Donovan, Danielle Brisebois, Natasha Bedingfield & More Honored at 2009 BMI London Awards

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Top40 Charts/ BMI) - American music rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) lauded the UK and Europe's premier songwriters, composers and music publishers tonight during its annual BMI London Awards. The ceremony was hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant; BMI Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Phil Graham; and Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Europe & Asia Brandon Bakshi. Staged in London's Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, the event honored the past year's most-performed songs on U.S. radio and television. BMI is a United States-based performing right organization that collects and distributes monies for the public performance of music on outlets including radio, television, the Internet and the top-grossing tours in the U.S. British citizens honored at the event are members of the UK performing right society PRS for Music (PRS) and are represented in the U.S. by BMI.

In addition to saluting numerous UK songwriters, composers and music publishers alongside music creators from Europe, India and other international markets, BMI named Donovan a BMI Icon. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters who have bestowed 'a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.' Donovan joins an elite list of past honorees that includes multi-genre nobility Bryan Ferry, Peter Gabriel, Ray Davies, Van Morrison, Steve Winwood and many more.

'Pocket Full of Sunshine' earned the prestigious Robert S. Musel Award for Song of the Year as well as BMI's College Song of the Year. Recorded by Natasha Bedingfield, the song was co-written by Bedingfield and Danielle Brisebois and published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

The BMI Dance Award went to 'Cry for You,' recorded by Sweden's latest in-demand export September, co-written by Anoo Bhagavan (STIM) and Niclas von der Burg (STIM) and published by EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia AB (STIM).

Broadcast Music, Inc.� (BMI) is an American performing right organization that represents more than 400,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music and more than 6.5 million works. BMI reported $905 million for its 2009 fiscal year in performing right collections. BMI has represented the most popular and beloved music from around the world for 70 years. The U.S. corporation collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it then distributes as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents.
For a complete list of 2009 BMI London Awards winners, please visit bmi.com.