London, United Kingdom (Top40 Charts/ BMI) Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), the leading global music rights organization, 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.
"A BMI songwriting award is unique and important recognition of a song's life cycle"
"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 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
Lil 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. For a complete list of 2012 BMI London Awards winners, visit bmi.com/london. Media can access high-resolution photos and event information at bmi.com/press.
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.
BMI represents the finest talent from around the world. As steward of the globe's most diverse, in-demand musical repertoire, BMI is determined to continue fostering talent, educating and building awareness of the value of music across the entertainment industry.
For a complete list of 2012 BMI London Awards winners, visit bmi.com/london.
