Finger Eleven Receive International Prize At SOCAN Awards

11/23/06 7:30pm

Some of Canada's most popular songwriters and their songs were honoured on Wednesday evening at the 17th annual SOCAN Awards at The Carlu in Toronto.

Burlington, Ont. rock band Finger Eleven received the International Achievement Award for bringing international recognition to Canada through their music.

Jann Arden was on hand to collect the National Achievement Award, and Kate and Anna McGarrigle received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Kate was in the hospital, so the sisters weren't able to pick up their award in person.

Michael Buble's "Home," Chantal Kreviazuk's "Julia," Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway" (which was co-written by Avril Lavigne), Sum 41's "Pieces," Arden's "Where No One Knows Me" and Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" were honoured as the Canadian pop songs that received the most domestic radio airplay in 2005.

Finger Eleven's "One Thing" and Nickelback's "Photograph" received the rock music award, Divine Brown's "Old Skool Love" captured the urban music award, Laura Pausini's "Surrender" nabbed the dance music award and Sarah Harmer's "Almost" took the folk/roots music award.

Eleven songs received SOCAN Classic Awards, which are presented to tracks that have been played 100,000 times on Canadian radio. Arden was responsible for six of them: "Sleepless," "Wonderdrug," "Good Mother," "Could I Be Your Girl?," "Will You Remember Me?" and "Sound Of." Nick Gilder was honoured for two classics, "Hot Child In The City" and "Roxy Roller." Five Man Electrical Band's "I'm A Stranger Here," The Stampeders' "Devil You" and Powder Blues' "Doin' It Right" were also recognized.

Country artist Jason McCoy performed with The Road Hammers and hosted the event, which was presented by the Canadian copyright collective that oversees the payment of royalties to composers, lyricists, songwriters and their publishers.