Songwriters win at ASCAP Awards

Swedish composers Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson might just be the talent behind the boy band love songs. They shared the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year award, handed out May 22 at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ 18th annual ASCAP Pop Awards in Los Angeles, MTV reports. Martin penned the Backstreet Boys’ smash “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely” while Carlsson wrote ‘N Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye.” Together, they co-wrote the BSB’s “I Want It That Way,” ‘N Sync’s “It’s Gonna Be Me” and Celine Dion’s “That’s the Way It Is.” ASCAP honored Savage Garden’s Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones the Song of the Year award for their hit “I Knew I Loved You,” which ranks No. 14 in the Billboard adult contemporary singes chart. Savage Garden, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Holly Larmar, who co-wrote Faith Hill’s “Breathe,” performed.