The Ivors 2025

2025

CONGRATULATIONS

On being inducted as Academy Fellows.

The terms trailblazers, legends, and disruptors simply don’t do you justice.

It continues to be an absolute honour and privilege working with you.

One Love.

Island Records

Ivor Novello Awards celebrate the craft and achievements of songwriters and composers

Presented by The Ivors Academy for creative excellence.

Judged by songwriters and composers from The Ivors Academy to honour their peers.

Congratulations Robbie on receiving the

PRS For Music Icon Award from everyone at

Contents 7

Welcome to The Ivors 2025

AWARDS 17 Academy Fellowship, U2 25 Songwriter of the Year with Amazon Music, Charli xcx 29 PRS for Music Icon Award, Robbie Williams 33 Visionary Award with Amazon Music, Self Esteem 37 Special International Award, Brandon Flowers 43 Outstanding Song Collection, Bloc Party 49 Best Album 53 Best Contemporary Song 57 Best Song Musically and Lyrically 61 PRS for Music Most Performed Work 67 Rising Star Award with Amazon Music 79 Best Original Film Score 83 Best Original Video Game Score 87 Best Television Soundtrack

AND MORE 92 The Judges 97 70 years of The Ivors 107 Thank you 109 Officers of The Ivors Academy 111 At The Ivors Academy

Inside back cover TODAY’S ORDER OF EVENTS

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Congratulations Brandon Flowers on receiving THE IVORS SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL AWARD One love from your Island Records & EMI family

(L-R) Roberto Neri, Chief Executive Officer of The Ivors Academy with Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy

Every Ivor Novello Awards ceremony makes an impression, but 2025 – as the 70th iteration of what The Ivors Academy CEO Roberto Neri calls “the equivalent of the Oscars in music” – promises to be truly special.

“It’s always been a special room to be in,” says Neri, who attended The Ivors multiple times in his previous music publishing roles and last year found himself sat chatting between Bruce Springsteen and Sir Paul McCartney. “We’ve seen the greats and the greatest new talent come through and shine in that room.”

“It’s always had this extraordinary place in people’s hearts,” agrees re-elected Ivors Academy Chair Tom Gray, a man who once almost became entangled in both Robert Smith’s and Shakira’s hair when navigating the narrow backstage corridors. “Since we got live music in the room and started having more fun with who was giving out the awards, it’s entered into a different phase. It’s got an energy to it now that means it takes care of itself.”

Neri is also marking an anniversary, having joined as CEO just over one year ago.

“It’s been great,” he says. “Whether they work on the awards side or not, the whole team is fully behind all three of our functions; to protect, empower and celebrate our members.

It’s been great to see that come to proper fruition.”

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Neri has restructured the Academy’s membership tiers and formed a formidable partnership with Gray as they campaign for songwriters and composers on a number of fronts, including improved streaming remuneration; the introduction of master points, per diems and expenses for songwriting sessions; and the sector’s approach to AI. “With Roberto in place, it’s led to a real shift in terms of professional focus on achieving the stuff we talk about,” says Gray. “Nobody needs more fine words, songwriters need to see change – and having an organisation that’s match fit to push through on many different goals is vital. It’s been years in the making, but we’re driving forward now in a very clear way.”

“There’s a lot that we’ve delivered already,” says Neri. “But songwriters are still in the position they were in 12 months ago, so there’s more to be done. Over the next year, we’re going to see tangible benefits from all the hard work.”

But first there’s the small matter of The Ivors, again boosted by a partnership with Amazon Music that means the 70th edition promises to hit greater heights than even last year’s hugely memorable event.

“The work with Amazon puts it on a much bigger platform,” says Gray, who took the first call about this year’s Academy Fellows, U2, on the day after last year’s ceremony. “People can see who’s showing up and what’s happening, and that makes conversations much easier, because people are excited about getting into that room and being part of it.”

“We are a global awards show, we reach out from London and there’s more to come in terms of the appreciation of songwriters globally,” concludes Neri. “We’re in a unique position; this is the awards show you want to attend and the award you want to win.”

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For over six decades, the Ivor Novello Awards has stood as the pinnacle of excellence in songwriting and composing, honouring those whose words and melodies have shaped the cultural and emotional fabric of our lives. Judged by fellow songwriters and composers, The Ivors remain a singular recognition of artistry — celebrating not the metrics of success but great writing. Whether crafting an anthem that unites stadiums or penning an intimate ballad that reaches a single soul, songwriters bring truth to sound and life to language.

Tonight, we gather not only to recognise extraordinary talent, but to pay tribute to the individuals behind the music.

Too often their brilliance is heard but not seen, felt but not acknowledged. In partnership with The Ivors Academy, Amazon Music is committed to changing that by celebrating the art of songwriting and composing to the extent it truly deserves and empowering emerging songwriters and composers with the right support at the right time.

In 2023 and 2024, Amazon Music brought the awards to a global stage — livestreaming from the ceremony for the first time and offering exclusive music acclaimed by tastemakers globally that reached several millions of music fans. This year, we have curated performances by global, chart-topping creators that showcase multi-generational collaboration. We are proud to extend our partnership with The Ivors Academy through 2027, reaffirming our commitment to songwriters and composers.

To the nominees, winners, and honourees, we salute your skill, achievement, and courage to create and inspire. And, to say, with conviction and gratitude: your work matters. It always has. It always will.

James Duffett-Smith Global Head of Music Publishing Tom Winkler Head of Publisher, Songwriter and Society Relations

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It gives us great pleasure to celebrate the 70th edition of The Ivors – a truly iconic ceremony that recognises British and Irish songwriting and composition. For seven decades, these awards have honoured the creators behind the music that defines generations, shapes culture, and connects us all.

Since the very first ceremony in 1956, PRS for Music has proudly supported The Ivors, championing the creative excellence that lies at the heart of every award presented today. It is a privilege to maintain this legacy, and to once again sponsor the PRS for Music Most Performed Work and PRS for Music Icon Award – honours that recognise both contemporary impact and enduring influence.

Today’s nominees reflect the extraordinary breadth of talent across the UK and Ireland. Whether emerging or established, each creator represents the power of music to tell stories, capture emotion, and connect people across time and place.

At PRS, we exist to ensure that songwriters and composers are fairly rewarded for their work and empowered throughout their careers.

Last year, we paid out more than £1 billion in royalties, representing a remarkable doubling of royalty payments in just nine years.

In a world that continues to shift – creatively, technologically and economically – our commitment to protect and grow the value of rights that have been entrusted to us has never been stronger.

Congratulations to all those recognised today.

We celebrate your artistry, your dedication, and the vital role you play in shaping the sound of our world.

Andrea Czapary Martin CEO, PRS for Music Julian Nott Chair of the PRS Members’ Council

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CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WELL DESERVED IVORS ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP

U2

Academy Fellowship

Photo: Olaf Heine, previous page: Ross Stewart

The Ivors Academy Fellowship represents the peak for any songwriter, but everyone has to start somewhere.

And, indeed, when U2 were announced as the 32nd Academy Fellows – and the very first Irish honourees – frontman Bono noted that, back in the late ‘70s, it was the band’s “inability to play other people’s songs that kicked off our own songwriting”.

So, U2 found inspiration in others, but it was always their own aspiration – and no small amount of perspiration – that propelled them to their oft-touted status as ‘the best band in the world’.

The band’s incredible success – 175 million albums sold, 22 Grammys won – has been built on many things, but the central pillar has always been the songs. All four members – Bono, guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr – contribute to a catalogue that has echoed through the decades.

From the early rush of 11 O’Clock Tick Tock and I Will Follow through classics such as Pride (In the Name of Love), I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, With or Without You, One, Beautiful Day and Vertigo, to modern day standards such as Ordinary Love and Atomic City, U2’s writing has never stood still, comprising ballads and bangers, protest songs and love songs, pop hits and underground anthems.

They are one of the most successful touring acts of alltime, and continue to operate at the highest level in their songwriting and recording career, with 21st century albums such as How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, No Line On The Horizon, Songs Of Innocence and Songs Of Experience all soaring to chart summits around the world, just as Achtung Baby, The Joshua Tree, Pop, All That You Can’t Leave Behind and their other magnum opuses did back in the day.

Because whenever, wherever or however you hear them, U2 songs always deliver – from start to finish.

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DEAR LARRY, EDGE, ADAM & BONO, What a great achievement, congratulations to you all!

Your amazing songs weave, with beauty, with inspriation and with hopeful notes, through the sound tracks of all our lives.

Le grá mór Mise, Molly, John, Byron, Lorraine and everyone here at TAG

Charli xcx

Songwriter of the Year with Amazon Music

Photo: Harley Weir

There are many ways to measure the impact of a group of songs. Chart positions, of course. Their influence on other musicians and songwriters, no doubt. And their impact on the wider culture, for sure.

It is vanishingly rare to find a collection that ticks all of the boxes above. But that’s what has been achieved by Charli xcx’s Brat album, one of the true pop phenomena of recent times.

After all, how many other musicians have had an entire season named after their latest record, as Charli did with the whole Brat Summer trend? How many album covers go viral, as the lime green Brat sleeve did following its release?

How many album titles go on to become the Word Of The Year, as Brat did in the Collins English Dictionary?

Such accolades have been racking up ever since Charli xcx – aka Charlotte Aitchison – released her sixth studio album in June 2024. But they wouldn’t have happened if the record wasn’t under-pinned by songwriting even more impactful than the album’s marketing campaign.

Charli has been making great music since she was a teenager, enjoying huge success as both songwriter and artist with songs such as I Love It, Boom Clap, Fancy, 1999, Senorita, Speed Drive and Boys.

But everything came together on Brat, which bursts with irresistible hitmaking, from club bangers such as 360 and Von Dutch to more esoteric numbers such as Girl, So Confusing and Sympathy Is A Knife.

As well as massive chart success, Brat cleaned up at awards ceremonies everywhere, picking up three Grammys before turning the BRITs into the Brats.

Where Charli goes next will be the most hotly anticipated pop moment of the next few years. But for now, let’s revel in a careerdefining collection of songs that has become a way of life.

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Robbie Williams PRS for Music Icon Award

As you’d expect of someone who’s spent 35 years in the public eye, Robbie Williams is many things to many different people.

He started as a charisma-drenched member of Take That, helping to elevate them from boy band to pop phenomenon. And he became the greatest showman, the man whose live performances take tens of thousands of people to new heights every night.

But, today, The Ivors turns the spotlight onto his songwriting, illuminating one of the most consummate catalogues in the business.

It was his sparky songwriting on debut album, Life Thru A Lens, including Angels, Let Me Entertain You and Lazy Days, that enabled him to find his way to solo success.

And it was state-of-the-art pop anthems, including No Regrets, Millennium and Strong, on follow-up I’ve Been Expecting You that turned Williams into one of the most successful solo stars the UK has ever produced.

He has won more BRIT Awards than anyone else and, with seven No.1 singles and 15 No.1 albums in the UK alone, is one of the biggest-selling stars of the era.

And, over the years, the hit albums (Sing When You’re Winning, Escapology, Intensive Care, The Heavy Entertainment Show) and brilliant songs (Rock DJ, Kids, Feel, Come Undone, Advertising Space, Candy, Love My Life) have just kept on coming.

2025 finds him in a very good place indeed. His recent biopic, Better Man, may have portrayed him as a chimpanzee, but there has been little monkeying around when it comes to his career.

So, he’s touring in stadiums again and is at the top of his game when it comes to creating songs that connect with millions all around the world.

So, whichever iteration of Robbie Williams is your favourite, it’s time to add ‘consummate songwriter’ to the list.

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Rebecca - congratulations on your Fucking Wizardry Love from Jeremy, Laura, Emma and your friends at Blue Raincoat Music Publishing

Self Esteem Visionary Award with Amazon Music

Photo: Carlos Clarke

F Scott Fitzgerald may have observed that there are no second acts in American lives, but Rebecca Lucy Taylor is living proof that great British songwriters can always enjoy a spectacular second chapter.

Taylor first emerged in the 2000s as one half of indie band Slow Club. But it is her reinvention as solo star Self Esteem that has given full rein to her creative vision as a songwriter.

Over three albums – 2019’s Compliments Please, 2021’s highly acclaimed Prioritise Pleasure and the brand new A Complicated Woman – Taylor has perfected the art of combining important messages with irresistible pop music, becoming one of the country’s most vital stars in the process.

Prioritise Pleasure saw her become a phenomenon. Nominated at the BRITs and Mercury Prize, she thrived everywhere from the Later… studio to Graham Norton’s sofa to the support slot at Blur’s Wembley Stadium reunion show.

And no wonder – songs such as I Do This All The Time (which broke all the rules of pop songwriting and came up trumps), Moody, Prioritise Pleasure and I’m Fine addressed difficult topics, combining raw, honest lyrics with a groundbreaking approach that made them even more impactful.

There remains an inherent theatricality to Self Esteem that allows her to go to places other pop stars cannot reach. Taylor had a successful West End run as Sally Bowles in Cabaret and A Complicated Woman, featuring powerful new songs such as If Not Now, It’s Soon and Focus Is Power, was launched in a unique, theatrical presentation at London’s Duke Of York Theatre.

It’s another piece of pioneering pop that confirms Self Esteem as one of the UK’s great musical visionaries.

So, while Rebecca Lucy Taylor’s triumphant second act continues to hit new heights, you know she’s just getting started – and the whole world is waiting to see what comes next.

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Brandon Flowers Special International Award

The Killers’ remarkable career kicked off in Britain long before they were appreciated back home in America. So, after thrilling fans in all four home nations for over 20 years now, it’s fitting Brandon Flowers should receive The Ivors’ Special International Award, given to songwriters who’ve had a significant influence on the UK music industry.

Raised by the disparate sounds of 1980s heartland radio and British post-punk cassette tapes, Brandon Flowers pays homage to both lineages in his songwriting; working-class romanticism, mythic Americana, and heart-on-sleeve storytelling intertwine with pulsing synths, romantic melancholy, and theatrical flair. His impressive solo work - UK chart-topping albums Flamingo and The Desired Effect - could have been birthed on the rain-slicked streets of Manchester, only rerouted through the neon-lit haze of Las Vegas.

Since the ubiquitous indie disco bangers of The Killers’ Hot Fuss, Flowers’ songwriting has continued to evolve, making worldwide hits of panoramic desert rock (When You Were Young), irresistible pop (Human) and atmospheric synthwave (Boy). Deeply attuned to the craft of songwriting, he has a rare gift for elevating the everyday into the extraordinary - capturing provincial longing and existential wonder in melodies that pulse with anthemic energy and sleek New Wave sheen. Their most recent album, the internationally lauded Pressure Machine, saw the band step back from the anthemic in favour of plaintive Americana. Ostensibly a concept album set in Flowers’ hometown of Nephi, Utah, the deeply personal songs explored the psychological and cultural fabric of smalltown life, revealing new depths to his narrative songwriting.

Almost at the quarter century mark, The Killers remain a dominant force in rock, driven by Flowers’ heartfelt songwriting; his evocative storytelling - both timeless and distinctly modern unfolds across the formidable catalogue, from Hot Fuss (2004) to Sam’s Town (2006), Day & Age (2008), Battle Born (2012), Wonderful Wonderful (2016), Imploding the Mirage (2020), and Pressure Machine (2021). Remarkably, every one of his studio albums - solo or with the band - has debuted at No. 1 in the UK.

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TO ALL SONY MUSIC PUBLISHING SONGWRITERS & COMPOSERS

RECOGNISED AT THE 2025 IVOR NOVELLO AWARDS

THE IVORS ACADEMY HONOURS TICK E TS ON SA LE INTERCONTINENTAL LONDON PARK LANE 02.10.25

Honouring champions of music creators

Bloc Party Outstanding Song Collection

Photo: John Marshall, previous page: Eleanor Jane

Artist image

It’s now 20 years since Bloc Party released their classic debut album, Silent Alarm, and became the most stylish kids in the new UK alternative rock riot.

Bloc Party’s OG line-up – Kele Okereke (vocals/guitar), Russell Lissack (guitar), Gordon Moakes (bass) and Matthew Tong (drums) – proved themselves to be a superb songwriting unit on that record, combining angular riffs with irresistible choruses on classics such as Banquet and Helicopter.

Thereafter, Bloc Party continued to spearhead the UK’s guitar scene, making the so-called ‘difficult second album’ look easy with 2007’s A Weekend In the City, featuring their biggest UK hit, the Top 5 smash The Prayer.

A third album, Intimacy, showcased their growing versatility, before the band went on hiatus.

However, the lure of Bloc Party proved strong and they regrouped for 2012’s Four album, which put them back in the upper reaches of the UK charts.

Tong and Moakes subsequently left the band, but Okereke and Lissack have continued to make wonderful music together, with 2016’s Hymns and 2022’s Alpha Games keeping them at the forefront of Britain’s alt-rock cohort.

But wherever in the timeline the songs come from, a Bloc Party anthem will always push musical boundaries while pressing all the right buttons.

That’s why anthems such as Hunting For Witches, This Modern Love and Two More Years sound as fresh today as they did back when they were leading a new wave of guitar bands over the barricades.

That’s why the band continue to be in huge demand – packing out their Glastonbury set last year and returning to Reading (& Leeds) Festival this summer, where Okereke and Lissack first formed the band in 1999.

And that’s why, despite the band once famously singing “Three out of five/Six out of 10/Better luck next time” on Helicopter, this hugely deserved Ivor will acknowledge one of the true fivestar, 10-out-of-10 catalogues of the last 20 years. Party on.

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CHARLI XCX

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Best Album

Best Album recognises outstanding songwriting within the album format, celebrating creative consistency, lyrical craft and musical vision. More than just a collection of tracks, a great album forms a cohesive artistic statement; shaping mood, telling stories and forging a deep connection with listeners. The nominations recognise long-form albums released in the UK in 2024, created by British, Irish or UK resident songwriters.

impassioned songs that continue Ghetts’ observational story-telling, with bold production and creative clarity.

Charli xcx’s sixth studio album Brat delivered her second UK Number 1 and first-ever US Billboard 200 Top 5.

And now, alongside co-writers A. G. Cook and Finn Keane, she receives her first Ivor Novello nomination for Best Album.

A fearless and defining release, it fuses deeply personal lyrics with high-octane, club-focused hyperpop.

Lola Young’s This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway, written with William Brown, Conor Dickinson and Jared Solomon, marks the first Ivor Novello nomination for all four. The record delivers fierce, funny, assertive songwriting, blending lush soul with raw indie textures, all driven by Young’s striking honesty.

Jordan Rakei’s fifth studio album The Loop explores vulnerability through the cyclical nature of life - of being a child, becoming a parent and staying connected to the inner child. Centred around Rakei’s vocal, the album is a joyful, meticulously crafted journey, and earns him his first Ivor Novello nomination.

BERWYN’s WHO AM I secures his debut Ivor Novello nomination. A powerful and intimate record, it explores faith, love, addiction and the realities of immigration and race. Its storytelling is rooted in the pursuit, and sometimes the arrival, of liberation and personal freedom.

On Purpose, With Purpose, the fourth album from Ghetts, earns him and co-writer TenBillion Dreams their second and first Ivor Novello nominations, respectively. The record is a collection of thoughtful and

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Best Album The Nominations

BRAT written by Charli xcx, A. G. Cook and Finn Keane music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Concord Music Publishing obo Alias Guild and Universal Music Publishing performed by Charli xcx

ON PURPOSE, WITH PURPOSE written by Ghetts and TenBillion Dreams music published in the UK by BMG Rights Worldwide UK performed by Ghetts

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THE LOOP written and performed by Jordan Rakei music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing

THIS WASN’T MEANT FOR YOU ANYWAY written by William Brown, Conor Dickinson, Jared Solomon and Lola Young music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Day One Songs, Sony Music Publishing - Solomon Gouda and Sony Music Publishing performed by Lola Young

WHO AM I written and performed by BERWYN published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing

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CONGRATULATIONS FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT BMG! GHETTS

TODDLA T

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Best Contemporary Song

Circumnavigating Georgia is the title track from Sans Soucis’ debut album, and secures their first Ivor Novello nomination. Borrowing a colonial term and repurposing it in the process of decolonising their identity from patriarchy and anti-Blackness, the song becomes a metaphor for a spiritual, not physical, journey of self-discovery.

Best Contemporary Song celebrates outstanding originality in songwriting; bold, inventive work that pushes the boundaries of modern music. It honours songs that challenge convention, reflect the times, and redefine what contemporary songwriting can be. The nominations recognise songs released in the UK in 2024, created by British, Irish or UK resident songwriters.

Allergy secures Pa Salieu and regular co-writers Felix Joseph and Alastair O’Donnell their third Ivor Novello nominations. With its infectious energy and vibrant sound, the song blends genres effortlessly, spotlighting Salieu’s versatility and distinctive off-the-wall flow.

Double Standards written by Ghetts, Sampha, EMIL and R-Kay, is a powerful showcase for Ghetts’ elegant fury.

Tackling hypocrisy, colourism, paedophilia and prejudice with courage and insight, it secures Sampha his fourth Ivor Novello nomination, Ghetts his third (and second this year) and marks debut nods for EMIL and R-Kay.

JADE’s Angel Of My Dreams, co-written with Pablo Bowman, Steph Jones and Mike Sabath, bursts with originality and showcases what pop can be when boundaries are pushed. A reflection on her love-hate relationship with the music industry, it’s a deeply honest and impressive debut.

Sampling Linton Kwesi Johnson’s Time Come, Bashy’s How Black Men Lose Their Smile, co-written with Toddla T, earns their first Ivor Novello nominations.

The lyrics confront generational trauma and systemic injustice with searing honesty, before landing on a powerful note of resilience and survival.

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Best Contemporary Song The Nominations

ALLERGY written by Felix Joseph, Alastair O’Donnell and Pa Salieu music published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing performed by Pa Salieu

ANGEL OF MY DREAMS written by Pablo Bowman, JADE, Steph Jones and Mike Sabath music published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing, Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing obo Hipgnosis Hits-Steph Jones Who Music-Vistaville Music performed by JADE

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CIRCUMNAVIGATING GEORGIA written and performed by Sans Soucis music published in the UK by Sentric Music

DOUBLE STANDARDS written by Ghetts, EMIL, Sampha Sisay and R-Kay music published in the UK by BMG Rights Worldwide UK, Ditto Plus Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing - Young Songs performed by Ghetts feat. Sampha

HOW BLACK MEN LOSE THEIR SMILE written by Bashy, Toddla T and Linton Kwesi Johnson music published in the UK by Downtown Music obo DLJ Songs, BMG Rights Worldwide UK and Universal Music Publishing obo L-K-J Music Publishers performed by Bashy

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BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG Angel of my Dreams JADE Nominee Pablo Bowman

Rodney Jerkins

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BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY

PRS FOR MUSIC MOST PERFORMED WORK

Child of Mine Laura Marling

Prada Cassö, RAYE, D-Block Europe Nominee Jay-Mo Dejon (Fat Pigeon)

Mine Orla Gartland (San Remo Live) Genesis RAYE Nominee Toneworld (Seventy 7 Music)

Stargazing Myles Smith Nominee Peter Fenn

Best Song Musically and Lyrically

Best Song Musically and Lyrically celebrates exceptional songwriting; where melody, lyrics and structure come together in perfect harmony. Honouring compositions that are both musically accomplished and lyrically resonant, these are songs that capture emotion and meaning with precision and depth.

The nominations recognise songs released in the UK in 2024, created by British, Irish or UK resident songwriters.

and marks the first for her co-writers Rodney Jerkins, Shankar “shanks.”

Ravindran, Tom Richards and Toneworld.

Laura Marling secures her second Ivor Novello nomination with Child of Mine, an intimate portrait of maternal love.

Opening her eighth studio album Patterns in Repeat, Marling’s signature delivery showcases her songwriting craft and the emotional depth of her desire to protect and teach her daughter all she can.

Messy by Lola Young, co-written with Conor Dickinson, became her breakout single and first chart-topping hit. Confronting a lover’s contradictory and unacceptable expectations with candid wit, its observational lyrics soar over an anthemic melody.

Fontaines D.C.’s In The Modern World possesses both immediacy and an otherworldly quality, reflecting its dual nature as part love song, part troubled revelation. As the central track on their fourth studio album Romance, its creative vision is transporting, earning the band their third Ivor Novello nomination.

Orla Gartland’s Mine secures her debut Ivor Novello nomination. Strikingly vulnerable lyrics are given space to breathe against a beautifully haunting melody, resulting in a song that is deeply intimate yet universally empowering, as she reclaims ownership of her own body.

Divided into three parts, RAYE’s Genesis. is an epic, genre-spanning piece that tackles social and personal struggles, from depression and exhaustion to anxiety, while ultimately conveying hope. It delivers RAYE her fifth Ivor Novello nomination,

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Best Song Musically and Lyrically The Nominations

CHILD OF MINE written and performed by Laura Marling music published in the UK

by Kobalt Music Publishing

GENESIS. written by Rodney Jerkins, Shankar “shanks.”

Ravindran, RAYE, Tom Richards and Toneworld music published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Wixen Music obo Karousel Music and Kobalt Music Publishing obo Mohemmusic-Songs by Seventy 7 Music performed by RAYE

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IN THE MODERN WORLD written by Grian Chatten, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan, Thomas Coll and Carlos O’Connell music published in the UK by Domino Publishing Company performed by Fontaines D.C.

MESSY written by Conor Dickinson and Lola Young music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Day One Songs and Sony Music Publishing performed by Lola Young

MINE written and performed by Orla Gartland music published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing obo San Remo Music

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PRS for Music Most Performed Work

PRS for Music Most Performed Work celebrates the songs by British or Irish PRS members that resonated most with the public in 2024. Based on performance data across broadcast, online and public usage, it recognises the songs with the highest number of plays in the calendar year ending 31 December 2024. A testament to their wide reach and enduring appeal.

WHAM!’s Last Christmas, originally released in 1984, topped the UK Christmas charts for the second consecutive year in 2024. It earns George Michael a posthumous nomination as songwriter, 21 years on from his last PRS for Music Most Performed Work nomination, and stands as a testament to his enduring influence and timeless songwriting.

Originally released in 2022, Harry Styles’ As It Was, co-written with Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, secures Styles his eighth Ivor Novello nomination and his fourth for this song. Having topped charts around the globe, its continued inclusion in PRS for Music’s top five most performed songs for a third consecutive year cements its enduring appeal.

Prada, Cassö’s remix of D-Block Europe’s 2021 single Ferrari Horses featuring RAYE, went Top 5 across the UK and Europe following its 2023 release. Its sustained commercial success into 2024 secures debut Ivor Novello nominations for Da Beatfreakz, D-Block Europe and Jahmori “Jaymo” Simmons and RAYE’s second nomination of the year.

Dua Lipa’s Houdini, written with Danny L Harle and international collaborators Caroline Ailin, Tobias Jesso Jr. and Kevin Parker, was the lead single from her charttopping 2024 album Radical Optimism.

With tongue-in-cheek flair, it explores the pros and cons of a potential suitor over Lipa’s signature disco-infused pop.

Myles Smith’s Stargazing, the lead single from his second EP A Minute, hit the Top 5 in the UK and Top 20 in the US. Dominating the airwaves throughout 2024, it now earns first-time Ivor Novello nominations for Smith and his international collaborators Peter Fenn and Jesse Fink.

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PRS for Music Most Performed Work The Nominations

AS IT WAS written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles music published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Concord Music Publishing obo These Are Pulse Songs performed by Harry Styles

HOUDINI written by Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Tobias Jesso Jnr, Dua Lipa and Kevin Parker music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Viking Jamz Publishing, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music obo Radical 22 Publishing performed by Dua Lipa

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LAST CHRISTMAS written by George Michael music published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music obo WHAM! Music Limited performed by WHAM!

PRADA written by D-Block Europe, Obi Ebele (Da Beatfreakz), Uche Ebele (Da Beatfreakz), Jahmori “Jaymo” Simmons and RAYE music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Bucks Music Group Ltd obo Armada Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing obo Fat Pigeon (Publishing) Limited and Warner Chappell Music performed by Cassö, RAYE and D-Block Europe

STARGAZING written by Peter Fenn, Jesse Fink and Myles Smith music published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing obo Songs by 308 Publishing-Where Da Kasz At, Lyric Global Copyright Services Crescendo obo Arcade Artists Publishing-Jesse Fink Publishing-Spirit One Music Crescendo and Sony Music Publishing performed by Myles Smith

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Advert 13 X NOMINEE, RECIPIENT OF 6 AWARDS, GEORGE REMAINS THE ONLY INDIVIDUAL SONGWRITER EVER TO WIN SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR 3 TIMES.

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ASCAP CONGRATULATES OUR 2025 IVOR NOVELLO AWARD NOMINEES AND WINNERS Liang Lawrence

Bashy Bea and her Business

Lola Young LULU.

BERWYN Boxed Ape Carly Paradis

Martin Phipps Myles Smith Natalie Holt

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Charli xcx Conor Dickinson D-Block Europe

Daniel Pemberton

Nia Smith Orla Gartland Pa Salieu

Danny L Harle Dua Lipa EMIL

Pablo Bowman R-Kay Raffertie

Gary Yershon Ghetts Jared Solomon

Sampha

John Konsolakis Jordan Rakei

Vince Pope

Steph Jones Toddla T

William Brown

SPECIAL HONOREES U2

Fellowship of the Ivors Academy

Robbie Williams Music Icon

Charli xcx

Songwriter of the Year

Rising Star Award with Amazon Music Whether in astronomy or music, there’s nothing like a Rising Star when it comes to brightening up dark skies.

After all, throughout a difficult few years for breaking UK and Irish talent internationally, The Ivors’ award for young British and Irish songwriters who demonstrate exceptional potential and ambition has been a beacon of light, illuminating the gloom with some magnificent musical discoveries.

And the Class of 2025 is no exception. This year’s all-female list is, of course, filled with extraordinary talent, but it’s also packed with musicians perfectly positioned to take on the world.

Each of these stellar songwriters will receive tailored year-long support for their creativity and careers from Amazon Music and The Ivors Academy.

And, whoever picks up the big prize, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that all five are destined for great things.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NOMINEES AND RECIPIENTS AT THE IVOR NOVELLO AWARDS

BERWYN Best Album

CASSÖ, RAYE AND D-BLOCK EUROPE Most Performed Work HARRY STYLES Most Performed Work JADE Best Contemporary Song MYLES SMITH Most Performed Work ROBBIE WILLIAMS PRS for Music Icon Award WHAM! Most Performed Work

Take Bea Wheeler, for example, aka BEA AND HER BUSINESS. Her Business is writing killer songs – and this “landmark moment” Ivors nod means business is very good indeed.

“I’ve always said from the get-go, as long as I’m known for my songwriting, I’ll die happy, not to be dramatic or anything!” she laughs.

Indeed, the Londoner has built a formidable reputation for witty, unfiltered empowerment anthems. She describes herself as a very “lyric-driven” writer, and that’s paid off big time on the likes of Safety Net (“It’s your turn to lie in bed and listen to Adele”) and Never Ever Love A Liar (“I’m a chef’s kiss bitch, couldn’t you taste?”), putting her in pole position to be Britain’s next breakout pop star.

“Reaching stadium level would be pretty damn cool, but you’ve got to put the horse before the cart,” she says. “My focus now is whipping the new music into shape and really doubling down on the sonics and direction going forward.”

And that’s why Bea And Her Business are set to be booming this year.

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LIANG LAWRENCE, meanwhile, knows all about the big, wide world out there for songwriters.

She’d lived in eight different countries by the time she was 18 but, luckily, glorious indie pop songwriting is an international language. And Lawrence is certainly fluent; crafting songs that, in her own words, “find new-ish ways to describe the fundamental human emotions we all go through”.

Hence, brilliant tunes such as Eulogy and Kiss My Apocalypse, that have drawn support from BBC Radio 1. It’s the Ivors nomination that has really given her “confidence in my abilities and gut instinct”, however.

“As a mixed race East Asian woman in folk and indie pop, sometimes I feel this strange discrepancy between what I actually want to create and what I think I’m allowed to, because of the narrow range of artists I’ve been shown growing up,” she says. “I’m so glad I kept doing what’s true to me.”

She plans to spend the future “exploring new bounds of my ability” and, with ability like hers, expect this global citizen to go worldwide soon.

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People will surely also associate with LULU. – that full stop is deliberate – who, while still only 21, is fast becoming an important new voice in British music.

“I hope to create music that resonates deeply – the kind that makes people feel seen and connected,” she says. “I want to inspire my generation to heal, dream and hold onto their aspirations and their faith, no matter the circumstances.”

Having learned to sing at church and initially come to prominence on TikTok, her style of fusing laidback Afrobeats earworms with a timeless-yet-modern soul sensibility has produced the “personal and timeless” likes of Yesterdays, Home and Never Done.

LULU. approaches writing as “an internal monologue – a space to explore the quiet, honest conversations we have with ourselves when we reflect”.

And there’s more to come – she’s already had support from Elton John and now plans to build a “legacy rooted in honesty and intentional artistry”, describing her Rising Star acknowledgement as the “fuel that keeps me growing and striving to be better”.

LULU. is going places, period.

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Meanwhile, in the delightfully ubiquitous Messy, LOLA YOUNG has delivered the UK’s biggest international hit in a long time. Yet Young’s songwriting has been on point throughout her route to the top, she’s just been waiting for the world to catch up.

“Anyone who knows me well, knows how much I need songwriting to get through life - it’s the most important thing to me,” she says.

Young has been releasing music since 2019 and says she usually writes “in the moment – when I get an overwhelming urge to write a song.”

She’s certainly built up an impressive catalogue, from early work such as Pick Me Up to current gems such as Conceited.

They illustrate her knack for real, raw, relatable songs and mean Messy will surely be just the first of many global smashes.

“I want to make music I actually care about for the rest of my life, and never fake being someone I’m not,” she says. “I just want to make what feels authentic and hopefully people can relate.”

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South London’s NIA SMITH is also well on her way, even if she was taken aback by Rising Star success.

“Being nominated for an Ivor was not on my bingo card for 2025!” she laughs. “I’ve seen some of my favourite artists be nominated and following a similar path is just insane. It’s a reminder I’m doing great, even when I don’t feel like I am.”

In fact, Smith, who describes her songwriting style as “feeling and emotion-led”, has already mastered the art of the intimate, honest confessional on songs such as Personal and Give Up The Fear.

That authentic approach, plus her brilliant vocals, have won her an army of fans and the professional admiration of A-list writers such as Jimmy Napes.

But she’s hoping for more, including a dream gig at Brixton Academy.

“A hometown show there would be a dream come true,” she says.

“But, ultimately, I hope I get to tour the world, create great music with great people and wear a great outfit whilst doing it!”

And that’s surely the way forward for all of 2025’s Rising Star musical astronauts – their destiny is to light up our lives for years to come, in every sense of the words.

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Best Original Film Score

and two viola d’amore players, later joined by four violas, the music brings emotional resonance rather than direct narrative reflection.

Best Original Film Score honours the impact of original composition in feature film, recognising how music deepens storytelling and enriches the cinematic experience. A compelling score shapes emotion, heightens drama, and draws audiences closer; placing composers at the heart of the creative process.

The nominations celebrate music composed for feature films released in the UK in 2024, created by British, Irish or UK resident composers.

Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante earns his first nomination for Kneecap, a film rooted in Belfast’s “ceasefire generation” and the radical power of language. His score, developed through an experimental process, strikes a careful balance between narrative drive and cultural expression.

Raffertie makes his Ivor Novello debut with The Substance, crafting a sound world that contrasts lush orchestral textures with processed electronics to mirror the duality of a fading star and her synthetic double.

Fly Me To The Moon unfolds during the Apollo 11 mission, blending romantic comedy with high-stakes ambition.

Daniel Pemberton’s score, his sixth Ivor Novello nomination, sits seamlessly alongside period needle drops while asserting a distinct musical identity.

Mica Levi receives their third nomination for The Zone of Interest. Working with choral voices and electronic manipulation, Levi’s score reflects the film’s detached visual language, creating a soundscape that is both haunting and precise.

Gary Yershon receives his second nomination for Hard Truths, continuing a three-decade collaboration with Mike Leigh. Scored for two flautists

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Best Original Film Score The Nominations

Soundtrack from the Apple Original Film

FLY ME TO THE MOON composed by Daniel Pemberton music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Apple

Music by Daniel Pemberton

HARD TRUTHS composed by Gary Yershon music published in the UK by Du Vinage Publishing and Universal Music Publishing obo Thin Man Films

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KNEECAP composed by Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante

THE SUBSTANCE composed by Raffertie music published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Universal Pictures Music

THE ZONE OF INTEREST composed by Mica Levi music published in the UK

by Domino Publishing Company

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CELEBRATING OUR

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2025

IVOR NOVELLO AWARD NOMINEES

Best Album BRAT by Charli xcx

PRS for Music n Most Performed Work “As It Was” by Harry Styles

A. G. COOK

TYLER JOHNSON

Best Original Video Game Score Best Original Video Game Score celebrates the unique craft of composing for interactive storytelling.

Unlike linear formats, game music must respond dynamically to player choices; creating scores that are both adaptive and immersive. It recognises how original composition enhances gameplay, deepens emotional impact and plays a vital role in worldbuilding.

The nominations celebrate music composed for video games released in the UK in 2024, created by British, Irish or UK resident composers.

and playful rhythms reflect canine movement and a deep emotional bond.

Flock invites players to explore a chain of islands, documenting fantastical flying creatures. Eli Rainsberry’s first nomination honours a delicate, open soundscape, quiet interludes, layered ambiences and woodwinds capturing the freedom of wind and field. Each rare creature is scored with distinct musical colours, grounding discovery in an ever-changing sonic environment.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II sees David Garcia Diaz receive his second nomination. The music explores psychological and physical extremes, mirroring Senua’s lived experience of psychosis. Improvised motifs and detuned tones evoke her inner world, while Norse and Celtic instruments root the score in myth. It’s a sonic journey of transformation, trauma, and survival.

Empire of the Ants is a real-time strategy game following a red ant colony rebuilding after hibernation. For their first Ivor Novello nomination, Mathieu Alvado and Mark Choi composed a fully organic score using strings, woodwinds, harp and piano to reflect the natural world.

Brass and percussion add weight, but the tone remains rooted, textured and alive to the insect scale of the story.

The Casting of Frank Stone is a narrative horror game set in the Dead by Daylight universe. Boxed Ape, Alistair Kerley and Frankie Harper, receive their first nominations for a score built from bespoke sounds, glitched synths, distorted vocals, and vinyl textures, layered with orchestral and choral elements. The result is a soundscape that is both cinematic and deeply unsettling.

Farewell North, set on grey Scottish islands, is told through the eyes of a border collie helping their owner heal from profound loss. John Konsolakis’ debut nomination recognises a score that contrasts sorrow with joy. Grand orchestral gestures evoke colour returning to the world, while folk instrumentation

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Best Original Video Game Score The Nominations

EMPIRE OF THE ANTS composed by Mathieu Alvado and Mark Choi

FAREWELL NORTH composed by John Konsolakis

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FLOCK composed by Eli Rainsberry

SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II composed by David Garcia Diaz

THE CASTING OF FRANK STONE composed by Boxed Ape

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Best Television Soundtrack Best Original Television Soundtrack celebrates the role of original music in shaping long-form narrative. In television, music builds atmosphere, supports character and plot development and sustains emotional tone across episodes.

It is a cornerstone of the medium’s creative fabric, with composers helping define a series’ identity and impact.

The nominations celebrate music composed for television, broadcast in the UK in 2024, crafted by British, Irish or UK resident composers.

modular, layered soundtrack where sacred and secular textures collide.

Jack Halama and Natalie Holt receive their first and second nominations respectively for Rivals, the Disney+ drama of ambition and love. Scored around two central vocal lines, male and female, the music embodies the show’s tensions, shifting from harmony to playful discord, blending operatic influence with a bold 1980s twist.

Sky Atlantic’s True Detective: Night Country marks Vince Pope’s debut nomination. Set in the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska, the score reflects the show’s emotional and physical landscapes. A central use of the human voice, including a collaboration with Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq, anchors the expansive, atmospheric sound world.

Netflix’s Black Doves, a six-part spy thriller, earns Martin Phipps his ninth Ivor Novello nomination. Scored entirely with 1980s synthesisers, accented by electric guitar and ukulele, the music channels retro momentum with a sleek, brooding edge.

Stylish and knowing, it plays into genre tradition while keeping its own sly wit.

Carly Paradis receives her second Ivor Novello nomination for ITV’s true crime drama Until I Kill You. Collaborating with the London Contemporary Orchestra and an all female string section, Paradis’ emotional score deepens the audience’s connection to the central character and the challenges they faced.

Sky Atlantic’s Mary & George explores 17th-century intrigue through Oliver Coates’ richly textured score, his first Ivor Novello nomination. Drawing from late Renaissance and proto-Baroque forms, Coates combines plucked strings, winds, organs, and voices to create a

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Best Television Soundtrack The Nominations

BLACK DOVES composed by Martin Phipps music published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Maisie Anthems

MARY & GEORGE composed by Oliver Coates music published in the UK by SATV Publishing

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RIVALS composed by Jack Halama and Natalie Holt music published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Walt Disney Music Company

TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY composed by Vince Pope music published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo T-L Music Publishing

UNTIL I KILL YOU composed by Carly Paradis music published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Veti Music Publishing

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Advert Huge congratulations Robbie on receiving the PRS for Music Icon Award 2025 - your dedication has truly earned you this recognition.

Best wishes Julie, Pat and the entire OJK family.

ACADEMY

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The Judges An Ivor Novello Award represents peer recognition.

The Ivors Academy would like to thank all who sat on this year’s award panels:

Iain Archer • David Arnold • Mark Ayres • Claire Batchelor Fiona Bevan • Sarah Blanchard • John Broomhall Benjamin Kwesi Burrell • Dan Carey • Dyo • Chipzel • CMAT Jessica Dannheisser • Tanera Dawkins • Jim Duguid • Ines Dunn Lizzie Esau • Jamal Green • Gavin Greenaway • Tom Grennan Nick Hodgson • Ash Howes • Nina Humphreys • Juliette Jackson • Kamille Kwes • Jonny Lattimer • Kal Lavelle • Chris Loco • Alloysious Massaquoi Shelly McErlaine • Charlie Mole • Stuart Murdoch Eimear Noone • Obongjayar • Tom Odell • Dave Okumu Martin Phipps • Anna Phoebe • Kojey Radical • Rationale Ray BLK • Anna Rice • Orphy Robinson • Mark Rutherford Kevin Sargent • Arthur Sharpe • David Sneddon • KT Tunstall Tess Tyler • Imogen Williams • Ayanna Witter-Johnson

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ROBBIE WILLIAMS �� YEARS ON AND YOU JUST GET BETTER

SINCE THE YEAR 2000

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR IVOR AWARD YOUR FRIENDS CHUGGI, SUSAN & THE TEAMS AT FRONTIER & CHUGG ENT.

PHOTO: BRETT SCHEWITZ

�� x AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND TOURS � x #� ARIA ALBUMS & �� x TOP � ARIA ALBUMS #� BOX OFFICE & WINNER OF � x AACTA AWARDS (INCLUDING BEST FILM) FOR BETTER MAN

BFI Southbank, London 11 November 2025 Entries open 27 May

(L-R) Paul Mccartney and Bruce Springtsteen, 2024 Photo: Jill Furmanovsky

The Ivors Turns 70: A Legacy Written in Song 1956 saw plenty of new arrivals in British life. Yellow lines debuted on UK roads, as did Routemaster London buses and youth culture began to take hold as Elvis Presley shot to superstardom.

But, over the years, surely nothing has made such a iconic impact as the Ivor Novello Awards, which made its entrance on the 11th of March at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, London, promising “a unique event in the history of popular music”.

If anything, the hype rather undersold what has become an unmissable date in the calendar for anyone who loves music. 1956 categories such as The Year’s Outstanding Swing Composition (picked up by Brian Fahey and Max Kaye for Fanfare Boogie) and The Year’s Outstanding Comedy Song (Paddy Roberts and Jack Woodman for Got’n Idea) may have fallen by the wayside, but the principles behind The Ivors remain gloriously the same as they celebrate their 70th edition this year.

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George Michael, 1985 Photo: Joe Coomber

Every year, the longest-running music awards ceremony in the country brings us a celebration of the best songwriters and composers and the pivotal role they play in our lives – uniquely judged by fellow writers from The Ivors Academy.

In 1956, those people included Jack Payne (who picked up Outstanding Services In The Field Of Popular Music) and Haydn Wood (winner of A Special Personal Award), while this year’s contenders include the very modern likes of Lola Young, Charli xcx, Ghetts and Fontaines D.C. And, in the intervening years, The Ivors have consistently charted the ever-changing face of British and Irish music.

So, it wasn’t long before 1950s stalwarts Lionel Bart and Johnny Dankworth were joined by more rock ’n’ roll names such as Cliff Richard And The Shadows and Joe Meek. The Beatles arrived in 1964, picking up The Most Broadcast Work Of The Year and The ‘A’ Side Of The Record Issued In 1963 Which Achieved The Highest Certified British Sales.

History does not recall if John Lennon and Paul McCartney were given XL-sized Ivors so that engravers could fit that lengthy awards title onto the Euterpe statuette. But it does report that McCartney turned up late in 1965 after the ceremony slipped his mind. Lennon chose not to attend that year, following the furore over The Beatles being awarded

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(L-R) Joan Armatrading with Eddi Reader, 1996 Photo: Doug McKenzie

MBEs, prompting Macca to quip, “Thanks, I hope nobody sends theirs back now!” as he collected one of their five Ivors that year.

McCartney has been a stalwart of the ceremony, winning multiple times with The Beatles, Wings and for his solo work, becoming a Fellow in 2000.

"I remember coming here the very first time with my mates John, George and Ringo and sitting back there,” he said as he became the Academy’s first Fellow. "It was just fantastic to be part of this whole songwriting thing. It was always just the greatest award, the greatest thing to get for songwriters and it still is many years later."

The Beatles’ friendly rivals, The Rolling Stones, were first nominated in 1970 and, as that decade dawned, the likes of Elton John, Marc Bolan and Queen all featured. Glam rock was represented by Slade, hard rock by Led Zeppelin, The Bee Gees for disco and, later, The Boomtown Rats and The Police brought punk and new wave to the party.

Indeed, Sting has won multiple times for both Police songs and his solo work, as well as Gift Of The Academy awards, culminating in a unforgettable Fellowship in 2023, during which he was roundly roasted by presenter Bob Geldof.

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Sting, 2023

Photo: Dave Hogan

“Of all the awards in the world of music, The Ivors are for me, the most prestigious,” Sting said at the time. “Songwriting is a skilled craft and The Ivors Academy are its guild. I am delighted and honoured to be joining and acknowledging this extraordinary group of fellow songwriters, and all of those who went before us.”

The Fellows are an impressive roll call, comprising the greatest musical names across every genre and era, including everyone from David Arnold and Peter Grabriel to Joan Armatrading and Kate Bush.

Bush first won in 1979 with The Man With The Child In His Eyes and was also a hugely popular choice for the Outstanding Contribution To British Music award in 2002.

“It’s so special to be thought of as a songwriter because mainly I’m thought of as a singer,” she said, making a rare public appearance to collect the prize. “I love being a singer, but the real buzz is the writing, because everything serves the song.”

In the 1980s, The Ivors grew closer to popular music culture, while still honouring the great work done by writers behind the scenes. From Come On Eileen to Don’t You Want Me and Never Gonna Give You Up to I Should Be So Lucky, the biggest and best hits were usually represented.

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Adele, 2012

RAYE, 2024

Photo: Mark Allan

Photo: Jill Furmanovsky

Even Frankie Goes To Hollywood, banned from Radio 1, found favour with the Academy. And when George Michael won Songwriter Of The Year in 1985, he declared it “the first proper sign from within the industry that what I was doing was actually worthwhile.”

That sense of peer validation has driven The Ivors into the modern age. Here, Blur (winners in 1995 and 1996) and Oasis (1996, 1997, 2003) are equally beloved. Shakespears Sister announced their split at the 1993 ceremony, which turned out to be news to the group’s singer Marcella Detroit, who found out on stage as she was collected one of their awards. Amy Winehouse attended the 2007 ceremony just a week after she got married and faced the full tabloid glare, telling reporters The Ivors is “a very prestigious, important thing”.

The 21st century has brought less drama, thanks to a generation of writers who – despite the proliferation of other awards ceremonies – know the importance of The Ivors, which has become a melting pot of modern genres, including rap, grime and multiple dance sub-genres. Where some music awards are seething bearpits of clashing egos and opinions, The Ivors remain a celebration, where everyone’s a winner, whether they make it on stage or not.

So, Adele wept at the 2012 ceremony, as she picked up the Songwriter Of The Year award and Annie Lennox told her she was “the real deal”.

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Sam Fender, 2022

Dave, 2024

Photo: Mark Allan

Photo: Jill Furmanovsky

And Dave declared: “As a songwriter myself, this is my entire life”, as he picked up PRS for Music Most Performed Work in 2024.

“The Ivor Novello is an award that recognises your pen and your art, so I proper wanted to win this one,” noted an ecstatic Stormzy as he picked up the Album Award in 2018.

And Sam Fender nailed the awards’ appeal after picking up Best Song Musically and Lyrically for Seventeen Going Under in 2022. "This is a really special award with it being creatives who decide it,” he said. “It really means a lot.”

And The Ivors is still more than capable of springing a headline-grabbing surprise – as proved last year when RAYE made a hugely influential speech championing songwriters as “the voiceless, beating heart of this industry”, and Paul McCartney came out on stage to present Bruce Springsteen’s Fellowship award and proceeded to rib his American friend mercilessly.

Springsteen didn’t mind a bit, telling the crowd: “Once it was only a dream I had, today it’s real. I want to thank you for looking at me and seeing one of yours.”

And that is why, The Ivors lives on, as the most meaningful and prestigious celebration of songwriters and composers, with even more great moments to come, both this year and beyond. Here’s to the next 70 years!

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SESAC S E T A L U T A R G N CO JAHMORI “JAYMO” SIMMONS PRS FOR MUSIC MOST PERFORMED WORK NOMINEE

“PRADA” PERFORMED BY

CASSÖ, RAYE AND D-BLOCK EUROPE

TOM RICHARDS BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY NOMINEE

“GENESIS.” PERFORMED BY

RAYE

SUPPORTING MUSIC CREATORS FOR 25 YEARS NOW WE NEED YOU! As the charity dedicated to helping composers and songwriters, your £25 gift enables underrepresented talent break ground in the music industry at any level.

SUPPORT ACCESS. SUSTAIN INCLUSION. SHAPE THE FUTURE. Donate today and make your impact last.

Charity number 1080325

The Ivors Academy wishes to thank Amazon Music our title sponsor

Pete Compton our independent adjudicator

PRS for Music for their category sponsorship

Anna Bailey and team at the Grosvenor House

Lauren Laverne our host

Pace Prestige Services

This year’s award presenters

Nathan Diamond, Henry Oliver and team at LD Communications

This year’s performers

Dave Hogan and team for our official photography

Gene O’Connell and Capitol House Productions for the stage production

Emanuel Kucbel for filming our official interviews

Annabel Fitzgerald, Vicky Madden and team for stage and floor management

John Marshall and team at JM Enternational for the programme design and production

Steam Motion and Sound for the video production

Judith Rivers for our advertising sales

Matt Everitt our voice over artist

Mark Sutherland for our programme editorial

Swindle for composing The Ivors theme music

Adapt or Die for our design

PPL and VPL for the kind permission to use sound and video recordings Everyone who granted permission and contributed visual material to the award films

Fran Matthews, Tilly Flynn and Kate Spiers for awards management and show production All the teams working on the day

Mike Wilson and Meltcharm Products for our exquisite statuettes

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Congratulations to Sans Soucis for their Ivor Novello nomination

BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG Circumnavigating Georgia

Officers of The Ivors Academy ACADEMY BOARD Iain Archer • David Arnold • Fiona Bevan • Ines Dunn • Lizzie Esau Paloma Faith • Tom Gray (Chair) • Eve Horne Dru Masters • Orphy Robinson (Deputy Chair) Mika Sellens • Tinie Tempah • Ayanna Witter-Johnson CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Roberto Neri ACADEMY SENATE Rob Aitken • Ras Kassa Alexander • Iain Archer David Arnold • Prof. Keith Ayling • Fiona Bevan Xantoné Blacq • Esmeralda Conde Ruiz • Dr Gary Crosby OBE Tansy Davies • Catherine Anne Davies • Nainita Desai Ines Dunn • Louise Dodds • Lizzie Esau • Paloma Faith Joe Galuszka • Tom Gray (Chair) • Gavin Higgins • Eve Horne Ilà Kamalagharan • Kamille • Melpomeni Kermanidou Jonny Lattimer • Kal Lavelle • Duncan MacLeod Shelly McErlaine • Dru Masters • Anna Phoebe Katie Richardson • Orphy Robinson • Cassell The Beatmaker Emily Saunders • Mika Sellens • Andy Skinner Jill Thomas • Tinie Tempah • Jonathan Vincent Olli Wells • Ayanna Witter-Johnson ACADEMY AWARDS COMMITTEE Iain Archer • David Arnold • Lizzie Esau • Jonny Lattimer Shelly McErlaine • Anna Phoebe • Orphy Robinson (Chair) Imogen Williams • Ayanna Witter-Johnson

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WHERE MAVERICKS MEET

45 Dean Street, London, W1D 4QB | Tel +0044 (0) 20 7439 4685 | thegrouchoclub.com

At The Ivors Academy Chief Executive Officer, Roberto Neri AWARDS Director of Awards, Fran Matthews Awards Manager, Tilly Flynn Awards Coordinator, Kate Spiers MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Director of Marketing and Communications, Mark Taylor MEMBERSHIP Membership and Events Senior Manager, Grace Croucher Membership Operations Manager, Will Davenport Relations and Outreach Manager, Jévis Lawson Membership Coordinator, Charlie Withers OPERATIONS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS Chief Operating Officer, Laura Moreno Governance and Policy Senior Manager, Maria McMillan Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager, Paul Mortimer Executive Personal Assistant to CEO, Amy Leadbetter Membership Councils and Office Coordinator, Will Davenport Head of Finance, Luisa Raimondo Accounts Assistant, Alison Tickner The Ivors and Euterpe (The Ivors Statuette, designed in 1955 by Hazel Underwood) are trademarks belonging to the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, trading as The Ivors Academy.

Persons wishing to reproduce or use these marks must secure the written consent of The Ivors Academy prior to use. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this publication, The Ivors Academy cannot be liable for errors or omissions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of The Ivors Academy.

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Presentation order LUNCH 3.00pm AWARDS CEREMONY 5.00pm PRS for Music Icon Award Best Television Soundtrack Rising Star Award with Amazon Music Outstanding Song Collection Best Album Best Original Film Score IN MEMORIAM Best Contemporary Song PRS for Music Most Performed Work Visionary Award with Amazon Music Best Song Musically and Lyrically Best Original Video Game Score Special International Award Songwriter of the Year with Amazon Music Academy Fellowship DEPARTURES 8:00pm

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CREATED BY MEMBERS. DRIVEN BY MUSIC.

We are proud to sponsor the PRS for Music Most Performed Work and Icon Awards, honouring the songs that make an impact, and the creators behind them.

PRS was built to protect the value of the music and today we congratulate all the nominees for their contributions to our industry.