Sony Music Publishing has been named Publisher of the Year at the 2026 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.
The ceremony, which took place on Thursday (June 25) on the rooftop of The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills, honored the writers and publishers of the year’s most-performed songs, based on Luminate radio and streaming data.
SMP songwriters were recognized across 27 of ASCAP’s top-performing R&B, hip-hop and gospel songs of the past year.
Mustard was named ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Songwriter of the Year for his work, including TV Off by Kendrick Lamar and Little Things by Ella Mai.
He also produced Kendrick Lamar‘s Grammy-winning Not Like Us and and joined him to perform TV Off during the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.
Leon Thomas received the ASCAP Vanguard Award, which recognizes members whose work is helping to shape the future of music.
Previous recipients of the award include Victoria Monét, Migos, Janelle Monáe and the Beastie Boys, according to ASCAP.
Thomas won two Grammys at the 2026 ceremony, including Best R&B Album for Mutt.
He also won an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Award for his single Mutt.
luther by Kendrick Lamar and SZA was named ASCAP’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap Song of the Year.
The single’s ASCAP-credited writers include Marvin Gaye, Kamasi Washington, Scott Bridgeway and Jack Antonoff, with SMP among the publishers.
luther incorporates Gaye‘s composition If This World Were Mine.
ASCAP said luther spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and set the record for the longest-running No. 1 in the history of Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
ASCAP’s Rhythm & Soul Gospel Song of the Year went to Rest On Us by Maverick City and UPPEROOM.
“This achievement reflects the extraordinary impact of SMP‘s songwriters, whose work continues to inspire audiences around the world.”
Ari Gelaw, Sony Music Publishing
Upon receiving the award, Sony Music Publishing‘s VP, Creative A&R, Ari Gelaw, said: “We are incredibly honored to be recognized by ASCAP as Rhythm & Soul Publisher of the Year.”
“This achievement reflects the extraordinary impact of SMP‘s songwriters, whose work continues to inspire audiences around the world.”
“Thank you to ASCAP for this honor and to our team for their unwavering commitment to supporting songwriters every day.”
SMP‘s winning songs included Push 2 Start (Tyla), Went Legit (G Herbo), Folded (Kehlani), Man I Need (Olivia Dean), WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME (Glorilla and Sexyy Red), Mutt (Leon Thomas), Shake It To The Max (Fly) Remix (MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea) and Rather Lie (The Weeknd and Playboi Carti)
SMP-published writers on those songs included Don Mills (Folded), Paul “Nineteen85” Jeffries (Burning Blue) and GuiltyBeatz (25).
The publisher said its honored writers also included Usher, Jermaine Dupri, Brian Casey, Sounwave, Playboi Carti, Ashley Gorley, Ian James, Spades, Prince Charles, Skillibeng, G Herbo, London Cyr, Gregory Williams, Bobby DeBarge, Michel Jean Legrand, The Notorious B.I.G., Evan Gregory McCoy, DJ Champ, Gangstarr, and Courtlin Jabrae.
Additional songwriters honored at the ceremony included Cardi B, Justin Bieber, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Kali Uchis and Summer Walker.
In April, SMP won Pop Publisher of the Year at the 2026 ASCAP Pop Music Awards for the 10th time.
SMP also took Publisher of the Year at the 2025 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA‘s luther was also named Song of the Year at the 2026 BMI Pop Music Awards in May.
Sony Music Publishing is led by Chairman and CEO Jon Platt.Music Business Worldwide
