Harry Styles, Arctic Monkeys, Wet Leg, Stormzy and Little Simz are among the artists nominated for this year’s Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting.
Other artists on the shortlist include Ed Sheeran, Florence + The Machine, and Cleo Sol and Inflo – as well as Kate Bush, whose 1980s hit Running Up That Hill is shortlisted as one of the top five most performed songs of 2022 thanks to its revival in sci-fi series Stranger Things.
Raye is also nominated for best contemporary song for Escapism – the hit that stormed the charts after she cut ties with her record label and went independent. The track is up against songs including Hide And Seek by Stormzy, and Payback by Kojey Radical featuring Knucks.
Little Simz. Pic: Ivor Novello Awards
Styles and his songwriting partner Kid Harpoon have three nominations, including for songwriter of the year – up against Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine), Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers (Wet Leg), George Daniel and Matty Healy (The 1975), and Central Cee and Young Chencs.
Cleopatra Nikolic (Cleo Sol) and Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover are also up for three awards together.
Arctic Monkeys, Little Simz, Fontaines DC, SAULT and Obongjayar are the five artists shortlisted for best album, while Cat Burns, Ines Dunn, tendai, venbee and Victoria Canal are up for the rising star prize.
The Ivor Novello Awards recognise creative musical achievement in songwriting and composition, and also celebrate a number of singer-songwriters and groups for their wider contribution to UK music.
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Raye on the fight to release her album
Kate Bush makes rare statement
In total, some 72 individual songwriters and composers have been recognised, with more than half (54%) receiving a nomination for the very first time.
Tom Gray, chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “The music nominated for an Ivor Novello this year is testament to the power and range of British and Irish songwriting and screen composing. It’s a superlative list and on behalf of The Ivors Academy I’m delighted to congratulate every writer nominated for their craft and achievements.”
Rhian Teasdale, left, and Hester Chambers of Wet Leg at the 2022 Grammy Awards. Pic: AP
This year, as previously announced, Sting is expected to become a fellow of the Ivors Academy, its highest honour – following in the footsteps of artists including Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox and Joan Armatrading.
Other special awards to be announced include prizes for outstanding song collection and an icon award.
The winners will be revealed at a ceremony in London on Thursday 18 May.
The full list of nominees
Stormzy on stage at Reading Festival in 2021
BEST ALBUM
11 – written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, Jamar McNaughton, Cleopatra Nikolic and Jack Peñate, performed by SAULT
No Thank You – written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, Little Simz and Cleopatra Nikolic, performed by Little Simz
Skinty Fia – written by Grian Chatten, Thomas Coll, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan and Carlos O’Connell, performed by Fontaines DC
Some Nights I Dream Of Doors – written by Barney Lister and Obongjayar, performed by Obongjayar
The Car – written by Alex Turner, performed by Arctic Monkeys
BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG
Cold Summer – written by Wesley Joseph and Leon Vynehall, performed by Wesley Joseph
Escapism – written by 070 Shake, Raye and Mike Sabath, performed by Raye & 070 Shake
Hide & Seek – written by Owen Cutts, P2J, PRGRSHN and Stormzy, performed by Stormzy
Leon The Professional – written by Knucks, Venna and Toshifumi Hinata, performed by Knucks
Payback – written by Knucks, Kojey Radical and Swindle, performed by Kojey Radical featuring Knucks
Sigourney Weaver in Avatar: The Way Of Water. Pic: 20th Century Studios
BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE
Avatar: The Way Of Water – composed by Simon Franglen
Death On The Nile – composed by Patrick Doyle
Don’t Worry Darling – composed by John Powell
Mrs Harris Goes To Paris – composed by Rael Jones
The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain – composed by Arthur Sharpe
BEST ORIGINAL VIDEO GAME SCORE
Gotham Knights – composed by The Flight
Horizon Forbidden West – composed by Joris de Man, Oleksa Lozowchuk and The Flight
Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope – composed by Gareth Coker, Grant Kirkhope and Yoko Shimomura
Florence Welch. Pic: Britta Pedersen/picture-alliance/AP
BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY
As It Was – written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles, performed by Harry Styles
Best Day Of My Life – written by Laurie Blundell and Tom Odell, performed by Tom Odell
Complex – written and performed by Katie Gregson-Macleod
King – written by Jack Antonoff and Florence Welch, performed by Florence + The Machine
Stronger – written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover and Cleopatra Nikolic, performed by SAULT
PRS FOR MUSIC MOST PERFORMED WORK
As It Was – written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles, performed by Harry Styles
Bad Habits – written by FRED, Johnny McDaid and Ed Sheeran, performed by Ed Sheeran
Heat Waves – written by Dave Bayley, performed by Glass Animals
Running Up That Hill – written and performed by Kate Bush
Shivers – written by Johnny McDaid, Kal Lavelle, Steve Mac and Ed Sheeran, performed by Ed Sheeran
Sarah Greene, Eve Hewson, Sharon Horgan and Eva Birthistle in Bad Sisters. Pic: Apple TV+
BEST TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK
Bad Sisters – composed by PJ Harvey and Tim Phillips
Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen – composed by David Schweitzer
The Midwich Cuckoos – composed by Hannah Peel
The Responder – composed by Matthew Herbert
The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe – composed by Harry Escott and Ben Pearson
RISING STAR AWARD
Cat Burns
Ines Dunn
tendai
venbee
Victoria Canal
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Central Cee and Young Chencs
Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine)
George Daniel and Matty Healy (The 1975)
Harry Styles and Kid Harpoon
Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers (Wet Leg)