Usher1 appears in...
The Clutch

Songwriting/production teams that become household names are far and few between: For every Neptunes or The Matrix there are dozens of monikers buried somewhere in an album’s credits, never to be heard from again. But it seems more than likely that we’ll soon be adding Atlanta-based outfit The Clutch to that roster. Name-checked by Ciara in her hit “Like a Boy,” the five-member team…
T-Pain’s Talent Puts Him on the Path to the Top

Although T-Pain has quickly established himself as hip-hop’s answer to Zapp’s Roger Troutman, this hitmaker is hardly an overnight success. With musical roots extending back to childhood, the singer/songwriter has parlayed his unique combination of heavy bass beats, sweet melodies, modern lyrics and voice effects via Auto-tune and the vocoder into a promising career. Born in Tallahassee, Florida to Muslim parents, T-Pain — born Faheem Najm —…
BMI, ‘Los Angeles Times’ Host Sold-Out ‘How I Wrote That Song’ Panel
Some of BMI’s top hitmakers were on hand for the highly anticipated “How I Wrote That Song” panel, co-hosted by BMI and the Los Angeles Times. The sold-out panel discussion, held during Grammy Week at the Key Club in Los Angeles, featured stellar songwriting talents including John Legend (“Ordinary People”), Dallas Austin (TLC’s “Unpretty”), Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump (“Sugar, We’re…
‘How I Wrote That Song’ Panel to Feature Top BMI Songwriters
Hitmakers Cee-Lo, Dallas Austin, Fall Out Boy‘s Patrick Stump, Sean Garrett, Kara DioGuardi, Butch Walker and Jeffrey Steele Scheduled to Speak at the Key Club Feb. 10 BMI and the Los Angeles Times will present “How I Wrote That Song,” a panel discussion with some of music’s most successful songwriters. The panel will be held Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Key Club (9039 Sunset…
Atlanta’s daRome Bentley Wins Demo Contest
Atlanta-based singer/songwriter/producer daRome Bentley is the winner of BMI's inaugural Demo Contest, co-sponsored with music production company the Demo Center and electronic press kit producer Sonicbids.com. Over 1,000 songwriters and artists entered the highly anticipated competition, which ran from January through early April 2006, with Bentley chosen as the winner by a panel of prominent music…
BMI Salutes Top Urban Music Makers at Star-Studded Gala in NYC
BMI saluted the premier r&b, rap and hip-hop songwriters, producers and publishers at its 6th Annual Urban Awards held Aug. 30 in New York City. Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Atlanta Writer/Publisher VP Catherine Brewton, the red carpet was hopping at the star-studded ceremony, which took place at the famed Roseland Ballroom.
BMI Offers Backstage Pass to the Rock Star Life with Free Seminar
BMI is your backstage pass to the rock star life, offering a free seminar entitled "The Star In You" on Tuesday, Aug. 29 in New York City. Designed to help songwriters, artists and the general public learn how to live like a rock star, the seminar will be held at 7 p.m. at Sin-E Bar (148-150 Attorney Street, corner of Stanton; F, V subway trains to Second Ave). This unique…
Hitmakers Babyface and L.A. Reid To Be Honored as BMI Icons at 6th Annual Urban Awards
Prolific songwriting and production team Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid will be honored as BMI Icons at the performing right organization's 6th Annual Urban Awards. The invitation-only gala, which will also recognize the past year's most performed BMI urban songs, is set for Aug. 30 at Roseland Ballroom in New York City, coinciding with the MTV Video Music Awards being held…
BMI Pop Awards Honor Crosby, Stills & Nash as Icons at 54th Annual Ceremony
Rockers Maroon 5 Share Songwriter of the Year Crown with Rapper Lil Jon and See 'She Will Be Loved' Named Song of the Year; EMI Music Repeats Publisher Win BMI staged its 54th Annual Pop Awards on May 16, with top honors given to BMI Icons Crosby, Stills & Nash; Jesse Carmichael, Ryan Dusick, Adam Levine and Mickey Madden of Maroon 5 and Lil Jon as Songwriters of the…
Chris Brown

Chris Brown has a lot in common with most teenagers his age: He enjoys playing basketball, hanging out with his friends and, oh yeah, dropping an album that goes platinum within months of its release. As soon as Brown unleashed his debut single, the electro-r&b jam "Run It" in November 2005, the song became a phenomenon, hitting No. 1 across the Billboard Hot 100, Pop 100 and…
