John Lydon, aka ‘Johnny Rotten’ is set to receive an award for special contribution to music from the music rights organisation BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.)

The 57 year old musician is known for fronting the London punk band Sex Pistols, who – despite an initial career lasting just under three years and producing only one studio album – are considered among the most iconic bands in British music history.

After a chaotic tour of the United States, Lydon left the Sex Pistols in 1978, effectively ending the band, though they continued to make headlines after bassist Sid Vicious was accused of murdering girlfriend Nancy Spungen in late 1978, and a few months later died of a heroin overdose.

Lydon continued his musical career with the post-punk act Public Image Limited (P.i.L), where he served as frontman for 14 years and nine albums before putting the band on hiatus in 1993. Since then, he has released an autobiography, a solo album and tried his hand at television presenting, as well as reuniting with the surviving Sex Pistols for a number of tours and festival appearances.

The BMI award for contribution to music has previously been received by artists such as Van Morrison, Bryan Ferry, and Ray Davies. Whether Lydon will accept the award in person has not been confirmed, though he has previously expressed disdain for such events, upon Sex Pistols induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, he refused to attend and called the museum a ‘piss stain’.