Ascap London Music Awards Official Rules and Regulations 2021
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ASCAP LONDON MUSIC AWARDS OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS 2021 These Official Rules and Regulations (the “Rules”) govern the 2021 ASCAP London Music Awards (individually and collectively, the “Awards”), including, but not limited to, eligibility, winner selection process, and award criteria. BY PARTICIPATING IN THE AWARDS PROCESS AND AWARDS CELEBRATION, ALL PARTICIPANTS (“PARTICIPANTS”) AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THE DECISIONS OF ASCAP, WHICH ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL RESPECTS. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. 1. PRESENTER The Awards are presented by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (“ASCAP”), 250 West 57th Street, New York, New York 10107. 2. ELIGIBILITY A. Who is Eligible Writer members of PRS for Music (“PRS”) for the United Kingdom and other territories (including the United States) in good standing as of September 13, 2021 (the “Date of Determination”) are eligible for Awards consideration (each, an “Eligible Writer”). To be in good standing, a writer member of PRS must be a current member in good standing within the meaning of PRS’s rules and regulations. Publishers, whether a member of PRS or otherwise, are not eligible for Awards. B. What Works are Eligible To be eligible for Awards consideration, a musical composition (each, an “Eligible Work”) must, as of the date of Determination, (i) be in the ASCAP Repertory (as defined in the Compendium of ASCAP Rules and Regulations, and Policies Supplemental to the Articles of Association, which is available on ASCAP’s website) and (ii) have at least one Eligible Writer an interest in a musical composition in the ASCAP Repertory that is licensable through ASCAP for the territory of the United States (a “Qualifying Interest”). In addition, a musical composition will no longer be an Eligible Work if, at any time prior to the start of the Awards Celebration, ASCAP has received notice(s) from PRS (or any publisher member of ASCAP) of the intent to remove such musical composition from the ASCAP Repertory and, after giving effect to such notice, ASCAP no longer would have a licensable interest in such musical composition. C. What Genres are Eligible for Awards Eligible Works of all genres are considered for the Awards. D. Disqualification At any time prior to the start of the Awards Celebration, ASCAP may, in its sole discretion, disqualify from Awards contention: (i) any writer member of PRS who is no longer in good standing with PRS; (iii) any writer member of PRS whose relevant interest in an Eligible Work is no longer in the ASCAP Repertory, or if ASCAP receives effective notice of the intent to remove such relevant interest in an Eligible Work from the ASCAP Repertory; or (iv) any Eligible Work from Awards contention that no longer satisfies the eligibility criteria set forth in Section 2.B. In addition, if there is a dispute in ASCAP’s records with respect to all or any portion of an interest in any Eligible Work and ASCAP has concluded that there is a reasonable basis for such dispute, then ASCAP may, in its sole discretion, remove such Eligible Work (or the relevant shares of such Eligible Work that are in dispute) from consideration for the Awards. ASCAP encourages Participants to resolve disputes over any potentially winning Eligible Works on or before the Date of Determination. E. Changes in Registration In connection with a change to a work registration affecting the writer(s) of a musical composition (e.g., the inclusion of a new writer or the removal of an existing writer), a writer will be considered as having an interest in such musical composition for purposes of the Awards if the change in registration is submitted, and all paperwork substantiating such change is provided to ASCAP, on or before the Date of Determination. 3. WINNING SONGS Awards for Winning Songs recognize the Eligible Works underlying the highest-ranking sound recordings (each Eligible Work and its sound recording together referred to as a “Song”) that appeared on each of the following Billboard Magazine Year-End Charts for calendar year 2020 (each, a “Chart”), determined according to the following methodology (each, a “Winning Song”): • ASCAP will recognize as a Winning Hot 100 Song each Song that appears in positions one through 100 on the annual Billboard Magazine Year- End Chart for Hot 100 Songs for calendar year 2020 (the “Hot 100 Chart”); • ASCAP will recognize as a Winning Hot Dance / Electronic Song each Song that appears in positions one through 20 on the annual Billboard ASCAP London Music Awards Official Rules - 2 - Magazine Year End Chart for Hot Dance / Electronic Songs for calendar year 2020 (the “EDM Chart”); and • ASCAP will recognize as a Winning Streaming Song each Song that appears in positions one through 50 on the annual Billboard Streaming Songs Year-End Chart for calendar year 2020 (the “Streaming Songs Chart”). Awards for Winning Song are presented to each Eligible Writer with a Qualifying Interest in each applicable Winning Song. In the event that Nielsen Music/MRC Data merges more than one version of a Winning Song (i.e., the original version and any remixes, etc.), ASCAP will award the Eligible Work embodied in the version of such Song that ASCAP determines was most responsible for such Song’s position on the applicable Chart. 4. TOP SONGS The highest-ranking Winning Song (each a “Top Song”) on the Hot 100 Chart, EDM Chart and Streaming Songs Chart and will be awarded the Song of the Year Award, the Top Hot Dance / Electronic Song Award and Top Streaming Song Award, respectively. Awards for Top Songs are presented to each Eligible Writer with a Qualifying Interest in each applicable Top Song. 5. SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR The Songwriter of the Year Award recognizes the Eligible Writer who has written or co-written the greatest number of Winning Songs (the “Songwriter of the Year”). Each Eligible Writer is awarded one point for each Winning Song in which such Eligible Writer has an interest that is being licensed by ASCAP. If a Winning Song appears on more than one Chart, each Eligible Writer will receive only one point for each such Winning Song appearing on more than one Chart. The Songwriter of the Year Award is awarded to the Eligible Writer who obtains the highest point total. If two or more Eligible Writers are tied for the highest point total, then Awards for Songwriter of the Year shall be given to all such Eligible Writers so tied. 6. TOP TELEVISION SERIES AWARDS The Top Television Series Awards honor Primary Composers (as defined below) for their work for television as determined based on the following methodology (collectively, the “Top Television Series Awards”): (1) The Top Network Series Award honors the Eligible Network Series on any of the ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox networks (each a “Major Broadcast Network”) with the highest overall Nielsen Rating during 2020. (Each reference to a year in these Rules shall be to a calendar year unless otherwise specified herein.) All Primary Composers credited for such top-rated Eligible Network Series shall receive the Top Network Series Award. If two or more ASCAP London Music Awards Official Rules - 3 - Eligible Network Series are tied for the highest Nielsen Ratings, then the Primary Composer(s) credited for all such series so tied shall receive Top Network Series Awards. (2) The Top Cable Series Award honors the Eligible Cable Series on any of the General Entertainment Networks with the highest overall Nielsen Rating during 2020. All Primary Composers credited for such top-rated Eligible Cable Series shall receive the Top Cable Series Award. If two or more Eligible Cable Series are tied for the highest Nielsen Ratings, then the Primary Composer(s) credited for all such series so tied shall receive Top Cable Series Awards. For the purposes of these Rules: • An “Eligible Cable Series” means any television series and/or miniseries with new episodes first airing in the United States on any General Entertainment Network during 2020 that has at least one Primary Composer credited. • An “Eligible Network Series” means any television series and/or miniseries with new episodes first airing in the United States on any Major Broadcast Network during 2020 that has at least one Primary Composer credited. • “General Entertainment Network” means any network or cable programming service, including the CW Network and PBS, that primarily broadcasts general entertainment-related audio-visual programming (e.g., dramatic series, comedy series, specials, miniseries and made-for-TV feature films, theatrical feature films aired on television, animated television programs and films, variety programs, scripted sports, game shows, and/or reality television programs, etc.) and that is not a Major Broadcast Network. • “Nielsen Ratings” are the average of the Nielsen “Household Live +7” total day ratings for 2020. • A “Primary Composer” is an Eligible Writer who: (i) is credited as a composer of Theme or Underscore (as applicable) for the applicable series or miniseries or film (“Audio-Visual Work”) and such Theme or Underscore is an Eligible Work that is being licensed by ASCAP as of the Date of Determination; or (ii) has made a substantial contribution to the applicable Audio-Visual Work, as determined by ASCAP based on the total number of minutes composed by such composer for such Audio-Visual Work as shown by the relevant cue sheets for the Audio-Visual Work in ASCAP’s database and such contribution is an Eligible Work that is being licensed by ASCAP as of the Date of Determination. For the avoidance of doubt, a series or miniseries that had its first run outside of the United States would be eligible for the Top Television Series Awards ASCAP London Music Awards Official Rules - 4 - so long as it has satisfied all other requirements for the applicable Awards (including that new episodes first aired on a Major Broadcast Network or General Entertainment Network, as applicable, during 2020).