London BMI Awards

BMI Celebrates Its 2020 London Awards Winners “Dancing With A Stranger” By Sam Smith And Normani Named “Song Of The Year” Bernie Marsden, Caroline Ailin, Ellie Goulding, Ed Sheeran, EY, Gary Kemp, Kamille and Niall Horan Among the Honourees

Million-Air, Top Pop and Film, TV & Visual Media Awards Also Announced

BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) paid enhanced the lives of many over the past tribute to the top UK and European year,” said Shirin Foroutan, Vice songwriters, composers and music President, Creative, Europe. “From publishers of the most-performed songs BMI’s first-time award winners to our of the previous year at the 2020 BMI legendary songwriters and composers, London Awards. Honourees for Song of we thank you for your enduring musical the Year, Million-Air Awards, Top 30 contributions, and we look forward to Pop Songs and Film, TV & Visual Media celebrating with you all in person at next were celebrated across BMI’s digital and year’s ceremony.” social channels. To recognise their remarkable achievements, BMI created a “Dancing with a Stranger” by Sam special page on its website where fans Smith and Normani received the coveted can watch video messages, listen to Song of the Year, which is awarded to award-winning songs and take a look the most performed song in the United back at the best award show moments States of the previous year by a UK or throughout the years. For a complete list European writer. On recording the single, of winners, go to https://www.bmi.com/ Normani told Billboard that the duo london2020. came together for the track when she happened to be at the same studio during “We’re thrilled to pay tribute to the recording and Smith asked, “Do you BMI’s top UK and European music want to jump on it?” From there, the creators and celebrate the numerous sultry track went on a steady climb ways their artistry and creativity have before reaching #1 on Billboard’s Radio 42 Rock and Blues International • November 2020 Songs and Adult Top 40 charts, and according to Billboard, ranked #4 on the list of the most played song on U.S. radio in 2019, after receiving over three billion audience impressions. Smith was also recognised for “How Do You Sleep?” bringing the multiple GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter to ten BMI London Awards and six BMI U.S. Pop Awards. This marks the second BMI London Award for Normani, who already has three BMI U.S. Pop Awards among her honours.

BMI also announced the top 30 most-performed pop songs written by UK or European songwriters, with Ed Sheeran (PRS) taking home six more BMI London Awards for his work on “Beautiful People,” “Cross Me,” “I Don’t Care,” “Tip of My Tongue,” “What Am I” and “2002.” His massive collection of BMI awards features 25

London and 17 U.S. Pop, including tion,” Sting for nine million perfor- Home), as well as Carim Clasmann and 2015, 2016 and 2017 London Song of mances of “Every Little Thing She Does Galia Durant (Grey’s Anatomy). BMI the Year, and 2016 Dance Song of the Is Magic,” Bernie Marsden for six Film Music honours went to David Year. Sheeran was also one of BMI’s million performances of Whitesnake’s Buckley (Angel Has Fallen) Hildur U.S. Pop Songwriters of the Year in 2014 “Here I Go Again,” Gary Kemp of Gu∂nadóttir (Joker), Alexandre Desplat and received U.S. Pop Song of the Year Spandau Ballet for five million perfor- (Little Women, The Secret Life of Pets) with “Shape of You” in 2017. mances of “True” and Peter Gabriel for and Anna Drubich (Scary Stories to Tell four million performances of “Sledge- In The Dark) for their outstanding Adding to her many accolades, hammer,” to name a few. Sheeran was compositions in film. Ellie Goulding received recognition for also recognised for five million perforher hits “Hate Me” and “Close to Me,” mances of “Shape of You” and four For a complete list of all the bringing her BMI total to nine London million performances of “Perfect” and winners go to https://www.bmi.com/ Awards and seven U.S. Pop Awards. “Thinking Out Loud.” london2020, and use Additional highlights include Niall #BMILondonAwards to follow the Horan receiving his conversation on social seventh BMI London media. Award for co-writing “Nice To Meet Ya,” while Celebrating over Caroline Ailin was 80 years of service to honoured for co-writing songwriters, composers, “Don’t Start Now” and music publishers and Kamille was recognised businesses, Broadcast for her break-up anthem Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is “Don’t Call Me Up.” This a global leader in music is the second BMI London rights management, Award for both Ailin and serving as an advocate Kamille. for the value of music. BMI represents the This year BMI public performance welcomed 34 first-time rights in over 17 million London Pop Award musical works created winners to the elite list of and owned by more than honourees. Some of the 1.1 million songwriters, new inductees include composers, and music Eyobed “EY” Getachew publishers. The Comand Ella Mai (“24/7,” co- pany negotiates music written with Nija Charles), license agreements and Sam Roman (“Someone distributes the fees it You Loved,” co-written Sam Smith and Normani generates as royalties to with Tom Barnes), Chance its affiliated writers and the Rapper (“Cross Me,” with Ed In addition, the BMI London publishers when their songs are perSheeran), Chase Dalton Rose and Ski Awards celebrate the UK and European formed in public. In 1939, BMI created a Mask the Slump God (“Faucet Failure,” composers behind the top-grossing films, groundbreaking open-door policy co-written with Kevin and Tim top network television series and becoming the only performing rights Gomringer) and Charlie Handsome highest-ranking cable network and organization to welcome and represent (“Right Back,” co-written with Mike streamed media programs in the United the creators of blues, jazz, country, and “Scribz” Riley, Khalid and Brenda States. Icelandic composer Atli American roots music. Today, the Russell). Örvarsson received the most awards in musical compositions in BMI’s reperthis category with five BMI Network toire, from chart toppers to perennial BMI Million-Air Awards were also Television Music Awards for his work on favorites, span all genres of music and distributed to recognise the iconic songs the popular network dramas Chicago are consistently among the mostthat have reached a million or more P.D., Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, FBI performed hits of the year. For additional broadcast performances by UK and and FBI: Most Wanted. Other top information and the latest BMI news, European songwriters and publishers. composers in streaming, cable and visit bmi.com, follow us on Twitter and Among the legendary songwriters who network TV included BMI London’s Instagram @BMI or stay connected have reached this milestone are Van 2018 Icon, Harry Gregson-Williams through Broadcast Music, Inc.’s Morrison for 13 million performances of (Catch-22), David Arnold (Good Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The “Brown Eyed Girl,” Mick Jagger and Omens), Dominik Scherrer (The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter Keith Richards for 10 million perfor- Widow), Andy Love (America’s Got every week to stay up to date on all mances of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfac- Talent, with Jos Jorgensen, and Raven’s things music. November 2020 • Rock and Blues International 43