AceShowbiz - The 2026 Ivor Novello Awards have unveiled their list of nominees, with Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and Coldplay among the top contenders. The ceremony, which honors outstanding songwriting talent across the U.K., will be held on May 21 at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London.

Presented by The Ivors Academy, one of Europe’s largest professional bodies for music writers, the awards are judged exclusively by songwriters and composers. This ensures recognition is given by peers who understand the craft and creativity behind the music.

This year marks the first Ivor nomination for Olivia Dean, whose album The Art of Loving has been nominated in the Best Album category. Additionally, her hit single "Man I Need" is nominated for the PRS Most Performed Work award, acknowledging the song’s widespread public resonance and extensive broadcast presence throughout 2025.

Among the other notable nominees are Wolf Alice, Jacob Alon, Self Esteem with co-writer Johan Hugo, and Kae Tempest alongside collaborator Fraser T Smith, each receiving multiple nominations across various categories.

The Best Album category features a strong lineup including Jim Legxacy with Black British Music, CMAT with Euro-Country, Wolf Alice with The Clearing, and Lily Allen with West End Girl, alongside Olivia Dean. The previous year’s winner, Trinidadian rapper BERWYN, took home the prize for his debut LP Who Am I.

For Best Contemporary Song, the nominees showcase a diverse range of talent with entries from Gorillaz, Little Simz, Self Esteem, and two songs by Kae Tempest. Meanwhile, the Best Song Musically and Lyrically category highlights compositions demonstrating exceptional songwriting skill, featuring works by Jacob Alon, Florence + The Machine, Self Esteem, Wolf Alice, and Sugababes.

The PRS Most Performed Work award honors songs that captivated audiences throughout 2025, based on data collected on broadcasts, online streams, and performances. Competing tracks include Olivia Dean’s "Man I Need," Lola Young’s "Messy," Myles Smith’s "Stargazing," Chrystal’s "The Days," and Coldplay’s "Viva La Vida." The latter track’s popularity surged following the conclusion of Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres world tour and their 10-night residency at Wembley Stadium.

Emerging talents such as Jacob Alon, Skye Newman, Kwan, Chloe Qisha, and Divorce are all nominated for the Rising Star trophy. Notably, both Alon and Newman were nominated for the Critics’ Choice at the 2026 BRIT Awards held in February, with Alon securing that accolade.

The Ivors also celebrate songwriting achievements in film and television music, with dedicated categories recognizing these creative contributions. In total, 61 British and Irish songwriters are nominated this year, including 34 first-time nominees, highlighting the depth of fresh talent in the industry.

Since its inception in 1956, The Ivors have honored legendary figures such as Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, David Bowie, Adele, RAYE, Bruce Springsteen, Brian Wilson, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Lana Del Rey, Lou Reed, and Elton John. In 2025, the band U2 received the Academy Fellowship, the highest honor bestowed by The Ivors Academy.

In addition to competitive categories, The Ivors will present the Gift of the Academy prize to several songwriters, recognizing their lasting impact and significant contributions to music. The recipients of these special awards will be revealed during the ceremony.

The full list of nominees across the main categories includes:

Best Album

• Black British Music, written by Jim Legxacy and Joe Stanley, performed by Jim Legxacy, published by Sony Music Publishing and Kobalt Music Publishing.
• Euro-Country, written and performed by CMAT, published by BMG Rights Management UK.
• The Art of Loving, written by Olivia Dean, Bastian Langebaek, and Max Wolfgang, performed by Olivia Dean, published by Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing on behalf of Goldfish Records, and Kobalt Music Publishing on behalf of Alveron Music.
• The Clearing, written by Joff Oddie and Ellie Rowsell, performed by Wolf Alice, published by Sony Music Publishing.
• West End Girl, written by Lily Allen, Chloe Angelides, Kito, and Blue May, performed by Lily Allen, published by Sony Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing on behalf of Chloe Angelides Publishing-Where Da Kasz At, and BMG Rights Management UK.

Best Contemporary Song

• "Damascus," written by Damon Albarn, Yasiin Bey, and Omar Souleyman, performed by Gorillaz featuring Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey; published by Sony Music Publishing, Pop-Up Music Publishing, and Domino Publishing Company.
• "Free," written by Alex Bonfanti and Miles Clinton James, performed by Little Simz; published 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 by Warner Chappell Music and Reservoir Media Management on behalf of Blue Raincoat Music Publishing.
• "I Stand on The Line," written by Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest, performed by Kae Tempest; published 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 by BMG Rights Management UK, Warner Chappell Music, and Domino Publishing Company.

Best Song Musically and Lyrically

• "Don’t Fall Asleep," written and performed by Jacob Alon; published by Concord Music Publishing.
• "Everybody Scream," written by Mark Bowen, Mitski, and Florence Welch, performed by Florence + The Machine; published by Kobalt Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music on behalf of Songs by Mitski Publishing, and Universal Music Publishing on behalf of Florence + The Machine Ltd.
• "Focus is Power," written by Johan Hugo, Self Esteem, and Jacob Vetter, performed by Self Esteem; published by Warner Chappell Music, Reservoir Media Management on behalf of Blue Raincoat Music Publishing, and Kobalt Music Publishing on behalf of TruSauce Pub Co.
• "The Sofa," written by Ellie Rowsell, performed by Wolf Alice; published by Sony Music Publishing.
• "Weeds," written by Tove Burman, Anya Jones, and Jon Shave, performed by Sugababes; published by Warner Chappell Music on behalf of MXM Music and Kobalt Music Publishing on behalf of 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 by Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing, and Concord Music Publishing.
• "Messy," written and performed by Lola Young; published by Sony Music Publishing.
• "Stargazing," written by Peter Fenn, Jesse Fink, and Myles Smith, performed by Myles Smith; published by Kobalt Music Publishing on behalf of Songs by 308 Publishing-Where Da Kasz At, Lyric Global Copyright Services Crescendo on behalf of Arcade Artists Publishing-Jesse Fink Publishing-Spirit One Music Crescendo, and Sony Music Publishing.
• "The Days," written and performed by Chrystal; published by Sony Music Publishing.
• "Viva La Vida," written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and Chris Martin, performed by Coldplay; published by Universal Music Publishing.

The 2026 Ivors Awards promise to celebrate a vibrant mix of established stars and fresh voices in British and Irish music, highlighting the continued creativity and impact of songwriters across genres and formats. With the ceremony approaching in May, anticipation is building to see which talents will be honored for their outstanding contributions to music in the past year.