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Honorary Clio Winner Mark Ronson Thanks Industry for Fueling His Early Career
The producer recalls how commercial gigs paid the bills during his leanest years
Mark Ronson, the Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician, songwriter and producer, was honored Tuesday evening with an Honorary Clio Award for his genre-defying influence on modern music and culture.
Renowned for crafting chart-topping hits with global icons like Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and Amy Winehouse, Ronson has consistently pushed creative boundaries while shaping the sound of contemporary pop. His work on major film soundtracks, including Barbie The Album, A Star Is Born and Suicide Squad, has redefined music’s role in storytelling, extending its cultural impact far beyond the screen. From his early days as a New York City DJ to the release of his memoir, Night People, Ronson’s career reflects a creative vision that continues to inspire the next generation of artists.
Below is Ronson’s acceptance speech at the 67th Clio Awards ceremony at Cipriani 25 in NYC.
The following has been lightly edited for clarity.
“Thank you so much.
On the way here, I left my writing partner in the studio. He asked, ‘Where are you going?’ and I said, ‘I’m going to the Clios, I’m getting this honorary award.’ His father worked in advertising his entire life, and his crowning achievement was winning this. So of course, I felt like such a f*cking fraud that I get one for essentially doing nothing. It would be like if one of you just showed up to the Grammys and just took an honorary Grammy.
But I do want to say: In 2003, my first album came out. It sold six copies and it tanked. I got dropped by my label a week later. The final telltale sign was when I had to pay for Nate Dogg’s taxi to get him to The [Late] Late Show with Craig Kilborn. For the next five years, I was what Zach Galifianakis likes to call ‘the opposite of whatever hotcakes is.’
I was able to pay my rent because video directors I knew, like Dave Meyers, gave me gigs doing music for TV commercials—The Gap, Hyundai… There’s a Hanes commercial where I roped in my roommate at the time, Rashida Jones, to sing because she needed a check, too. Basically, I worked with anyone who let me bang on my MPC to sell something.
I was so grateful for that work because it let me pay for my studio and my rent. And by the time I met Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse a few years later, I actually still had a studio to make music in. So I’m very grateful to all of you for what you do to support songwriters. I know that you’re in a business. It’s not your job to support songwriters, but in some ways you do.
So, don’t replace us with AI.
You never know which songwriter you’re keeping afloat. It could be the next Barry Manilow, or someone who will write the song you dance to at your wedding. I’m so grateful for this; it’s insane. Thank you to Jody [Gerson] and thank you to the Clios. I hope you keep putting my music in your work and that we get to party together.
Thank you so much.”
