The Association of Music Producers has released the shortlist for the 2019 AMP Awards for Music & Sound. The winners of the 2019 AMP Awards, along with the coveted Best in Show, will be announced at an awards presentation set for May 21 at Sony Hall in New York.
The AMP Awards Committee has also announced that one its key categories–Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign–has been renamed in honor of the late Ryan Barkan. A music supervisor at Droga5, Barkan passed away in 2017, two months after winning the AMP Award in this category for the agency’s work for Google. Barkan’s wife Angela and daughter Sunny will acknowledge the honor and will present the AMP Award trophy to the 2019 winner in that category.
Leading the Shortlist this year is the New York-based Antfood, which has nine entries in Shortlist contention covering such categories as Best Original Song, Best Sound Design, Best Execution of a Sonic ID/Logo, Most Innovative Process & Execution and Best Use of Music in Experiential/Events. Its work for SXSW, Maxon and AICP were each shortlisted twice.
Placing three entries on the Shortlist were the agencies TBWA-Media Arts Lab and Droga5, and the New York-based music shop Storefront Music. TBWA-MAL was shortlisted for its Apple work in Best Original Song, Best Use of Licensed Pre-Existing Recording and Most Innovative Process & Execution. Droga5 was shortlisted in Best Original Score for Hennessy, Outstanding Adaptation/Arrangement for Chase and Best Use of Licensed Pre-Existing Recording for Google. Storefront was shortlisted in Best Original Song for Glaceau, in Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign for Citi and the Malala Fund and in Best Use of Music in a Promo or Trailer for Film, TV or Game for Netflix.
Other companies with multiple AMP Awards Shortlist mentions include Human Worldwide and COPILOT Music + Sound, both of which placed two entries on the shortlist.
Ryan Barkan Honored with Campaign Award
In renaming the Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign for Barkan, who shared the award with his Droga5 music supervisor colleague Mike Ladman, the AMP Awards recognizes a passionate supporter of the ad music industry who has helped source music for a wide range of ad campaigns.
Barkan, who was 39 when he passed, was a Virginia native who, with Ladman, established the music department at the New York office of the globally acclaimed creative agency. Prior to joining Droga5 he was with Warner Music Group and, before that, at Primary Wave Entertainment.
“We’re proud to recognize Ryan’s accomplishments and commitment to the advertising music industry,” said AMP president Elad Marish, partner at Swell Music + Sound. “His agency has been an ardent supporter of our competition, and Ryan’s appreciation for the role of independent music companies has made our members’ collaborations with him over the years not just rewarding, but gratifying. Our Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign will now be known as the Ryan Barkan Award for Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign. We feel this is a fitting tribute to someone who really got what the advertising music industry is all about.”
Droga5’s Ladman noted that not only was Barkan his partner and colleague, but also a close friend. “To be able to build the department at the best agency in the world, and to do it with Ryan, has been a tremendous experience,” he said. “The work we did together on Google that won us the Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign award in 2017 was one of the most rewarding experiences of our careers, and I say that not just as a music supervisor, but as a music lover. It was a team effort, so having this award named for Ryan by his peers is truly special.”
Below is a Shortlist rundown. To see the Shortlisted work, click here:
2019 AMP Awards Shortlist
Best Original Song
TBWA Media Arts Lab
“Share Your Gifts”
Apple
TBWAMedia Arts Lab
Storefront Music
“Funner than Water
Glaceau
Wieden+Kennedy
BANG Music + Audio Post
“KAROQ”
Skoda
WMC / Grey Prague
Antfood Music
“Easter 2018”
Target
Deutsch LA
Best Original Score
Droga5
“Major”
Hennessy
Droga5
ScreenSound Alliance
“Difficult Is Worth It”
Mercedes
Merkley
Nylon Studios
“Make, Play, & Discover”
Nintendo
Leo Burnett Chicago
SixtyFour Music
“Start Your Impossible”
Toyota
Academy Films
Outstanding Adaptation/Arrangement
Human Worldwide
“Original is Never Finished”
adidas Originals
Johannes Leonardo
We Are Walker
“A Little Company”
Apple
COPILOT Music and Sound LLC
“Fallout 76 – Official Trailer”
Bethesda Game Studios
Bethesda Softworks
Droga5
“Mama Said Knock You Out”
Chase
Droga5
Best Use of Licensed Pre-Existing Recording
TBWA Media Arts Lab
“Welcome Home”
Apple
TBWAMedia Arts Lab
Droga5
“Way to Wonder”
Google Pixel
Droga5
Mophonics
“Rendezvous”
Samsung
adam&eve DDB
Townhouse NY
“Battle Cry”
Walgreens
Grey / Townhouse
Best Sound Design
MelodyGun music + sound
“Find Your Moment”
Lexus
Golin / Zooppa
Sound Lounge
“The Most Vicious Cycle”
March for Our Lives
McCann NY
Antfood Music
“Influencers”
Maxon
Foam Studio Berlin
Wave Studios
“Fearlessness”
The New York Times
Droga 5
Ryan Barkan Award for Most Effective Use of Music in a Campaign
Singing Serpent
“AlphaBounce Beyond”
adidas
Kamp Grizzly
Storefront Music
“Progress Makers”
Citi / Malala Fund
Citi
Venn Arts
“Jaybird Presents ‘Run Wild’ (A Global Film Series)”
Jaybird
Camp4 Collective
West One Music Group
“Kohler Finishes”
Kohler
Kohler
Best Use of Music in a Promo or Trailer for Film, TV or Game
COPILOT Music and Sound LLC
“Fallout 76 – Official Trailer”
Bethesda Game Studios
Bethesda Softworks
SixtyFour Music
“The Favorite”
Fox Searchlight
AY Music and Sound LLC
“Circles”
Google
Hornet
Storefront Music
“Season 2 – Official Trailer”
“Ozark”
Netflix
Outstanding Mix
Heard City
“2018 FIFA World Cup Drone Film”
Budweiser
Anomaly
Mixtape Club Music
“The Sun and The Snake”
Foot Locker
BBDO
Sonic Union
“Major”
Hennessy
Droga5
Wave Studios
“Fearlessness”
The New York Times
Droga5
Best Execution of a Sonic Logo/ID
Shout It Out Loud Music
“Comedy Central Sonic Rebrand “
Comedy Central
Comedy Central and Loyal Kaspar
Human Worldwide
“Brighthouse Financial Audio Logo”
Brighthouse Financial
Human Worldwide
Antfood Music
“Brand Party”
SoFI
SoFI and 1stAveMachine
Most Innovative Process & Execution
Antfood Music
“The Ghost & The Machine”
SXSW 2018
The Mill
Antfood Music
“AICP Show + Next Titles 2018”
AICP
The Mill
Antfood Music
“Influencers”
Maxon
Foam Studio Berlin
TBWA Media Arts Lab
“Welcome Home”
Apple
TBWA Media Arts Lab
Best Use of Music and Sound in Experiential/Events
Yessian Music
“MCS Winter Fest”
Ford Motor Company
Imagination
Antfood Music
“The Ghost & The Machine”
SXSW 2018
The Mill
Antfood Music
“AICP Show + Next Titles 2018”
AICP
The Mill
Antfood Music
“Seeker”
Accor
Cossette + The Mill
