The BMI London Awards recognize the U.K. and European songwriters and publishers of the past year’s most-performed songs on radio and television in the United States. The performing rights organization collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it distributes as royalties to songwriters, composers & music publishers.
BMI honors songwriters who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers” as Icons. Queen’s Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon join a list of past honorees that includes 2010 recipient Don Black, Van Morrison, Donovan, the Bee Gees, James Brown, Willie Nelson and more.
There are numerous BMI Awards between the four members of Queen, who are all songwriters with contributions to the band’s repertoire. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, Queen received a special honor in 2003: they became the first band ever to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as a group rather than as individuals.
Queen entered the U.K. Music Hall of Fame in 2004, while “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” have both been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Freddie Mercury died of AIDS in 1991; the following year, remaining members orchestrated the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness, and the Mercury Phoenix Trust (MPT) was established. To date, MPT has donated more than $15 million to the fight against AIDS around the world.
Queen
Queen – Under Pressure
Live At Wembley Stadium DVD
See also:
Queen: Live At Wembley gets 25th Anniversary treatment
Queen: Roger Taylor to re-release anti-Rupert Murdoch song
VIDEO: Queen – New Japanese TV interview
Queen: Freddie Mercury statue unveiled in Liverpool
Queen: Sacha Baron Cohen perfect as Freddie Mercury
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody named British Army's favorite song
Queen: Rock In Rio 2011 to pay tribute to Freddie Mercury
Queen: second round of reissues on the way
Guns N’ Roses: Queen’s Brian May talks about his work on Chinese Democracy
