Thom Yorke, Sam Fender and Rosalía were among the winners at the Ivors 2026 last night (Thursday May 21). Check out the full list below.
The 71st Ivor Novello Awards took place at Grosvenor House in London, with the prestigious ceremony celebrating the craft, cultural impact and enduring importance of songs and screen compositions.
Yorke was handed the Academy Fellowship award by surprise guest Harry Styles, who called Radiohead his “favourite band”. Styles said: “Thom Yorke has always had a way with words.”
George Michael posthumously received the Academy Fellowship, too. His longtime friend and former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley collected the award on his behalf.
Fender, meanwhile, was named Songwriter Of The Year off the back of his ‘People Watching’ era. Rosalía was crowned International Songwriter Of The Year, as announced previously, after releasing the acclaimed ‘Lux’ last November.
CMAT took home the Best Album statue for her third record, 2025’s ‘Euro-Country’, while Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest picked up the Best Contemporary Song prize for ‘I Stand On The Line’ from the latter’s latest LP, ‘Self Titled’.
BRITs Critics’ Choice winner Jacob Alon clinched victory in the Best Song Musically And Lyrically category with ‘Don’t Fall Asleep’. Alon also bagged the 2026 Ivors’ Rising Star Award.
Elsewhere, Lola Young was awarded the PRS For Music Most Performed Work gong for ‘Messy’, with Lily Allen succeeding in the Outstanding Song Collection statue. Calvin Harris took the Icon Award, while Kano picked up the Visionary Award.
The full winners list from the Ivors 2026 is:
Best Album
‘Euro-Country’
written and performed by CMAT
Best Contemporary Song
‘I Stand On The Line’
written by Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest
performed by Kae Tempest
Best Song Musically And Lyrically
‘Don’t Fall Asleep’
written and performed by Jacob Alon
PRS For Music Most Performed Work
‘Messy’
written and performed by Lola Young
Rising Star Award
Jacob Alon
Best Original Film Score
‘Testimony’
composed by Tom Hodge
Best Television Soundtrack
‘Trespasses’
composed by David Holmes and Brian Irvine
Academy Fellowship
George Michael
Thom Yorke
Outstanding Song Collection
Lily Allen
PRS For Music Icon Award
Calvin Harris
International Songwriter Of The Year
Rosalía
Songwriter Of The Year With Amazon Music
Sam Fender
Special International Award With Amazon Music
Linda Perry
Visionary Award With Amazon Music
Kano
Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “Congratulations to all our Ivor Novello Award winners. On a special night, it was a privilege to celebrate such an extraordinary range of music with the most prestigious recognition in music.
“The Ivors Academy exists to protect, empower and celebrate songwriters and composers, and whatever we face, tonight stands as a reminder that the future of music is in remarkable hands.”
Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, added: “Every nomination and award tonight is an act of attribution. A public, named, witnessed declaration that these astonishing human beings made these noteworthy, gorgeous, brilliant songs.
“That it came from somewhere and belongs to someone. They can be identified, credited, paid and celebrated. My heartfelt congratulations to all our winners.”
Other nominees on the night included Wolf Alice, Olivia Dean, Coldplay, Little Simz and Florence Welch.
Check back at NME for interviews and more from the Ivors 2026.
