The Ivors Academy has honoured Stormzy, James Blake and Glastonbury‘s Emily Eavis and more for their contributions to music.
The recipients were announced at the Ivors Academy Honours ceremony, which was held at the Intercontinental London on Park Lane tonight (Thursday October 1).
The awards recognise the creators and executives setting higher standards across the sector, and celebrates those who are taking steps to help carve out a better future for songwriters and composers.
At the event, singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist James Blake was awarded for his exceptional artistry and advocacy for songwriters and artists.
The Grammy-winning artist released his seventh studio album ‘Trying Times’ – his first since 2023’s ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’ and the first since he went independent and split from Republic Records – in March. In addition to his solo work, Blake is also a highly regarded producer, having worked on projects including Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’, Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’, Jay-Z‘s ‘4:44’ and Rosalía’s ‘Motomami’.
His award was presented by CEO of The Ivors Academy Lord Neri and Chair Tom Gray, and both acknowledged his massive contributions to the music industry, as well as his actions in bringing greater attention to songwriter’s rights.
Also on the night, Glastonbury Festival organiser Emily Eavis was recognised for her both impact on music and culture, and her commitment to championing emerging talent. She was presented with the honour by Elbow frontman Guy Garvey.
Elsewhere, CEO of IMRO (Ireland’s music rights collecting society) Victor Finn, received an Honour for his longstanding support of Irish songwriters and composers – ahead of his retirement at the end of the year, after nearly two decades of leadership – and broadcaster, DJ, curator and writer Annie Macmanus received an Honour from Nick Grimshaw for her talent in shaping music culture and bringing new music to wider audiences.
Others to receive Honours on the night included MNEK, who was recognised for his work as a songwriter, producer and artist, alongside his advocacy for LGBTQIA+ songwriters and artists, and CEO of Sentric Music Chris Meehan, who was celebrated for nearly 20 years work in making music publishing more accessible, transparent and fair for songwriters.
MNEK was presented with his Honour by Becky Hill, and his appearance at the ceremony comes after he spoke to NME earlier this year about his determination to speak out for Trans rights, and also reveal that he is gearing up to release his first album in eight years.
Finally, it was Stormzy who rounded out those honoured at the Ivors event tonight, and the rapper and philanthropist was recognised for his impact on British music and culture and his commitment to creating opportunities for others.
The London rapper is behind a huge community initiative and brand, #Merky, which stems back a decade. It includes the highly-praised #Merky Football Careers partnership, which the artist first established in 2022 as a way to address racial equity in the football industry and provide opportunities for UK Black Heritage Youth to access jobs in the sector.
The initiative also announced a centre in London for music, football and gaming, called #MerkyFC HQ, and launched an award-winning publishing imprint called #Merky Books – which was expanded into a two-day literature festival.
On top of that, in 2021, the London grime icon also announced plans to support 30 more students through studies at Cambridge University through his scholarship scheme. It came as part of a partnership between the #Merky Foundation and the bank HSBC, and sees 10 students per year receive a £20,000 annual scholarship to cover tuition fees and maintenance costs.
“Congratulations to all of our honourees,” said Lord Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy. “We are proud to honour your achievements and how you’re making a positive difference to music and its creators. From establishing inclusive spaces and opening up the world’s biggest stages, to championing new music, meeting ambition with opportunity and getting creators the money they’re due, each of you shows what can happen when we lift each other up.”
Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, shared: “Tonight is a moment to appreciate the people putting in the hard graft to make music a better place – supporting songwriters and composers, tackling inequality and exclusion, championing diverse voices and making sure creators get a fair deal. These are people who show up, see what’s wrong and have the resolve to do something about it. They use their position to make things better for others. And that deserves to be recognised.”
The latest recipients join Sir Elton John in receiving honours from the Ivors Academy, with the legendary singer, songwriter and pianist being celebrated at the 71st Ivor Novello Awards in May 2026 for his contributions to music and for championing emerging talent across the industry.
At that awards ceremony earlier this year, Thom Yorke, Sam Fender and Rosalía were among the winners, and George Michael posthumously received the Academy Fellowship, too. His longtime friend and former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley collected the award on his behalf.
