BILLBOARD announced 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 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.”

    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 America. “Come On Over” also holds the record for the most weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart at 50 weeks. (SD-Agencies)