The Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically is one of the awards presented annually by the Ivors Academy at the Ivor Novello Awards to recognize the best in songwriting and composing talents from the United Kingdom and Ireland. The award was first presented in 1968, with John Lennon and Paul McCartney being the first recipients for the song "She's Leaving Home", performed by The Beatles. The award goes to the writers of the song, not the performers unless they share songwriting credits.
Recipients 1960s 19681969
+List of award nominees and winners for the 1960s Year Songwriter(s) Song Performing artist(s) Result Ref. 1968 John Lennon, Paul McCartney "She's Leaving Home" The Beatles Tony Hatch, Jackie Trent "Don't Sleep in the Subway" Petula Clark 1969 colspan="4"
1970s 1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
+List of award nominees and winners for the 1970s Year Songwriter(s) Song Performing artist(s) Result Ref. 1970 Peter Sarstedt "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" Peter Sarstedt 1971 George Harrison "Something" The Beatles 1972 Hurricane Smith "Don't Let It Die" Hurricane Smith 1973 Tom Evans and Peter Ham '"Without You" Badfinger 1974 Elton John and Bernie Taupin '"Daniel" Elton John 1975 Ralph McTell "Streets of London" Ralph McTell 1976 colspan="4" 1977 colspan="4" 1978 Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" Julie Covington Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb "How Deep Is Your Love" Bee Gees John Farrar, Hank Marvin, Don Black"Sam" Olivia Newton-John 1979 Gerry Rafferty "Baker Street" Gerry Rafferty Chris Arnold, David Martin, Geoff Morrow "Can't Smile Without You" The Carpenters Kate Bush "Wuthering Heights" Kate Bush
1980s 1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
+List of award nominees and winners for the 1980s Year Songwriter(s) Song Performing artist(s) Result Ref. 1980 Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson "The Logical Song" Supertramp Mike Batt "Bright Eyes" Art Garfunkel Alan Tarney "We Don't Talk Anymore" Cliff Richard 1981 Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb "Woman in Love" Barbra Streisand Kate Bush "Babooshka" Kate Bush Ken Leray "Together We Are Beautiful" Fern Kinney Tony Macaulay, Don Black "Your Ears Should Be Burning Now" Marti Webb 1982 Andrew Lloyd Webber, T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn "Memory" Elaine Paige Andy Hill, Pete Sinfield "The Land of Make Believe" Bucks Fizz John Lennon "Woman" John Lennon 1983 Andy Hill, Pete Sinfield, John Danter "Have You Ever Been in Love" Leo Sayer Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb "Heartbreaker" Dionne Warwick Andy Hill, Nichola Martin "Now Those Days Are Gone" Bucks Fizz 1984 Sting "Every Breath You Take" The Police Paul McCartney "Pipes of Peace" Paul McCartney Gary Kemp "True" Spandau Ballet 1985 Phil Collins "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" Phil Collins George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley "Careless Whisper" George Michael Jim Diamond, Graham Lyle "I Should Have Known Better" Jim Diamond 1986 Elton John, Bernie Taupin "Nikita" Elton John Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, Chris Hughes "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Tears for Fears Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson "I Know Him So Well" Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson Mick Jones "I Want to Know What Love Is" Foreigner 1987 Peter Gabriel "Don't Give Up" Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush Charles Hart, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Richard Stilgoe "All I Ask of You" Cliff Richard and Sarah Brightman Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart "The Miracle of Love" Eurythmics 1988 Labi Siffre "(Something Inside) So Strong" Labi Siffre Simon Climie, Dennis Morgan "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" Aretha Franklin and George Michael Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Michael Rutherford "Throwing It All Away" Genesis 1989 Sting "They Dance Alone" Sting Gary Clark "Mary's Prayer" Danny Wilson Mark Nevin "Perfect" Fairground Attraction
1990s 1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
+List of award nominees and winners for the 1990s Year Songwriter(s) Song Performing artist(s) Result Ref. 1990 B.A. Robertson and Mike Rutherford "The Living Years" Mike + The Mechanics Phil Collins "Another Day in Paradise" Phil Collins Marcus Vere, Richard Darbyshire, Albert Hammond "Room in Your Heart" Living in a Box 1991 Elton John, Bernie Taupin "Sacrifice" Elton John Justin Currie "Nothing Ever Happens" Del Amitri Paddy McAloon "We Let the Stars Go" Prefab Sprout 1992 Mike Scott "The Whole of the Moon" The Waterboys Mick Hucknall "Stars" Simply Red Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon "The Show Must Go On" Queen 1993 Annie Lennox "Why" Annie Lennox Eric Clapton, Will Jennings "Tears in Heaven" Eric Clapton Andy Partridge "The Disappointed" XTC 1994 Sting "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" Sting Steve Duberry, Billy Lawrie, Lulu "I Don't Wanna Fight" Tina Turner Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Warren Cuccurullo "Ordinary World" Duran Duran 1995 Andy Hill, Peter Sinfield "Think Twice" Celine Dion Mark Nevin, Kirsty McColl "Dear John" Eddi Reader Boo Hewerdine "Patience of Angels" Eddi Reader 1996 Jarvis Cocker, Nick Banks, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey, Russell Senior "Common People" Pulp Gary Barlow "Back for Good" Take That David Freeman, Joseph Hughes "No More "I Love You's"" Annie Lennox 1997 Brian May, Frank Musker, Elizabeth Lamers "Too Much Love Will Kill You" Brian May Terence Martin, Karen Poole, Michelle Poole "I Am, I Feel" Alisha's Attic Thomas Scott, Andrew Parle, James Edwards, Franny Griffiths "Neighbourhood" Space 1998 Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Phil Selway, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien "Paranoid Android" Radiohead Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers "Angels" Robbie Williams Tjinder Singh "Brimful of Asha" Cornershop 1999 Brian Higgins, Steve Torch, Paul Barry, Stuart McLennan, Tim Powell, Matt Gray "Believe" Cher Tracy Ackerman, Ray Hedges, Martin Brannigan, Edele Lynch, Keavy Lynch, Lindsay Armaou, Sinead O'Carroll "C'est la Vie" B*Witched Jarvis Cocker, Nick Banks, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey, Mark Webber "A Little Soul" Pulp
2000s 2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
+List of award nominees and winners for the 2000s Year Songwriter(s) Song Performing artist(s) Result Ref. 2000 Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers "Strong" Robbie Williams Pam Sheyne, David Frank, Steve Kipner "Genie in a Bottle" Christina Aguilera Mutt Lange, Shania Twain "You're Still the One" Shania Twain 2001 David Gray "Babylon" David Gray Cathy Dennis, Simon Ellis "Never Had a Dream Come True" S Club 7 Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin "Trouble" Coldplay 2002 Adam Clayton, The Edge, Bono, Larry Mullen Jr. "Walk On" U2 David Gray "Sail Away" David Gray Fran Healy "Side" Travis 2003 David Gray "The Other Side" David Gray Noel Gallagher "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" Oasis Matthew Hales, Kim Oliver "Strange & Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)" Aqualung 2004 Francis Eg White "Leave Right Now" Will Young Stuart Murdoch, Stephen Jackson, Christopher Geddes, Richard Colburn, Michael Cooke, Sarah Martin, Robert Kildea "Step into My Office, Baby" Belle and Sebastian Dido Armstrong, Rollo Armstrong, Richard Nowels "White Flag" Dido 2005 Mike Skinner "Dry Your Eyes" The Streets Tom Chaplin, Richard Hughes, Tim Rice-Oxley "Everybody's Changing" Keane Stephen Kipner, Andrew Frampton, Natasha Bedingfield, Wayne Wilkins "These Words" Natasha Bedingfield 2006 KT Tunstall "Suddenly I See" KT Tunstall Guy Berryman, Jonathan Buckland, William Champion, Chris Martin "Fix You" Coldplay Alex Turner "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" Arctic Monkeys 2007 Scott Matthews "Elusive" Scott Matthews Nerina Pallot "Sophia" Nerina Pallot Alex Turner "When the Sun Goes Down" Arctic Monkeys 2008 Amy Winehouse "Love Is a Losing Game" Amy Winehouse Rosi Golan, Jamie Hartman "Let Me Out" Ben's Brother Amy Winehouse "You Know I'm No Good" Amy Winehouse 2009 Guy Garvey, Richard Jupp, Craig Potter, Mark Potter, Peter Turner "One Day Like This" Elbow Miles Kane, Alex Turner "My Mistakes Were Made for You" The Last Shadow Puppets Nicholas Hemming "The Last of the Melting Snow" The Leisure Society
2010s 2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
+List of award nominees and winners for the 2010s Year Songwriter(s) Song Performing artist(s) Result Ref. 2010 Lily Allen, Greg Kurstin "The Fear" Lily Allen Nick Hemming "Save It for Someone Who Cares" The Leisure Society Ed Adlard, Will Adlard, Ali Digby, George Eddy "The Last Bus" Patch William 2011 Conor O'Brien "Becoming a Jackal" Villagers Jonathan Higgs, Jeremy Pritchard, Alexander Robertshaw, Michael Spearman "My Kz, Ur Bf" Everything Everything Jack Bevan, Edwin Congreave, Walter Gervers, Yannis Philippakis, James Smith "Spanish Sahara" Foals 2012 Ed Sheeran "The A Team" Ed Sheeran Adele, Paul Epworth "Rolling in the Deep" Adele Paul Epworth, Kid Harpoon, Florence Welch "Shake It Out" Florence + the Machine 2013 Hugo Chegwin, Harry Craze, Anup Paul, Emeli Sandé "Next to Me" Emeli Sandé Natasha Khan, Justin Parker "Laura" Bat for Lashes Iain Archer, Jake Bugg "Two Fingers" Jake Bugg 2014 Dominic Major, Hannah Reid, Daniel Rothman "Strong" London Grammar Will Doyle, Sam Fryer, Chilli Jesson, Pete Mayhew "Best of Friends" Palma Violets John Newman, Steve Booker "Love Me Again" John Newman 2015 Andrew Hozier-Byrne "Take Me to Church" Hozier Andrew Davie "Above the Clouds of Pompeii" Bear's Den Ben Howard "I Forget Where We Were" Ben Howard 2016 Jamie Lawson "Wasn't Expecting That" Jamie Lawson Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden, Amir Izadkhah, Gary Lightbody, Johnny McDaid, Leon Rolle, Ed Sheeran "Bloodstream" Ed Sheeran Ellie Rowsell "Bros" Wolf Alice 2017 Dean 'Inflo' Joisah Cover, Michael Kiwanuka "Black Man in a White World" Michael Kiwanuka Laura Mvula, Nile Rodgers "Overcome" Laura Mvula Blaine Harrison, Henry Harrison "Telomere" Mystery Jets 2018 Guy Garvey, Craig Potter, Mark Potter, Pete Turner "Magnificent (She Says)" Elbow Jonathan Higgs, Jeremy Pritchard, Alex Robertshaw, Michael Spearman "Can't Do" Everything Everything Sampha "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano" Sampha 2019 Ben Howard "Nica Libres at Dusk" Ben Howard Alex Turner "Four Out of Five" Arctic Monkeys Andrew Hozier-Byrne "Nina Cried Power" Hozier
2020s 2020202120222023202420252026