The A&R Awards, MBW’s UK-focused annual awards ceremony in association with Abbey Road Studios, took place on November 8 in central London.

The A&R Icon Award – recognizing a career’s work that has forever changed the face of the music business – was collected by legendary Island Records founder, Chris Blackwell.

Blackwell, 85, was introduced on stage by YouTube‘s Global Head of Music, Lyor Cohen. A heartfelt and reverential video message to Blackwell from Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Group, was played to a hushed room.

(Chris Blackwell’s speech, as the 500+ attendees of the awards all know, was a jaw-dropping moment.)

Big winners at the A&R Awards 2022 included P2J (Producer Of The Year), Kid Harpoon (Songwriter Of The Year), Cat Burn’s Go (Song Of The Year), Atlantic Records UK (Major Label Of The Year), Universal Music Publishing UK (Publisher Of The Year: Category 1), September Management (Artist Management Company), Owain Davies (Manager Of The Year), Dirty Hit (Independent Label), Stellar Songs / Tim & Danny Music (Publisher Of The Year: Category 2), and Michael Adex (the Richard Antwi: Trailblazer Award).

An array of individuals also picked up awards for their work in music over the past year, including Jo Charrington (A&R Of The Year: Pop/R&B), Samuel Adebayo (Contemporary Black Music), Chris Briggs (Adult Contemporary), Anton Powers (Dance/Electronic), Amy Morgan (Alternative/Rock), and James Bullock & Matt Prior (A&R Administrator / ‘The Forbesie’).

The closing award on the night was another very big deal: the Sir George Martin Award, which recognizes a contemporary music executive or entrepreneur who has garnered widespread respect amongst the creative community.

The 2022 Sir George Martin Award was presented to Guy Moot, global Co-Chairman and CEO of Warner Chappell Music.

Moot was introduced on stage by his friend, the Grammy-winning producer Salaam Remi – who flew in especially for the event from Miami.