award was given from 1993-2005. The Millenium Award has been given out three times (2011, 2012, 2016) to recognize music singers and contributions. The Icon Award was first given in 2011. The Billboard Century Award was given from 1992-2006. Michael Jackson and Katy Perry have received Spotlight Awards for being the only two artists with five consecutive number one singles from one album. There were also awards given for Artist of the Decade for the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. This page lists the recipients of all the aforementioned awards. The most recent award given was the Icon Award to Mary J. Blige on April, 14, 2022. See other lifetime achievement awards. Aerosmith (Artist Achievement, 1999) Chet Atkins (Century, 1997) Tony Bennett (Century, 2006) Beyoncé (Millennium, 2011) Mary J. Blige (Icon, 2022) Garth Brooks (Artist Achievement: 1997, Icon: 2020) Mariah Carey (Millennium: 1999, Artist of the Decade: 1990s, Icon: 2019) Cher (Artist Achievement: 2002, Icon: 2017) Destiny’s Child (Artist Achievement, 2004) Neil Diamond (Icon, 2011) Celine Dion (Icon, 2016) Drake (Artist of the Decade: 2010s) Drake shows off his hardware at 2021 Billboard Music Awards; image from People.com Eminem (Artist of the Decade: 2000s) Buddy Guy (Century, 1993) Emmylou Harris (Century, 1999) George Harrison (Century, 1992) Whitney Houston (Artist Achievement: 1994, Millennium: 2012) Janet Jackson (Artist Achievement: 1995 and 2001, Icon: 2018) Michael Jackson (Spotlight, 1988) Billy Joel (Century, 1994) Annie Lennox (Century, 2002) Jennifer Lopez (Icon, 2014) Madonna (Artist Achievement, 1996) John Mellencamp (Century, 2001) Joni Mitchell (Century, 1995) Randy Newman (Century, 2000) Katy Perry (Spotlight, 2012) Tom Petty (Century, 2005) Pink (Icon, 2021) Pink receives the Icon Award from Jon Bon Jovi at 2021 Billboard Music Awards; image from People.com Prince (Icon, 2013) Carlos Santana (Century, 1996) Britney Spears (Millennium, 2016) Rod Stewart (Artist Achievement, 1993) Sting (Century, 2003) James Taylor (Century, 1998) Kanye West (Artist Achievement, 2005) Stevie Wonder (2004) (Icon, 2012) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Lifetime Achievement Awards” Wikipedia.org: Billboard Music Awards (list of recipients and year received) First posted 5/1/2016; last updated 6/6/2026.