Backbeat: SESAC Pop Music Awards Pop Off With Michelle Williams, Swizz Beatz, Mumford’s Ben Lovett; Honor Daniel Glass, Rico Love
SESAC hosted its 17th Annual Pop Awards last night at the New York Public Library. Rico Love captured top honors at the event taking home both Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year awards for his hit, “Heart Attack” as recorded by Trey Songz. (Complete winners list below.)
The 2013 awards celebration drew more than 400 songwriters, publishers and industry professionals, including Michelle Williams, Swizz Beatz, Melanie Fiona, songwriter Angela Hunte; and more. Billboard was the media sponsor.
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SESAC president Pat Collins pointed out that the event was being held at the beautiful main branch of the New York Public library, long a center for intellectual property. Collins said that SESAC had enjoyed another year of progressive grown, while coming up with innovated expanded service, and yet remaining true to the “personal service we are known for. We do not forget what we do or why we do it.”
From left:Hip-Hop artist and producer, Swizz Beatz; R&B singer and member of Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams; Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year recipient, award winning producer and songwriter, Rico Love. (Photo credit: Shawn Ehlers)
One of the evening’s many highlights was the “Visionary Award” presentation to Glassnote Records founder Daniel Glass. Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons presented the award to Glass, delivering a humorous and heartfelt speech. He called Glass “amibitous, relentless, a true New Yorker, but what sets this man apart is that he really, truly cares about my music, my band, me and my friends. We call him ‘Uncle Danny.’ ”
During his speech, Glass thanked his parents for encouraging him throughout his life. “When I told my parents I was switching careers from becoming a doctor to being a DJ, they said ‘great’.” He recalled his first job in the music industry: plugging songs for Harry Finfer, waiting at the doors of the Catskill hotels for the likes of Trini Lopez and Vic Damone to show up so he could push songs on them. After he took them to dinner and got them to agree to sing the songs, it was also his job to get them on the radio, usually WNEW.
He thanked his wife for prodding him to start Glassnote, and he thanked his father-in-law Sam Weiss, owner of Win One-Stop where many industry careers were started, and DJ Frankie Crocker for teaching him two things: “If it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t;” and “you can’t fix it in the mix.”
From left: SESAC President/COO, Pat Collins; SESAC’s Ira Smith; Hip-Hop artist and producer, Swizz Beatz; SESAC Chairman of the Board/CEO, Stephen Swid. (Photo credit: Shawn Ehlers)
Pop newcomer Andy Allo (below) played a song from her Superconductor album, which was executive produced by Prince and includes tracks co-written by Allo and Prince.
The night closed with the Rico Love composed, Sony/ATV published “Heart Attack,” winning the SESAC song of the year award, while Love was also named the Pop songwriter of the year for the third time in a row.
After thanking his Lord and his family and friends and the other artists who inspire him, Love said, “The most important thing to me in the business is to have integrity.”
He said that people in the music business have to be true to their word and deliver what they say they will. Sometimes, “when young black men are firm in what they say, we can be taken as arrogant and cocky. … Some times the artists treat us as disposable,” he said. “There is supposed to be a relationship with the songwriter and the artist. At the end of the day, its a 50/50 deal.”
He called on songwriters and producers to come together and stand up for each other. “Unless you put your foot down, the industry is going to be ruined.”
He also said it was songwriters’ duty to try and compete against — and beat — “the legacy of those who came before us. But most of all, compete with yourself because that’s who you are in a race with.”
From left: R&B-funk, singer-songwriter, Andy Allo; Grammy Award winning recording artist, Melanie Fiona; award winning songwriter, Angela Hunte; and R&B singer and member of Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams. (Photo: Johnny Nunez)
From left: Swizz Beatz; SESAC Senior Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Jamie Dominguez; R&B singer and member of Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams; SESAC Director Writer/Publisher Relations, Peniece LeGall; Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year recipient, award winning producer and songwriter, Rico Love; SESAC Vice President Writer/Publisher Relations, Linda Lorence Critelli; and SESAC Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher relations, Trevor Gale. (Photo credit: Shawn Ehlers)
COMPLETE WINNERS LIST:
Songwriter of the Year:
Rico Love
Song of the Year:
“Heart Attack
Written by Rico Love
Published by: Sony ATV Sounds, Rico Love Is Still A Rapper
Publisher of the Year:
Sony ATV Sounds
Visionary Award:
Daniel Glass
Video Performance Award:
PSY
“4 AM”
Recorded by: Melanie Fiona
Songwriter: Rico Love, Earl Hood, Eric Goudy II
Publisher(s): Sony ATV Sounds, Rico Love Is Still A Rapper, E Hood 66 Music, Grandmas Boy
“Finally Found You”
Recorded by: Enrique Iglesias feat. Sammy Adams
Songwriter: Jacob Luttrell
Publisher(s): LSLX Music, Artist Publishing Group East
“Gangnam Style”
Recorded by: Psy
Songwriter: Psy
Publisher(s): Universal Tunes, Sony ATV Sounds
“Heart Attack”
Recorded by: Trey Songz
Songwriter: Rico Love
Publisher(s): Sony ATV Sounds, Rico Love Is Still A Rapper
“I Can Only Imagine”
Recorded by: David Guetta feat. Chris Brown & Lil Wayne
Songwriter: Jacob Luttrell
Publisher(s): LSLX Music, Artist Publishing Group East
“I Will Wait”
Recorded by: Mumford & Sons
Songwriter(s): Ben Lovett, Ted Dwane, Marcus Mumford, Winston Marshall
Publisher: Universal-PolyGram Intl Tunes Inc
“Cough Syrup”
Recorded by: Young The Giant
Songwriter(s): Ehson Hashemian, Eric Cannata, Fran?ois Comtois, Jacob Tilley, Sameer Gadhia
Publisher(s): Ehson Hashemian, EricC Publishing, The Jakes, Jacob Tilley, Mi Fiammetta Inc., Robot of the Century Tunes
“Let’s Talk”
Recorded by: Omarion feat. Rick Ross
Songwriter(s): Omarion
Publisher: Mr Granberry OS Music, Sony ATV Sounds
“Mr. Wrong”
Recorded by: Mary J. Blige feat. Drake
Songwriter(s): Rico Love
Publisher(s): Sony ATV Sounds, Rico Love Is Still A Rapper
“Next Breath”
Recorded by: Tank
Songwriter: Sammie
Publisher(s): Sammies Music Library
“Sabotage”
Recorded by: Wale feat. Lloyd
Songwriter: A. Nolan Kramer, Daniel Friedman, Samuel Dew
Publisher(s): Fat Bread Publishing, Nickel Muse, By the Chi Publishing
“Sweet Love”
Recorded by: Chris Brown feat. Wiz Khalifa & Big Sean
Songwriter: Nate “Danja” Hills
Publisher: Danjahandz Muzik
“Till I Die”
Recorded by: Chris Brown feat. Wiz Khalifa & Big Sean
Songwriter: Nate “Danja” Hills
Publisher: Danjahandz Muzik
“Touch’N You”
Recorded by: Rick Ross feat. Usher
Songwriter(s): Rico Love
Publisher(s): Rico Love Is Still A Rapper, Sony ATV Sounds
“Turn Up The Music”
Recorded by: Chris Brown
Songwriter(s): Alexander Palmer, Harvey Mason, Jr.
Publisher(s): Fuego Songs Publishing, BMG Silver Songs US, Multisongs
“Wild Ones”
Recorded by: Flo Rida feat. Sia
Songwriter: Jacob Luttrell
Publisher(s): LSLX Music, Artist Publishing Group East
“Bottoms Up”
Recorded by: Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj
Songwriter: Milton “Track Dealer” James
Publisher(s): iHip Hop Music, Track Stash Publishing
“Just A Kiss”
Recorded by: Lady Antebellum
Songwriter: Hillary Scott
Publisher(s): Sony ATV Sounds, Hillary Dawn Songs
“I’m On One”
Recorded by: DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
Songwriter: Nikhil Seetharam
Publisher(s): Kromatik Music, Sony ATV Sounds
“Make Me Proud”
Recorded by: Drake feat. Nicki Minaj
Songwriter: Nikhil Seetharam
Publisher: Sony ATV Sounds, Kromatik Music
“Motivation”
Recorded by: Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne
Songwriter: Rico Love
Publisher(s): Sony ATV Sounds, Rico Love Is Still A Rapper
“Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)”
Recorded by: Enrique Iglesias feat. Ludacris
Songwriter: Jacob Luttrell
Publisher(s): LSLX Music, Artist Publishing Group East
“Lotus Flower Bomb”
Recorded by: Wale feat. Miguel
Songwriter: Samuel Dew
Publisher: By the Chi Publishing
“Without You”
Recorded by: David Guetta feat. Usher
Songwriter: Rico Love
Publisher(s): Sony ATV Sounds, Rico Love Is Still A Rapper
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