The Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC) announced the 2020 JASRAC Awards. The work "Lemon" written and composed by KENSHI YONEZU has received this year's Gold Award. The work "U.S.A.", which became popular due to the dance and vocal group "DA PUMP" cover, has received the Foreign Work Award for the first time.

JASRAC annually presents the JASRAC Awards to the copyright holders including authors, composers and publishers, whose musical works represent a large share of the royalty distribution in the previous fiscal year. This year marks the 38th JASRAC Awards since it was founded in 1982.

The Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards are presented for the three domestic works that earned the three largest totals, while the Foreign Work Award is conferred on the foreign musical work that earned the largest total royalties, and the International Award goes to the work that earned the largest amount of royalties from foreign copyright societies.

Royalties were distributed to 2,580,119 works in fiscal 2019. The number of rightsholders who received royalties, including distribution through music publishers, was 72,667 writers and 2,799 music publishers. In addition, royalties were distributed to 349,039 writers and 46,918 music publishers through 120 foreign sister organizations. The winners of JASRAC Awards were selected among these works.

For more information about 2020 JASRAC Awards, please refer to 38th JASRAC Awards.