The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) recently announced the standout songwriters of the US for Q4 2023, highlighting both the top performing and non-performing songwriters of the time.
Between October and December, there were 1,843 instances where songs were certified as Gold, Platinum, or Multi-Platinum.
Lana Del Rey, the American artist renowned for her evocative and nostalgic melodies, stood out as the premier artist-songwriter of the quarter. She received 20 certifications, including hits like the 8X Platinum “Summertime Sadness,” the 3X Platinum “Off to the Races,” and the Double Platinum “West Coast,” all originally released under Sony Music Publishing.
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Now with Universal Music Publishing Group, Del Rey continues to charm audiences with her signature style of sorrowful pop adorned with vintage Hollywood glamor and tales of doomed love.
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, her birth name, has released nine studio albums to date. Her second album, “Born to Die” (2012), was highly acclaimed globally and became the fifth highest-selling album of that year. It was awarded International Album of the Year by both the Danish Music Awards and the GAFFA Awards in Denmark and Norway and took home the Best International Pop Video at the UK Music Video Awards.
Among her many accolades, Del Rey has received the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song for her track “Video Games,” a Trailblazer Award at Billboard Women in Music in 2015, the Variety Decade Award at Variety Hitmakers Awards in 2021, and the Visionary Award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards in 2023.
In 2023, Del Rey released “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?” her ninth studio album, marking her fourth album release in under four years.
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Noah “40” Shebib received recognition as the quarter’s top non-performing songwriter through the NMPA’s Gold & Platinum Program. He boasts 13 certifications for tracks such as the multi-Platinum hits “One Dance,” “God’s Plan,” “In My Feelings,” and “Started from the Bottom,” all performed by Drake, with Kobalt as his publisher.
David Israelite, NMPA President and CEO, commented on the quarter’s achievements, celebrating the enduring success of the quarter’s hits. He shared his excitement over honoring Lana Del Rey and Noah “40” Shebib, among other Gold and platinum hitmakers of the period.
The NMPA, in partnership with the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) Gold & Platinum Program, validates and honors the songwriters and publishers of RIAA-certified singles. The RIAA counts both sales and on-demand streams to determine Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum awards.
Initiated in 2007, the NMPA’s program has recognized the creativity and contributions of numerous songwriters over the years, including well-known artists like Luke Combs, Beyoncé, Juice WRLD, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
