Megan Moroney Takes Song of the Year at SESAC Nashville Music Awards

SESAC named Megan Moroney the SESAC Songwriter of the Year during the 2025 Nashville Music Awards, held Nov. 16 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum during CMA Awards week. The ceremony honored the writers and publishers behind the year's most-performed country and Americana songs and drew more than 500 industry professionals.

Moroney was recognized for her charting hits and her work on Am I Okay?, with co-writer Jessie Jo Dillon in attendance. Dillon honored her, saying, “You are an absolute force. There is no one like you in the country music genre right now. We are so lucky to have you not only as an artist but a songwriter… I'm blessed to watch how much your music connects to fans.” Standing alongside Dillon, Moroney grew emotional as she accepted the prize, telling the crowd, “I don't think I would get through life without this outlet [songwriting]… country music, hell yeah.”

Moroney also performed "Beautiful Things" and received additional recognition with Dillon for "Break It Right Back." The evening featured remarks from SESAC executives Shannan Hatch, ET Brown, and Lydia Cahill, who led the ceremony with the SESAC Nashville team.

Warner Chappell Music earned Publisher of the Year, marking its fifth Nashville Music Award in eight years. The publisher's contributions included multiple honored works, including "Cowboy Songs," "Holy Smokes," and "This Heart."

Alysa Vanderheym was honored for "Baggage," which was presented by Kelsea Ballerini, speaking to the spirit of community found in Nashville's songwriting community. Justin Ebach spoke to the value of recognizing those who create behind the scenes.

Performances and tributes rounded out the night, including Stephen Wilson Jr.'s "Gary" and Emily Ann Roberts' renditions of "Carried Away" and "Hole In My Head," celebrating recent Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Jim Lauderdale and Steve Bogard. Additional tributes honored Americana songwriters recognized earlier in the fall, with nods to artists such as Mumford & Sons, Hayes Carll, Rachael Price, Margo Price, and Jeremy Ivey.

The event showcased the breadth of awarded work across writers, publishers, and recording artists, underscoring the creative foundation driving Nashville's music community.