Ivors Week returns for 2026 as The Ivors opens for entries and the Academy launches its second Summit 04 Dec 2025
- The sixth annual Ivors Week returns to celebrate and empower songwriters with industry events led by The Ivors Academy.
- The Ivors Academy Summit confirmed for 19 May at BFI IMAX, with exclusive early tickets now on sale.
- The Ivors with Amazon Music, the most prestigious awards in music, will be held on 21 May at Grosvenor House London.
- Entries are open for six Ivor Novello Award categories until 16 January.
Ivors Week, the biggest celebration of songwriters, will return 18 - 22 May 2026. Led by The Ivors Academy, the week will celebrate and empower the craft and careers of songwriters and composers, recognising the achievements of the music-writing community.
Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “Ivors Week is a moment for the world to recognise the power and impact of songwriting. From the 71st Ivor Novello Awards to our flagship Summit, in 2026 we will celebrate the highest levels of craft, empower the careers of songwriters and composers, and protect their rights across the globe.”
The Ivors Academy Summit
The Academy will hold its second Summit during Ivors Week on Tuesday 19 May at the BFI IMAX, London.
Bringing together songwriters and global music industry leaders, the Summit will focus on the future of music-making, creative rights, technology, the business of songwriting and more. The programme will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions and practical sessions designed to empower music creators at every stage of their careers.
The 2025 Summit included Self Esteem and Guy Garvey, and David Arnold and Anne Nikitin in conversation, along with quickfire sessions with international executives from leading companies across the music industry.
Limited early bird tickets for the Summit are on sale now, offering discounted access ahead of the full release in 2026.
The Ivors WITH AMAZON MUSIC 2026
The 71st presentation of The Ivors will take place on Thursday 21 May at Grosvenor House, London. As the most prestigious awards ceremony in music, The Ivors recognises exceptional originality, skill and impact in songwriting and screen composing.
Ivor Novello Awards will celebrate music written by British, Irish or UK resident songwriters and composers released in the UK in 2025. Gift of the Academy awards will honour songwriters whose sustained influence has shaped music and culture.
AWARD ENTRIES OPEN
Entries for six nominated categories, celebrating craft in songwriting and composing, have opened today and close at 5pm GMT on Friday 16 January:
- Best Album celebrates long-form albums that demonstrate exceptional songwriting and creative consistency.
- Best Contemporary Song recognises songs demonstrating outstanding originality and exploration of contemporary music boundaries.
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically celebrates songs demonstrating excellence in melody, lyrics, harmony and structure.
- Rising Star Award with Amazon Music celebrates young, 18-24 year-old, songwriting talent demonstrating exceptional potential and creativity.
- Best Original Film Score recognises outstanding music written specifically for a feature film that enhances the visual content.
- Best Television Soundtrack recognises outstanding music written specifically for a televised broadcast that enhances the visual content.
Entries for the Ivor Novello Award celebrating Best Original Video Game Score will open in 2026, with the winner presented later in the year.
Each category has specific rules and eligibility criteria. The Academy has also made several rule updates for 2026. Enter eligible work for consideration and read the rules and guidance here.
The Ivors 2026 dates
Friday 16 January, entries close at 5pm for the six nominated categories listed above.
Tuesday 27 January, tickets for the awards ceremony go on sale, initially with an allocation for Professional members of The Ivors Academy, before wider industry release.
Tuesday 24 March, nominations announced, following judging by acclaimed songwriters and composers from The Ivors Academy.
Thursday 21 May, The Ivors with Amazon Music will be held at Grosvenor House, London.
NEWS & PRESS
Wilful Publicity to rebrand as Wilful & Sullivan
David Sullivan becomes co-director of the music PR agency alongside founder William Luff Twelve years after launching Wilful Publicity, Founder and Managing Director William Luff is delighted to announce that the company will be re-branding as Wilful & Sullivan Publicity, in...more
Attitude is Everything marks 25 years of transforming accessibility in live music and events
Attitude is Everything (AiE), the UK charity that has transformed access and inclusion across live music and events, marks its 25th anniversary in 2025 with a renewed call for industry-wide action. Founded in 2000 by Suzanne Bull MBE, Attitude is...more
Tomorrow’s Warriors x Fontana announce Career Mentoring Scheme
Award-winning talent development organisation, creative producer and charity Tomorrow’s Warriors today announced a new partnership with Fontana (Universal Music UK) to deliver an innovative Career Mentoring Scheme to 12 emerging Warrior musicians. This marks the third round of the initiative, which...more
Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall - The essential concert series returns for 2026
Incredible gigs raising funds for young people with cancer ‘Cureator’ ROBERT SMITH announces today: ELBOW plus special guests MRCY ROBERT SMITH’S COMEDY FAVOURITES featuring MAISIE ADAM, BRIDGET CHRISTIE, JACK DEE, ANDY HAMILTON, DOM JOLY, MILES JUPP, ATHENA KUGBLENU, STEWART LEE, DARA Ó BRIAIN MOGWAI...more
£800 Million Won’t Create Jobs if Businesses Are Being Priced Out Says NTRIA
Statement from Michael Kill, CEO, Night Time Industries Association:“The Government’s announcement of £800 million to tackle youth unemployment risks missing the point entirely if the businesses that create jobs are being priced out of existence. You cannot subsidise people into...more
CMAT extends long-term global deal with AWAL
BRIT Award-nominated and 2x Mercury Prize-shortlisted Irish superstar CMAT has signed another long-term deal with label partner AWAL. After the widely successful release of her album EURO-COUNTRY, which debuted #1 on the Irish charts (her third #1 Irish album with...more
AIF statement on new inquiry into UK live music industry competition and market functioning
A statement from the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) CEO John Rostron regarding the newly announced Business And Trade Committee inquiry into issues impacting competition and market functioning within the UK's live music industry. "AIF welcomes the newly announced Business And Trade Committee inquiry into...more
BBC Introducing launches in America
BBC Introducing in America will launch in Tennessee on Friday 5 December with a new show airing on the first Friday of every month. The new programme will see BBC Introducing join forces with college radio shows, piloting in Tennessee, to...more
Reservoir announces publishing deal with female-led disco-soul band Say She She
Reservoir Media, Inc. (NASDAQ: RSVR), an award-winning independent music company, today announced a global publishing deal with Nya Gazelle Brown, Sabrina Cunningham, and Piya Malik, who together comprise Brooklyn-based band Say She She. The deal includes each member of the band’s...more
Distiller Music Publishing and Alternative Songs announce joint venture co-signing of Poppy Baskcomb to worldwide publishing deal
Distiller Music Publishing and Alternative Songs today announce a joint venture co-signing of acclaimed songwriter and artist Poppy Baskcomb to a worldwide publishing agreement. The news arrives as singer-songwriter Poppy Baskcomb celebrates her debut UK Top 40 singles chart hit...more
Sony Music Publishing Signs Global Deal with Rising Star Sienna Spiro
Sony Music Publishing today announced the signing of breakthrough singer-songwriter Sienna Spiro to a global publishing agreement. With a timeless sound, captivating vocals and a gift for cinematic storytelling, Sienna has already made a remarkable impact across the music scene. At...more
Brogeal & Eve Goodman revealed as Scottish & Welsh Ambassadors for the 2026 edition of Independent Venue Week
Falkirk five-piece Brògeal and rising folk singer Eve Goodman will join Nova Twins as artist ambassadors for the 2026 edition of Independent Venue Week. The much-loved nationwide event returns on Monday 26th January, with hundreds of authentic, independently-owned venues around the...more
From Tickets to Takeoff: Gig-Tripping Made Seamless with viagogo and Booking.com
viagogo, the leading global secondary ticketing marketplace, today announced a new partnership with Booking.com, one of the world’s largest travel platforms, to make event-going even more seamless. Through the industry-first partnership, fans purchasing tickets on viagogo can now easily add...more
The Great Escape conference announces collaborators and themes for 20th anniversary edition in 2026
The Great Escape's UK-leading conference is pleased to announce its brand new line-up of industry collaborators and the themes they will delve into at its 20th anniversary edition - from the live industry to artist careers and the next generation...more
Nominees revealed for 2026 BRITs Critics' Choice
SUPPORTED BY BBC RADIO 1 JACOB ALONROSE GRAYSIENNA SPIRO SHORTLIST CONTINUES TO ACT AS A BAROMETER FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF BRITISH TALENTWINNER ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY THE BRIT AWARDS 2026 WITH MASTERCARDSATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2026 AT CO-OP LIVE, MANCHESTER ON ITV The BRIT Awards 2026...more
Scheme supporting BRIT and Mercury Prize-winning artists begins new funding round
£1.6 million Music Export Growth Scheme to support UK artists to go global opens up to applications Funding criteria strengthened and due diligence process beefed up to build on scheme's massive success Scheme has led to an estimated £73.5 million return to...more
Ivors Week returns for 2026 as The Ivors opens for entries and the Academy launches its second Summit
The sixth annual Ivors Week returns to celebrate and empower songwriters with industry events led by The Ivors Academy. The Ivors Academy Summit confirmed for 19 May at BFI IMAX, with exclusive early tickets now on sale. The Ivors with Amazon Music,...more
whynow Music Unveils Exclusive Mick Jagger & Kinks Christmas Merchandise Campaigns
Mick Jagger photographed by Denis O’Regan at Slane Castle, Ireland, just before going on stage – one of the limited-edition fine art Giclée prints available in this newly announced collection whynow Music has announced the launch of an exclusive range of...more
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life unveils 'A Sonic Adventure in Nepal 2026'
Following Sold-Out London Premiere of 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough', a documentary of a previous Kilimanjaro expedition, led by electronic artist Nightmares On Wax Sign-up:https://www.thetribeexperience.world/nepal-2026 Dates: 16th - 29th November A global wave of female DJ submissions continues to surge as the charity...more
Twist Digital Entertainment Services Teams Up with Tuned Global to Supercharge Twist Music in MENA
Partnership to support Twist’s expansion into the UAE and Saudi Arabia Twist, a fast-growing digital entertainment platform in MENA, has renewed its partnership with Tuned Global, the leading B2B music technology platform, for another three years. This collaboration powers the next...more
Merlin and Singa Ink Partnership to Bring Thousands of Original Recordings to Karaoke
Merlin, the digital music licensing partner for the world’s leading independent labels and distributors, has partnered with Singa, the leading karaoke technology company, to make thousands of original master recordings available on the platform. This historic deal marks a major leap...more
The club is alive, as JLS joins The O2’s coveted 21 Club
The O2, the world’s most popular live entertainment arena, came alive with the sound of music over the weekend, as JLS returned to the venue for two incredible headline shows as part of their ‘The Club Is Alive: 2025 Hits...more
ESNS festival line-up complete for 40th Edition
ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) announces the final 41 artists from all over Europe that will be playing at Eurosonic and Noorderslag. The music showcase festival celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, taking place from January 14 to 17 in Groningen. The...more
Stars join forces with creative and cultural organisations from across UK and Europe to remove barriers to touring and drive growth
Stars have joined forces with creative and cultural organisations from across the UK and Europe to remove barriers to touring, support cultural exchange and drive growth. They unveiled a major new alliance today called the Cultural Exchange Coalition (CEC). Its members...more
Wise Music Group strikes deal with GoGo Penguin
The Manchester-based trio GoGo Penguin have signed an exclusive publishing deal with Campbell Connelly & Co, part of Wise Music Group. Their music blends breakbeats, minimalist piano, strong basslines, electronica-inspired drums, and anthemic riffs, with influences from trip-hop, jazz, rock,...more
Songtools announces strategic partnership and platform integration with ONErpm’s OFFstep
SongTools, the fast-growing platform empowering music creators with one-click marketing and ad tech solutions, is proud to announce a strategic partnership and full platform integration with OFFstep, ONErpm’s proprietary artist and label platform. Through this partnership, the SongTools integration has been...more
YouTube wraps its 20th anniversary year with a new feature announcement & 2025 trends
YouTube to Unveil Annual Trending Lists & Launch New Personalised 'YouTube Recap' Feature YouTube is announcing two major end-of-year moments to close out its 20th anniversary year. YouTube Recap is the first-ever personalised feature, which launches on Wednesday 3rd December alongside...more
Apple Music Replay ‘25: A More Personal Look at Your Year in Music
Apple Music and Shazam Also Reveal Their Year-End Charts Apple Music today released the highly anticipated Replay '25 experience, bringing listeners an even more personalised and insightful journey through their year in music. With new and deeper discovery insights, Replay '25...more
IFPI convenes cross industry panel at UN Copyright Agency to examine the future of music licensing with AI
With AI licensing agreements accelerating and reshaping the music industry's relationship with generative AI, IFPI is bringing experts spanning music, AI and economics together to discuss AI training and music rights: with a focus on the report on copyright and...more
Independent music labels return a third of revenue to artists, reveals new report from ORCA
Global think tank and advocacy group, the Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts (ORCA), has released a first-of-its-kind report analysing the economic investments and social impact of nine leading independent record labels. Analysis shows these labels invested $134 million in artists...more
THE HEADLINES
UK parliamentarians join call to regulate most powerful AI systems (see News)
Martin Mills is trying to thwart a record industry takeover by Universal (see Features)
IMPF says members should reject AI deals that do not value songs properly (see News)
Which songs do we replay the most? (see Analysis)
Spotify Wrapped 2025 goes live (see Digital)
Daddy Yankee files lawsuit against former manager and third parties for alleged royalty scheme (see News)
EU touring: Impact of Brexit worsening, says UK Music report (see Reports)
ORCA released a report analysing the economic investments and social impact of nine leading independent record labels (see Reports)
Jorja Smith’s label requests share of royalties from ‘AI-cloned’ song (see News)
A creative nation is a thriving nation (see Opinion)
Australian report also highlights how other non-US English-speaking countries are hit by algorithms (see Reports)
AI slop: Spotify, Tunecore, and credibility (see Comment)
Warner Music signs deal with Suno, settles lawsuit (see News)
EC sends UMG its statement of objections to Downtown acquisition (see News)