Lily Allen and Sam Fender among 2026 O2 Silver Clef Awards honourees

Lily Allen, Ludovico Einaudi, Max Richter and Sam Fender are set to be honoured at the 2026 O2 Silver Clef Awards.

Organised by music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins, this year’s event will take place for the first time at London’s Royal Albert Hall on the evening of July 9, 2026. The awards, which will mark it’s 50th anniversary at the iconic venue, remain the charity’s biggest annual fundraiser and one of the industry’s longest-running honours for artistic achievement.

Lily will receive the Icon Award, sponsored by Barclays, recognising more than two decades of cultural impact and her reputation as one of the UK’s most distinctive voices.

Reflecting on the honour, she said she was proud to support the charity’s work, calling music therapy “an essential resource” with a profound effect on people’s lives.

She said: “I’m honoured to receive the Icon Award at the O2 Silver Clef Awards, especially as it marks their 50th anniversary. Music therapy is such an essential resource and I’m proud to support something that has such a profound impact on people’s lives.”

Ludovico will be presented with the Innovation in Music Award, sponsored by Oak View Group. Known for blending classical training with contemporary minimalism, he has built a global following through albums such as Le Onde, Divenire and Una Mattina, as well as acclaimed film scores including The Intouchables and Nomadland.

He said the award celebrates the creative freedom that has shaped his career.

Max will receive the Contemporary Music Award, sponsored by PPL. One of the most influential composers of his generation, he is known for merging orchestral writing with electronic soundscapes. His landmark project SLEEP, created with Yulia Mahr, became the first classical album to surpass a billion streams.

Sam will be honoured with the Best Live Act Award, supported by Uber Eats Music Hall.

The North Shields musician has become one of Britain’s defining rock artists, earning multiple awards and topping the charts while building a reputation for powerful, emotionally charged live performances.

He said the recognition was especially meaningful given the charity’s work.

He commented: “It’s an honour to receive the Best Live Act Award at this year’s O2 Silver Clef Awards. I’m so lucky to do this as a job. This award is especially meaningful because of the incredible work in music that Nordoff and Robbins do.”

Since launching in 1976, the O2 Silver Clef Awards have raised more than £17 million to support Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapy programmes across the UK. The charity works with people facing a wide range of challenges, including neurological conditions, trauma and learning difficulties. In 2025 alone, it delivered around 48,000 sessions to more than 15,000 people through partnerships with schools, hospitals and care homes.

The awards have a long history of attracting major artists, with past recipients including David Bowie, Annie Lennox, Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney, George Michael, Kylie Minogue, The Rolling Stones, Oasis and Coldplay.