A TRULY ROYAL HONOUR

A number of music folk in the U.K. have been awarded special titles in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to the music business. Among the celebrated names are UMPG exec Jackie Alway, manager Jackie Davidson, Beggars Music owner Andy Heath, BMI exec Karen Buse and Elvis Costello.

Alway, EVP of International Legal and Industry Affairs at UMPG and Chair of the Music Publishers Association, can now add OBE to her title. Buse, who is Managing Director of European Society Relations at BMI after spending 28 years at PRS for Music, is now an MBE, as is Davidson, who manages songwriter Wayne Hector among others. Heath, a longtime publishing exec and Director at Beggars Group, was awarded a CBE, as was Bauer's Group Managing Director for Radio, Dee Ford.

Besides Costello, who received an OBE, artists honored are Feargal Sharkey, lead singer of The Undertones (OBE), Mathangi Arulpragasam, aka MIA (MBE), singer/songwriter Andrew Roachford (MBE), composer/performer Anna Meredith (MBE), songwriter and record producer Mitch Murray (CBE), tenor Alfie Boe (CBE) and pianist Joanna MacGregor (CBE).

Costello posted a letter about his reaction to the news, saying he'll accept the award because his mum told him to.

Have a cup of tea on us, folks!