WINTER 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS

For their first all-original album in 11 years, Aerosmith brought back veteran ASCAP producer Jack Douglas, who worked on their breakthrough records in the ‘70s. We spoke with Douglas about how Music from Another Dimension! came together.

Booking Your Own Tour: A How-To Guide

Contrary to conventional musician wisdom, it's not impossible to book a successful tour by yourself. As ASCAP member and touring maven Ari Herstand tells it, you just have to approach it methodically. We asked Herstand to share his insights about every step of the booking process, from routing your tour to getting paid.

On the Charts: Cirkut on Ke$ha's Warrior

Ke$ha had a battalion of music creators behind her for her new album Warrior, which debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200. One of her chief collaborators was ASCAP member Cirkut. We talked with this multi-talented writer/producer about Ke$ha’s bold new direction and what it’s like being a musical jack-of-all-trades.

Middle Earth’s Greatest Hits

Nearly a decade after he last provided a musical backdrop for hobbits and humans, ASCAP composer Howard Shore takes us back to Middle Earth with his score to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. To celebrate, we compiled a playlist of Shore’s cues and assorted musical Hobbitiana. Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

David Ari Leon on Voice of Life

We all know that music can help calm and energize us. But how can we best use music to achieve wellness of mind, body and spirit? ASCAP composer David Ari Leon sought to answer those questions when he co-founded the organization Voice of Life. We spoke with him about the creation and intent of the organization's debut album, Voice of Life.

Tyrone Wells on This Love

ASCAP member Tyrone Wells is as prolific as he is successful. Less than a year after the release of his #1 iTunes-charting Where We Meet, the acoustic pop/rocker whittled down 40 songs to just 12 for his new album, This Love. Wells put his pen down for a second to tell us about the process of making his new record.

Attorney Don Passman on the Future of Digital Music

Few people are more qualified to comment on the ever-changing music industry than Don Passman. The noted attorney shares his wisdom in the best-selling All You Need to Know About the Music Business, now in its eighth edition. We asked Passman to share a few things you need to know about the future of the music business.

Alex North's Lost Score for Kubrick's 2001

Film music buffs have long known about ASCAP legend Alex North's scrapped score for 2001: A Space Odyssey. But until now, nobody's heard North's original sessions. To celebrate the public debut of his 2001 masters, North's daughter-in-law Abby recounts the amazing story behind the music.

Congress Hears ASCAP Loud and Clear at IRFA Hearing

Congress has begun hearings on the "Internet Radio Fairness Act." ASCAP believes that any discussion of music licensing reform should address how Internet performance royalty rates undervalue songwriters, composers & publishers. We recently brought that message to Capitol Hill. We’re encouraged to know that our allies in Congress are listening.

Nikki Reed on Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt 2

ASCAP member Nikki Reed may be better known as Twilight character Rosalie Hale, a vampire who longs to be human. For Breaking Dawn Part 2, Reed branched out to songwriting by co-penning the lovely ballad “All I’ve Ever Needed,” featured in the film's end credits. We talked with Reed about her foray into music-making.

Catching the Wave: Composer Alex Heffes on Improvising

Composer Alex Heffes (PRS) is known for his award-winning scores to The Last King of Scotland and The First Grader. So how did he find himself playing completely improvised music with Regina Spektor, Ryuichi Sakamoto and more for his new project, Face to Face? Heffes addresses what it means to make music in this inspiring reflection on the process.

Alex Mandel on Writing Songs for Pixar's Brave

ASCAP singer-songwriter Alex Mandel was walking through the atrium at Pixar when the director of Brave asked him to write a song for the film. That encounter resulted in "Touch the Sky" and "Into the Open Air," the magical songs at the heart of the film. Read the whole story from Mandel himself.

J. Ralph on Chasing Ice

Photographer James Balog traveled to the most remote corners of the earth to capture the astonishing footage seen in Chasing Ice. He emerged with undeniable evidence of climate change, and a stunning visual backdrop for the music of ASCAP songwriter/composer J. Ralph. We spoke with Ralph about his mesmerizing music.

It's Casual's The New Los Angeles II

LA hardcore duo It's Casual has attracted a boatload of attention for its no-nonsense punk rock and pro-public transportation message. Frontman Eddie Solis offers some sage advice on writing what you know in the clearest, truest way possible.

Night Moves' New and Improved Colored Emotions

It's not often that a new band records its debut album twice. But that's just what twangy cosmic psych-rockers Night Moves did with Colored Emotions, out now on Domino Records. We asked the band to explain how and why they retooled this glorious starburst of an album.

How to Write an Artist Bio That Won't Get Ignored

For any unsigned artist, a solid biography is essential for getting the attention of press, managers and label execs. Problem is, artist bios tend to be full of unimportant fluff. Rob Daily, the firebrand blogger behind DailyUnsigned.com, lays out what every artist bio should - and shouldn't - include.

Dario Marianelli on Anna Karenina

For his bold retelling of Anna Karenina, film director Joe Wright captured the theatricality of 19th century Russian aristocracy by setting much of the film in an actual theater. Bringing it to vivid musical life is Oscar-winning PRS composer Dario Marianelli, who tells us about his approach to scoring Leo Tolstoy's classic story.

Ben Kyle on Letting Go & Starting Over

Despite the hours and dollars he spent on his new record, singer-songwriter Ben Kyle didn't love the finished product. So he did the unthinkable, scrapping the record and starting over. The result is the sparkling, intimate Ben Kyle. Kyle tells us why he decided not to stop at "good enough."

What the US Election Results Mean for ASCAP Members

The 2012 election saw the departure of two longtime advocates of strong copyright law, and the arrival of more potential allies in Congress. Music Licensing Reform is already shaping up to be a big legislative issue in the coming months. Find out how the election could impact your music career, and what you can do to help.

Cyrille Aufort on A Royal Affair

For the Danish period drama A Royal Affair, French composer Cyrille Aufort collaborated with Gabriel Yared on a score of grand scope and thematic beauty. We asked him how he used music to help connect modern audiences with the kings, courtiers and lovers of the 18th century Danish royal court.

On the Charts: Neil Davidge on the Halo 4 OST

As one of the sonic architects of Massive Attack, Neil Davidge is used to epic, brooding soundscapes. Even so, he's outdone himself with his score to blockbuster video game Halo 4. Read what Davidge had to say about the soundtrack, a couple weeks before it debuted at the highest-ever chart position for a video game OST.

Martin Page on A Temper of Peace and Writing Eternal Music

ASCAP member Martin Page has co-written huge hits for Starship, Heart, Go West and more. His solo material is known both for its beauty and spiritual approach. On the occasion of his recent third solo record, A Temper of Peace, Page reflects on his unique path to writing timeless music.

New Music Tuesday: Miner's "Hey Love" Video

ASCAP band Miner didn't even exist a week before its laid-back indie-folk started climbing the Hype Machine charts. All of a sudden, the band's being courted by labels and publishers. The week his new video debuts, Miner main man Justin Miner (a Lester Sill Workshop grad) tells us about trying to stay calm amidst the whirlwind of activity.

Songwriters, Free Speech and the Internet

Two songwriters have been imprisoned for using their music to encourage freedom of expression and nonviolent protests against the Vietnamese government. We encourage artists, creators, and anyone who supports internet freedom to exercise your right to free speech and share the plight of Vo Minh Tri and Tran Vu Anh Binh.

Henry Jackman on Wreck-It Ralph

The brand new Disney film Wreck-It Ralph follows a villainous video game character who tries to escape his past and transform into a hero. ASCAP composer Henry Jackman utilized a wide range of techniques to capture Ralph’s unique sound world, from eight-bit to hi-fi. Read on for the lowdown on Jackman's entertaining score.

Your Spookiest Halloween Music

We reached out to our Facebook and Twitter followers for the spookiest, scariest, most skin-crawlingest original music we could find. For the last couple days our speakers have poured forth an endless stream of disturbing sounds, yielding a lot of concerned looks around the office. Here are the submissions that freaked us out more than any other.

Film Music Friday: Johnny Klimek/Reinhold Heil on Cloud Atlas

Composers Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer had their work cut out for them with the metaphysical sci-fi epic Cloud Atlas, one of the most ambitious films in recent memory. We spoke with Heil and Klimek about how they wrapped their music around the film's complex web of nested storylines.

Film Music Friday: Deborah Lurie on Fun Size

Just in time for Halloween comes Fun Size, a comedic romp about a teenager whose oddball brother Albert goes missing while trick-or-treating. ASCAP composer/arranger Deborah Lurie takes us behind the scenes of her ghoulishly fun score.

David S. Ware: A Remembrance by Matthew Shipp

Modern music lost a true jazz titan when ASCAP tenor saxophonist David S. Ware passed away on October 18th. Ware's longtime collaborator Matthew Shipp offers a thoughtful appreciation of Ware's work as a composer, a musician and a band leader.

Bat for Lashes' The Haunted Man

Five years after she earned ASCAP's Vanguard Award, Bat for Lashes' Natasha Khan is back with her bewitching third release, The Haunted Man. The album perfectly balances Khan's vulnerable songwriting with idiosyncratic productions, creating her most confident, cohesive work yet.

Marco Beltrami on The Sessions

Award-winning film composer Marco Beltrami recently spoke to us about his experience scoring new indie flick The Sessions. The movie, starring John Hawkes and Helen Hunt, is based on the true story of Mark O'Brien, a poet paralyzed from the neck down due to polio, who hires a sex surrogate in order to lose his virginity.

K'Naan's Country, God or the Girl

K'Naan's 2010 single "Wavin' Flag" established him as a symbol of perseverance in music all over the world, and his sophomore album picks up right where the former left off. On Country, God or the Girl, the Somalia native takes on the ups and downs in relationships of every kind.

ASCAP Presents at CMJ 2012 Preview: Gemini Club

Wrapping up our showcase at CMJ will be Chicago indie-electric trio, Gemini Club, who is sure to keep the dance floor full 'til the very end. The band tells us about their infamous live performance, the secrets to a great remix, and much more.

ASCAP Presents at CMJ 2012 Preview: Monsters Calling Home

Next up in our series of CMJ previews is the six-piece folk band Monsters Calling Home. After seeing them perform at a previous ASCAP showcase and on Jimmy Kimmel Live, we can't wait to see what they've got in store for our CMJ showcase.

ASCAP Presents at CMJ 2012 Preview: The Lone Bellow

CMJ is just around the corner, so we caught up with Zach Williams, the lead singer of our first act on the bill, The Lone Bellow. The Brooklyn-based folk rock trio has undergone recent changes from choosing a new name to running a successful Kickstarter campaign, with a debut release set for January 22nd.

A Fine Frenzy's Exquisite Pines

Alison Sudol, aka A Fine Frenzy, has just released her new album Pines. It draws its inspiration from the redwood forests of Northern California, and introduces a delicate and cinematic new side to her music. Watch Sudol play two of her new songs and talk about her new direction at the 2012 Sundance/ASCAP Music Café.

New Music Tuesday: Kat Parsons' Oh! EP

The second in singer-songwriter Kat Parsons' EP trilogy is filled to the brim with toe-tapping acoustic pop. What does that have to do with baking, Radiohead and uncategorizable dance moves? You'll just have to read Parsons' blog post to find out...

Tim Hosman & Randy Goodrum on Trade of Innocents

For the new film Trade of Innocents, ASCAP composer Timothy Hosman and songwriter Randy Goodrum were tasked with capturing the emotional toll of human trafficking in a song. Together they crafted “Cracks in the Stone,” a ballad that's simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful. We asked Hosman and Goodrum how they did it.

Mateo Messina on Butter

Just in time for election season comes Butter, a political satire about an orphan who discovers her uncanny talent for butter sculpture. Grammy-winning ASCAP composer Mateo Messina holds forth on the funky, soulful music that he - ahem - sculpted for the film.

On the Charts: Ben Charles on the Austin & Ally Soundtrack

ASCAP songwriter-producer Ben Charles crafts songs for a new generation of Disney Channel fans. His songs are highlights of the recent #1 soundtracks to Disney series Shake It Up and Austin & Ally, both of which are currently in the Top 5 of the Billboard Soundtracks chart. We got the lowdown on Charles’s creative process.

Miguel's Kaleidoscope Dream

R&B singer-songwriter Miguel has had a phenomenal 2012, with numerous awards won and a new album out. To celebrate the release of Kaleidoscope Dream, we proudly present our video interview with Miguel, filmed at The Key Club in LA. Check out his advice for up-and-coming songwriters and watch him perform his hit "Sure Thing."

Nathan Johnson on Looper

Science fiction, time travel and new technology converge in the new action thriller Looper, and the same goes for ASCAP composer Nathan Johnson's unique score. Johnson tells us about his past, present and future making music and movies with his cousin, Looper writer/director Rian Johnson.

Wanderlust's Record Time

Last thing ASCAP member Scot Sax remembers, it was the mid-'90s and his band Wanderlust was earning fawning reviews and opening for The Who. Now Wanderlust is releasing its first album in 14 years. Sax explains the sordid details of what happened in between.

Sonnet's Sonnet EP

Singer-songwriter Sonnet traveled the globe leading up to her debut EP Sonnet. The result is a joyful pop odyssey, looking at the dynamics of relationships from multiple perspectives. Sonnet takes us behind the scenes of the EP and the Overstock.com commercial that features her music and acting.

Joey Newman on My Uncle Rafael

ASCAP composer Joey Newman has soundtracked atypical families on The Middle and Little People, Big World. But few of his scoring subjects are quite as eccentric as the main character of Armenian-American comedy My Uncle Rafael, in theaters on September 21st. Newman tells us what he learned about Armenian music and culture (and pastries!) in the scoring process.

Rebecca Loebe & Tom Tom Club

In this week's edition of New Music Tuesday: The Voice contestant Rebecca Loebe tells us about her ebullient new folk-pop album Circus Heart, and we take a look and a listen to Downtown Rockers, the first new release from the Tom Tom Club (featuring Talking Heads founders Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth) in more than 12 years.

Free Career Development Videos from Joe Solo

Record producer, songwriter and composer Joe Solo has developed a series of short informational videos and tip sheets that provide unique creative, marketing and music industry information with the end goal of helping you move ahead and break through. Did we mention they're all free?

Bryce Jacobs on Bad Karma

A few years back, Australian composer Bryce Jacobs moved to LA with his trusty, self-designed BKJ 7 Octave Guitar to intern at Hans Zimmer's Remote Control Studios. Now he's got his own studio at Remote Control, and a unique combination of songs and score in his second feature film, Bad Karma, out now on DVD. We interviewed Jacobs about his music for the film and how he incorporated that wild guitar of his.

On the Charts: Adrian Newman on Hedley's "Kiss You Inside Out"

ASCAP songwriter-producer Adrian Newman has written and produced mammoth hits for superstars around the globe. Read what Newman had to say about the writing and production of "Kiss You Inside Out," his current #2 Canadian single for pop/rock band Hedley.

New Music Tuesday: Marco Benevento & Ben Arthur

In the September 11th edition of New Music Tuesday: keyboardist/composer Marco Benevento tells us about TigerFace, his first album with vocals, and songwriter-author Ben Arthur explains the idea behind If You Look for My Heart, a unique interrelated concept album/novel.

Marcelo Zarvos on The Words

In the romantic drama The Words, a young writer achieves long sought-after literary success after publishing the next great American novel. There's only one catch - he didn’t write it. We are quite sure that Emmy-nominated ASCAP composer Marcelo Zarvos did in fact write the film's luminous score. We asked him what it was like putting The Words to music.

Ten Reasons to Apply to the Lester Sill Songwriters Workshop

We heard through the grapevine that you haven’t yet applied to the ASCAP Foundation Lester Sill Songwriters Workshop in LA. As if eight sessions of education, collaboration and motivation weren’t enough, here are 10 reasons you should apply by September 10th.

Sweet Talk Radio's State of the Union

Husband and wife duo Sweet Talk Radio have recorded a beautiful batch of pop/rock tunes for their second album, State of the Union. The album includes 11 ruminations on relationships, including a pretty unconventional topic for most songwriters: how do successful relationships work?

Jason Karaban's Shift

LA-based ASCAP singer-songwriter Jason Karaban overcame his notorious reclusiveness to record Shift, an album of lush chamber pop songs. Karaban explains how Shift reflects where he's at as a creator and a person, and how some well-known collaborators helped him realize his vision.

Frank J. Oteri Receives World Premieres at Tenri Cultural Institute

Two compositions by the ASCAP member and award-winning composer and music journalist received world premieres on Saturday, February 23rd, 2013 at the Tenri Cultural Institute. “Versions of the Truth” and “Setting the World at Five and Seven” were performed by Phillip Cheah and Trudy Chan.

ASCAP Salutes James Weldon Johnson

In honor of Black History Month - the same month that ASCAP was founded - ASCAP takes a look at the life of James Weldon Johnson. Johnson was one of the founders of ASCAP, as well as a prolific songwriter, lawyer and activist who made great contributions to the music industry.

Judith Lang Zaimont Awarded Major Symphony Commissioning Grant

The ASCAP composer has been awarded a commissioning grant by The Elizabeth & Michel Sorel Charitable Organization, Inc. in support of her work,  "Pure, Cool (Water) - Symphony No. 4." Conceived as a consortium work, the music will be playable by a wide range of orchestras.

ASCAP & SOCAN Members Nominated for Juno Awards

The nominations for the Juno Awards (Canada’s equivalent of the Grammys) are chock-full of ASCAP members and SOCAN affiliates who license through us in the US. Multiple nominees include Canadian pop stars Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen, R&B/electronica artist The Weeknd, rockers Billy Talent and Metric and more.

The ASCAP We Create Music Series at The Basement

The February edition of ASCAP's monthly showcase series, designed to highlight Nashville's best of the best, featured songwriter-artists Marla Cannon-Goodman, Ernie Halter, Josh Jenkins, Sarahbeth Taite and Tori Tullier, as well as Nashville-based rockers The CO.

ASCAP Hosts First Break Bread Event of 2013

Our first Break Bread event of the year brought together writers and producers in Rhythm & Soul for a networking lunch. Click through for photos from the event.

World Premiere from Yotam Haber to Commemorate Birmingham Tragedy

Acclaimed ASCAP composer Yotam Haber will premiere a new work co-commissioned by the University of Alabama’s Alys Stephens Center and philanthropist Tom Blount to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. The work is set to premiere on Saturday, September 21st.

Lady Antebellum Announces Inaugural LadyAID Fundraiser

To be held on March 23rd in Nashville, the two-part “Ping Pong & Songs” event will include a celebrity ping pong tournament and an intimate, in-the-round style songwriters’ night, with proceeds from both benefitting Lady Antebellum’s newly created charitable initiative, LadyAID.

ASCAP Atlanta Kicks off "Check It Out" Series for 2013

The ASCAP Atlanta team held its first "Check It Out" series of the year at Tree Sound Studios, where staff members gave participants feedback on their music. The series connects ASCAP members with esteemed panels each month to further their careers.

Da Capo Chamber Players Honor Black History with an Evening of ASCAP Works

Just in advance of Black History Month, the Da Capo Chamber Players presented a glorious array of concert music at New York’s Merkin Concert Hall. The concert was a way of paying worthy homage to black history via musical celebration.

"On the Come Up" 2013 Freshmen Class Edition

Producers Noah Goldstein and DJ Camper, and songwriter Sevyn Streeter talk music and success

Top ASCAP Songwriters Honored at CMA Triple Play Awards

The CMA Triple Play Awards, which honor songwriters who pen three #1 hits in a 12-month period, were recently held in Nashville. Twelve songwriters received awards, including eight ASCAP members: Dierks Bentley, Ben Hayslip, Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley, Shane McAnally, Eric Paslay and Neil Thrasher.

ASCAP Members Triumph at Stellar Awards

Andraé Crouch, Warryn Campbell and Mary Mary among winners

Esa-Pekka Salonen Speaks at Music Festival Fundraiser

Composer and former conductor for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Esa-Pekka Salonen was the featured guest at a recent fundraiser supporting the Hear Now Music Festival, held on December 5th, 2012 at the Briard House in Culver City, CA.

ASCAP Member Debra Gussin Wins SongDoor Competition

The winners of the SongDoor 2012 International Songwriting Competition have been announced, with Grand Award going to ASCAP member Debra Gussin and co-writer Rik Howard for their song, "Is That You?," which also won in the Christian category.

ASCAP Unites Sundance Composers and Filmmakers for Night of Networking

The ASCAP Composer-Filmmaker Cocktail Party on Tuesday, January 22nd brought together this year’s Sundance film composers, filmmakers, music supervisors, Music Café performers and more for a night of intimate networking in Park City.

ASCAP Announces the GPS Project Class of 2013

ASCAP Nashville has announced the names of the 12 talented, unsigned songwriters that will make up the ASCAP Guidance from Publishers for Songwriters Project Class of 2013. The GPS Project puts the emphasis on getting the best of Nashville's unsigned writers in front of the city's vibrant publishing community, pairing them with Nashville's finest publishers for advice and development.

The ASCAP We Create Music Series at The Basement

ASCAP's monthly showcase series, designed to highlight Nashville's best of the best, kicked off 2013 with featured songwriter-artists John Martin, Jonathan Capeci and Joey Beretta (of Dinner and a Suit), Lisa Carver, Austin Jenckes, Matthew Perryman Jones and Jeffrey James.

Douglas J. Cuomo to Premiere New Opera on January 26th

The ASCAP member will world premiere his new opera, Doubt, featuring a libretto by fellow ASCAP member John Patrick Shanley that is based on his Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a battle of wills ignited at a Bronx Catholic School in 1964.

ASCAP Composer James Newton Howard Honored by USC

Film and TV music heavyweight James Newton Howard was recently honored by the USC Thornton School of Music with its prestigious USC Thornton Legacy Award. Howard's credits include the Grammy-winning The Dark Knight, plus Oscar-nominated scores for Defiance, The Village, The Fugitive, The Prince of Tides and many more.

Fran Richard honored by Roulette

ASCAP's Fran Richard was honored at the first annual benefit for Roulette for her years of advocacy and support of living composers and contemporary American music.  Composer and ASCAP member Meredith Monk performed at the benefit, held on January 10th, at Roulette's performance space in Brooklyn, New York.

ASCAP Presents at The Bluebird Cafe

ASCAP's first showcase of 2013 featured up-and-coming young Nashville songwriters Kelsea Ballerini, Shaunna Bolton, Adam Hambrick and Forest Glen Whitehead performing in the round at the legendary Bluebird Cafe.

Call for Entries: Music+Sound International Awards 2013

Now in its second year, the Music+Sound Awards have expanded their scope to the international stage. Entries are now being accepted in film, TV, advertising and game music, and winners will be honored at a ceremony and festival in Cannes later this year. Read on for more information.

Maggie Eckford Plays Show + Tell

Nashville-based and Mississippi-born Maggie Eckford is not your average southern singer-songwriter. Rather than going the country route, she's incorporated her Dixieland roots into her own style of indie folk-pop. She recently talked to Playback about her influences and her passion for writing music.

Sharon Farber Honored by WIFTS

The Women's International Film & TV Showcase honored ASCAP film and concert music composer Sharon Farber with its inaugural Visionary Award in Music. Farber was cited for her dedication to her art and her commitment to sharing her knowledge and experience with the next generation of women musicians.

Jahlil Beats Ushers in His Legend Era

At just 24 years old, producer Jahlil Beats has a decade of music industry experience behind him and an A-list credit roster to match. Playback recently spoke with him about his extraordinary success and what we can expect from him in the new year.

ASCAP Composers Highlight the Napa Valley Film Festival

ASCAP was a proud sponsor of the 2012 Napa Valley Film Festival, showcasing new independent films and world cinema in an idyllic setting. Composers Brian Carmody, Josh Myers, Joey Newman and Cody Westheimer spoke on our Scoring Independent Films panel, and ASCAP member Alan Cumming earned an award for his acting in Any Day Now. Read on for full coverage of the Festival.

ASCAP Composers Highlight the Napa Valley Film Festival

ASCAP was a proud sponsor of the 2012 Napa Valley Film Festival, showcasing new independent films and world cinema in an idyllic setting. Composers Brian Carmody, Josh Myers, Joey Newman and Cody Westheimer spoke on our Scoring Independent Films panel, and ASCAP member Alan Cumming earned an award for his acting in Any Day Now. Read on for full coverage of the Festival.

VIDEO: Watch The Lost Brothers Perform Live at ASCAP

Irish-bred, London-based duo The Lost Brothers (Oisin Leech and Mark McCausland) stopped by the ASCAP HQ in NYC to perform a couple of songs from their critically-acclaimed, Brendan Benson-produced album The Passing of the Night, hot on the heels of a tour opening for Glen Hansard.

ASCAP Writers Blow the "Whistle" on #1 Flo Rida Hit

ASCAP's pop/rock staff recently presented ASCAP writers DJ Frank E, David Glass and Marcus Killian with plaques commemorating the #1 success of Flo Rida's "Whistle." The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in August and September, giving Flo Rida his third career #1.

The Phoenix Concerts Presents "The Folk Tale Project"

The Phoenix Concerts presented an evening of NY premieres of new works for piano trio headed up by ASCAP composer Gilda Lyons. The concert also included works by a mix of Chinese and American composers that included ASCAP composers Daron Hagen, Wendy Wan-ki Lee and Eli Marshall.

The Melting Pot Sessions

Durante la semana del 3 al 7 de diciembre del 2012, el departamento Latino de ASCAP junto a Peermusic Studios, organizó el "song camp" "The Melting Pot Sessions" en la ciudad de Miami, Fl.

EXPO Alum Elizabeth Chan Fulfills Dream with
"A Christmas Song"

Earlier this year, film director Morgan Spurlock followed songwriter Elizabeth Chan to ASCAP’s EXPO to film her pursuing her dream of writing a successful Christmas song. Her new EP, music video and hit single prove she fulfilled it. Here’s how.

"Check It Out" Series Checks Into Atlanta

At the end of November, the ASCAP Atlanta team hosted its monthly Check It Out Series, giving members the opportunity to get their music heard.

The ASCAP "Check It Out" Series Lands in Miami

ASCAP's Rhythm & Soul team headed to Florida in November to bring its monthly "Check It Out" series to Miami.

ASCAP Members Honored by Los Angeles Jazz Society

Several ASCAP members were among the honorees at the Los Angeles Jazz Society's 29th annual Jazz Tribute Awards Dinner & Concert, including jazz guitarist John Pisano and GRAMMY-Award winning composer Gordon Goodwin.

Cena Navideña 2012 en San Antonio, Texas

ASCAP celebró una cena Navideña el 5 de diciembre del 2012 en San Antonio, Texas. Fue un ambiente completamente musical. Estuvieron presentes ejecutivos de la música y compositores que vinieron de todas partes de Texas y México.

El Salón de la Fama de Compositores Latinos

Este pasado martes 4 de diciembre, los compositores y productores musicales Desmond Child y Rudy Pérez anunciaron la creación del Salón de la Fama de Compositores Latinos y su primera entrega de premios en el 2013. ASCAP estuvo presente en este histórico evento.

Ben Glover, Kyle Jacobs Honored for Lee Brice #1

ASCAP and Music Row came together to honor the team behind the Lee Brice chart-topper "Hard to Love" at a recent #1 Party in Nashville. Songwriter Ben Glover celebrated his first country #1, along with fellow ASCAP member Kyle Jacobs, who produced the song.

ASCAP Atlanta Hosts "Write Now: Notes on Succeeding in the Music Business"

The ASCAP Atlanta office joined forces with Hot 107.9 FM to present an educational panel at Morehouse College featuring the best and brightest of the music industry to share their stories of success. Check out photos of the star-studded evening and special guest performances.

The Doc Severinsen International Composition Contest Accepting Submissions

The contest, named after famed jazz trumpeter and ASCAP member Doc Severinsen, recognizes new works that are a fusion of jazz and classical music, and feature trumpet as a soloist with a large ensemble (either wind ensemble or orchestra).

Swedish Hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback Nab #1 Plaques

The ASCAP Pop/Rock crew visited Swedish hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback in the studio to celebrate their phenomenal chart success. Shellback earned an ASCAP #1 plaque for co-writing Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," while Martin earned plaques for his recent hits for Swift and Katy Perry.

Composer Michel van der Aa Wins Grawemeyer Award

The Dutch composer and ASCAP member has won the University of Louisville’s 2013 Grawemeyer Award for music composition in recognition of his work “Up-close” for cello, string ensemble, electronic soundtrack and film. The award is one of the most lucrative music prizes, valued this year at $100,000.

ASCAP Congratulates Latin Grammy Winners

A diverse group of ASCAP members were honored for their outstanding work in Latin music at the 13th annual Latin Grammy Awards, held on November 15th in Las Vegas. Check out our photo slideshow of award-winning ASCAP members Jesse & Joy, 3BallMTY and more.

Y Los Ganadores del GRAMMY Latino Son....

El departamento Latino de ASCAP estuvo presente en la XIII edición de los Premios GRAMMY Latinos celebrando con cada uno de los nominados y ganadores de este galardón.

Lady Antebellum Wins Billboard Breakthrough Award

The Grammy-winning country trio received the honor at the Billboard Touring Awards for their Own The Night 2012 World Tour. The award goes to the highest grossing artist who cracks Billboard’s Boxscore recap for the first time in their career.

"The ASCAP Songwriters Show" Premieres on WSM Radio

ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year Ben Hayslip, along with hit-makers Ben Glover, Josh Osborne and more, will be featured on “The ASCAP Songwriters Show,” an exclusive weekly radio show on Nashville's WSM "The Legend." The songwriters will perform live in the studio and tell the stories behind their biggest hits.

ASCAP Songwriters Highlight Academy of Scoring Arts Panel

Songwriting veterans Dan Wilson and Peter Himmelman joined moderator Paul Teipe and more at the Academy of Scoring Arts INFOrum. The all-star panel discussed what they've learned over the years about making a living from their art.

Greg Kurstin & Dan Wilson Talk Songwriting at SHOF/GRAMMY Museum Event

ASCAP members Greg Kurstin and Dan Wilson headlined a Chart Toppers: Songwriters/Producers-in-the-Round panel, co-presented by the Songwriters Hall of Fame and GRAMMY Museum.

ASCAP Celebrates Women Behind the Music

Over the course of three days, ASCAP honored 10 extraordinary women in the music industry during its fourth annual Women Behind the Music series. Check out photos of our honorees and special guest performers in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

ASCAP Composers Honored by World Soundtrack Academy

At its 12th annual Awards ceremony, the World Soundtrack Academy honored ASCAP composer Brian Byrne (IMRO) and songwriter Glenn Close for their song from Albert Nobbs; Byrne was also named Discovery of the Year, and Italian composer Pino Donaggio (SIAE) earned a Lifetime Achievement Award.

John Forté Endures The Russian Winter

Songwriter, producer and filmmaker John Forté has experienced both hardships and successes since he found his break in the music industry in the early 90's. Having reinvented himself both musically and personally, Forté tells Playback about his newest endeavors and what we can learn from his life in music.

ASCAP AMPED and the GPS Class of 2012

ASCAP presented two unique songwriter events in Nashville in early October. The quarterly ASCAP AMPED showcase spotlighted talented songwriter-artists Austin Jenckes, Madeleine Slate and Allison Veltz, while the ASCAP GPS Project Class of 2012 was featured at the legendary Bluebird Cafe.

Rupert Gregson-Williams on Here Comes the Boom

Rupert Gregson-Williams was recently tasked with scoring the new Kevin James comedy Here Comes the Boom. Read all about his experience, straight from the award-winning British composer, whose credits include scores for films such as Hotel Rwanda, Over the Hedge and Hannibal.

ASCAP Members Nominated for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

The nominees have been announced for the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, and ASCAP members are a large part of the pool. The voting opens up to fans this year, so read up on our nominees and cast your vote!

Check Out Photos from the 2nd Annual Atlanta Legends Mixer

ASCAP's Rhythm & Soul team hosted another star-studded Atlanta Legends Mixer at the W Hotel in midtown Atlanta on September 26th to honor music legends who have given back to the Atlanta community. The honorees of this year's mixer were T.I., Michael Mauldin, Kendall Minter, Noontime Music, and Pebbles.

ASCAP's Mason Bates to be Honored with 2012 Heinz Award for Arts and Humanities

The contemporary classical composer will receive the award, administered by the Heinz Family Foundation, which recognizes outstanding individuals for their contributions in the areas of: Arts and Humanities, Environment, Human Condition, Public Policy, and Technology, the Economy and Employment.

ASCAP's Philip Glass to Receive 2012 Praemium Imperiale Arts Award for Music

Composer Philip Glass will receive the global arts prize by the Japan Art Association at a ceremony in Tokyo on October 23rd. Since its inauguration in 1989, the Praemium Imperiale award has become a mark of the arts in five fields: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music and Theatre/Film

ASCAP Members Honored at International Bluegrass Music Awards

Legendary bandleader Doyle Lawson was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, renowned fiddler Byron Berline took home a Distinguished Achievement Award, and more.

Kat Edmonson Goes Way Down Low on Understated New Album

In another age, Kat Edmonson might have been called a “jazz chanteuse” due to her understated vocal delivery and the Tin Pan Alley songs in her repertoire. But her new album Way Down Low is also steeped in folk and vintage pop, plus a few tunes of her own.

Love and Theft's "Angel Eyes" Tops the Charts

Music Row came together at ASCAP Nashville to celebrate Love and Theft's hit single "Angel Eyes," which recently became the first #1 for the duo as artists, as well as the first for Eric Gunderson as a songwriter. Co-writer Jeff Coplan also celebrated his first chart-topper, while co-writer Eric Paslay enjoyed his third #1 in just eleven months.

Plan B Leads MOBO Nominations

The UK's Urban music celebration has announced this year's nominees, and PRS members are leading the race. Among them is top nominee Ben Drew, aka Plan B, who is nominated in a whopping five categories.

Greg Kurstin Gets "Stronger" with #1 Kelly Clarkson Hit

ASCAP writer-producer Greg Kurstin has long been the guy you go to when you want a little bit of artsy quirk in your pop. This year, he's also the guy you go to when you want a #1 record. ASCAP visited Kurstin in his studio to give him a #1 plaque for his Kelly Clarkson co-write "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)."

Mark Isham and Ray Charles Honored by ASMAC

At a recent luncheon, the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers highlighted two valued members of ASCAP's unparalleled composing community: Grammy, Emmy and ASCAP Henry Mancini Award winner Mark Isham and beloved arranger and singer Ray Charles, founder of the Ray Charles Singers.

Finding Favour Finds Label Home with Gotee Records

The south Georgia based group made their debut with the emotionally powerful single, "Slip On By," produced by Christopher Stevens. The single was written by the band along with Stevens, and is based on conversations singer Blake Neesmith had with his grandfather, who encouraged him to not let the blessings of life pass you by.

CMA Songwriters Series Features Dierks Bentley & Jaren Johnston

The CMA Songwriters Series returned to New York City's Joe’s Pub on September 13th with two sold out shows featuring three-time 2012 CMA Award nominee Dierks Bentley, songwriters Jaren Johnston and Jim Beavers, and series host Bob DiPiero.

Some Well-Deserved R&R for ASCAP's Emmy Nominees

After a long 2012 Creative Arts Emmy ceremony, ASCAP's nominees relaxed post-show with ASCAP staff and friends in the TV industry. Take a look at our photos with Emmy-winning composer John Lunn (PRS), ASCAP nominees Sean Callery, Rob Duncan and Trevor Morris and more.

ASCAP Class Is in Session at the University of Miami

ASCAP's goal of educating new generations of music creators took center stage recently when ASCAP visited the University of Miami for a set of lectures. ASCAP Board member Richard Bellis addressed a large group of music business and composition students on the state of the film music industry and the mechanics behind scoring.

Ricardo Arjona: El #1 de la Semana

Ricardo Arjona y su álbum Independiente junto con su Metamorfosis World Tour siguen batiendo récords y dejando su huella en la industria musical. Esta semana, le toco el turno al tema "Te Quiero" cual se encuentra en la posición número 1 en la lista de los más sonados de Billboard.

ASCAP Toasts #1 Songwriters Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins

"Drunk on You," recorded by Luke Bryan, hit the top of the charts this summer, so ASCAP and Music Row came together to celebrate songwriters Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins with a party in Nashville. The song became the third #1 for each writer and their second written together.

ASCAP Scores at the 2012 Creative Arts Emmys

ASCAP's Global family of composers and songwriters won three out of four original music categories at the 2012 Creative Arts Emmys. Composers Paul Englishby (PRS) and John Lunn (PRS).

ASCAP Members Score Big Honors at Americana Awards

The 11th Annual Americana Honors & Awards were held last night at the Ryman Auditorium, and ASCAP members were well-represented among nominees and winners. Among the big honorees of the night were ASCAP member Bonnie Raitt, who was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement for Performance Award, and the The Civil Wars who were named Duo/Group of the Year.

ASCAP In the Row at The Bluebird Cafe

ASCAP's September showcase at the Bluebird featured Old Dominion bandmates and co-writers Matt Ramsey and Trevor Rosen, Zac Brown Band member and celebrated Nashville songwriter Clay Cook, and the new-to-Music-City but nationally-renowned Americana troubadour Tim Easton.

GIGANT3S

ASCAP estuvo presente el pasado 8 de septiembre en San Antonio, Texas. Velia González nuestra represéntate en Texas compartió con los artistas en esta histórica noche. El AT&T Center estaba completamente lleno gracias a los fanáticos del trío.

El #1 de la Semana

La popular banda mexicana Maná alcanza el primer lugar en la lista general y de pop latino de Billboard la semana del 15 de septiembre.

Gaby Moreno

ASCAP estuvo presente este pasado 4 de Septiembre en el lanzamiento de la nueva y anticipada producciún musical de Gaby Moreno en Largo en Los Angeles, CA.

Reflecting on the Inaugural ASCAP Music City Trifecta

The ASCAP Music City Trifecta brought together 15 diverse songwriters to pen songs for Beyoncé and Blake Shelton. As ASCAP's Ryan Beuschel explains, the success of the program goes far beyond the potential hits that were written for those artists' albums.

Paul Cunningham Workshop Wraps with Inspired New Songs

The Paul Cunningham Songwriters Workshop successfully concluded with a listening party at ASCAP's New York office where participants shared their new songs, following three days of study in songwriting.

The T.R.U. Story of 2 Chainz

Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz's new album Based on a T.R.U. Story debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 200, R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Rap Albums charts the week of August 14th, 2012. He's been praised all over the mainstream and urban music press for his charisma and memorable wordplay. The only person surprised that 2 Chainz has met with such phenomenal success? 2 Chainz himself.

Four ASCAP Composers Earn WSA Discovery of the Year Noms

ASCAP composers received four out of five nominations for the World Soundtrack Academy's Discovery of the Year award. Brian Byrne (IMRO), Fall on Your Sword, Trevor Morris and Lucas Vidal were all singled out for the award, which recognizes the best in emerging film talent.

On the Charts: The Classic Crime Go It Alone

The Classic Crime have gone from popular, signed alt-rock band to crowdsourcing success story, reaching their Kickstarter goal within 24 hours. Their new album Phoenix is selling like hotcakes, and it might just be their best album yet. Vocalist/guitarist Matt MacDonald explains how going the fan-funded route affected the band's creative process.

The ASCAP Music City Trifecta Songwriters Retreat

ASCAP Nashville hosted a three day songwriting retreat in August at Brett James' Cornman Music on Music Row, sponsored in part by City National Bank. The inaugural event combined some of the hottest ASCAP songwriters and producers from across the country, including Billboard, JT Harding, Shane McAnally, Autumn Rowe and more.

El #1 de la Semana

Alejandro Sanz alcanza el primer lugar en la lista general y de pop latino de Billboard la semana del 8 de septiembre. El tema "No Me Compares", cual es el sencillo de su nueva producción musical titulada La Música No Se Toca; ha alcanzado ya los primeros puestos en las listas de México, España, Argentina, Colombia, Chile y Ecuador.

ASCAP New Member: Kip Moore

Songwriter-artist Kip Moore combines a raw, rustic voice with compellingly honest lyrics to create a unique sound that’s simultaneously traditional and edgy.

ASCAP New Member: Viniloversus

Venezuelan rockers Viniloversus formed in 2004 in Caracas and quickly gained a following with their heavy guitar-powered indie-rock sound and the distinct feature of having two bass-players.

Hip-Hop Star Big Sean Joins the ASCAP Family

We’re thrilled to welcome Big Sean to ASCAP. The Detroit-based rapper joins ASCAP at a turning point in his career, just in time for his two Grammy nods for the G.O.O.D. Music single "Mercy," and a few months before the release of his second album Hall of Fame. Big Sean has great company in ASCAP’s roster of urban music superstars.

New Year, New Hope

The re-election of Barack Obama was the culmination of a hardfought race for the presidency. While passions were high on both sides of the political fence, what this historic event demonstrates, yet again, is the power of our democracy.

Leon Ware: Soldier of Love

From his Motown classics and beloved solo records to the countless artists that have sampled his work, Leon Ware has been getting people in the mood for over four decades. In this wide-ranging interview, Ware returns again and again to his favorite topic of love, in all of its forms: romance, compassion, lust, and of course, music.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul Make A Christmas Story, The Musical Come Alive on Broadway

Former ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul took a beloved holiday film classic and turned into a wonderful gift for lovers of musical theatre, Christmas and all things Ralphie.

Jon Bon Jovi Blazes New Trail in Film Music with Stand Up Guys

Rock superstar Jon Bon Jovi nabbed a Golden Globe nom last week for “Not Running Anymore,” one of two original songs he wrote for Stand Up Guys, a new film starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin. He talked to us about writing his first songs for film as a solo artist since “Blaze of Glory” 22 years ago.

Aimee Mann Doesn’t Take Herself Too Seriously, But You Should

After playing herself on Portlandia and being named one of “13 Funny Musicians You Should Be Following on Twitter,” Aimee Mann is back doing what she does best – releasing a terrific album of masterfully written pop songs. This one’s a Charmer.

Jack Wall's Epic Score for Call of Duty: Black Ops II

If you're one of the gamers who helped Call of Duty: Black Ops II net $500 million in 24 hours, ASCAP composer Jack Wall is already a household name. His music for the game is as immersive and creative as any big-budget film score. How could we resist interviewing the man that soundtracked the biggest entertainment launch in history?

Grant Geissman on Bop! Bang! Boom!

The release of Bop! Bang! Boom! marks Grant Geissman’s fifteenth solo album since breaking onto the scene over 30 years ago. Recently the celebrated guitarist and composer spoke to us about his latest release, how scoring popular TV has affected his work and career, his hobbies outside of making music and lots more.

Trail of Dead Find Themselves on Lost Songs

On their eighth album Lost Songs, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead sound as streamlined and direct as they have in a decade. But this destructive art rock band exists very much in the present; the global political climate was very much on the band’s mind during the writing process. Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely answers a few questions about the making of Lost Songs.

Adam Anders and the Tao of Glee

As Executive Music Producer for Glee, ASCAP member Adam Anders oversees all of the show’s musical productions and soundtrack albums. In 2012, he also helped superstar actors find their voices for Rock of Ages and launched a record label. Anders took a breather from his grueling schedule to reflect on his career.

WriteGirl Brings Together Teens and ASCAP Songwriters

Imagine hearing your music performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Nearly 100 teen girls experienced just that at WriteGirl’s 12th Annual Songwriting Workshop, supported by ASCAP and The ASCAP Foundation. The event brought together teens with pro songwriting mentors, including over a dozen prominent ASCAP members.

Dr. Billy Taylor's Vision Lives On at The Kennedy Center through "Songwriters: The Next Generation"

"Songwriters: The Next Generation," a program of The ASCAP Foundation and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, showcased the work of four emerging songwriters and composers on March 14th - 15th on the Center's Millennium Stage.

'The Sun Came Out' for Students at M.S. 224 from 'NYC'

The ASCAP Foundation Children Will Listen program, which is designed to introduce the American Musical Theater to youngsters who might otherwise not have the opportunity to experience it, went into high gear on Wednesday, October 17th.

Two ASCAP Writers Selected as Recipients of The ASCAP Foundation Joe Raposo Childrens's Music Award

ASCAP members Andrew Barkan and Polly Hall will share the honor of receiving the 2012 ASCAP Foundation Joe Raposo Childrens' Music Award.

The ASCAP Foundation Robert Allen Award Presented to Kate Davis

Singer/songwriter and upright bassist Kate Davis was selected as the 2012 recipient of The ASCAP Foundation Robert Allen Award.

Nashville Singer/Songwriter Receives 2012 ASCAP Foundation Sammy Cahn Award

The ASCAP Foundation is pleased to announce ASCAP member k.s. Rhoads as the recipient of this year's Sammy Cahn Award for his song "The Wilderness.” The Award, created in 1995, commemorates the life and career of the great lyricist and ASCAP Board member, Sammy Cahn.

Dustin James Receives the 2012 ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award

Dustin James, a singer-songwriter from Bridge City, Texas, is the recipient of the 2012 ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award for his song, “God Has Given Hope a Name.”

Pitch In

Want to get away from the keyboard? Audio-to-MIDI conversion lets you sing or play parts acoustically and use them to trigger electronic sounds.

Strings Attached

Today's sample libraries make it easier than ever to create realistic string sounds in a home or project studio. But first, you must learn to think like a string player or orchestral composer.

Sound Bytes: New and Noteworthy Gear for Songwriters and Producers

Media Mine

The media mineshaft got snowed in for Grammy weekend, so we felt more than our usual weather-envy during the festivities in Los Angeles.

ASCAP Members Take 76% of G.A.N.G. Award Noms

Russell Brower (Diablo III / World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria) & Austin Wintory (Journey) lead the ASCAP nominations field in the 11th annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards, honoring outstanding creative, technical and artistic audio achievement in the world of interactive entertainment.

PMA Panel Explores the Future of Production Music

Like every sector of the music industry, production music has been affected by the rapid changes taking place in the digital music sphere. The Production Music Association addressed a range of issues facing production music libraries today at a recent panel, titled "The Future of Production Music: Opportunities, Challenges & Threats."

ASCAP Members Earn All Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductions

Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Mick Jones & Lou Gramm of Foreigner, JD Souther, Holly Knight and Tony Hatch (PRS) will become the latest inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization’s 44th annual Induction and Awards Dinner, to be held in June in New York City.

Paul Epworth Wins Best Song Oscar for "Skyfall"

ASCAP writer/producer Paul Epworth won the Original Song Oscar on February 24th for co-writing and producing Adele’s “Skyfall,” from the James Bond film Skyfall. The win capped off an amazing awards season for Epworth, who also earned a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award and a BRIT Award for “Skyfall.”

ASCAP Members Dominate 25th Annual Sammys

Eight ASCAP members have been honored in the 2013 Sammy Film Music Awards. The Sammys, named after legendary ASCAP lyricist Sammy Cahn, are the longest-running awards chosen exclusively for film music recordings. This year's winners include Austin Wintory, David Lindsay-Abaire, Max Steiner, Ernest Gold and more.

ASCAP Sweeps the 2013 Annie Awards

Six ASCAP composers and songwriters took home trophies at the 40th Annual Annie Awards, animation’s highest honor. Among the 2013 winners are composers John Paesano and Henry Jackman, plus EDM superstar Skrillex and Owl City's Adam Young. Click through to watch a video of the announcements.

48th Annual ACM Awards Nominees Announced

ASCAP members earned multiple nominations, including songwriters Josh Kear and Shane McAnally for Songwriter of the Year; Eric Paslay for Song of the Year; Big & Rich, Love and Theft, and Sugarland for Vocal Duo; Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band for Vocal Group and many more.

Happy 99th Birthday, ASCAP!

February 13th, 2013 marks 99 years since a small group of visionary music creators met in New York City to form ASCAP. Click here to read a special birthday message from ASCAP's President and Chairman Paul Williams.

ASCAP Grammy Brunch Brings Out Urban Music's Finest

The most talented names in urban music came out for ASCAP’s fourth annual Grammy Brunch, celebrating the incredible success of ASCAP’s Rhythm & Soul writers and producers at this year's Grammys. Check out our full coverage of the event, including photos and video interviews with nominees Tamia, James Fortune and DJ Camper.

fun. Earn Song of the Year, Jay-Z and Skrillex Win Three Grammys

The GRAMMYs celebrated a monumental year with ASCAP members Jay-Z and Skrillex each winning three awards.  fun. took home two of the four top categories with Song of the Year and Best New Artist.  A wide range of ASCAP members were awarded two GRAMMYs each: Esperanza Spalding, Kimbra (APRA), Matt Redman (PRS), and Miguel.

ASCAP Members Dominate Billboard Latin Music Awards Nominations

Every year the Billboard Latin Music Awards honor the most popular albums, songs and performers in Latin music, and ASCAP members were nominated in nearly every category for the 2013 awards. Click through for a complete list of ASCAP's nominees.

ASMAC Celebrates 75 Years

The American Society of Music Arrangers & Composers (ASMAC) recently celebrated its 75th anniversary with a special luncheon in LA, sponsored by ASCAP. The event reunited ASMAC members and re-dedicated the organization to its continuing mission: to serve the needs of composers, arrangers, orchestrators and other music professionals. ASCAP composer Michael Giacchino served as Master of Ceremonies.

John Debney Mentors Students in USC Scoring Program

The 2012 edition of the ASCAP Foundation Composer-in-Residence Program at USC brought Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated ASCAP composer John Debney (jOBS) together with students from USC’s Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television graduate program for three intensive workshop sessions.

ASCAP Hosts Stellar Awards Reception

ASCAP held its annual "Morning Glory" breakfast reception to honor its Stellar Award nominees on January 19th in Nashville. ASCAP "Gospel Icon" Award winner Andraé Crouch was in attendance as well as many more. Check out the photos from the star-studded event.

Paul Epworth Wins Golden Globe for "Skyfall"

ASCAP songwriter/producer Paul Epworth continued his winning streak on January 13th when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association named his song "Skyfall" from Skyfall the year's Best Song from a film. The song, co-written with and performed by his longtime collaborator Adele, is also nominated for an Oscar.

ASCAP Members Receive Eight Oscar Music Nominations

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its nominations for the 2013 Oscars on Thursday morning at a ceremony held in Beverly Hills, CA, and ASCAP members came out strong, claiming an impressive eight nods.

Paul Williams to be Honored with Museum of Moving Image Retrospective

New York’s Museum of Moving Image will honor ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams with a weekend retrospective, running January 25th through 27th, showcasing his remarkable career as a composer, singer, songwriter and actor.

U2's The Edge Announces Music Rising National Relief Fund

Music has always been a source of strength in times of need. U2’s The Edge is moving that tradition forward with Music Rising, an initiative he co-founded to help restore the Gulf Region post-Katrina. Music Rising is now going nationwide, and its newest donation is $250,000 to help rebuild school music programs affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Lester Sill Workshop: Connecting the Dots

The 2012 ASCAP Foundation Lester Sill Songwriters Workshop offered vital insights and opportunities for 14 songwriters with incredible careers ahead of them. Participants got face time with Dan Wilson, Warner/Chappell's Jon Platt and dozens of industry veterans. Find out what went down and hear a track from each participant.

"On the Come Up" - December Edition

Artist King Chip and producers Luney Tunez and Young Chop tell us about their rise to the top

Pamela Phillips Oland and Tom Harriman on Soldier of Orange

Songwriting partners Pamela Phillips Oland & Tom Harriman have seen massive success overseas. Together, they crafted the music for the most successful musical in Holland’s history, Soldier of Orange. The duo recently spoke to us about their hit musical, upcoming projects, their involvement with ASCAP and more.

ASCAP Members Dominate the 2012 Year-End Billboard Charts

Whether blaring from car stereos or streaming through earbuds, ASCAP music defined 2012, a fact that Billboard’s year-end songwriter charts prove beyond a shadow of a doubt. We salute all the members of the ASCAP family whose music topped the Year-End charts, providing the soundtrack to the past year.

10 ASCAP Members Nominated for 2013 Golden Globes

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has nominated 10 ASCAP writers and global affiliates for the 70th Golden Globe Awards. Among the nominees are Dario Marianelli (PRS), who won in 2008 for his score to Atonement, and Jon Bon Jovi, whose song “Blaze of Glory” from Young Guns II earned a Golden Globe in 1990.

ASCAP Luminaries to Be Added to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

ASCAP legends Heart, Quincy Jones, Randy Newman & Donna Summer will be among the 2013 inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. These four influential inductees hail from diverse stylistic backgrounds, a reminder of the breadth and enduring legacy of ASCAP’s family of music creators.

Six ASCAP Members Get 2013 Critics' Choice Award Nods

The ASCAP nominees for this year's Critics' Choice Awards includes the team behind the beloved music for Les Misérables, Adele’s Grammy-winning co-writer/producer Paul Epworth, Radiohead multi-instrumentalist Jonny Greenwood and ASCAP President and Chairman of the Board Paul Williams.

Austin Wintory & Beck Score at Spike Video Game Awards

ASCAP members powered up at Spike TV’s 2012 Video Game Awards, claiming both music categories in the 10th anniversary show. ASCAP TV & Film Scoring Workshop alumnus Austin Wintory won Best Original Score for his music to Journey, while Beck took home the honor for Best Original Song for "Cities" from Sound Shapes.

fun., Jay-Z and Miguel Lead ASCAP GRAMMY Nominations

Nominations for the 55th annual GRAMMY Awards were announced on the evening of Wednesday, December 5th from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Leading the ASCAP nominees were indie rock trio fun. and hip-hop superstar Jay-Z, who garnered six nods apiece.

ASCAP Members Clinch 13 Annie Award Noms

12 composers and songwriters from ASCAP’s global film and television music community have earned 13 nominations at the 40th Annual Annie Awards, honoring excellence in the field of animation. Among the nominees are Annie veterans Alf Clausen, Henry Jackman, Brendan Milburn, Cinco Paul, John Powell and Valerie Vigoda.

Katy Perry Honored as Billboard Woman of the Year

Pop singer-songwriter and superstar Katy Perry was honored as Billboard’s Woman of the Year at a special event held at Capitale in New York City on November 30th. In addition, ASCAP’s Lauren Iossa was also recognized as part of Billboard’s Women in Music issue, honoring industry leaders.

ASCAP EXPO Deep Discount Pricing Available Now

ASCAP EXPO's Deep Discount pricing period has begun and it will last until January 15, 2013. The valuable One-on-One Sessions are still available so register now. Don't forget that an EXPO pass makes a great gift for a songwriter friend, collaborator, or family member! All three days of jam-packed programming are available now at this reduced rate. Read what past panelists and attendees have said about the EXPO.

Lady Antebellum Announces New Children's Charity

Country music hitmakers Lady Antebellum have announced a new charitable initiative called LadyAID, a multitiered philanthropic effort created to raise awareness and generate local, national and global support for children in need.

Teaching Award Honoring ASCAP's Stephen Sondheim Seeking Nominations

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is now accepting applications for the third annual Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards. The $10,000 awards (no strings attached) honor ASCAP member and musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim and were created to celebrate his 80th birthday.

ASCAP Music Reigns at the 2012 American Music Awards

America declared its love for ASCAP music at the 40th annual American Music Awards, giving 13 trophies to ASCAP members and the albums they helped create. ASCAP pop icon Justin Bieber was the night's biggest victor, with three awards including Artist of the Year.

ASCAP Returns to Château Marouatte for a Week of Hitmaking

Top ASCAP songwriters travelled to Dordogne, France for an ASCAP Songwriters Retreat at the medieval Château Marouatte. The Retreat brought together 18 topliners, producers and artists from both sides of the Atlantic for a week of intensive writing sessions, aimed at getting cuts and building creative bonds.

ASCAP Members Dominate Billboard's Top Songwriters List

ASCAP writer members have triumphantly landed the top eight spots in Billboard's just-released list of top songwriters during the period of July 1st through September 30th, 2012. Taking the top honor is Swedish songwriter and producer Shellback, who has songwriting credits on two Billboard Hot 100 #1s from 2012.

Musical Theatre Giant Stephen Schwartz Elected to ASCAP Board

ASCAP's Board of Directors has elected composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Wicked) as a director, it was announced by ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams. Schwartz was elected to fill the seat left vacant by the recent death of lyricist Hal David.

"On the Come Up" - October Edition

Songwriters and producers King L, David Doman and C4 tell us about their success

A Special Message for Members Affected by Hurricane Sandy

ASCAP’s thoughts are with the millions who were, and continue to be, affected by Hurricane Sandy. We know ASCAP distributions are especially important to our members who have been impacted by the storm, so we would like to assure you that royalty payments will remain on schedule.

ASCAP Composers Fill the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference

ASCAP was a Founding Sponsor of the 2012 Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Conference. Our members were all over this year's schedule, speaking on everything from EDM to team-building to Breaking Bad. Click through for full coverage.

Paul Williams Still Alive Screens in DC for Members of Congress

ASCAP and the Creative Coalition recently joined forces to present a special film screening of the recently-released documentary, Paul Williams Still Alive, which was attended by Members of Congress and their staffers.

ASCAP Brings Great Music for Congressional Black Caucus and Jazz Issues Forum and Concert

On September 20, 2012, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation held the 28th Jazz Issues Forum and Concert, as part of the 42nd Annual Legislative in Washington, DC. Featured performers included Lizz Wright and Tia Fuller.

ASCAP Rocks CMJ at The Canal Room

ASCAP held its annual showcase as part of the CMJ Music Festival on Wednesday, October 17th featuring bands from across the musical spectrum and around the country. Check out our photos of the fantastic ASCAP line-up that kept The Canal Room packed until well beyond midnight.

The 2012 Mill Valley ASCAP Music Café

ASCAP was proud to produce the first-ever Mill Valley ASCAP Music Café, a series of music showcases at this year’s Mill Valley Film Festival, one of the longest-running and influential film festivals for independent and world cinema in the country. Learn more and check out some photos from all three days of performances here!

Chris Thile Receives MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant"

ASCAP would like to congratulate mandolinist, vocalist and composer Chris Thile, recipient of a 2012 MacArthur Foundation “genius grant.” The Foundation cited Thile's "adventurous, multifaceted artistry...creating a distinctly American canon for the mandolin and a new musical aesthetic for performers and audiences alike.”

ASCAP Celebrates an Impressive 45 Nominations at the XIII Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards

ASCAP congratulates its members for securing 45 total nominations at this year's Latin GRAMMY Awards. The event will take place in Las Vegas, Thursday, November 15th and we've got the full list of nominees here!

"On The Come Up" - September Edition

Songwriters Tito Lopez and Jarell Perry and producer Jay tell us about their ambitions

Insight and Performances Illuminate the ASCAP/SCL Film & TV Songwriter Showcase

ASCAP and The Society of Composers & Lyrcists (SCL) hosted a Songwriter Showcase on September 13th in NYC featuring songwriters who have transitioned to writing for Film and Television: Guster's Ryan Miller, Paul Brill, Firehorse's Leah Siegel and Ian Love.

ASCAP Celebrates Emmy Nominees at ATAS/SCL Reception

Composers Sean Callery, Lisa Coleman, John Debney and Robert Duncan celebrated with ASCAP at a recent Emmy nominee reception, co-hosted by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Society of Composers & Lyricists and ASCAP. The four were among ASCAP's incredible 21 nominees for the 2012 Creative Arts Emmys.

ASCAP President and Chairman of the Board
Paul Williams Remembers Hal David

Paul Williams gives his personal reflection on his friend, mentor, role model and former ASCAP President, lyricist Hal David, who passed away on Saturday, September 1st.

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, December 21

Music Dominates YouTube's Top Videos; How to Promote Music Without a Budget; 10 Musicians Discovered on YouTube...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, December 20

How Music Recommendation Works; 10 Streaming CEOs on 2012 and 2013; The Year of the DIY Lip-Synch Video...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, December 19

Music and Copyright in the Digital Era; What Social Media Has to Do With Record Sales; 10 Biggest Mistakes When Ordering Merch...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, December 18

Invasion of the Cyber Hustlers; 5 Tips to Pre-Prepare for Crowdfunding; Sirius XM's New Deal...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Monday, December 17

Warner Music on Downloads; ASCAP Plus Awards; Ravi Shankar's Legacy...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, December 7

Today's Daily Brief includes Congress Hear ASCAP Loud and Clear; Spotify's Bold New Transition, Apple Stock Drop, and much more.

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, December 6

Does Copyright Involve Scarcity; New Lyrics App on Spotify; Playing Profitable Shows...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, December 5

The Dilemma of the DIY Pop Star; SoundCloud's Massive Refresh; How to Play Funk...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, December 4

YouTube's Content Management System; Microsoft's SkyDrive Becomes Cloud-Based Storage; The Top Spotify Apps for Music Discovery...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Monday, December 3

Deconstructing Streaming Music; The Newest Version of Hype Machine; Thriller at 30...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, November 30

The Artists, United, Can Never Be Defeated; The Ultimate Guide for Music Marketing; The 25 Richest Musicians in 2012...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, November 29

An Open Letter to Musicians; 5 Kickstarter Killers; A Brief History of Webcaster Royalties...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, November 28

Songwriters Groups Speak Out on Internet Radio Bill; 5 Tips for Connecting with Music Bloggers; What You Should Know About Agents and Managers...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, November 27

Songwriters Oppose Pandora; Coke's Investment in Spotify; Biggest Social Media Failures of 2012...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 26

Musicians as Producers of Culture; Giving Thanks to Copyright; How Music Has Changed from Physical to Digital...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, November 21

What the US Election Results Mean for ASCAP Members, Copyright Paper Retraction, Music without Musicians ...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 20

The Purpose of Copyright Arguments; Music Matters Launches in US; The Future of Social Music...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 19

Should IP Rights Be the New Civil Rights in America?; Spotify Rolls Out Browser-Based App; How to Promote Your Band on Facebook Using Custom Tabs...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 16

Artists Sign Letter Opposing IRFA; SoundExchange Pays Out Largest Sum Yet; The Most Successful Kickstarter Campaigns...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 15

The Fight Over Internet Radio Scraps; Facebook's Business Model Problem; The Cost to Break An Artist...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 14

Context Culture as Music Revolution; BandPage Launches "Connect"; UK Labels on Google's Digital Music...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 13

Internet Radio About to Surpass AM/FM; YouTube Preps New Round of Content Investments; 5 Things to Know Before Starting a PR Campaign...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 12

Opposition to IRFA; The End of Landlines; Thinking Like a Startup...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for

Music Streaming Payments; CBS Signs Deal with Hulu; Music Crowdfunding Resources...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 8

Facebook Music App; 5 Things to Learn From Your Day Job; Rdio on Nook...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for November 7

Pandora and Songwriters; iTunes Match Turns One; Grammy Museum Takes Charge of Music History...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, November 6

New Policies on Twitter; Saving Money While Buying Instruments; iTunes Radio...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Monday, November 5

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, November 2nd

Making it in Music; The Distracted Generation; Music Discovery Apps...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, October 19

The Unrealized Vision of Facebook Music; A Look Inside The Echo Nest; The New Interscope Website...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, October 18

Sampling and Copyright; Trent Reznor on DIY v. Labels; Leadership Secrets of Startups...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, October 17

Behind The Internet Radio Fairness Act; Microsoft's Xbox Music; Getting Fans to Open Your Emails...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, October 16

The Shattered Hit Record Model; Digital First Media; Saving the Indie Music Video...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Monday, October 15

Looking at Real Music Streaming Royalties; Top Apps for Identifying Songs; The Future of Mobile Ad Share...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, October 12

Looking at Spotify's Business Model; Music Publishers Win Song Lyrics Lawsuit; The Streaming Gold Rush...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, October 11

The Strategy Behind Pro-Piracy Interests; SoundCloud Partner with Getty Images; 10 Ways to Take Control of Your Music Career...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, October 10

Managing the Velocity of Change; The Most Shared Artists on Twitter; How NPR Breaks New Music...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, October 9

Are Music Fanatics a Dying Breed; Facebook's First Billion Users; US Announces Grants to Combat IP Theft...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, October 5

How Streaming Has Changed Our Listening Habits; Tips For Creative Email Content; Watching What You Post on Social Media...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, October 4

Spotify's App Platform; Creating an Engaging YouTube Channel; Digital Music Sales Up for 2012...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, October 3

The New Emerging Music Community; Artist Happiness as a Long-Term Investment; Wordpress for Musicians...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, October 2

Digital Music Ethics; ASCAP Launches ASCAP OnStage; The Compact Disc Turns 30...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Monday, October 1

Neil Young's Quest to True Audio Fidelity; Instagram's Increased Usage; Songkick's Crowdfunding Concerts...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, September 28

Why Free Music Isn't Enough to Win Fans; You Tube Doubles Down on Mobile Music Videos; Spotify's Hottest "Discovery" Music...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, September 27

What Actually Drives Music Consumption; The New MySpace; The Branding Power of Today's Music Videos...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, September 26

The Future Perils of the Current Pop Charts; Trent Reznor Returns to Major Label; Why Apple Hasn't Peaked...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, September 25

Our Forgotten Constitutional Right-IP Protection; The New Internet Association's Back Story; How Free Customers Affect Spotify's Business Model...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Monday, September 24

Inside Today's Daily Brief: Has Streaming Music Hit a Ceiling?; The Negative Effects of Buying Facebook "Likes"; 5 Tastemakers That Should Be Apps...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, September 21

Today's ASCAP Daily Brief includes Street Teams; Internet Explorer Security Issues; the BBC's Content Strategy; SEO Tips and more.

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, September 20

Today's ASCAP Daily Brief includes The Future of Major Labels; Unlimited iPhone Data Plans, Shazam's Move Into TV, Lyric Videos and more.

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, September 19

Today's Daily Brief includes Music Consumption; Google DMCA Notices; Choosing an Agent; What Happens When Facebook Hits 1 Billion Users and more.

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, September 18

Today's Daily Brief includes Piracy's Harm on Media Sales; Data on Social Network Usage; Spotify Pricing; Unconventional Marketing and more.

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Monday, September 17

Today's Daily Brief includes: Internet freedom and protection of authorship, streaming media's carbon footprint, Apple's new iTunes, digital media when you die, social media/email management, most profitable merch and more.

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Friday, September 7

Spotify Explains Payment System; How to Solve the "Obscurity Problem"; 7 Music Apps for Kids...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, September 6

Copyright's 225th Anniversary; An App for Music Education; Tips for Radio Interviews...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Wednesday, September 5

How Music Has Changed Since the iPod; Five Best Audio Editing Apps; An Inside Look at the Music of Breaking Bad...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Tuesday, September 4

The Big Online Rip-Off; 5 Tips for Getting Your Music in Film & TV; Hal David's Legacy...and more

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Thursday, November 1st

The ASCAP Daily Brief for Monday, October 29

ASCAP Remembers John Braheny, 1938-2013

All of us at ASCAP are saddened to hear that John Braheny, a lifelong music mentor, educator, advocate and journalist known by his many colleagues and students as the “Songwriter’s Best Friend,” has passed away at the age of 74. Click through to read Dan Kimpel's piece about Braheny's amazing life.

Crossover Songstress Patti Page Dies at 85

Patti Page, the biggest-selling female artist of the 1950s with a string of now-classic songs, passed away on Tues., Jan. 1st. A pioneer among country crossover artists with records like “Mockin’ Bird Hill” and “I Went To Your Wedding,” Page's signature song, “Tennessee Waltz,” was one of the most successful singles of the 20th century.

ASCAP Remembers Ravi Shankar

ASCAP joins the world in mourning the passing of our member Ravi Shankar, a master sitar player, composer, and the most influential figure in bringing the music of his native India to the attention of the West. Shankar died in San Diego, CA on December 11th at the age of 92.

Renowned Radio Host Isaiah Sheffer Dies at 76

It is with great sorrow that we share the news that ASCAP member and Founding Artistic Director of Symphony Space in New York Isaiah Sheffer, best-known as the voice of radio program "Selected Shorts," has passed away at the age of 76.

Oscar Winning Lyricist Hal David Dies at 91

ASCAP member and former President, Hal David, who achieved world-wide recognition as the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning lyricist of numerous American song standards, died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles on September 1, 2012 at the age of 91 of complications from a stroke.