Billboard is excited to announce that Shania Twain and Halsey will be honored for their inimitable contributions to the music industry as part of Billboard‘s 11th annual Women in Music event, to be held Dec. 9 in New York City and airing nationally on Lifetime on Dec. 12. Halsey also is scheduled to perform at the gathering, which will honor Madonna as 2016’s Woman of the Year.
Country legend Twain will receive the 2016 Women in Music Icon award, which celebrates an artist whose historic contributions to the music industry establish them among the highest class of performers.
“Shania Twain is a groundbreaking artist whose successful country-pop crossover blazed the trail for a new generation of country stars like Taylor Swift, Billboard’s 2014 Woman of the Year, and Carrie Underwood,” Janice Min, president and chief creative officer of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group, said Wednesday in a statement. “She’s fearless in her career, following her own path and pushing the boundaries of the country music genre as she creates music that has proven to be timeless. She is revered in the industry and we are honored to present the Icon award to her.”
Chart-topping singer-songwriter Halsey is this year’s Women in Music Rising Star, recognized for her chart dominance and exceptional, unconventional talent.
“Halsey is the voice of a generation, someone who is an impassioned political advocate and personal artist, the kind who can have a No. 1 single, as she did with ‘Closer,’ and not at all be categorized as your typical pop star,” said Min. “Her credibility and talent make her a must-have collaborator for the likes of Justin Bieber and The Chainsmokers. Her incredible talent has earned her this year’s Rising Star award and we look forward to hearing what’s next from her as she continues making music during what we know will be a long and successful career.”
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Over the course of her almost three-decade career, Twain has earned four No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, with 2002’s Up! also topping the Billboard 200. Her smash hit album Come On Over is the No. 1 country album of all time, and the second best-selling album overall since Nielsen Music began tracking sales in 1991 — it’s moved a staggering 15.7 million units in the U.S. Come On Over also holds the record for the most weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart at 50 weeks. During her 2012-2014 residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Twain performed her catalog of immortal classics such as “You’re Still the One,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “Any Man of Mine” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” to rave reviews. When the five-time Grammy winner returned to touring after 11 years with the 2015 Rock This Country Tour, she grossed more than $65 million.
Halsey’s debut album Badlands went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Albums chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200, eventually going Platinum. Despite her newcomer status, the convention-flouting and outspoken artist has sold out two headlining tours, including a headlining show at Madison Square Garden that sold out within minutes. Halsey is currently perched atop the Billboard Hot 100 for a tenth week with “Closer,” her collaboration with the Chainsmokers.
The 11th annual Women in Music event is set for Dec. 9 in New York City and will air nationally on Lifetime on Dec. 12. The star-studded gathering is held in conjunction with the publication of Billboard’s Women in Music list, which identifies the 50 most powerful female executives in the industry each year.
Madonna is 2016’s Woman of the Year award recipient. Her Rebel Heart Tour, which wrapped in March, solidified her status as one of the biggest touring acts of all time. Madonna sold more than 1 million tickets and walked away with $170 million. That makes her the highest-grossing solo touring artist in Billboard Boxscore history (the archives go back to 1990) with a staggering $1.31 billion in total concert grosses.
This story first appeared on billboard.com
