October 20, 2015
Graham Gouldman and Top Songwriters Honored at 2015 BMI London Awards
‘Stay With Me’ wins song of the year for Sam Smith;
Ed Sheeran, John Newman and Hozier also recognised at London ceremony
Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®),the global leader in music rights management, tonight honored internationally-celebrated songwriter Graham Gouldman as BMI Icon at the 2015 BMI London Awards. Music industry guests including John Newman, Wayne Hector and Don Black OBE filled London’s Dorchester Hotel to celebrate U.K. and European songwriters, producers and publishers of the most-performed songs of 2014 on United States radio and television.
Graham Gouldman was named BMI Icon because of his “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers” and joins a list of past honourees including Sir Tim Rice, John Lydon, Queen, Ray Davies, Don Black OBE and Bryan Ferry, among others.
BMI awarded Sam Smith with the Song of the Year Award (The Robert S.Musel Award) for ‘Stay With Me’. This award is given to the most-performed song of 2014 by UK or European writers in the BMI catalogue on U.S. radio and television. The track beat stiff competition from Ed Sheeran and Hozier. Sam Smith will receive four Pop Awards for ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’, ‘Latch’ and his contribution to ‘La La La’.
Throughout the night, BMI honoured many British songwriters and co-writers of the most performed songs on U.S radio and television. John Newman was presented with Pop Awards for BRIT Award nominated ‘Love Me Again’ and ‘Blame’. Songwriting powerhouse Wayne Hector was also presented with an award for ‘Red Lights’, performed by Tiesto as well as ‘Me and My Broken Heart’ co-written with longstanding collaborator Steve Mac and made famous by Rixton.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards received the BMI Million-Air Award to honour the nine million combined radio plays of ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’. Other writers receiving awards for five million plays include The Bee Gees for ‘Islands In The Stream’, Sting for ‘Roxanne’ and Des’ree for her hit ‘You Gotta Be’. Ray Davies was also awarded for a Kinks sample used in ‘Move That Doh’.
Also recognised were composers of the most-watched and highest-grossing television programs and films, along with the legendary songwriters behind classics that have generated more than three million U.S. radio and television performances.
Graham Gouldman performed ‘Bus Stop’ and Lisa Stansfield joined him on stage for ‘I’m Not In Love’. This was the first time the pair have duetted and created a truly spine-tingling moment to celebrate Graham’s incredible and enduring career.
See the complete list of 2015 BMI London Award winners.
View the EPK
Contacts:
Lisa Birch – DawBell – 0203 327 7165 –
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Richard Dawes – DawBell – 0203 327 7111 –
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Amelia O’Shea – DawBell – 0203 327 7158 –
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BMI (US) – Liz Fischer – (001) 212-220-3160 –
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Steve Mac and Ammar Malik share a laugh at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Mark Allan
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Steve Mac at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Mark Allan
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Wayne Hector at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Mark Allan
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BMI’s Simon Aldridge, Steve Mac, Wayne Hector, Jane Bell of Warner/Chappell Music, BMI’s Brandon Bakshi and Ammar Malik at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Mark Allan
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BMI’s Brandon Bakshi, Steve Mac and BMI’s Phil Graham at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Brian Rasic
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Wayne Hector with BMI’s Brandon Bakshi at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Brian Rasic
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James Dewar of Sony ATV, George Astasio, BMI’s Brandon Bakshi, Jon Shave, Jason Pebworth, Kurtis McKenzie, Elizabeth Troughton of Universal Music Publishing and BMI’s Simon Aldridge at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Mark Allan
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The Invisible Men, Jon Shave, Jason Pebworth and George Astasio, with BMI’s Brandon Bakshi at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Brian Rasic
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BMI’s Brandon Bakshi with Eric Serra at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Mark Allan
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BMI’s Brandon Bakshi, Jane Bell of Warner/Chappell Music, Wayne Hector, Carl Falk and BMI Senior Executive, Writer/Publisher Relations, Simon Aldridge, at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Mark Allan
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BMI Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Europe and Asia, Brandon Bakshi, with Carl Falk’s manager Jackie Davidson and Falk at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Brian Rasic
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Carl Falk with BMI SVP of Writer/Publisher Relations, Phil Graham, at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Photo by Brian Rasic
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Mike O’Neill, President & CEO BMI, presents the BMI Icon Award to Graham Gouldman at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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Lisa Stansfield joins BMI Icon recipient Graham Gouldman to perform 'I’m Not In Love’ at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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Mike O’Neill, BMI President & CEO, presents the BMI Icon Award to Graham Gouldman with Phil Graham, Senior Vice-President of Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI, at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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Lisa Stansfield at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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John Newman at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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BMI Icon recipient Graham Gouldman at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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BMI Icon recipient Graham Gouldman performs ‘Bus Stop’ at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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This year's BMI Icon recipient Graham Gouldman at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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Lisa Stansfield joins BMI Icon recipient Graham Gouldman to perform 'I’m Not In Love’ at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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Rakesh Sangvhi, BMI's Brandon Bakshi, John Newman and BMI's Simon Aldridge at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Mark Allan
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Lisa Stansfield at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Brian Rasic
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BMI Icons Graham Gouldman, Don Black and Sir Tim Rice at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Brian Rasic
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Brandon Bakshi,Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Europe & Asia BMI; John Newman and Mike O’Neill, President and CEO BMI at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Brian Rasic
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Mike O’Neill, President and CEO BMI, Graham Gouldman and Sir Tim Rice at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Brian Rasic
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Brandon Bakshi, Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Europe & Asia BMI; Graham Gouldman; Phil Graham, Senior Vice-President of Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI and Mike O’Neill, President and CEO BMI at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Brian Rasic
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Graham Gouldman, recipient of BMI Icon Award, at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Brian Rasic
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Brandon Bakshi, Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Europe & Asia BMI; Sir Tim Rice and Mike O’Neill, President and CEO BMI at the 2015 BMI London Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, London
Photo by Brian Rasic
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