BMI will salute duo Daryl Hall & John Oates as BMI Icons at its 56th annual Pop Awards, slated for Tuesday, May 20 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and BMI Vice President & General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles, Barbara Cane, the invitation-only event will also honor the songwriters and publishers of the past year’s most-performed pop songs in the United States. The evening’s capstone will take the form of a stirring musical tribute to Daryl Hall & John Oates.

BMI Icons are selected because of their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” As BMI Icons, Daryl Hall & John Oates will join elite ranks that include the Bee Gees, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Paul Simon, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Willie Nelson, James Brown, Ray Davies, Carlos Santana and Dolly Parton.

The effervescent popularity of Daryl Hall and John Oates’s magical collaborations springs from the duo’s devout passion for Philly soul and buoyant pop harmonies. Warmly accessible and expertly polished, Daryl Hall & John Oates’s smooth production utilizes undeniable hooks and innate contemporary lyrical sensibility. The resulting eight no. 1 singles, three double-platinum and two platinum albums catapulted the pair into pop superstardom; in 1987, Daryl Hall & John Oates became the #1 selling duo in pop music, according to the RIAA. Skilled songwriters, Daryl Hall & John Oates are both members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, together boasting 24 BMI Pop Awards and a catalog studded with 14 BMI Million-Air award songs, including “She’s Gone,” “Everytime You Go Away,” “Kiss On My List,” “Maneater” and “Sara Smile.” They have prompted a surge of interest and homage from a diverse bevy of new artists, who cite the pair as definitive influences. Restless creators, Daryl Hall & John Oates have spent much of the last decade touring throughout the world.

In addition to the Icon, BMI will recognize Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year during the evening, along with the recipient of the BMI Foundation’s John Lennon Scholarship. Pop Award winners from previous years include Maroon 5, R. Kelly, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Pharrell Williams, Michelle Branch, Lil Jon, the Foo Fighters, Linkin Park and Sheryl Crow.