Songwriter and musician Johnny McDaid, best known as a member of Snow Patrol and a frequent collaborator with Ed Sheeran, will receive the BMI President's Award at the 2026 BMI London Awards. The private ceremony takes place on 28 September at The Dorchester in London, hosted by BMI CEO Mike O'Neill alongside senior BMI executives, and recognises McDaid's two-decade career shaping some of the era's most successful songs.

McDaid, 50, originally from Derry, moved to London as a teenager to busk before building a career writing for artists including Sheeran, BTS, P!nk, Alicia Keys and Kelly Clarkson. His work with Sheeran includes "Shape of You" — the first song to reach 2 billion Spotify streams, now past 5 billion, and 13 times platinum in the US — as well as "Photograph", "Shivers" and "Bad Habits". He holds two Grammy nominations, two Ivor Novello awards and 17 BMI Awards, and joins past President's Award recipients such as Taylor Swift, Noel Gallagher and Ellie Goulding.