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 Newmanwas 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 includeThe Bee Gees for ‘Islands In The Stream’, Sting for ‘Roxanne’ and Des’reefor her hit ‘You Gotta Be’. Ray Davies was also awarded for a Kinks sample used in ‘Move That Doh’.
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.
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.
