BMI Film TV and Visual Media Awards
Atticus Ross was named a BMI Icon at the 2025 Film, TV and Visual Media Awards on Wednesday (May 14), in recognition of his body of work across film and television. The private ceremony held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., was hosted by Mike O’Neill, BMI president & CEO, and Tracy McKnight, BMI vp, creative, film, TV & visual media.
O’Neill presented Ross with the BMI Icon Award, expressing that his “innovative spirit and passion for pushing the boundaries of composition have literally reengineered the way we experience storytelling.” He went on to say, “we are very proud to honor your incomparable contributions to the world of music as a composer, a rock pioneer and an icon.”
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Ross was emotional upon receiving the honor and stated, “The thing I love about film music is that there aren’t any rules, there aren’t any pros. Essentially, to my mind, it’s all about how we make people feel, and that’s what music is about.” Moreover, he voiced, “I put a lot of effort into making sure that this never feels like a job. I wake up every day grateful for the opportunity to make music, this is my dream, and I don’t take it lightly.”
Ross is a multifaceted musician, composer and producer who has received two Oscars, two Grammys, one Primetime Emmy, one BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards and three Critics Choice Awards. He’s also won 18 BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards, as well as one BMI Country, one BMI Pop and one BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Award.
In addition to his work as a composer, Ross has had a successful career as a member of Nine Inch Nails and a longtime collaboration with bandmate Trent Reznor. Together, they’ve created some of the most memorable film and TV scores of the past two decades, including The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Soul, Challengers and Watchmen. Ross has also collaborated with his brother Leopold Ross and wife Claudia Sarne on movies such as The Book of Eli and Triple 9 and series like Black Mirror, Dear Mama and Shōgun.
Previous BMI Icon Award recipients include Terence Blanchard, Mychael Danna, Alexandre Desplat, Ramin Djawadi, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Newton Howard, Christopher Lennertz, Thomas Newman, Rachel Portman (PRS), Mike Post, Alan Silvestri, Brian Tyler and John Williams.
During the ceremony, composers were honored for music featured in the past year’s top-grossing films, top-rated network television series, highest-ranking cable network and streamed media programs, and the most popular video games. Multiple award winners, in addition to Ross, included Fil Eisler, Tom Howe, Andrew Lockington, Blake Neely, Julia Newman, Mike Post, Carlos Rafael Rivera, Tyler Strickland and Atli Örvarsson.
The event celebrated 29 first-time award winners including Kathryn Bostic, Goh Nakamura, Kara Talve, Dara Taylor and Zack Ryan.
For a complete list of winners, visit here.
Atticus Ross will receive the BMI Icon Award at the 41st annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards on May 14 in Beverly Hills, Calif. The ceremony will also salute the composers of the previous year’s top-grossing films, top-rated primetime network television series, and highest-ranking cable and streamed media programs. The event will be hosted by Mike O’Neill, BMI president and CEO,and Tracy McKnight, BMI VP, Creative, Film, TV & Visual Media.
Previous BMI Icon Award recipients include Terence Blanchard, Mychael Danna, Alexandre Desplat, Ramin Djawadi, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Newton Howard, Christopher Lennertz, Thomas Newman, Rachel Portman (PRS), Mike Post, Alan Silvestri, Brian Tyler and John Williams.
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“Atticus Ross’ unique ability to merge innovative sounds with cinematic storytelling has left an indelible mark on the industry, and we’re thrilled to recognize his extraordinary talent and achievements with the BMI Icon Award,” McKnight said in a statement.
Ross, 57, is best-known for his longstanding collaboration with Trent Reznor. They have composed some of the most memorable film scores of the past 15 years, including The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl, Soul (a collaboration with Jon Batiste), Mank, Queer and Challengers. Reznor and Ross have won two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards and three Critics Choice Awards.
Their work in television includes Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s lauded 18-hour documentary The Vietnam War and their Primetime Emmy-winning score to HBO’s Watchmen. (Reznor and Ross are just a Tony Award away from EGOT status.)
Ross is also notable for his collaborations with his brother Leopold Ross and his wife Claudia Sarne. Most recently, his work on FX’s Shōgun alongside Leopold and co-composer Nick Chuba garnered much acclaim, including two Primetime Emmy nominations and a Grammy nomination.
Ross is also a key member of Nine Inch Nails, joining in 2016, alongside Reznor. In 2020, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (with Iggy Pop doing the honors). Later this year, the band will embark on a sold-out global arena tour. They are also set to score Disney’s highly anticipated Tron: Ares, their first score under the Nine Inch Nails moniker. In addition to their musical endeavors, Ross and Reznor launched With Teeth, which encompasses film and TV production, products, and a music festival.
Ross has won 19 BMI Awards throughout his career for his scores on films and TV programs.
Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson, who won an Oscar, a Grammy and a BAFTA Award earlier this year for Oppenheimer, added to his trophy haul with multiple awards at the 40th annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards, which was held on June 5 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Icelandic composer Atli Örvarsson received six crystals, more than anyone else this year, for his work on hit TV shows.
Other multiple winners included Brian Tyler and Mike Post, both of whom are previous BMI Icon Award recipients, Sean Callery, Sherri Chung, Tom Howe, Deana Kiner, Kevin Kiner, Sean Kiner, John Murphy and Blake Neely.
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Scores from the most successful films, the highest-rated series on TV, cable and streaming services, and for the first time in the ceremony’s history, the most popular video games of the previous year were honored. The inaugural winners in the new video game category were Stephen Barton, Chuck E. Myers “Sea,” J Scott Rakozy, Ted Reedy, and Inon Zur.
The event was co-hosted by BMI president and CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI vice president of creative, film, TV & visual media, Tracy McKnight.
As previously announced, composer Ramin Djawadi received the BMI Icon Award for his body of work across film, television and video games. Following a video tribute highlighting his successful career, Djawadi thanked his team and mentors Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt. He then brought his son and daughter to the stage and thanked his wife for being a driving force in his family’s life, saying “you are our icon.”
Previous BMI Icon Award recipients include (in addition to Tyler and Post), Terence Blanchard, Mychael Danna, Alexandre Desplat, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Newton Howard, Christopher Lennertz, Thomas Newman, Rachel Portman (PRS), Alan Silvestri and John Williams.
Djawadi, who was born in what was then known as West Germany, won back-to-back Primetime Emmy Awards in 2018-19 for outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) for Game of Thrones.
For a complete list of winners, visit www.bmi.com/award-shows/film-tv-2024/.
The event was held one night after the BMI Pop Awards, at which Taylor Swift won pop songwriter of the year, the Miley Cyrus megahit “Flowers” was named song of the year; and Sony Music Publishing won publisher of the year.
Composer Ramin Djawadi is set to receive the BMI Icon Award at the 40th annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards on June 5 in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Emmy-winning composer will receive the accolade for his body of work across film, television and video games. The ceremony will also salute the composers of the previous year’s top-grossing films, top-rated primetime network television series, and highest-ranking cable and streamed media programs.
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The event will be hosted by BMI president and CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI vice president of creative, film, TV & visual media, Tracy McKnight.
Previous BMI Icon Award recipients include Terence Blanchard, Mychael Danna, Alexandre Desplat, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Newton Howard, Christopher Lennertz, Thomas Newman, Rachel Portman (PRS), Mike Post, Alan Silvestri, Brian Tyler and John Williams.
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Djawadi has received 15 BMI Awards for outstanding scores for films, cable TV programs and streamed media. He won back-to-back Primetime Emmy Awards in 2018-19 for outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) for Game of Thrones. He has received five other Primetime Emmy nods for Game of Thrones, Prison Break, FlashForward and Westworld. In addition, Djawadi has received three Grammy nods.
“We’re excited to honor Ramin Djawadi and celebrate his outstanding musical achievements,” McKnight in a statement. “Ramin’s innovative compositions for films, TV shows, and video games have captivated audiences worldwide, exemplifying his remarkable range and talent.”
Djawadi collaborated with Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy on Amazon Prime’s Fallout and partnered with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss on the Netflix series 3 Body Problem.
Djawadi, 49, got his start by collaborating with Hans Zimmer on such films as Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Batman Begins. (Both composers were born in what was then known as West Germany.) Djawadi went on to score such films as Iron Man, Eternals, A Wrinkle in Time, Clash of the Titans, Pacific Rim and Blade:Trinity.
In addition, Djawadi, has composed music for several video games including “Medal of Honor,” “Gears of War 4” and “Gears 5.”
Christopher Lennertz was named a BMI Icon at BMI’s 39th Annual Film, TV & Visual Media Awards, which were presented at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Wednesday (May 10). Making the night even sweeter: Lennertz also won a regular award for his work on the streaming series, The Boys.
The private ceremony was hosted by BMI president/CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI vice president, creative, film, TV & visual media, Tracy McKnight.
In presenting Lennertz with the award, O’Neill noted that the composer was “legendary for his diverse and distinctive impact across the worlds of film, television and gaming.”
Previous BMI Icon recipients include Terence Blanchard, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, Rachel Portman (PRS), Alan Silvestri, Brian Tyler and John Williams. (Blanchard, Newton Howard, Tyler and Williams all won 2023 awards, underscoring their longevity.)
Atli Örvarsson received the most awards of the evening – a whopping six – for his work on two hugely successful TV franchises. He won for Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, FBI, FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted.
Kevin Kiner won four awards on the night for Samaritan, Peacemaker, Titans and Dark Winds.
Ludwig Göransson won three awards for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Turning Red and The Book of Baba Fett.
Double winners were Pierre Charles, Mychael Danna, Ramin Djawadi, Harry Gregson-Williams, Sean Kiner, Clint Mansell, Tony Morales, Mike Post, Brian Tyler and Breton Vivian.
Awards are presented in six categories – theatrical films, streaming films, streaming documentaries, streaming series, network TV and cable TV.
For a complete list of winners, go here.
Composer Christopher Lennertz will be named a BMI Icon at the 39th Annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards on May 10 in Beverly Hills, Calif. The two-time Emmy-nominated composer will receive BMI’s highest honor for his body of work across film, television and gaming.
In addition, the ceremony will celebrate the composers of the previous year’s top-grossing films, top-rated primetime network television series and highest-ranking cable and streamed media programs. The event will be hosted by BMI president and CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI vice president, creative, film, TV & visual media, Tracy McKnight.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate Christopher Lennertz and his tremendous musical accomplishments by presenting him the BMI Icon Award,” McKnight said in a statement. “His compelling body of work, from blockbuster films to hit TV shows and gaming, highlights Christopher’s passion for all styles of music and has made him one of the industry’s most sought-after composers.”
Previous BMI Icon Award recipients include Terence Blanchard, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, Rachel Portman (PRS), Alan Silvestri, Brian Tyler and John Williams.
Lennertz’s eclectic body of work includes scoring such blockbusters as Horrible Bosses and Ride Along, as well as such TV shows as Amazon’s The Boys, cult-favorite Supernatural (which originated on The WB before being picked up by The CW) Netflix’s Lost in Space and Marvel’s Agent Carter. Lennertz is also one of the most in-demand composers in video games, having worked on hits like Medal of Honor and the Mass Effect series.
Lennertz’s recent works include arranging and conducting a large orchestra for a new version of Guns N’ Roses “November Rain,” composing the score for Netflix’s coming-of-age drama 13: The Musical and producing, arranging and conducting Wondrous Journeys, Disney’s new salute to 100 years of animation. He has also written songs with Glenn Slater for Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monáe and Lizzo. Coming up, Lennertz’s work on Marvel’s Rogers the Musical will come to life during the Disney100 celebration at the Disney California Adventure Park.
Lennert has received Emmy nominations for outstanding musical composition for a series for Supernatural (2006) and outstanding original music and lyrics for The Boys (2021). He collaborated with lyricist Michael Saltzman on the latter project. He has also received 20 BMI awards.
Furthermore, he has demonstrated his passion for education and philanthropy by serving on the board of Education Through Music-Los Angeles and Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, as well as Hands Together Haiti. Lennertz also launched the Symphony of Hope project, a collaboration of more than 25 leading film and TV composers and dozens of musicians and vocalists joining together to rally the film music community in support of Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.
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