Lil Nas X has been announced as the latest recipient of the eminent Hal David Starlight Award. At the 51st Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction on Thursday, June 16, the rapper will be honored for his trailblazing efforts in pop music.
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The Hal David Starlight Award was created in 2004 in honor of Songwriters Hall of Fame chairman Emeritus Hal David for his continued support of young songwriters. After receiving the honor, Nas X will join the ranks of Halsey, Sara Bareilles, Ed Sheeran, Nick Jonas, Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, and many other distinguished artists.
“Lil Nas X is someone we are very proud to award the Hal David Starlight Award to. He has perhaps better than anyone demonstrated how powerful great songs are with Old Town Road and Montero dominating the charts for almost every day of the last three years,” said current SHOF chair Nile Rodgers. “If you’re lucky enough to be alive at this time, you know exactly who Lil Nas X is and he’s an incredible and inspirational person for every one of his communities as well.”
Other inductees at this year’s event include Mariah Carey, Annie Lennox & Dave Stewart, Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, Pharrell Williams & Chad Hugo, Rick Nowels, William “Mickey” Stevenson, and more. Master songwriter Paul Williams will be receiving the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award.
After taking the world by surprise with his country-rap hit “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X shattered genre norms and disrupted the charts. The song’s remix with Billy Ray Cyrus became the longest-running No. 1 single in Billboard Hot 100 history after 19 weeks in the top spot. The 16x Platinum hit is the most certified song in RIAA history.
He further defied expectations in his eclectic EP, 7, in June of 2019. The EP features the 6x Platinum “Panini” and the 2x Platinum “Rodeo.” In March of 2021 “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) debuted at No. 1, becoming an LGBTQ+ anthem. The subsequent album released in september of last year is already certified Platinum after just a few months – proving Lil Nas X to be a songwriting force to be reckoned with.
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