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.

Posted in News on October 5, 2020

BMI today paid tribute to the top UK and European songwriters, composers and music publishers of the most-performed songs of the previous year with the 2020 BMI London Awards. Honourees for Song of the Year, Million-Air Awards, Top 30 Pop Songs and Film, TV & Visual Media were celebrated across BMI’s digital and social channels. To recognise their remarkable achievements, BMI created a special page on its website where fans can watch video messages, listen to award-winning songs and take a look back at the best award show moments throughout the years.

“We’re thrilled to pay tribute to BMI’s top UK and European music creators and celebrate the numerous ways their artistry and creativity have enhanced the lives of many over the past year,” said Shirin Foroutan, Vice President, Creative, Europe. “From BMI’s first-time award winners to our legendary songwriters and composers, we thank you for your enduring musical contributions, and we look forward to celebrating with you all in person at next year’s ceremony.”

“Dancing with a Stranger” by Sam Smith and Normani received the coveted Song of the Year, which is awarded to the most performed song in the United States of the previous year by a UK or European writer. On recording the single, Normani told Billboard that the duo came together for the track when she happened to be at the same studio during the recording and Smith asked, “Do you want to jump on it?” From there, the sultry track went on a steady climb before reaching #1 on Billboard’s Radio 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) receiving 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 2015, 2016 and 2017 London Song of the Year, and 2016 Dance Song of the Year. Sheeran was also one of BMI’s U.S. Pop Songwriters of the Year in 2014 and received U.S. Pop Song of the Year with “Shape of You” in 2017.

Adding to her many accolades, Ellie Goulding received recognition for her hits “Hate Me” and “Close to Me,” bringing her BMI total to nine London Awards and seven U.S. Pop Awards. Additional highlights include Niall Horan receiving his seventh BMI London Award for co-writing “Nice To Meet Ya,” while Caroline Ailin was honoured for co-writing “Don’t Start Now” and Kamille was recognised for her break-up anthem “Don’t Call Me Up.” This is the second BMI London Award for both Ailin and Kamille.

This year, BMI welcomed 34 first-time London Pop Award winners to the elite list of honourees. Some of the new inductees include Eyobed “EY” Getachew and Ella Mai (“24/7,” co-written with Nija Charles), Sam Roman (“Someone You Loved,” co-written with Tom Barnes), Chance the Rapper (“Cross Me,” with Ed Sheeran), Chase Dalton Rose and Ski Mask the Slump God (“Faucet Failure,” co-written with Kevin and Tim Gomringer) and Charlie Handsome (“Right Back,” co-written with Mike “Scribz” Riley, Khalid and Brenda Russell).

BMI Million-Air Awards were also distributed to recognise the iconic songs that have reached a million or more broadcast performances by UK and European songwriters and publishers. Among the legendary songwriters who have reached this milestone are Van Morrison for 13 million performances of “Brown Eyed Girl,” Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for 10 million performances of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” Sting for nine million performances of “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” Bernie Marsden for six million performances of Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again,” Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet for five million performances of “True” and Peter Gabriel for four million performances of “Sledgehammer,” to name a few.  Sheeran was also recognised for five million performances of “Shape of You” and four million performances of “Perfect” and “Thinking Out Loud.”

In addition, the BMI London Awards celebrate the UK and European composers behind the top-grossing films, top network television series and highest-ranking cable network and streamed media programs in the United States. Icelandic composer Atli Örvarsson received the most awards in this category with five BMI Network Television Music Awards for his work on the popular network dramas Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, FBI and FBI: Most Wanted. Other top composers in streaming, cable and network TV included BMI London’s 2018 Icon, Harry Gregson-Williams (Catch-22), David Arnold (Good Omens), Dominik Scherrer (The Widow), Andy Love (America’s Got Talent, with Jos Jorgensen, and Raven’s Home), as well as Carim Clasmann and Galia Durant (Grey’s Anatomy). BMI Film Music honours went to David Buckley (Angel Has Fallen) Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker), Alexandre Desplat (Little Women, The Secret Life of Pets) and Anna Drubich (Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark) for their outstanding compositions in film.

SONG OF THE YEAR (The Robert S. Musel Award)

DANCING WITH A STRANGER
Sam Smith
Normani
Naughty Words Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
Stellar Songs Ltd.

2020 London Pop Award Songs

2002
Anne-Marie
Ed Sheeran
City Spud
Etterlene Jordan
Julia Michaels
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

24/7
Eyobed “EY” Getachew
Nija Charles
Ella Mai
BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
Ed Sheeran
Khalid
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

BUILD MY LIFE
Karl Martin
Arkyard Music Services Limited
Sentric Music Ltd.

CLOSE TO ME
Ellie Goulding
Khalif “Swae Lee” Brown
KMR II GT Publishing Limited
Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

CLOUT
Kevin Gomringer
Tim Gomringer
Southside

CROSS ME
Ed Sheeran
Chance the Rapper
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

DANCING WITH A STRANGER
Sam Smith
Normani
Naughty Words Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
Stellar Songs Ltd.

DON’T CALL ME UP
Kamille
BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.

DON’T START NOW
Caroline Ailin
Ian Kirkpatrick
BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Waterfall Music AS

FAUCET FAILURE
Kevin Gomringer
Tim Gomringer
Chase Dalton Rose
Ski Mask the Slump God

HATE ME
Ellie Goulding
Jason Evigan
Jordan Johnson
Juice Wrld
Marcus Lomax
Andrew Watt
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

HOW DO YOU SLEEP?
Sam Smith
Naughty Words Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
Stellar Songs Ltd.

I
Kevin Gomringer
Tim Gomringer
Othello Houston
Lil Skies

I DO
Kevin Gomringer
Tim Gomringer
Nija Charles
SZA
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

I DON’T CARE
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

LIAR
Jenny Berggren
Jonas Berggren
Malin Berggren
Ulf Ekberg
Camila Cabello
Jordan Johnson
Ali Tamposi
Andrew Watt
Maidmetal Ltd.
Megasong Publishing

LOST IN THE FIRE
Gesaffelstein
Nate Donmoyer
Savoir Faire Sony/ATV
Music Publishing Ltd.

NEVER REALLY OVER
Jason Gill
Gino Barletta
Leah Haywood
Daniel James
Hayley Warner
Marquise Cut Publishing
Warner Chappell Music Scandinavia AB

NICE TO MEET YA
RuthAnne Cunningham
Niall Horan
Julian Bunetta
Tobias Jesso, Jr.

NIGHTMARE
Cashmere Cat
Trevor Horn
Elena Kiper
Valerij Polienko
Halsey
Martin Kierszenbaum
Happy Perez
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
Unforgettable Songs Ltd.
Universal Music Publishing

RIGHT BACK
Mike “Scribz” Riley
Charlie Handsome
Khalid
Brenda Russell
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

SEÑORITA
Cashmere Cat
Jack Patterson
Camila Cabello
Shawn Mendes
Ali Tamposi
Andrew Watt
Maidmetal Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd

SHOTGUN
George Ezra
BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.

SIDE EFFECTS
Sly
Tigerspring Songs V Tigerspring A S

SOMEONE YOU LOVED
Tom Barnes
Sam Roman
BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

THUNDERCLOUDS
Labrinth
Henry Agincourt Allen
BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.

TIP OF MY TONGUE
Ed Sheeran
Kenny Chesney
Ross Copperman
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

WHAT AM I
Ed Sheeran
Ammar Malik
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

WHO DO YOU LOVE
Talay Riley
Michael Clifford
Sean Douglas
Oak Felder
Luke Hemmings
Calum Hood
Ashton Irwin
Alexander Pall

BMI FILM, TV & VISUAL MEDIA AWARDS

Academy Award® Winners

JOKER
Hildur Guðnadóttir

“(I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN” FROM ROCKETMAN
Elton John

BMI Film Music Awards

ANGEL HAS FALLEN
David Buckley

JOKER
Hildur Guðnadóttir

LITTLE WOMEN
Alexandre Desplat

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK
Anna Drubich

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2
Alexandre Desplat

BMI Streaming Media Awards

CATCH-22
Harry Gregson-Williams

GOOD OMENS
David Arnold

THE WIDOW
Dominik Scherrer

BMI Cable Television Music Awards

RAVEN’S HOME
Andy Love

BMI Network Television Music Awards

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT
Jos Jorgensen
Andy Love

CHICAGO FIRE
Atli Örvarsson

CHICAGO MED
Atli Örvarsson

CHICAGO P.D.
Atli Örvarsson

FBI
Atli Örvarsson

FBI: MOST WANTED
Atli Örvarsson

GREY’S ANATOMY
Carim Clasmann
Galia Durant

MILLION-AIR AWARDS

13 Million Performances Award
BROWN EYED GIRL
Van Morrison
Universal Music Publishing
Web IV Music

10 Million Performances Award
(I CAN’T GET NO) SATISFACTION
Mick Jagger
Keith Richards

9 Million Performances Award
EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES IS MAGIC
Sting
GM Sumner
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

8 Million Performances Award
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD
Roland Orzabal
Ian Stanley
BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.

TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT
Mick Leeson
Peter Vale
C&D Music Ltd.
Warner Chappell Artemis Music Limited

YOU REALLY GOT ME
Ray Davies
Edward Kassner Music Co. Ltd

YOU’RE STILL THE ONE
Shania Twain

7 Million Performances Award
ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL
Roger Waters
BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Roger Waters Music Overseas

CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE
Freddie Mercury
Queen Music Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

TAKE ON ME
Magne Furuholmen
Morten Harket
Pål Waaktaar
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

WE WILL ROCK YOU
Brian May
Queen Music Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd

6 Million Performances Award
HERE I GO AGAIN
Bernie Marsden
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

I MELT WITH YOU
Richard Brown
Michael Conroy
Robbie Grey
Gary McDowell
Stephen Walker
Universal Music Publishing

IN YOUR EYES
Peter Gabriel
Real World Music Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

LISTEN TO YOUR HEART
Per Gessle
Mats Persson
Jimmy Fun Music

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Freddie Mercury
Queen Music Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

5 Million Performances Award
HEY, SOUL SISTER
Amund Bjørklund
Espen Lind
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
Stellar Songs Ltd.

SHAPE OF YOU
Johnny McDaid
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
Spirit B-Unique Polar Patrol

STAYIN’ ALIVE
Barry Gibb
Maurice Gibb
Robin Gibb
Crompton Songs
Universal Music Publishing

TRUE
Gary Kemp
Reformation Publishing Co. Ltd.

UPTOWN FUNK
Jeff Bhasker
Devon Gallaspy
Trinidad James
Mark Ronson
Lonnie Simmons
Rudy Taylor
Charlie Wilson
Robert Wilson
Ronnie Wilson
New Songs Administration Ltd.

4 Million Performances Award
CRAZY
GianPiero Reverberi
Cee-Lo Green
Universal Music Publishing Ricordi srl
Warner Chappell Music Publishing Ltd.

DON’T SLEEP IN THE SUBWAY
Tony Hatch
Jackie Trent
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

LITTLE LIES
Christine McVie

PERFECT
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM
J. Vincent Edwards
Pierre Tubbs
Chelsea Music Publishing Co. Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

SLEDGEHAMMER
Peter Gabriel
Real World Music Ltd.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

SWEET SOUL MUSIC
Arthur Conley
Sam Cooke
Otis Redding

THINKING OUT LOUD
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran Limited
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.

WHOSE BED HAVE YOUR BOOTS BEEN UNDER?
Shania Twain

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