Classical crossover act Clean Bandit took home two awards at the 60th Ivor Novello Awards on 21 May.
Taking place at Grosvenor House Hotel, London, the ceremony, which celebrates excellence in British and Irish songwriting and composing, was attended by the likes of Elton John, Kylie Minogue and Boy George.
Clean Bandit’s Rather Be - written by James Napier and Jack Patterson - was awarded most performed work as well as best contemporary song.
This year also saw frontman Jack Steadman of Bombay Bicycle Club celebrated for his songwriting on the group’s fourth album So Long, See You Tomorrow, while Manic Street Preachers took home the Ivors inspiration prize. Serge Pizzorno and Tom Meighan from Kasabian presented the award to the group: “These are the rock ‘n’ roll terrorists of the world,” said Meighan.
He may have missed out at this year’s Grammys, but Hozier’s Take Me to Church, which has been certified four times platinum in the US, took home best song musically and lyrically. The Irish singer was up against competition from indie band Bears Den and Brit award winner Ben Howard. Ed Sheeran, whose award was presented by Elton John, collected songwriter of the year.
Other winners at the ceremony included Boy George, who was awarded for his outstanding contribution to music, The Honourable Woman composed by Natalie Holt and Martin Phipps, which won the best television soundtrack, and Judith Weir, winner of the Ivors classical music award. Bob Geldof and Midge Ure were the recipients of the Ivors special anniversary award.
Outstanding song collection went to Albert Hammond, for hits including The Air That I Breathe and When I Need You. Donovan, who presented the award to Hammond, said: “I don’t know how he did it, but he did it, he’s an enigma.”
List of Ivor Novello winners
Best song musically and lyrically
Take Me to Church - WINNER
Written by Andrew Hozier-Byrne
Performed by Hozier
Above the Clouds Of Pompeii
Written by Andrew Davie
Performed by Bear’s Den
I Forget Where We Were
Written and performed by Ben Howard
Best contemporary song
Rather Be - WINNER
Written by James Napier and Jack Patterson
Performed by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne
Every Other Freckle
Written by Thomas Green, Joe Newman and Gus Unger-Hamilton
Performed by alt-J
Two Weeks
Written by Tahliah Debrett Barnett and Emile Haynie
Performed by FKA twigs
Most performed work
Rather Be - WINNER
Written by James Napier and Jack Patterson
Performed by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne
Budapest
Written by George Ezra Barnett and Joel Pott
Performed by George Ezra
Stay With Me
Written by James Napier, William Phillips and Sam Smith
Performed by Sam Smith
Album award
So Long, See You Tomorrow - WINNER
Written by Jack Steadman
Performed by Bombay Bicycle Club
Present Tense
Written by Thomas Fleming, Ben Little, Christopher Talbot and Hayden Thorpe
Performed by Wild Beasts
Royal Blood
Written by Michael Kerr and Ben Thatcher
Performed by Royal Blood
Best original film score
’71 - WINNER
Composed by David Holmes
Mr Turner
Composed by Gary Yershon
The Boxtrolls
Composed by Dario Marianelli
Best television soundtrack
The Honourable Woman - WINNER
Composed by Natalie Holt and Martin Phipps
The Mill - Series 2
Composed by Samuel Sim
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher - Beyond the Pale
Composed by Edmund Butt
