Photo Credit: Ivors Academy
Amazon Music remains the title sponsor for the fourth year running at the Ivor Novello Awards, now in its 71st year. Here are the nominations.
After becoming the title sponsor of the Ivor Novello Awards back in 2023, Amazon Music is still going strong with it in 2026. The streamer took over the duties from Apple Music, which had led the charge starting in 2019 after previous sponsor Spotify took a hit from angry songwriters. Now in its 71st year, the Ivor Novellow Awards will take place on May 21 at Grosvenor House London.
This year’s nominees include globally acclaimed songwriters Olivia Dean, Lola Young, Lily Allen, Wolf Alice, CMAT, and Florence + The Machine, alongside a new generation of rising songwriters. Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell, Olivia Dean, Jacob Alon, Self Esteem, and co-writer Johan Hugo, and Kae Tempest and co-writer Fraser T. Smith all receive two nominations.
Altogether, 61 songwriters and composers have been nominated across seven categories celebrating new music released in the UK in 2025, with 34 receiving heir first Ivor Novello Award nomination.
Peer-judged by songwriters and composers, The Ivors are the most prestigious celebration of the craft, cultural impact, and enduring importance of songs and screen compositions. At a time when questions around authorship and AI are reshaping the music landscape, The Ivors remain an affirmation of human creativity and the cultural value of songwriters.
Since they were first presented in 1956, the Ivor Novello Awards have been recognized as the pinnacle of creative musical achievement for songwriters and composers. Past winners include Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, David Bowie, Adele, RAYE, Stormzy, Bill Withers, Bruce Springsteen, Brian Wilson, Annie Lennox, Amy Winehouse, Dave, Sting, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charli xcx, Lana Del Rey, Lola Young, Lou Reed, and Elton John.
“Congratulations to all the songwriters and composers nominated for this year’s Ivor Novello Awards,” said Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy. “To be recognized by your peers for exceptional craft and originality at The Ivors is one of the greatest honors in music writing, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements at The Ivors with Amazon Music on 21 May.”
“I want to congratulate these incredible nominees, whose work reflects the strength, diversity, and global influence of British and Irish songwriting, which we are honored to celebrate,” added Roberti Neri, Chief Executive of The Ivors Academy. “An Ivor Novello Award has for over 70 years been the most prestigious recognition of excellence in music, and I’d like to thank our judges for working hard to recognize this year’s nominees.”
The award winners will be revealed at The Ivors with Amazon Music on May 21, 2026, at Grosvenor House, London. Alongside these nominations, awards in the Gift of the Academy will be presented to recognize individuals for their lasting contributions to music.
The Ivors 2026 Nominations
BEST ALBUM
BLACK BRITISH MUSIC (2025) written by Jim Legxacy and Joe Stanley
- Performed by Jim Legxacy
- Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing and Kobalt Music Publishing
EURO COUNTRY written and performed by CMAT
- Published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK
THE ART OF LOVING written by Olivia Dean, Bastian Langebaek and Max Wolfgang
- Performed by Olivia Dean
- Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing obo Goldfish Records and Kobalt Music Publishing obo Alveron Music
THE CLEARING written by Joff Oddie and Ellie Rowsell
- Performed by Wolf Alice
- Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
WEST END GIRL written by Lily Allen, Chloe Angelides, Kito and Blue May
- Performed by Lily Allen
- Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing obo Chloe Angelides Publishing-Where Da Kasz At and BMG Rights Management UK
BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG
DAMASCUS written by Damon Albarn, Yasiin Bey and Omar Souleyman
- Performed by Gorillaz feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey
- Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Pop-Up Music Publishing and Domino Publishing Company
FREE written by Alex Bonfanti, Miles Clinton James and Little Simz
- Performed by Little Simz
- Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing
I DO AND I DON’T CARE written by Johan Hugo and Self Esteem
- Performed by Self Esteem
- Music published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music and Reservoir Media Management obo Blue Raincoat Music Publishing
I STAND ON THE LINE written by Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest
- Performed by Kae Tempest
- Music published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music and Domino Publishing Company
KNOW YOURSELF Written by Tom Rowlands, Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest
- Performed by Kae Tempest
- Music published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK, Warner Chappell Music and Domino Publishing Company
BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY
DON’T FALL ASLEEP written and performed by Jacob Alon
- Music published in the UK by Concord Music Publishing
EVERYBODY SCREAM written by Mark Bowen, Mitski and Florence Welch
- Performed by Florence + The Machine
- Music published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music obo Songs by Mitski Publishing and Universal Music Publishing obo Florence + The Machine Ltd
FOCUS IS POWER
- Written by Johan Hugo, Self Esteem and Jacob Vetter
- Performed by Self Esteem
- Music published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music, Reservoir Media Management obo Blue Raincoat Music Publishing and Kobalt Music Publishing obo TruSauce Pub Co
THE SOFA written by Ellie Rowsell
- Performed by Wolf Alice
- Music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
WEEDS written by Tove Burman, Anya Jones and Jon Shave
- Performed by Sugababes
- Music published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music obo MXM Music and Kobalt Music Publishing obo Spirit Music Group
PRS FOR MUSIC MOST PERFORMED WORK
MAN I NEED written by Olivia Dean, Tobias Jesso Jr. and Zach Nahome
- Performed by Olivia Dean
- Music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing and Concord Music Publishing
MESSY written and performed by Lola Young
- Music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
STARGAZING written by Peter Fenn, Jesse Fink and Myles Smith
- Performed by 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
THE DAYS written and performed by Chrystal
- Music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
VIVA LA VIDA written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin
- Performed by Coldplay
- Music published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing
RISING STAR AWARD WITH AMAZON MUSIC
CHLOE QISHA
DIVORCE
Tiger Cohen-Towell, Felix Mackenzie-Barrow, Adam Peter-Smith and Kasper Sandstrøm
JACOB ALON
KWN
SKYE NEWMAN
BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE
BUGONIA composed by Jerskin Fendrix
- Music published in the UK by Universal/MCA Music Ltd obo Focus-Gramercy Music
DRAGONFLY composed by Raffertie
- Music published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing
NOSFERATU composed by Robin Carolan
- Music published in the UK by Universal/MCA Music Ltd obo Focus-Gramercy Music
TESTIMONY composed by Tom Hodge
- Music published in the UK by Bucks Music Group obo Rocliffe Ltd
THE BRUTALIST composed by Daniel Blumberg
- Music published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music
BEST TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK
ADOLESCENCE composed by Aaron May and David Ridley
- Music published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Maisie Anthems
LAZARUS composed by Sarah Warne
- Music published in the UK by Universal/MCA Music Ltd obo Amazon Content Services
SUMMERWATER composed by Gazelle Twin
- Music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing and District 6 Music Publishing Ltd
THIS CITY IS OURS composed by Rael Jones
- Music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Twenty Fifteen Avenue Music Inc
TRESPASSES composed by David Holmes and Brian Irvine
- Music published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo All3media International
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