Ivor Novello Awards 2026: Olivia Dean, Wolf Alice & Kae Tempest Lead Nominations
The nominations for the 2026 Ivor Novello Awards are in, spotlighting a diverse range of British and Irish songwriting talent, but also revealing a persistent gender disparity within the industry. Olivia Dean, Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice, Jacob Alon, Self Esteem, and Kae Tempest lead the pack with two nominations apiece, signaling a mix of established artists and rising stars poised for recognition.
Kae Tempest’s double nomination in the Best Contemporary Song category is particularly noteworthy, with both “I Stand on the Line” and “Know Yourself” – both collaborations with Fraser T Smith and, in the case of the latter, Tom Rowlands of the Chemical Brothers – earning recognition from their album, Self Titled. This demonstrates the breadth of Tempest’s songwriting and the consistent quality of their collaborations.
Although, the nominations also underscore a troubling imbalance. According to data accompanying the announcement, male nominees significantly outnumber female nominees – 40 to 19 – with only two non-binary artists included among the 61 recognized songwriters and composers. This disparity echoes broader industry trends, as highlighted by recent research from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the University of Southern California, which found a decrease in female songwriters across popular music, falling from 18.9% in 2024 to 14.5% in 2025.
The Ivor Novello Awards, billed as recognizing “exceptional craft, originality and cultural impact in songwriting and screen composing,” are increasingly positioning themselves as a champion for songwriters amidst growing anxieties surrounding the impact of artificial intelligence on the music industry. The awards are framing themselves as “a powerful affirmation of human creativity and the cultural value of songwriters” at a time when musicians are questioning their livelihoods.
Alongside Tempest, Dean, Rowsell, and Alon, established names like Lily Allen, Florence + the Machine, and Gorillaz share the spotlight with breakthrough artists such as CMAT, Jerskin Fendrix, and Lola Young, who was the most-nominated artist last year. Little Simz also receives her fifth nomination for “Free” from her 2025 album, Lotus. Allen’s nomination is particularly significant, reflecting the songwriting on her fifth album, West End Girl, a partly fictionalized account of her marriage to actor David Harbour and her first album in seven years.
The longevity of certain songs is also being celebrated. Coldplay’s 2008 hit “Viva la Vida” receives its third nomination for Most Performed Work, following the band’s extensive global tour. It previously won Best-Selling British Single in 2010, demonstrating its enduring appeal.
The Best Album category features a diverse lineup: Jim Legxacy’s Black British Music, CMAT’s Euro Country, Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving, Wolf Alice’s The Clearing, and Lily Allen’s West End Girl. Notably, Wolf Alice and Sugababes are the only bands nominated, with the majority of nominees being solo artists.
In the realm of screen composing, Daniel Blumberg, fresh off his 2025 Oscar win for his score to The Brutalist, is nominated for Best Original Film Score. However, the category is exclusively comprised of male composers, further highlighting the challenges faced by women in film scoring.
The Best Television Soundtrack category presents a competitive field, with Aaron May and David Ridley’s work on Adolescence vying for recognition against scores for Lazarus (Sarah Warne), Summerwater (Gazelle Twin), This City Is Ours (Rael Jones), and Trespasses (David Holmes and Brian Irvine).
Last year, Charli xcx was named Songwriter of the Year in recognition of her album Brat. The 2026 winners will be announced on in London, with additional outstanding achievement awards, including Songwriter of the Year, also to be presented at the ceremony.
The 2026 Ivor Novello Nominations
Best Album
Jim Legxacy – Black British Music (written by Legxacy and Joe Stanley)
CMAT – Euro Country (written and performed by CMAT)
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving (written by Dean, Bastian Langebaek and Max Wolfgang)
Wolf Alice – The Clearing (written by Joff Oddie and Ellie Rowsell)
Lily Allen – West End Girl (written by Allen, Chloe Angelides, Kito and Blue May)
Best Contemporary Song
Gorillaz – “Damascus” (ft Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey) (written by Damon Albarn, Bey and Souleyman)
Little Simz – “Fire” (written by Simz, Alex Bonfanti and Miles Clinton James)
Self Esteem – “I Do and I Don’t Care” (written by Self Esteem and Johan Hugo)
Kae Tempest – “I Stand on the Line” (written by Tempest and Fraser T Smith)
Kae Tempest – “Know Yourself” (written by Tempest, Fraser T Smith and Tom Rowlands)
Best Song Musically and Lyrically
Jacob Alon – “Don’t Fall Asleep” (written by Alon)
Florence + the Machine – “Everybody Scream” (written by Florence Welch, Mark Bowen and Mitski)
Self Esteem – “Focus Is Power” (written by Self Esteem, Johan Hugo and Jacob Vetter)
Wolf Alice – “The Sofa” (written by Ellie Rowsell)
Sugababes – “Weeds” (written by Tove Burman, Anya Jones and Jon Shave)
PRS for music Most-Performed Work
Olivia Dean – “Man I Need” (written by Dean, Tobias Jesso Jr and Zach Nahome)
Lola Young – “Messy” (written by Young)
Myles Smith – “Stargazing” (written by Smith, Peter Fenn and Jesse Fink)
Chrystal – “The Days” (written by Chrystal)
Coldplay – “Viva la Vida” (written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin)
Rising Star
Chloe Qisha
Divorce
Jacob Alon
Kwn
Skye Newman
Best Original Film Score
Jerskin Fendrix – Bugonia
Raffertie – Dragonfly
Robin Carolan – Nosferatu
Tom Hodge – Testimony
Daniel Blumberg – The Brutalist
Best Television Soundtrack
Aaron May and David Ridley – Adolescence
Sarah Warne – Lazarus
Gazelle Twin – Summerwater
Rael Jones – This City Is Ours
David Holmes and Brian Irvine – Trespasses