If I ask you to hum the Game of Thrones theme song out loud, my bet is that you can do it. True, the theme song is also used in the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, so it hasn't been out of rotation that long, but even if that show didn't exist, we'd all be able to hum the tune. It's that memorable.
The man behind the song is Ramin Djawadi, a composer who was working for years before Game of Thrones, but whose career was supercharged by the hit HBO show. After that, he went on to composer for shows like Westworld, 3 Body Problem and Fallout, in addition to House of the Dragon. He earned a Grammy nomination for composing the score to Iron Man, and helped with the scores for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Among composers, he's basically living legend status by this point.
Appropriately, Djawadi will be honored with a BMI Icon Award at the 40th Annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards, hosted by BMI executives Mike O’Neill and Tracy McKnight. “We’re excited to honor Ramin Djawadi and celebrate his outstanding musical achievements,” said McKnight. “Ramin’s innovative compositions for films, TV shows, and video games have captivated audiences worldwide, exemplifying his remarkable range and talent. His compelling themes and scores will continue to leave a lasting impression on future generations, highlighting his status as a BMI Icon.” BMI, which is a performance rights organization, will also honor composers of the top-grossing films and TV shows from the past year.
Getting an award at a ceremony hosted by executives may not seem terribly glamorous, but no one's going to turn down an award given out by the guys who cut the checks, and it's not like Djawadi hasn't earned the title of "icon." He'll join the ranks of other BMI Icon award winners like Alan Silvertri, Harry Gregson-Williams and John Williams.
The ceremony will be held on June 5 in Los Angeles. Congratulations to Ramin Djawadi!
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