Jon Batiste, Daniel Pemberton & More Honored at 2024 ASCAP Screen Music Awards

Jon Batiste, Daniel Pemberton and Siddhartha Khosla are among the winners of the 2024 ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards. The kudos were presented as part of the 2024 ASCAP Screen Music Awards at an invitation-only event in Los Angeles on Thursday (May 9).

Here are this year’s recipients of the ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards, which are chosen by the ASCAP composer and songwriter community:

Film score of the year: Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse  

Television score of the year: David Fleming, The Last of Us

Television theme of the year: Siddhartha Khosla, Only Murders in the Building

Documentary score of the year: Jon Batiste, American Symphony

Video game score of the year: Gordy Haab, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and American Symphony were both shortlisted for Oscars for best original score, though neither wound up with a nomination. Batiste was Oscar-nominated for co-writing a song from American Symphony – “It Never Went Away,” which he co-wrote with Dan Wilson.

Khosla received two Primetime Emmy nods in 2022 for his work on Only Murders in the Building – outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) and outstanding original main title theme music – but none this past year. Fleming has yet to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy.

In addition, the ASCAP Screen Music Awards recognize top composers of the past year’s hit streaming series and films. The top-rated streaming series winners include Robert Duncan for The Night Agent, Natalie Holt for Loki, Bear McCreary for the streaming remake of book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for the dramedy Unprisoned.

Among the top-rated streaming films winners, Germaine Franco is honored for her score for action-thriller The Mother, Marcus Miller for the holiday comedy Candy Cane Lane, and Lorne Balfe for both historical thriller Tetris and action-romance Ghosted.

In other categories, Pemberton takes home top box office film of the year for his score to the blockbuster animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and David Vanacore is named the top most performed themes and underscore winner for his work on such shows as Survivor, The Kardashians and The Daily Show.

Composers Matthew Hawkins, the late Maurice “m.0.” Jackson and the late Neil Martin (collectively known as Numeriklab) win top network television series for their main theme for NCIS, while John Sereda is recognized with top cable television series for the historical drama When Calls the Heart.

The complete list of winners is available on the ASCAP website: www.ascap.com/screenawards24.

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Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Surpasses 2 Million in U.S. Sales

Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department has surpassed 2 million in U.S. album sales after only two weeks in release, according to Luminate. It’s her 11th album to sell at least 2 million copies. (Album sales are purchases of both digital download albums and physical albums, like CDs, cassette tapes and vinyl LPs.)

In the week ending May 2, The Tortured Poets Department sold 107,000 copies, which was down 94% compared to the previous week, its opening frame, when it bowed with 1.914 million sold. Sales of the album loom so large, the 2.021 million it has sold in its first two weeks represents 8.4% of all U.S. album sales year-to-date (24.05 million).

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The Tortured Poets Department is the first album to sell at least 2 million copies in its first two weeks since Adele’s 25 sold 4.49 million in its first two frames in 2015 (3.378 million in its first week, and 1.112 million in week two).

On Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart dated May 11, The Tortured Poets Department remains at No. 1 for a second week.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

The rest of the top 10 on the Top Album Sales chart is busy with debuts and re-entries, led by the list’s top debut, Grateful Dead’s Dave’s Picks, Volume 50: The Palladium, New York, NY – 5/3/77 at No. 2. The live archival set sold 20,000 copies in its first week.

Lafey’s Bewitched re-enters the list at No. 2, a new high, with 15,000 sold – her best sales week yet. It jumps back onto the list following a deluxe reissue on April 26, dubbed Bewitched: The Goddess Edition, with four bonus tracks. The new Goddess Edition was released on six vinyl variants, a CD, cassette, digital download and a streaming album.

A trio of debuts round out the top six, as Yung Bleu bows at No. 4 with Jeremy (13,000), Luke Hemmings’ Boy starts at No. 5 (10,000) and St. Vincent’s All Born Screaming enters at No. 6 (nearly 10,000).

Swift’s chart-topping 1989 (Taylor’s Version) falls 4-7 (9,000; down 35%) and Lover drops 3-8 (8,000; down 42%). ILLIT’s Super Real Me debuts at No. 9 with nearly 8,000, while TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s former No. 1 minisode 3: TOMORROW rises 11-10 with 7,000 (down 25%).

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Ever Wonder How Vampire Weekend Got Their Name? These Maya Rudolph ‘SNL’ Promos Definitely Won’t Help

If you’ve ever wondered how Vampire Weekend got their name, new promos for their appearance this weekend on Saturday Night Live with host Maya Rudolph will be of no help whatsoever.

In one of the new promos that arrived Thursday (May 9), SNL castmember Kenan Thompson asks the band about the origin of their moniker and gets this fantastical story in return. “Oh, it’s just a combination of our real names,” frontman Ezra Koenig says. Chris Baio chimes in, “I’m Vampire Friday,” followed by Chris Tomson claiming, “I’m Vampire Saturday,” and Koenig wrapping, “And I’m Vampire Sunday.”

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“So does that answer your silly little question during my promo, Kenan?” Rudolph snips at her former castmate, who replies with a simple “yes, ma’am.”

In fact, the rock trio originally got the handle during their Columbia University days, when Koenig worked on a short film by the same name that was intended to be an updated version of the ’80s vampire movie Lost Boys set in Cape Cod.

Saturday’s episode will mark Vampire Weekend’s fourth time on SNL, after making their first appearance in March 2008, not even two months after the release of the self-titled debut album that put them on the map.

Rudolph was a castmember on Saturday Night Live from 2001 to 2007 and has made frequent returns to Studio 8H since, including two other turns as the host. The actress is currently starring on the Apple TV+ comedy Loot, which wraps its second season on May 29.

Watch all the promos for this weekend below:

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Jay Wheeler y Kany García regresan a Latin Pop Albums para un doble debut en el top 10

Por primera vez en más de cuatro años, dos álbumes debutan simultáneamente en el top 10 de la lista de Latin Pop Albums de Billboard.

En la lista fechada el 11 de mayo, Música Buena Para Días Malos de Jay Wheeler abre en el No. 4, mientras que García de Kany García llega al No. 8. Es la primera vez que la lista Latin Pop Albums tiene dos títulos debutando en la región superior desde el 12 de octubre de 2019, cuando José José debutó en los No. 1, 6 y 7 tras su muerte en septiembre, con Serie Platino – 20 Éxitos Vol. 2, El Príncipe de la Canción y Secreto, respectivamente.

Música Buena Para Días Malos de Wheeler comienza con 5.000 unidades equivalentes a álbumes ganadas en Estados Unidos la semana que finalizó el 2 de mayo, según Luminate. De ellas, poco más de 4.000 provienen de streams, lo que equivale a 6,3 millones de streams oficiales on demand de las canciones del álbum. Las ventas tradicionales del álbum y canciones comprenden la suma restante de la primera semana.

Música Buena Para Días Malos fue precedido por una canción en la lista general Latin Airplay: “Historia”, que alcanzó el No. 35 (lista fechada el 27 de abril).

Además, con los debuts simultáneos de dos artistas diferentes en el top 10 de Latin Pop Albums, Wheeler y García también repiten una hazaña lograda por última vez hace cinco años, cuando Miguel y Anitta debutaron en los No. 3 y 4, respectivamente, con Te Lo Dije (EP) y Kisses en la lista fechada el 20 de abril de 2019.

Ambos se suman a la lista de pocos álbumes que han debutado en Latin Pop Albums en 2024. Aquí esos cinco debuts en el top 10, que incluyen dos No. 1:

Fecha y posición debut, título, artista
27 de enero, No. 1, Orquídeas, Kali Uchis
6 de abril, No. 1, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, Shakira
13 de abril, No. 6, Final, Vol. 2, Enrique Iglesias
11 de mayo, No. 4, Música Buena Para Días Malos, Jay Wheeler
11 de mayo, No. 8, García, Kany García

El álbum de García llega a Latin Pop Albums con 2.000 unidades equivalentes ganadas en Estados Unidos durante el mismo período. Esto fue casi completamente impulsado por la actividad de streaming de sus 12 canciones. La cifra equivale a 3,4 millones de streams oficiales a la carta de los temas del disco.

García, quien tiene un historial en el chart, regresa al top 10 después de casi cinco años, cuando su álbum Contra El Viento debutó y alcanzó el No. 3 en junio de 2019.

La cantautora puertorriqueña ha conseguido un total de 10 títulos en la lista, ocho de los cuales alcanzaron el top 10, a lo largo de tres décadas, desde que su álbum Cualquier Día, su debut en los charts, llegara al No. 10 en septiembre de 2007.

A García le precedieron tres canciones en Latin Pop Airplay: “Una vida buena” alcanzó el No. 15 (3 de febrero), mientras “Que vuelva” con Carla Morrison, y “En esta boca” con Young Miko, llegaron ambas al No. 12 en los rankings del 16 y 30 de marzo, respectivamente. Por último, “Te lo agradezco” con Carin León regresa al No. 43 en la actual lista multimétrica Hot Latin Songs, que combina difusión radial, ventas digitales y actividad de streaming.

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Publishing Briefs: bülow Signs to Rx Songs and Under Warrenty, Kobalt Signs ‘Water’ Writer Mocha Lewis

Prescription Songs and Emily Warren‘s Under Warrenty have signed singer-songwriter bülow to a global publishing deal. Fresh off the release of her two co-writes “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyonce and “Yuck” by Charli XCX, bülow says of her deal, “I’m very excited to start this journey with Emily and Prescription. So many serendipitous moments led us here organically, and I have the utmost admiration for this team.”

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Kobalt has signed songwriter Imani “Mocha” Lewis. News of her signing comes after the whirlwind success of Tyla‘s Grammy-winning track “Water,” which was co-written by Lewis, along with eight other tracks on the South African artist’s debut album.

Position Music has signed Golden to a worldwide publishing deal as part of a joint venture with Global 7 Publishing. A Colombian writer, musician and Grammy-nominated producer, Golden has worked on tracks for Coco Jones, ¿Téo? and Shenseea.

peermusic has signed award-winning Chilean producer and songwriter Vladi Cachai (Don Omar, Gloria Trevi, Bryant Myers, J Quiles) to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. The deal was signed jointly by peermusic Spain and peermusic Chile and will encompass both Cachai’s existing song catalog and his future works.

Budde Music has signed songwriter Billy Mann to a go-forward “creative and administrative” publishing agreement. A hitmaker with thirty years of expertise, Mann has worked with stars like P!nk, Backstreet Boys, David Guetta, John Legend, Céline Dion, Carole King, Burt Bacharach and more.

Warner Chappell Music and The Core Entertainment have signed a joint global publishing deal with Hannah McFarland. A rising singer-songwriter and opener for artists like Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion, and Travis Tritt, McFarland was recently invited to sing “I Remember Everything” alongside Zach Bryan at a show in Alabama, introducing her talent to a stadium of new listeners. “We are so excited to work with Hannah McFarland and represent her unique talent,” says Bryce Sherlow, A&R manager at WCM Nashville.

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Sony Music Publishing Nashville has announced the signing of country songwriter Brian Fuller to a global publishing deal. Fuller is a fast-rising songwriter in Nashville, and news of his SMP deal follows the release of his first-ever major label cut “I Could Be That Rain,” from Randall King’s 2024 album Into The Neon.

Nashville-based rights management company Muserk is expanding its royalty and administration services in Asia. This includes the signing of a series of new clients with impressive cultural impact in their home markets, including Thai neo-soul artist Phum Viphurit and Japanese label and publishing company Midi Inc/Yano Music Publishing. In the coming months, the company says it also plans to bring in more Chinese and Indonesian clients.

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Olivia Rodrigo & Daniel Nigro Named ASCAP Pop Music Songwriters of the Year for 2024

Olivia Rodrigo and co-writer Daniel Nigro are the 2024 ASCAP Pop Music Songwriters of the Year. It is the second award in the top category for Rodrigo, who first received the honor in 2022.

Chappell Roan, who has a fast-climbing hit with “Good Luck, Babe!,” which she co-wrote with Nigro and Justin Tranter, was scheduled to present Nigro with his award on Wednesday (May 8) at an invitation-only event in Los Angeles celebrating this year’s ASCAP Pop Music Award winners.

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Rodrigo and Nigro have shared two Grammy nods for song of the year (for “Driver’s License” and “Vampire”) and one for best rock song (for “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl”). In less than three and a half years, Rodrigo has amassed 17 top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including three songs – “Driver’s License,” “Good 4 U” and “Vampire” – that entered the chart at No. 1.

“Calm Down,” performed by Rema and featuring Selena Gomez, wins ASCAP Pop Song of the Year. Co-written by Rema, Gomez, Michael “LONDON” Hunter, Amanda “Kiddo AI” Ibanez and Andre Vibez, the song reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 and rode the chart for 57 weeks. “Calm Down” is published by Hook Like Behavior, Kobalt Music Publishing, Livelihood Music Company, SMG Tunes, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group and Warner Chappell Music.

Publisher of the Year goes to Universal Music Publishing Group for songs including “Calm Down,” “Cuff It” (Beyoncé), “Dance the Night” (Dua Lipa), “Barbie World” (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice with Aqua), “Lavender Haze” (Taylor Swift), “Paint the Town Red” (Doja Cat), “Star Walkin’ (League of Legends Worlds Anthem)” (Lil Nas X) and “Sure Thing” (Miguel).

Other 2024 ASCAP Pop Music Award-winning songwriters include Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff (their holiday evergreen “All I Want for Christmas Is You”), Noah Kahan (“Dial Drunk”), St. Vincent (“Cruel Summer”), Meghan Trainor (“Made You Look”) and Leon Thomas (“Snooze”).

As previously announced, Charli XCX received the ASCAP Global Impact Award. Charli is gearing up for the release of her sixth solo album, BRAT on June 7 and a North American tour with Troye Sivan, who was set to present her with the award.

The ASCAP Pop Music Awards honor the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most-performed pop songs of 2023. The winners are determined by data on terrestrial and satellite radio and for programmed and on-demand audio streams, all provided by Luminate Data LLC.

More information on the 2024 ASCAP Pop Music Award winners is available here.

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