March 08, 2023
Taylor Swift and Pink, two of the most successful pop stars of the last 20 years, have built their respective legacies with a mix of heartfelt ballads and danceable pop tracks that have ascended the Billboard charts.
The Pennsylvania natives each will be recognized for their career achievements at the iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday, March 27. Swift will be presented the Innovator Award for her global impact on pop culture. Pink will become the fourth artist to receive the radio network's Icon Award for career longevity and continued relevance. The awards ceremony will be broadcast live by FOX and streamed by the iHeartRadio app beginning at 8 p.m.
Swift's latest album, "Midnights," sold more than 6 million units within its first eight weeks and its lead single, "Anti-Hero," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for eight weeks. It marked her first original pop album since 2019's "Lover." She had released two surprise folk albums, "folklore" and "evermore," in 2020.
Swift, 33, who grew up near Reading, is no stranger to the charts. She has had nine songs hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Forty have reached the top 10.
Her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour is the highest-grossing tour in U.S. history, and the presale of her upcoming Eras Tour broke Ticketmaster's record for same-day ticket sales, much to the chagrin of fans dealing with the chaos of long wait times and and expensive resale prices.
Swift has released six albums since 2019, including re-recorded versions of "Fearless" and "Red." Those two albums, which were re-released amid a battle over the ownership of her master recordings, also included previously unreleased tracks. The albums charted and received critical acclaim.
Swift's "Anti-Hero" is currently the most-played song on iHeartRadio stations. The single made her the first artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart in three consecutive decades. In addition, her advocacy efforts for women, LGBTQ+ people and voting rights have helped make her one of the most influential artists in pop music.
Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, U2 and Pharrell Williams are among the previous recipients of the iHeartRadio Innovator Award.
Pink, who is from Doylestown, has released nine studio albums, sold more than 60 million albums worldwide and had 15 singles reach the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Four of them have topped it.
Her latest album, "Trustfall," came after a three-year hiatus. It was met with largely favorable reviews and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart after its release in February.
Pink has won three Grammy Awards and earned 21 nominations. She also has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Daytime Emmy Award and seven MTV Video Music Awards. She was named Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2013 following the release of "The Truth About Love" in 2012.
Known for her candidness and down-to-earth personality, Pink's musical catalog features a steady stream of heartfelt ballads, dance numbers and R&B-infused pop tunes that have earned her widespread acclaim. Her most beloved tracks, including "Who Knew," which Pink wrote about a friend who died from a drug overdose, and "Sober," which was written at the tail-end of a house party, have become modern classics.
Pink is preparing for her upcoming Summer Carnival Tour, which will make two stops at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. A second tour will follow in the fall. For Valentine's Day, Pink released "When I Get There," a heartfelt tribute to her father, who died in 2021 after living with prostate cancer.
The iHeartRadio Icon Award previously has been given to Bon Jovi, Elton John and Jennifer Lopez.
Pink is one of many musicians slated to perform at the iHeartMusic Awards. The others include Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, Pat Benetar, Neil Giraldo, Muni Long, Cody Johnson and Coldplay.
The media company revealed the nominees for its 10th awards show in January. Swift, Harry Styles and Lizzo tied for the most nominations, with eight each. Jack Harlow, Drake and Dua Lipa each received six nominations, while Beyonce and Doja Cat earned five.
iHeartRadio allows fans to get in on the action, with a special selection of fan-voted awards for best lyrics, best music video, best fan army, the social star award, favorite tour photographer, TikTok bop of the year, favorite documentary, favorite tour style, favorite residency and favorite use of a sample.
Fans can cast their votes on the iHeartRadio website or on Twitter until March 20.
