Sam Fender, Lily Allen and CMAT among Ivor Novello songwriting award winners

Sam Fender, CMAT and Lily Allen were among the big winners at this year's Ivor Novello Awards - as George Michael was also remembered and celebrated with one of songwriting's highest honours.

Lola Young, Rosalia, Kano, Calvin Harris, Thom Yorke and Linda Perry were also among the 2026 winners.

Following the huge success of her 2025 comeback West End Girl, Allen was awarded the outstanding song collection prize for "one of the most distinctive and impressive catalogues in British music across the last two decades".

Irish singer-songwriter CMAT's Euro-Country was named best album, earning the star her first Ivor Novello trophy.

Judges praised the record's "honesty, originality, and particularly highlighted its ability to balance personal songwriting alongside political and cultural themes".

Fresh from winning last year's Mercury Prize, Fender, described as "one of the UK's most important songwriters", was named songwriter of the year.

Scottish folk singer-songwriter Jacob Alon, whose debut album In Limerence was also shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, built on that success with two Ivors - the rising star award, and the prize for best song musically and lyrically, for Don't Fall Asleep.

Elsewhere, Young's mega hit Messy won the PRS for Music most performed work award, which celebrates songs that received the most broadcast, online and general performances in the last year, and Kae Tempest and Fraser T Smith picked up the prize for best contemporary song, for I Stand On The Line.

"I've received so much from songs, and to be able to contribute to an art form that I've received so much from - it's my life's greatest joy," Tempest told Sky News ahead of the ceremony. "It feeds so much of my creative appetite. I work in lots of different forms, but this particular form is my first love."

A poignant moment in the show came when George Michael was inducted into the fellowship of The Ivors Academy, nine years after his death, following in the footsteps of artists including Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Bruce Springsteen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The award was accepted on his behalf by his former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley and lifelong friend Chris Organ.

Michael, the creative force behind classics such as Careless Whisper, Faith, and Freedom!, remains the only solo songwriter to have won the Ivors' songwriter of the year prize three times.

Widely regarded as one of Britain's most influential songwriters, the fellowship celebrates his "excellence and impact in the art and craft of music creation, and his enduring influence worldwide", the Academy said.

Thom Yorke, described as "one of the defining songwriters of his generation", was also inducted into the fellowship, honoured for his "extraordinary craft in music creation with Radiohead and across his solo career".

It was also announced that Elton John will become the Ivors' first ever president. The legendary singer-songwriter received an Ivors Academy honour, in recognition of his work championing other songwriters and composers.

Here is the full list of winners.

BEST ALBUM
Euro-Country - written and performed by CMAT

BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG
I Stand On The Line - written by Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest, performed by Kae Tempest

BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY
Don't Fall Asleep - written and performed by Jacob Alon

PRS FOR MUSIC MOST PERFORMED WORK
Messy - written and performed by Lola Young

RISING STAR
Jacob Alon

BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE
Testimony - composed by Tom Hodge

BEST TV SOUNDTRACK
Trespasses - composed by David Holmes and Brian Irvine

VISIONARY AWARD
Kano

OUTSTANDING SONG COLLECTION
Lily Allen

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Sam Fender

ICON AWARD
Calvin Harris

IVORS FELLOWSHIP
George Michael

INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Rosalia

SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Linda Perry

(c) Sky News 2026: Sam Fender, Lily Allen and CMAT among Ivor Novello songwriting award winners