Ever since he was a teenager, Paul Anka has been writing hit songs. The 84-year-old first scored big with “Diana” in 1959 when he was just 15, following it up with tracks like “Puppy Love,” “Lonely Boy,” and “(You’re) Having My Baby.” His compositions have proven to be timeless, as “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” recently served as the basis for the Silhouette Challenge on TikTok.
That’s why he’s just been selected to receive the BMI Icon Award, which recognizes songwriters for their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Anka will receive the award at the 2026 BMI Pop Awards on May 12th at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
“Throughout an unparalleled and distinguished career, Paul Anka has captured timelessness, writing himself into the soundtrack of popular music where greatness isn’t just a moment, but a lifelong crescendo,” says Barbara Cane, BMI‘s VP of Worldwide Creative. “Paul’s words, melodies and artistry transcend decades and eras, and we’re thrilled to honor him as a BMI Icon. We’re also excited to celebrate and recognize the undeniable talent of all BMI’s brilliant, award-winning songwriters and publishers that we’re privileged to represent. It’s going to be an evening to remember.”
Anka’s impressive catalog of over 900 songs includes several hits for other artists. Most music lovers will recognize one career-changing hit for Frank Sinatra: “My Way.”
The singer had crossed paths when Anka was just 21 years old. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, the songwriter explained that he met “Ol’ Blue Eyes” when he started opening for the Rat Pack in Las Vegas. Sinatra would tease him, asking when he was going to write a song for him. Four years later, he invited Anka to dinner to share some news.
“We go to dinner, and in the midst of it, he said, ‘I’m quitting show business. I’m retiring. The Rat Pack’s over,” Anka told Kimmel. “I’m doing one more album, and that’s it. You never wrote me a song.”
He flew back to New York and got to work. The music was already written. “My Way” began life as “Comme d’Habitude” (“As Usual”), a French song penned by Jacques Revaux, Gilles Thibault, and Claude François. In an interview with Terri Gross, he explains that he heard the song on French radio, acquired the rights, and wrote English lyrics to it.
“I started typing and thinking, ‘If Sinatra were writing this, what would he say?'” Anka explained. “It started to write itself.”
At just 25 years old, Anka channeled an entire life’s worth of determination into a four-and-a-half-minute song. Now, he performs the song as part of his own show, and it’s taken on a new meaning to him.
“When I get to the line ‘And through it all, when there was doubt / I ate it up and spit it out’ … those are very poignant for me because, you know, as much as the glamour looks great to those on the outside, it’s not easy because we’ve all had our challenges…,” he said. “But, you know, 84 years, I don’t hold anything inside. I’m looking back at a career that’s just been so good to me.”
