‘Rolling in the Deep’ Rolls Away With Song of the Year at 2012 BMI London Awards
Adele’s Megahit Performed More Than Any Other Song in BMI Catalogue During 2011
BMI celebrated the European and African songwriters, composers and music publishers behind the most-performed songs on U.S. radio and television tonight at its annual BMI London Awards. “Rolling in the Deep,” written by Adele and Paul Epworth, took top honors, winning the Robert S. Musel Award for Song of the Year. EMI Music Publishing Ltd. and Universal Music Publishing Group share the award as publishers.
“Rolling in the Deep” received more performances on U.S. radio and television than any other song in the BMI repertoire during 2011. BMI tracked a staggering 1.35 million U.S. performances of “Rolling in the Deep” in just six months during 2011. The song reached the one million mark faster than any other song in BMI’s European catalogue last year. To date, “Rolling in the Deep” has earned 2 million performances, which is the equivalent of the song being performed back-to-back for more than 12 consecutive years.
“A BMI songwriting award is a unique and important recognition of a song’s life cycle,” said BMI President & CEO Del Bryant. “Songs are born, and then they journey throughout the world’s marketplace, through traditional broadcasts, digital platforms, local businesses and other industries. BMI tracks and shepherds that journey. As the son of professional songwriters, I understand and admire the passion and pride that our songwriters feel as their work crosses cultures and defines eras, and the essential need to safeguard that work.”
Adele and Epworth completed the song in a single afternoon at Epworth’s London studio. Adele didn’t have high expectations for the co-writing session initially. Epworth’s indie sensibilities and Adele’s pop savvy seemed like a potential mismatch. But afterward, Adele described collaborating with Epworth as a “match made in heaven,” and radio, fans and critics overwhelmingly agreed. Epworth went on to produce the track on the singer’s sophomore album 21, and “Rolling in the Deep” spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on that chart for an incredible 65 weeks. It continued to top other charts all over the world as well, becoming the best-selling digital track in the U.S. by a woman ever. Rolling Stone gave “Rolling in the Deep” the top slot in its “50 Best Singles of 2011” countdown, and in 2012, the song earned Grammys for Record and Song of the Year.
Adele chose BMI for U.S. representation in 2007, as she and Epworth are both members of British performing rights society PRS for Music. “Rolling in the Deep” is a testament to the timeless, cross-cultural global power of an expertly crafted song, and reinforces BMI’s determination to ensure that the rights of creators of those songs are always protected.
In addition to Song of the Year, BMI presented the Dance Award to Afrojack and Pitbull for co-writing the latter’s “Give Me Everything.” Talpa Music/Afrojack Publishing shared the award as publishers. Like “Rolling in the Deep,” “Give Me Everything” has also generated remarkable performance totals in the U.S. In just one year, the song earned more than one million performances, and to date, BMI has logged 1.19 million performances of the song—the equivalent of “Give Me Everything” being performed back-to-back for six consecutive years.
The night also honored many other successful transatlantic co-writing efforts by British, Dutch, French, Swedish, Italian, Irish, Danish, and other international songwriters for U.S. performances of songs including P!nk’s “Perfect”; “5 O’Clock” by T-Pain, featuring Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen; Rihanna’s “S&M”; Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling”; “Look at Me Now” by Chris Brown, featuring Wayne & Busta Rhymes; Adele’s “Someone Like You” and “Set Fire to the Rain”; “On the Floor” by Jennifer Lopez, featuring Pitbull; and many more.
Also saluted were composers of the most-watched and highest-grossing television programs and films; and the legendary songwriters behind classics that have generated more than three million U.S. radio and television performances.
The 2012 BMI London Awards were held at London’s Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane. The songwriters and composers saluted at the event are members of European and other foreign performing rights societies and choose BMI for representation in the U.S.
2012 BMI London Awards
Tuesday, October 9
SONG OF THE YEAR
The Robert S. Musel Award
“Rolling in the Deep”
Adele
Paul Epworth
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
Universal Music Publishing Group
Adele
DANCE AWARD
“Give Me Everything”
Afrojack
Pitbull
Talpa Music/Afrojack Publishing
Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer
Award-Winning Songs
The past year’s most-performed songs on U.S. radio and television
POP AWARDS
5 O’CLOCK
Lily Rose Cooper
Howard Donald
Jason Orange
T-Pain
Wiz Khalifa
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
Universal Music Publishing Group
T-Pain featuring Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen
BON BON
Renato Carosone
Nicola Salerno
Pitbull
Universal Music Publishing Ricordi SRL
Pitbull
COUNTRY SONG
Dale Stewart
Shaun Morgan Welgemoed
John Humphrey
BMG Rights Management (Ireland) Ltd.
Seether Publishing
Seether
DANZA KUDURO
Faouze Barkati
Philippe Louis Lucenzo De Oliveira
Ali Fitzgerald Moore
Fabrice Toïgo
Don Omar
Because Editions
EMI Music Publishing
Hella Publishing
Together Publishing
Don Omar featuring Lucenzo
DON’T WANNA GO HOME
StoneBridge
Jason Derülo
Allen George
Fred Craig McFarlane
Stone Music
Jason Derülo
EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL
Brian Eno
Peter Allen
Adrienne Anderson
Opal Ltd.
Coldplay
FOR THE FIRST TIME
Danny O’Donoghue
Mark Sheehan
The Script
GIVE ME EVERYTHING
Afrojack
Pitbull
Talpa Music /Afrojack Publishing
Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer
GOOD FEELING
Avicii
Ash Pournouri
Breyan Isaac
Etta James
Pearl W. Johnson
Leroy Kirkland
EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia
Flo Rida
HELLO
Martin Solveig
Martina Sorbara
EMI Music Publishing
Famous Virgins Inc.
Temps D Avance
Martin Solveig featuring Dragonette
HEY BABY (DROP IT TO THE FLOOR)
Sandy Vee
Pitbull
T-Pain
Di Piu Srl
Pitbull featuring T-Pain
I WANNA GO
Shellback
MXM Music
Britney Spears
LOOK AT ME NOW
Afrojack
Chris Brown
Ryan Buendia
Busta Rhymes
Lil Wayne
Talpa Music /Afrojack Publishing
Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
LOSER LIKE ME
Shellback
MXM Music
Glee Cast
MARVIN’S ROOM
Chilly Gonzales
Drake
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
Drake
MR. SAXOBEAT
Andrei Nemirschi
Marcel Prodan
Media Pro Ent Srl./Universal Music Publishing Group
Universal Music Publishing Group/Media Pro Ent Srl.
Alexandra Stan
NOTHING
Andrew Frampton
Danny O’Donoghue
Mark Sheehan
Stage Three Music Publishing a BMG Chrysalis Company
The Script
ON MY MIND
Fraser T. Smith
Nasri Atweh
Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Ltd.
Cody Simpson
ON THE FLOOR
Kinda Hamid
Geraldo “Teddy Sky” Sandell
Bilal “The Chef” Hajji
Achraf “AJ Junior” Jannusi
Pitbull
RedOne
Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull
PARADISE
Brian Eno
Opal Ltd.
Coldplay
PERFECT
Shellback
P!nk
MXM Music
P!nk
RAIN OVER ME
Rashid Aziz
Jimmy “Joker” Thornfeldt
Bilal “The Chef” Hajji
Achraf “AJ Junior” Jannusi
Pitbull
RedOne
Pitbull featuring Marc Anthony
ROLLING IN THE DEEP
Adele
Paul Epworth
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
Universal Music Publishing Group
Adele
S&M
Sandy Vee
Ester Dean
Di Piu Srl
Rihanna
SET FIRE TO THE RAIN
Adele
Fraser T. Smith
Chrysalis Music Ltd. a BMG Chrysalis Company
Universal Music Publishing Group
Adele
SOMEONE LIKE YOU
Adele
Universal Music Publishing Group
Adele
TAKE OVER CONTROL
Afrojack
Michael Anthony Hamilton
Eva Simons
Ingrid Simons
BMG Chrysalis
Sony/ATV Music Publishing/Walboomers Publishing
Talpa Music /Afrojack Publishing
Walboomers Publishing/Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Afrojack featuring Eva Simons
THE SOUND OF WINTER
Gavin Rossdale
Mad Dog Winston Music Ltd.
Bush
TONIGHT
Dale Stewart
Shaun Morgan Welgemoed
John Humphrey
BMG Rights Management (Ireland) Ltd.
Seether Publishing
Seether
WHAT THE HELL
Shellback
MXM Music
Avril Lavigne
WHERE THEM GIRLS AT
Giorgio Tuinfort
Sandy Vee
Jared Cotter
Nicki Minaj
Di Piu Srl
Talpa Music/Piano Songs
David Guetta featuring Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj
WITHOUT YOU
Giorgio Tuinfort
Talpa Music/Piano Songs
David Guetta featuring Usher
WRITTEN IN THE STARS
Charlie Bernardo
iSHi
Patrick Okogwu
Eric Turner
2Stripes Music Publishing
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia
Warner/Chappell Music Scandinavia
Tinie Tempah featuring Eric Turner
YOU MAKE ME FEEL…
Ina Wroldsen
P & P Songs Ltd.
Cobra Starship featuring Sabi
ACADEMY AWARD
THE ARTIST
Ludovic Bource
TV MUSIC AWARDS
2 BROKE GIRLS
John Eriksson
Peter Morén
Björn Yttling
AMERICA’S GOT TALENT
Jos Jorgensen
Andy Love
CSI
Pete Townshend
CSI: Miami
Pete Townshend
Kevin Kiner
CSI: NY
Pete Townshend
Bill Brown
GREY’S ANATOMY
Carim Clasmann
Galia Durant
THE AMAZING RACE
Christopher Franke
Vaughn Johnson
Lee Sanders
THE GOOD WIFE
David Buckley
THE X FACTOR
Jos Jorgensen
Andy Love
CABLE MUSIC AWARDS
DEXTER
Rolfe Kent
Daniel Licht
ROYAL PAINS
Søren Oakes Christensen
Per Mølgaard Jørgensen
Allan Fjeldgaard Villadsen
Steffen Westmark
FILM MUSIC AWARDS
COWBOYS & ALIENS
Harry Gregson-Williams
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2
Alexandre Desplat
MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS
Rolfe Kent
THE VOW
Rachel Portman
UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING
Paul Haslinger
WE BOUGHT A ZOO
Jón Þór Birgisson
WRATH OF THE TITANS
Javier Navarrete
MILLION-AIR AWARD SONGS
Honorees have accumulated substantial performance totals—from three to ten million—in U.S. radio and television.
3 MILLION
CHASING CARS
Nathan Connolly
Gary Lightbody
Jonny Quinn
Tom Simpson
Paul Wilson
Universal Music Publishing Group
Snow Patrol
DE DO DO DO DE DA DA DA
Sting
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
GM Sumner
The Police
HITCHIN’ A RIDE
Peter Callander
Mitch Murray
Universal Music Publishing Group
Vanity Fare/Sinitta
HONEY, I’M HOME
Shania Twain
Shania Twain
IF I EVER LOSE MY FAITH IN YOU
Sting
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
Steerpike Ltd.
The Police
IT DON’T COME EASY
Ringo Starr
Startling Music Ltd.
Universal Music Publishing Group
Ringo Starr
IT’S MY LIFE
Mark Hollis
Universal Music Publishing Group
No Doubt / Talk Talk
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Sting
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
GM Sumner
The Police
SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING
Elton John
Bernie Taupin
Dick James Music Ltd.
Universal Music Publishing Group
Elton John
SLEDGEHAMMER
Peter Gabriel
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
Real World Music Ltd.
Peter Gabriel
STAYIN’ ALIVE
Barry Gibb
Maurice Gibb
Robin Gibb
Crompton Songs LLC
Gibb Brothers Music
Universal Music Publishing Group
Warner/Chappell Music Ltd.
The Bee Gees
TELL HER NO
Rod Argent
Verulam Music Co. Ltd.
The Zombies
WHITE ROOM
Pete Brown
Jack Bruce
Warner/Chappell Music International Ltd.
Cream
4 MILLION
LIVE AND LET DIE
Paul McCartney
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
MPL Communications Ltd.
Wings
THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE
Ewan MacColl
Roberta Flack
5 MILLION
DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME
Sting
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
GM Sumner
The Police
HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART
Barry Gibb
Robin Gibb
Crompton Songs LLC
Gibb Brothers Music
Universal Music Publishing Group
Warner/Chappell Music Ltd.
The Bee Gees/
KISS FROM A ROSE
Seal
Perfect Songs Ltd.
Seal
MONEY FOR NOTHING
Sting
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
GM Sumner
Dire Straits
6 MILLION
BLACK MAGIC WOMAN
Peter Green
Bourne Music Ltd.
Fleetwood Mac/Santana
WONDERFUL TONIGHT
Eric Clapton
E.C. Music Ltd.
Warner/Chappell Music International Ltd.
Eric Clapton
7 MILLION
DON’T STOP
Christine McVie
Fleetwood Mac
8 MILLION
(I CAN’T GET NO) SATISFACTION
Mick Jagger
Keith Richards
The Rolling Stones
11 MILLION
EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE
Sting
EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
GM Sumner
The Police
All writers listed license their rights in the USA through BMI.
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