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Graham Lyle, best-known for co-writing the Tina Turner classic “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” will be presented with the BMI Icon Award at the 2024 BMI London Awards to be held on Dec. 9 at The Savoy in London. The private event will be hosted by BMI president & CEO Mike O’Neill.
“What’s Love” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in 1984 and went on to win Grammys for record and song of the year. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2012. Lyle co-wrote the song with Terry Britten, who also produced Turner’s single. Britten and Lyle later co-wrote two more big hits for Turner, both of which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 – “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” from the film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and “Typical Male.” Thus, the team was responsible for three of Turner’s six top 10 solo hits.

“We’re very honoured to salute the incomparable songwriter Graham Lyle with the BMI Icon Award in celebration of a lifetime of timeless hit songs that deeply resonate with global audiences,” O’Neill said in a statement.

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The ceremony will also pay tribute to the British and European songwriters and publishers of the previous year’s most performed songs on U.S. streaming, radio and television from BMI’s repertoire.

Many artists have revived “What’s Love” over the years. Rapper Warren G recorded a hip-hop version in 1996 featuring Adina Howard, which reached No. 32 on the Hot 100. The song was sampled in the hit “What’s Luv?” by Fat Joe featuring Ashanti, which reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 2002. Norwegian DJ/producer Kygo released a remix with Turner in 2020. Mickey Guyton sang it at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2021, when Turner was inducted as a solo artist.

Lyle began his professional journey as one of the first music creators to sign to The Beatles’ Apple Company, alongside songwriter Benny Gallagher in the late 1960s. Together, the duo became founding members of the British rock band McGuinness Flint, and later joined forces to form Gallagher and Lyle, where they released eight albums and landed two Hot 100 hits in 1976, while signed to A&M Records – “I Wanna Stay with You” and “Heart on My Sleeve.”

In 1981, Lyle formed his own publishing company GOODSINGLE, LTD, to write for other artists. In addition to his longtime partnership with Turner, Lyle has also penned hits such as “Just Good Friends” by Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, “Hold Me (Just a Little Longer Tonight)” by Etta James, “You’re the Star” by Rod Stewart and “When You Love Somebody (I’m Saving My Love for You)” by Patti LaBelle.

Previous BMI Icons include Sting, Gary Kemp, Graham Gouldman, Sir Tim Rice, The Bee Gees, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ray Davies, John Fogerty, David Foster, Peter Gabriel, the Jacksons, Carole King, Kris Kristofferson, Barry Manilow, Willie Nelson, Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton, Queen, Nile Rodgers, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, Van Morrison and Brian Wilson.