In partnership with Apple Music we have created a series of Playlists so you can listen to our archive of Ivor Novello Award winning songs, film, and television scores.
Each Apple Music Playlist is focused on an award category, charting those works deemed excellent in terms of compositional or songwriting craft by fellow music creators. You can explore the most performed song of the year since 1956 (as calculated by PRS for Music), take an audio journey through the craft of songwriting as we chart the Best Songs Musically and Lyrically, and discover some exceptional film and television scores composed by British or Irish composers.
BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG
The Academy introduced this category in 1984, and each year it is judged by a different panel of Academy invited music creators.
Specifically acknowledging songs written by British and Irish songwriters, the award for Best Contemporary Song celebrates originality in songwriting, with particular focus on songs that captured the moment or pushed musical boundaries when they were released.
BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE
This award recognises exceptional original music for motion pictures, composed by British or Irish composers. It was first bestowed on the late British composer Philip Green for his score to the 1956 comedy drama The March Hare. It has since acknowledged iconic score to films such as The Piano, Gandhi, and Atonement, through to lesser known treasures. All are equally deemed as masterpieces in the eyes of our judges, who are a panel of Academy invited screen composers.
This Playlist includes those winning scores currently available on Apple Music.
BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY
The Academy has presented an Ivor Novello Award for the Best Song Musically and Lyrically since 1956, and each year the category is judged by a different panel of Academy invited music creators.
Specifically acknowledging songs written by British and Irish songwriters, the award celebrates craft with focus on melody, lyrics, harmony, and structure.
BEST TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK
This award, for outstanding original composition for a televised broadcast, acknowledges music that was deemed by our judges to enhance the programme’s visual content and narrative.
It specifically recognises music written by British or Irish composers, and past winners have included Sir John Dankworth, George Fenton, Richard Rodney Bennett and Martin Phipps.
This Playlist includes those winning soundtracks currently available on Apple Music.
MOST PERFORMED SONG
At the very first Ivor Novello Awards in 1956 an award was presented to the Best Selling and Most Performed Song of the Year by British or Irish songwriters. From 1961 Best-selling and most performed songs were acknowledged by different categories. This Playlist charts the Most Performed Works; songs that received the most performances, either live or broadcast, during each year according to data at PRS for Music.