Society of Composers & Lyricists

The Society of Composers & Lyricists is an organization founded in 1983 to represent composers and lyricists working in visual media, such as television and film.[1][2] It sought union status in 1984 after the dissolution of the Composers and Lyricists Guild of America, but the National Labor Relations Board denied the bid on the basis that songwriters were independent contractors. Another attempt to become a union in the 1990s was also unsuccessful.[3][4] Members of the organization also include orchestrators, arrangers, music supervisors, music agents, music attorneys, music editors, copyists, and audio engineers.[5]

Awards

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Since 2020, the Society of Composers & Lyricists has presented annual awards for music in film, television, and other media.[6]

Ceremonies

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# Date Location Host Ref.
1st January 7, 2020 Skirball Cultural Center [7]
2nd March 2, 2021 Virtual Michael Giacchino [8]
3rd March 8, 2022[a] Skirball Cultural Center Aloe Blacc [10]
4th February 15, 2023 Darren Criss [11]
5th February 13, 2024 Siedah Garrett [12]

Categories

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Since 2024, the organization presents awards in eight competitive categories:[2][13]

Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film

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# Year Film Music by Ref.
1st 2020 Joker Hildur Guðnadóttir [14]
2nd 2021 Soul Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste [15]
3rd 2022 Encanto Germaine Franco [16]
4th 2023 Nope Michael Abels [11]
5th 2024 Oppenheimer Ludwig Göransson [12]

Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film

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# Year Film Music by Ref.
1st 2020 Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am Kathryn Bostic [14]
2nd 2021 Blizzard of Souls Lolita Ritmanis [15]
3rd 2022 The Green Knight Daniel Hart [16]
4th 2023 Everything Everywhere All At Once Son Lux [11]
5th 2024 Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie John Powell [12]

Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production

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# Year Production Music by Ref.
1st 2020 Chernobyl Hildur Guðnadóttir [14]
2nd 2021 The Queen's Gambit Carlos Rafael Rivera [15]
3rd 2022 The White Lotus Cristobal Tapia de Veer [16]
4th 2023 [11]
5th 2024 Succession Nicholas Britell [12]

Outstanding Original Title Sequence for a Television Production

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# Year Production Music by Ref.
5th 2024 Lessons in Chemistry Carlos Rafael Rivera [12]

Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production

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Prior to 2022, a single award was given for Original Song in a Visual Media Production, irrespective of genre.

# Year Song Production Song by Ref.
1st 2020 "Stand Up" Harriet Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo [14]
3rd 2022 "No Time to Die" No Time to Die Billie Eilish O'Connell and Finneas O'Connell [16]
4th 2023 "Applause" Tell It Like a Woman Diane Warren [11]
5th 2024 "Can't Catch Me Now" The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro [12]

Outstanding Original Song for a Comedy or Musical Visual Media Production

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Prior to 2022, a single award was given for Original Song in a Visual Media Production, irrespective of genre.

# Year Song Production Song by Ref.
2nd 2021 "Husavik" Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus, and Rickard Göransson [15]
3rd 2022 "Just Look Up" Don't Look Up Nicholas Britell, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, and Taura Stinson [16]
4th 2023 "Ciao Papa" Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, and Guillermo del Toro [11]
5th 2024 "What Was I Made For?" Barbie Billie Eilish O'Connell and Finneas O'Connell [12]

Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media

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# Year Production Music by Ref.
1st 2020 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Gordy Haab and Stephen Barton [14]
2nd 2021 Metamorphosis Garry Schyman and Mikolai Stroinski [15]
3rd 2022 Battlefield 2042 Hildur Guðnadóttir and Sam Slater [16]
4th 2023 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök Stephanie Economou [11]
5th 2024 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Gordy Haab and Stephen Barton [12]

David Raksin Award for Emerging Talent

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# Year Production Music By Ref.
3rd 2022 Jupiter's Legacy Stephanie Economou [16]
4th 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Nami Melumad [11]
5th 2024 Home Is a Hotel Catherine Joy [12]

Spirit of Collaboration Award

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In addition, the group presents the non-competitive Spirit of Collaboration Award to a composer and filmmaker team.[17]

# Year Composer Filmmaker Ref.
1st 2020 Thomas Newman Sam Mendes [14]
2nd 2021 Terence Blanchard Spike Lee [15]
3rd 2022 Carter Burwell Joel and Ethan Coen [16]
4th 2023 Justin Hurwitz Damien Chazelle [11]
5th 2024 Robbie Robertson Martin Scorsese [12]

Notes

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  1. ^ Rescheduled from February 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Mission and History". Society of Composers & Lyricists. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Pond, Steve (January 4, 2022). "Nicholas Britell, Diane Warren Lead Noms for Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards". TheWrap. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  3. ^ Eicke, Stephan (2019). The Struggle Behind the Soundtrack: Inside the Discordant New World of Film Scoring. McFarland. pp. 198–199. ISBN 9781476637006.
  4. ^ Verrier, Richard (November 18, 2009). "Composers, lyricists make a union pitch". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  5. ^ Newman, Melinda (January 8, 2020). "'Joker' Composer Hildur Gudnadóttir Scores Big at Inaugural Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  6. ^ Willman, Chris (December 3, 2019). "Society of Composers & Lyricists Announces Nominees for Inaugural Film/TV Awards". Variety. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  7. ^ Burlingame, Jon (January 8, 2020). "Women Win Big at Inaugural Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards". Variety. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  8. ^ Burlingame, Jon (March 2, 2021). "'Soul,' 'Blizzard of Souls' Scores and 'Eurovision' Song Win Top Awards From Society of Composers and Lyricists". Variety. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  9. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 13, 2022). "Society of Composers & Lyricists' SCL Awards Rescheduled For March – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  10. ^ Tapp, Tom (March 8, 2022). "Billie Eilish, Finneas O'Connell, Ariana Grande Top Society Of Composers & Lyricists' Awards – Full Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i Anderson, Erik (16 February 2023). "4th Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL) winners: 'Nope,' 'Everything Everywhere All At Once,' 'The White Lotus'". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Pedersen, Erik (February 13, 2024). "SCL Awards: Music From 'Oppenheimer' & 'Barbie' Among Society Of Composers & Lyricists Winners". Deadline. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  13. ^ "The SCL Awards". Society of Composers & Lyricists. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d e f Anderson, Erik (January 8, 2020). "Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) Awards: Hildur Guðnadóttir a double winner for 'Joker,' 'Chernobyl'". AwardsWatch. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Anderson, Erik (March 3, 2021). "'Soul,' "Husavik" are Society of Composers and Lyricists winners". AwardsWatch. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h Anderson, Erik (March 9, 2022). "Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) winners: 'Encanto,' Billie Eilish and 'The White Lotus'". AwardsWatch. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  17. ^ Vlessing, Etan (February 1, 2021). "Spike Lee, Terence Blanchard to Receive Collaboration Honor at Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
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