UMPG Is Publisher of the Year; Desmond Child, Lana Del Rey Honored at ASCAP Pop Awards
Winners of the ASCAP Pop Music Awards, handed out on April 23 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, included songwriters of the year Steve Mac (Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” Pink’s “What About Us,” Liam Payne’s “Strip That Down”), Starrah (Halsey’s Now or Never,” Drake’s “Fake Love,” Maroon 5’s “What Lovers Do” and Camila Cabello’s “Havana”) and Drew Taggart (Logic’s “1-800-273-8255,” The Chainsmokers’ “Something Just Like This” featuring Coldplay, “Closer” featuring Halsey, and “Paris”).
ASCAP president Paul Williams remarked from the stage that Starrah is the first female recipient in 16 years to win the songwriter of the year award.
In addition, hitmaker Max Martin was recognized for the 11th time for “Side To Side” (Ariana Grande), “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” (Justin Timberlake), ”Send My Love” (Adele) and “Just Like Fire” (P!nk). No doubt he will make an encore appearance in 2019 having written four tracks for the forthcoming Ariana Grande album, including insta-hit “No Tears Left to Cry.”
Song of the Year went to “Shape of You,” co-written by Mac, Kandi Burrus and Tameka Harris. The top streamed song was “Despacito,” co-written by ASCAP members Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd and Daddy Yankee. “Bad Things,” sung by Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello and featuring an interpolation of the 1998 hit “Out of My Head,” was also recognized with a special performance featuring Madison Emiko Love and Fastball’s Tony Scalzo.
Universal Music Publishing Group was named Publisher of the Year its role in 22 2017 hits including “Shape Of You,” “That’s What I Like” (Bruno Mars) and “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” UMPG chairman and CEO Jody Gerson accepted the award from ASCAP chief Elizabeth Matthews.
Independent Publisher of the Year went to BMG in recognition of seven hits over the past year including “Let Me Love You” (DJ Snake and Justin Bieber), “Despacito” (Justin Bieber) and “I’m The One” (DJ Khaled, Quavo, Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne). BMG U.S. President Zach Katz was on hand to accept the award.
Additional honors went to Lana Del Rey (pictured above), who received the ASCAP Global Impact Award as well as a serenade by Father John Misty, Portugal.The Man, who received the ASCAP Vanguard Award, and Desmond Child, who was recognized with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award. Child, co-writer of such hits as Bon Jovi’s “Livin on a Prayer” and Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” received a tribute in the way of a performance by Alice Cooper and KISS guitarist Paul Stanley of the Cooper classic “Poison.”
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