PUB CRAWLING: OSCARS ON THE MARCH

“Glory,” the rousing soul/hip-hop theme from Selma that snagged Best Original Song at Sunday night’s Oscars, was co-penned by Lonnie Lynn and John Stephens. The pair, whom you may know as Common and John Legend, performed with stunning power on the telecast—and vaulted into the iTunes Top 5. Legend is a BMG Chrysalis writer, while Common goes through Reach Music.

Warner/Chappell, for its part, reps Julian Raymond, who co-wrote another Best Song nominee, the devastating Glen Campbell farewell “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” which was also a Best Country Song Grammy winner (W/C writers won in five other Grammy Best Song genre categories as well).

You probably spotted Diane Warren in the crowd cheering Rita Ora, who warbled Warren’s “Grateful” from Beyond the Lights; the song goes through the mega-tunesmith’s own Realsongs. Speaking of Diane, she will smoke you under the table, so don’t even try it.

Lego Oscars became the new accessory of choice after Tegan and Sara, The Lonely Island and assorted friends rampaged through The Lego Movie’s feel-good-or-else anthem “Everything Is Awesome!!!!” It was penned by Shawn Patterson (Warner-Oliver Music/Drohnend Publishing).

Adam Levine and Maroon 5 turned in a rendition of “Lost Stars” from the music-themed romance Begin Again; the song was co-crafted by Gregg Alexander, Danielle Brisebois, Nick Lashley and Nick Southwood and published via Gregg Alexander Music, More Where That Came From/EMI Blackwood Music, Upward Dog Music and Southwood).

Alexandre Desplat took Original Score honors for his inventive and tonally perfect Grand Budapest Hotel music (Desplat retains his own publishing).

Warner/Chappell N.A. head Big Jon Platt and VP A&R Ryan Press are celebrating writer Mike Will Made It’s recent success with Rae Sremmurd; Press (pictured at right) also played a key role in the signings of Aloe Blacc and Nico & Vinz, among others.

One more tidbit from the House of Strang and Platt: the pubco has over the last several years fostered an alliance with Scandinavian songwriters that’s now paying major dividends. With its Stockholm studio as unofficial HQ, W/C has cultivated such hit writers as Tove Lo and Ilya Salmanzadeh (who co-wrote Ariana’s “Problem” and Ellie Goulding’s Fifty Shades smash, “Love Me Like You Do”). We’d love to visit but we’re sure we’d get high all the time.

Universal Music Publishing is having a big chart week. The pubco reps chart toppers Imagine Dragons’ producer/KidInaKorner head Alex Da Kid and publishes the band via Alex’s company; meanwhile, Jody Gerson, Evan Lamberg and team are also whipping up enthusiasm for writer/producer Stephan Moccio, a Lamberg signing who co-penned The Weeknd and Skylar Grey tracks for the hot Fifty Shades ST.

Meanwhile, UMPG is also extremely stoked about the rapturous critical reception for new album We Fall by producer/writer Emile Haynie (Interscope), with guests including Lana Del Rey, Randy Newman, Brian Wilson, Rufus Wainwright, Colin Blunstone, Father John Misty and Nate Ruess, among others. Grammy-winner Haynie has contributed to records by Eminem and Kanye West, but his sensibility on this sumptuous breakup record is pure classic pop. The New York Times review is only the most high-profile of the many raves—and believe us, this record is lovely.

THE LYRICS WERE FUNNIER IN THE ORIGINAL FLEMISH

Seen at a networking shindig following BMG’s International Writer Services Conference in L.A. are a bunch of creative folk who managed to communicate with hand gestures and karaoke. Seen searching for a phrasebook so they can order fajitas are (l-r) managers Nigel Rush and Robin Godfrey-Cass, EVP BMG Global/Writer Services BMG Chrysalis U.S. Thomas Scherer, BMG Chrysalis North America Chief Creative Officer Zach Katz, songwriter Sacha Skarbek and VP Creative BMG U.K. Kate Sweetsur.

We spoke to Sony/ATV’s Paul Williams just before the curtain rose on the London opening of the hit musical Beautiful, of which the House of Marty is a producer/backer and reps most of its glittering songs, including Carole King’s. Paul reports that King strode onstage to a standing O afterward, as did her Brill Building mates Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill, who both figure—dramatically and musically—in the production.

Billy Mann’s Green & Bloom/TOPLINE is savoring a string of recent successes, notably from Allen Stone, Sway Clarke II, Young Rising Sons and Luvbug; meanwhile, Mann’s management client Jacob Whitesides leapt into the iTunes Top 5 and scored nearly 14k for his EP in its debut week without a label. Just sayin’.

Jake Wisely has been upped to CEO of Bicycle Music, reporting to Concord Music Group chief Scott Pascucci. On Jake’s watch the company’s acquired a number of stone classics, from “Always on My Mind” to “Eye of the Tiger”; the promotion entitles Jake to extra streamers for his handlebars.

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