“It’s very important that artists get paid for what they do…you do absolutely need somebody like ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), otherwise we’d spend all our time knocking on people’s doors… ASCAP can do that and we can go in the studio and make music.”

This is what Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon remarked during the 2016 ASCAP London Music Awards. On the occasion, he and his band received the prestigious Golden Note Award.

ASCAP President Paul Williams acknowledged the iconic British group’s work in revolutionizing the music video and commended their sartorial flare when working with fashion legends.

“In addition to their brilliant songwriting, Duran Duran have continued to innovate across the board,” Williams further noted.

This year’s ASCAP Awards was held at London’s One Embankment. Among other awardees were Jess Glynne and MNEK who received a Vanguard awar,d which recognizes the impact of “outstanding ASCAP members on musical genres that will help shape the future of music.”

Below is the full list of ASCAP Awards 2016 winners:

ASCAP Golden Note Award: Duran Duran

ASCAP Vanguard Award: Jess Glynne

ASCAP Vanguard Award: MNEK

ASCAP Global Impact Award: Anthony Hannides, Michael Hannides, Levi Lennox, Joe Garrett (‘Pillowtalk’ by Zayn Malik)

ASCAP Song of the Year: Amy Wadge (‘Thinking Out Loud’ by Ed Sheeran)

ASCAP Top Digital Song: Amy Wadge (‘Thinking Out Loud’ by Ed Sheeran)

ASCAP Top EDM Song: James Newman (‘Blame’ by Calvin Harris ft. John Newman)

ASCAP Film Score of the Year: Patrick Doyle (Cinderella)

ASCAP EDM Song Award: Jess Glynne (‘Hold My Hand’)

ASCAP Hot 100 Winning Songs:

• Thomas William Raybould (‘The Hills’ by The Weeknd)
• Lloyd Oliver Wills, Everton Bonner (‘Post To Be’ by Omarion ft. Chris Brown & Jhene Aiko)
• Sir Paul McCartney (‘FourFiveSeconds’ by Rihanna, Kanye West & Paul McCartney)
• Joel Pott (‘Budapest’ by George Ezra)
• Ella Henderson (‘Ghost’ by Ella Henderson)

ASCAP EDM Winning Songs:

• Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion (‘A Sky Full of Stars’ by Coldplay)
• Olly Alexander, Mikey Goldsworthy, Emre Turkmen (‘King’ by Years And Years)
• Marli Harwood (‘Stole The Show’ by Kygo ft. Parson James)
• Philip Bentley (‘Secrets’ by Tiësto & KSHMR ft. Vassy)

ASCAP Top Film Music Awards:

• Lorne Balfe (‘Home’ (2015), ‘Terminator Genisys’)
• Daniel Pemberton (‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E’)
• Martin Phipps (‘Woman In Gold’)
• Ben Salisbury, Geoff Barrow (‘Ex Machina’)

ASCAP Top Television Series Awards:

• Julian Gingell, Barry Stone (‘American Idol’ (Fox))
• Daniel McGrath, Josh Phillips (‘Dancing With The Stars’ (ABC))
• John Lunn (‘Downtown Abbey’ (PBS))

(Photo by Jelena Ivanović, EXIT Photo Team (Exit Festival’s Flickr photostream) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons)