Beyoncé, Greg Kurstin, Max Martin, Justin Timberlake, Solange and The Chainsmokers Lead ASCAP Grammy Winners

The 59^th annual Grammy Awards on February 12^th was indeed music’s biggest night. Throughout the event, ASCAP members illuminated the stage with performances that were by turns passionate, political and powerful. Among the highlights: An epic nine-minute performance by Beyoncé singing two of her songs, “Love Drought” and “Sandcastles,” turned into a celebration of motherhood and pride for “every child of every race;’ Katy Perry debuted a provocative and politically-pointed new song, “Chained to the Rhythm,” and performed it with Skip Marley, grandson of legendary ASCAP member Bob Marley, in front of a large image of the US Constitution; and recent ASCAP Golden Note Award honorees A Tribe Called Quest performed a blunt protest song, “We the People,” from the group's latest album, joined by fellow rappers Busta Rhymes, Consequence and Anderson.Paak, along with a group of people representing diverse races and religions.

Other showstopping musical numbers were delivered by ASCAP members The Weeknd, who performed a new song, Kelsea Ballerini and Lukas Graham, performing a mash-up of their hits, Alicia Keys, Demi Lovato and Tori Kelly, who helped pay tribute to the Bee Gees and Morris Day and The Time, who helped pay tribute to the late Prince. In a night of poignant moments, one of the most moving was Adele’s performance of George Michael song “Fastlove,” in tribute to the late musical superstar.

ASCAP members were the big winners of the night, especially songwriter-producer Greg Kurstin, whose collaboration with Adele earned him Grammys for Song of the Year and Record of the Year (both for “Hello”) as well as Album of the Year for Adele’s 25. Kurstin also took home a Grammy for Producer of the Year. In fact, it was some of ASCAP’s top songwriter/producers who helped Adele win the top Album prize. In addition to Kurstin, those who had a hand in crafting the songs on 25 included Danger Mouse, Samuel Dixon (APRA), Paul Epworth, Max Martin (STIM), Ariel Rechtshaid, Shellback (STIM), Samuel Dixon (APRA), Tom Elmhirst (PRS), Alex Pasco, Michael Ilbert (STIM) and Mike Piersante.

We are thrilled that ASCAP members won Grammys in a total of 38 categories, showing ASCAP’s creative strength across the musical spectrum, not only in the top pop and urban categories but also in dance, jazz, bluegrass, classical, contemporary Christian and Latin music categories.  Beyoncé, who went into the evening with nine nominations, won Grammys for Best Urban Contemporary Album for Lemonade and the Best Music Video Award for “Formation.”  Other notable wins include: Best Song Written for Visual Media (Justin Timberlake, Max Martin and Shellback,“Can’t Stop The Feeling” from the animated film Trolls); Best Dance Recording (The Chainsmokers, “Don’t Let Me Down”); Best R&B Song (Hod David and Musze, “Lake by the Ocean”); Best Rap Song (Paul Jefferies, “Hotline Bling”); Best R&B Performance (Solange, “Cranes in the Sky”); Best Contemporary Blues Album (Fantastic Negrito, The Last Days of Oakland); Best Jazz Vocal Album (Gregory Porter, Take Me To the Alley); Best Latin Pop Album (Jesse & Joy, Un Besito Mas); Best Bluegrass Album (O'Conner Band, Coming Home); and Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance (Third Coast Percussion, Steve Reich )among many more.

Congratulations to all of our Grammy winners on another phenomenal year!

Click here to see the full list of 2017 ASCAP Grammy nominees.

RECORD OF THE YEAR

“Hello”
Greg Kurstin, producer
Tom Elmhirst (PRS), Greg Kurstin & Alex Pasco, engineers/mixers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

25
Danger Mouse, Samuel Dixon (APRA), Paul Epworth, Greg Kurstin, Max Martin (STIM), Ariel Rechtshaid, Shellback (STIM), producers
Samuel Dixon (APRA), Tom Elmhirst (PRS), Michael Ilbert (STIM), Greg Kurstin, Mike Piersante, Ariel Rechtshaid, engineers/mixers

SONG OF THE YEAR

“Hello”
Greg Kurstin, songwriter

BEST DANCE RECORDING
  
“Don't Let Me Down”
The Chainsmokers
The Chainsmokers, producers; Jordan Young, mixer
 
 
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM
 
Skin
Flume (APRA)
  
  
BEST CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
   
Culcha Vulcha
Snarky Puppy
  
BEST R&B PERFORMANCE
 
“Cranes In The Sky”
Solange
 
BEST R&B SONG
 
“Lake By The Ocean”
Hod David & Musze, songwriters
 
BEST URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
 
Lemonade
Beyoncé

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE

“No Problem”
Featuring 2 Chainz

BEST RAP SONG

“Hotline Bling”

BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM
 
Take Me To The Alley
Gregory Porter

BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM
 
Tribute To Irakere: Live In Marciac
Chucho Valdés (SGAE)

 
BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE/SONG
 
“Thy Will”
Hillary Scott & The Scott Family; Emily Weisband, songwriter
 
BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC ALBUM
  
Love Remains
Hillary Scott & The Scott Family
 
BEST ROOTS GOSPEL ALBUM

Hymns
Joey+Rory

BEST LATIN POP ALBUM
 
Un Besito Mas
Jesse & Joy (SACM)
 
BEST TROPICAL LATIN ALBUM

Donde Están?
Jose Lugo & Guasábara Combo 

BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM

Coming Home
O'Connor Band
  
BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM
 
The Last Days Of Oakland
Fantastic Negrito

BEST REGIONAL ROOTS MUSIC ALBUM
 
E Walea
Kalani Pe'a
 
BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM
 
Sing Me Home
Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble
 
BEST CHILDREN'S ALBUM

Infinity Plus One
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
 
BEST COMEDY ALBUM
 
Talking For Clapping
Patton Oswalt
 
BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM
 
The Color Purple
Cynthia Erivo (PRS) & Jennifer Hudson, principal soloists
Stephen Bray, producer
 
BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA
 
Miles Ahead
(Various Artists)

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR VISUAL MEDIA

“Can't Stop The Feeling!”

Max Martin (STIM), Shellback (STIM) & Justin Timberlake, songwriters

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTAL OR A CAPPELLA

“You And I”

Jacob Collier, arranger

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND VOCALS

“Flintstones”

Jacob Collier, arranger

BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, NON-CLASSICAL

Blackstar

Tom Elmhirst (PRS), engineer

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL

Greg Kurstin

• Cheap Thrills (Sia Featuring Sean Paul) (S) • Hello (Adele) (S) • Love You To Death (Tegan And Sara) (A) • Million Years Ago (Adele) (T) • Something In The Way You Move (Ellie Goulding) (T) • Water Under The Bridge (Adele) (T)

BEST REMIXED RECORDING

“Tearing Me Up (RAC Remix)”

André Allen Anjos, remixer (Bob Moses)

BEST OPERA RECORDING

Corigliano: The Ghosts of Versailles 

James Conlon, conductor; Joshua Guerrero,

Christopher Maltman, Lucas Meachem, Patricia Racette,

Lucy Schauder and Guanqun Yu; Blanton Alspaugh, producer

(LA Opera Orchestra; LA Opera Chorus)

BEST CHORAL PERFORMANCE

Penderecki Conducts Penderecki, Volume 1

Krzysztof Penderecki (GEMA), conductor

BEST CHAMBER MUSIC/SMALL ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

Steve Reich

Third Coast Percussion

BEST CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTAL SOLO

Daugherty: “Tales Of Hemingway”

Zuill Bailey

BEST CLASSICAL SOLO VOCAL ALBUM

Shakespeare Songs

Antonio Pappano (PRS), accompanist

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

“Formation”

Beyoncé