Taio Cruz Tops ASCAP London Awards

LONDON – British artist Taio Cruz was named songwriter of the year and his hit single "Dynamite" won song of the year honors at the 31st annual ASCAP London Awards on Wednesday.

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U.K. rapper Plan B received the Vanguard Award for his hit album The Defamation of Strickland Banks and British singer/songwriter Paloma Faith won the college award for her platinum-selling debut album Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?.

EMI Music Publishing picked up publisher of the year honors for its most-performed songs "Break Your Heart" (Taio Cruz) and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (Tears For Fears).

Highlight of the gala evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane was a tribute to Hal David. ASCAP president and chairman Paul Williams and songwriters Madeline Bell, Roger Greenaway, Albert Hammond, Jay James Picton and Ricky Ross performed a medley of David’s songs to mark the lyricist’s 90th birthday.

The London Awards honor the most performed songs licensed by ASCAP in the US in 2010 by songwriters and publishers who are members of the UK’s Performing Rights Society.

Works by Paul McCartney, U2, Annie Lennox, Rod Templeton, Coldplay and Imogen Heap were among the 21 numbers that won song awards at the ceremony.

Film and TV theme prizes went to Lorne Balfe (Megamind); Nigel Godrich (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World); Craig Armstrong (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Cathy Dennis, Julian Gingell, Barry Stone (American Idol); Josh Phillips, Dan McGrath (Dancing With the Stars); Elizabeth Fraser (Teardrop from House); Keith Strachan, Matthew Strachan (Who Wants to be a Millionaire).