The 71st Ivor Novello Awards celebrated songwriting at its most personal and enduring on Thursday night (May 21), with breakthrough voices, veteran icons, and emotionally raw records dominating the ceremony at London’s JW Marriott Grosvenor House. Presented by The Ivors Academy in partnership with Amazon Music, the peer-voted event once again placed artistic craft ahead of commercial performance, honoring the writers shaping modern music from behind the spotlight.
Scottish singer-songwriter Jacob Alon emerged as the biggest winner of the evening, taking home two of the ceremony’s most prestigious prizes. Alon first won the Rising Star Award before later claiming Best Song Musically and Lyrically for “Don’t Fall Asleep.”
Elsewhere, Sam Fender was named Songwriter of the Year thanks to the sharp observational writing and working-class storytelling threaded throughout People Watching.
Irish artist CMAT continued her remarkable momentum by winning Best Album for Euro-Country, a project that balanced humor, heartbreak, and commentary on modern Irish life.
Kae Tempest also secured one of the night’s major competitive victories, winning Best Contemporary Song for “I Stand on the Line,” co-written with Fraser T Smith.
Outside the competitive awards, the ceremony delivered several landmark honorary recognitions. The Academy awarded its highest distinction, Fellowship of The Ivors Academy, to both George Michael and Thom Yorke.
Scroll down to see the full list of winners.
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 *WINNER*
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, Kobalt Music Publishing obo Seeker Music 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
Published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music and Blue Raincoat Music Publishing/Reservoir Media Management - I STAND ON THE LINE *WINNER*
Written by Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest
Performed by Kae Tempest
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
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 *WINNER*
Written and performed by Jacob Alon
Published in the UK by Concord Music Publishing - EVERYBODY SCREAM
Written by Mark Bowen, Mitski and Florence Welch
Performed by Florence + The Machine
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 Pale Jay
Performed by Self Esteem
Published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music, Blue Raincoat Music Publishing/Reservoir Media Management and Kobalt Music Publishing obo TruSauce Pub Co - THE SOFA
Written by Ellie Rowsell
Performed by Wolf Alice
Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing - WEEDS
Written by Tove Burman, Anya Jones and Jon Shave
Performed by Sugababes
Published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music obo MXM Music and 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
Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing and Concord Music Publishing - MESSY *WINNER*
Written and performed by Lola Young
Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing - STARGAZING
Written by Peter Fenn, Jesse Fink and Myles Smith
Performed by Myles Smith
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
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
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 *WINNER*
- kwn
- Skye Newman
BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE
- BUGONIA – Jerskin Fendrix
Published in the UK by Universal/MCA Music Ltd obo Focus-Gramercy Music - DRAGONFLY – Raffertie
Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing - NOSFERATU – Robin Carolan
Published in the UK by Universal/MCA Music Ltd obo Focus-Gramercy Music - TESTIMONY – Tom Hodge *WINNER*
Published in the UK by Bucks Music Group Limited obo Rocliffe Limited and Underground Films Commissioning Limited - THE BRUTALIST – Daniel Blumberg
Published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music
BEST TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK
- ADOLESCENCE – Aaron May and David Ridley
Published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Maisie Anthems - LAZARUS – Sarah Warne
Published in the UK by Universal/MCA Music Ltd obo Amazon Content Services - SUMMERWATER – Gazelle Twin
Published in the UK by District 6 Music Publishing Ltd obo Concrete Mother and Sony Music Publishing obo All3Media - THIS CITY IS OURS – Rael Jones
Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Left Bank Pictures - TRESPASSES – David Holmes and Brian Irvine *WINNER*
Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing obo All3Media
Songwriter of the Year: Sam Fender
Outstanding Song Collection: Lily Allen
Icon Award: Calvin Harris
Visionary Award: Kalo
International Songwriter of the Year: Rosalía
Special International Award: Linda Perry
Fellowship of the Ivors Academy: George Michael & Thom Yorke
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