The Ivors Academy has announced the 36 composers and librettists nominated for an Ivor Novello Award across nine categories. The winners will be revealed at The Ivors Composer Awards, sponsored by PRS for Music and in association with BBC Radio 3, on 17 November at Grosvenor House on Park Lane, London.

The nominees include Hania Rani, Patrick Jonsson and Siôn Trefor, who have each received two nominations and are all nominated for the first time. Other first-time nominees include Ailís Ní Ríain, Anselm McDonnell, Deirdre McKay, Ioana Șelaru, Pav Gekko, Richard Collins, Ruth Morley, Sam Slater, Samuel D Loveless, Sasha Scott, Thomas Farnon and librettist Lee Hall.

The new, elevated ceremony will celebrate the breadth of composition and its contribution to contemporary culture, recognising composers working across genres and disciplines, from film, television and video games to concert halls, community engagement and live performance.

A new category recognising original documentary scores has been introduced for the first time this year, bringing the number of nominated categories to nine.

Alongside the nine nominated categories, four Gift of the Academy special awards will be presented, including the Ivor Novello Award for Innovation to Max Richter. The Academy will also induct a composer into Fellowship, the highest honour it bestows.

The Ivors Composer Awards will be hosted by broadcaster Petroc Trelawny, with BBC Radio 3 as broadcast partner. Highlights from The Ivors Composer Awards ceremony will be broadcast across BBC Radio 3’s schedule, in programmes such as New Music Show (21/11/2026), Sound of Cinema (21/11/2026) as well as on Breakfast and In Tune.

The nominated works were composed by British, Irish and UK resident composers and heard by UK audiences for the first time. Judged by composers from across The Ivors Academy’s membership, an Ivor Novello Award represents peer recognition at the highest level.

Lord Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “It’s a pleasure to announce the nominees for The Ivors Composer Awards 2026, our new ceremony celebrating excellence in composition. They represent some of the most exciting and innovative British and Irish composers. Their creativity makes an extraordinary contribution to our culture and creative industries, and these nominations recognise the skill, originality and impact of their work.”

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “An outstanding composition changes everything. Across games, films, programmes, festivals and concerts, music enriches our understanding, evokes emotional subtleties and opens new ways of experiencing the world. This year’s nominees demonstrate that power in abundance. Congratulations to them all.”

Julian Nott, Chair of the PRS Members’ Council, said: “I’d like to offer my congratulations to all the extraordinary composers whose work has been nominated. 33 PRS members are among those nominees, spanning classical and choral music composers to creators working in film, television, games, performance and community composition. Their talent, originality and ambition deserve the highest recognition. We’re proud to champion and celebrate their achievements and the joy their music brings to audiences everywhere.”

Sam Jackson, Controller, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, said: “We are delighted to continue BBC Radio 3’s broadcast partnership with The Ivors Composer Awards, which shine a spotlight on the extraordinary creativity and craft of composers working across so many different fields today. This year’s nominations showcase the remarkable breadth of contemporary music-making, from concert works to music created for television, film, video games, and vital works at the heart of education and community projects. As the UK’s largest commissioner of new music, the BBC is proud to champion the artists whose work enriches our cultural life. We look forward to sharing highlights from the awards with our listeners across Radio 3’s schedules, in programmes such as The New Music Show, Sound of Cinema, Breakfast and In Tune. Congratulations to all this year’s nominees.”

The nominated works represent the scale, variety and innovation of music composition across genres and disciplines while also recognising the importance of commissioners and developers. Across the screen categories, video game developers IO Interactive, Housemarque and Infuse Studio and screen companies including Netflix, BBC, Sky Studios, ITV Studios, Amazon MGM Studios, Film4 and S4C all commissioned original scores which contributed to the storytelling of their productions. Across the live performance categories, commissioners range from festivals including Three Choirs Festival, Boyne Music Festival and New Music Biennial, to venues such as the Royal Opera House and Barbican Centre, through to ensembles including Aurora Orchestra, Leeds Guild of Singers, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, Ulster Orchestra and more.

Best Community and Participation Composition with ABRSM celebrates original music created for voluntary, amateur or youth performers. Nominations this year go to Samuel D Loveless for his multi-format neurodivergent-focussed work Benches, Ailís Ní Ríain for her brass band piece Holocene, and Brian Irvine for How We Stand, How We Breathe, a collaboration with a diverse range of individuals and groups across Northern Ireland.

Best Large-Scale Composition is open to works written for 13 or more performers. Nominees include Anna Thorvaldsdottir for her cello concerto Before We Fall, Robert Laidlow for his tone poem for orchestra Exoplanets, Hania Rani for her piano concerto Non Fiction, Laura Bowler for The White Book – a work inspired by Han Kang’s book of the same name – and Cassie Kinoshi’s [UNTITLED] for ensemble and solo turntables.

The brand-new Best Original Documentary Score category aims to recognise the creative contribution original music can have to the telling and impact of real stories. The nominees for this inaugural award are Richard Collins and Patrick Jonsson for their score for A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough, Thomas Farnon for David Frost Vs…, Benjamin Kwasi Burrell for Grenfell: Uncovered, Jessica Dannheisser for The Last Musician of Auschwitz and Hannah Peel for Underland.

Best Original Film Score and Best Original Television Score are categories historically celebrated at The Ivors, which have been moved to join the rest of the composition categories at The Ivors Composer Awards for the first time. First-time nominees Ioana Șelaru and Siôn Trefor are nominated in the Film category for their soundtrack to Welsh drama film Effi O Blaenau, combining acoustic instruments, synthesisers and vocals to create an atmospheric sound world. Former Ivor Novello Award winners Daniel Pemberton and Oliver Coates are also nominated in this category for their scores to Project Hail Mary and The History of Sound respectively. In the Television category Carly Paradis is recognised for her soundtrack to ITVX true crime series Believe Me, alongside Siôn Trefor for the Netflix thriller Legends and Patrick Jonsson for BBC comedy-drama series Mint.

The Best Original Video Game Score category recognises the specialist skills required for games soundtracks where music must remain coherent and emotionally compelling even as the experience changes in response to play. This year’s nominated scores demonstrate distinctive creative voices and accomplished musical craft, deepening narrative, heightening emotion and responding effectively to interactive worlds. The Flight (Alexis Smith and Joe Henson) are nominated for 007 First Light, Sam Slater is nominated for Saros and Pav Gekko is nominated for Spirit of the North 2.

Best Small-Scale Composition is open to solo or ensembles of fewer than 13 performers. Five composers have been nominated for this category, including Ben Nobuto for Hope Spiral, Sasha Scott for Night Owl, Ruth Morley for Reef, Alex Paxton for Scrunchy Touch Sweetly To Fall (Kite and Finger Run) and Hania Rani for Shining.

The Best Vocal and Choral Composition category features five nominees. Anselm McDonnell is nominated for his work A Taste of Trapped Sun, written for the BBC Singers reflecting on the 2016 signing of the Paris Agreement, and Stephen McNeff’s Ballads of a Bogman – a song cycle for tenor and piano with poems by Sigerson Clifford – is also nominated. Other nominees in this category include Richard Blackford for The Black Lake, Martin Suckling for Songs of Sleep and Prophecy, and Deirdre McKay for Litany to the Magdalene Dead, a song commemorating the women who died in Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries.

Best Original Score for Performance recognises music written for live performance and the distinctive creative contribution it makes in that setting. There are three nominees for this category, including Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Lee Hall for their contemporary three-act opera Festen, Richard Ayres for his theatrical journey into the inner workings of an orchestra No. 59 (Dr Frompou’s Anatomical Study of an Orchestra), and Bushra El-Turk’s music theatre work Oum – A Son’s Quest for his Mother.

The Ivors Composer Awards are held in London on 17 November, where winners will receive an iconic Ivor Novello Award statuette and join a roll call of the most accomplished composers including George Benjamin, Judith Weir, James MacMillan, Errollyn Wallen, Stephen Sondheim, Anne Dudley, John Barry, Debbie Wiseman, Julian Joseph, John Dankworth, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Anoushka Shankar, Brian Eno, Gavin Bryars and many more.

The new ceremony will be part of The Ivors Composer Week, taking place 16-20 November, to broaden the celebration and empowerment of composers further. The first speakers have been announced for The Ivors Academy Composer Summit, taking place on 18 November, with acclaimed composers and leading music industry experts joining the line-up.

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Complete the per diems survey

Following eight years of campaigning led by The Ivors Academy Chair Tom Gray, the Academy secured a landmark commitment from major UK record labels to introduce per diems for songwriters attending their writing sessions. These daily expense payments, alongside pre-agreed travel and accommodation costs, were introduced to ensure songwriters are not expected to attend sessions without financial support.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is now gathering evidence to assess how effectively these payments are working and whether further action is needed to improve songwriter remuneration.

The Academy is calling on all songwriters to take part, whether they have successfully claimed a per diem, applied unsuccessfully or never applied at all. Understanding why songwriters have not claimed is just as important as hearing from those who have received per diems.

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “Many of you joined me, fighting for eight years until I secured these dignity payments from the UK’s major record labels, so writers wouldn’t be expected to work for free in their sessions.

We won that fight, but we cannot be complacent. We now need evidence to demonstrate to Government why these payments matter and why they must be protected.

Whether you’ve received a per diem, applied unsuccessfully or never applied at all, your experience matters. All songwriters deserve to be paid for their work.”

The introduction of songwriter per diems followed the 2021 parliamentary inquiry into the economics of music streaming and subsequent discussions through the Creator Remuneration Working Group.

The group’s work led to five industry principles intended to improve creator remuneration, including a commitment to songwriter per diems.

The Government is now assessing the impact of these measures. Survey responses will help establish whether per diems are reaching songwriters, identify barriers to claiming and inform decisions about whether further intervention is needed.

The survey asks songwriters about their experiences of writing sessions arranged by major UK record labels, including whether they received payment for their time. Responses will be anonymised.

All songwriters are encouraged to take part, regardless of whether they have claimed a per diem.

For more information about per diems and how to claim, visit our per diems guidance.

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Held during Ivors Composer Week, the Summit brings together leading composers and music industry experts for a day of practical knowledge, creative inspiration and meaningful connections for composers working across all genres and disciplines.

The first speakers include acclaimed composers David Arnold, Morgan Kibby, Debbie Wiseman, Nainita Desai, Emily Howard, Sheridan Tongue and Orphy Robinson, alongside founder and CEO of Fairly Trained Ed Newton-Rex, Controller of BBC Radio 3 and the BBC Proms Sam Jackson and music supervisor Catherine Grieves.

The packed programme will explore career breakthroughs, finding commissions, building industry connections, protecting rights and retaining ownership of music. Sessions will also examine working with music supervisors, creative partnerships, AI licensing, royalties and making a sustainable living from composition.

A special BMI Fireside Chat will bring together David Arnold and Morgan Kibby, while other sessions will explore the creative partnership behind Apple TV+’s Slow Horses and new opportunities for composers across screen, games, concert halls and performance.

Explore the programme and speakers

Book your ticket

First speakers announced

Lorna Aizlewood
David Arnold
Aisling Brouwer
Pablo Clements
Nneka Cummins
Nainita Desai
Tom Gray
Catherine Grieves
James Griffith
Luke Hebblethwaite
Emily Howard
Tom Howe
Sam Jackson
Jessica Jones
Morgan Kibby
Dru Masters
Lord Neri
Ed Newton-Rex
Vanessa Reed
Orphy Robinson
Renell Shaw
Sheridan Tongue
Debbie Wiseman
Oliver Zeffman

Insights and practical guidance from the Summit will be made available to all members through The Ivors Academy’s Knowledge Toolkit after the event.

Tickets

Tickets are £57.50 + VAT for Core and Professional members, £79 + VAT for Discovery members, £99 + VAT for Friends of The Ivors Academy and £149 + VAT for industry executives.

Book your ticket

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With a catalogue amassing over four billion streams across the globe, Max Richter is one of the defining voices in contemporary classical music. Celebrated for his unique musical language blending classical tradition, minimalism, electronic music and sound design, Richter’s music has reimagined established repertoire whilst expanding the scope of contemporary composition.

Max Richter’s compositions transcend genres, reaching audiences via concert halls, recordings, on-stage and on-screen. On the concert stage, he has collaborated with leading soloists such as Anna Lapwood, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Gautier Capuçon. His recent film score for Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet (2025) received widespread critical acclaim, with previous screen soundtracks including Mary Queen of Scots (2018) and Ad Astra (2019). Richter’s wider creative partnerships span disciplines and generations, from landmark ballets with choreographer Wayne McGregor to scoring Dior runway shows for Kim Jones.

Richter will receive the Innovation Award in person at The Ivors Composer Awards sponsored by PRS for Music and in association with BBC Radio 3 at Grosvenor House on Park Lane, London.

Celebrating outstanding new compositions by British, Irish and UK resident composers, the Ivors Composer Awards champion composers and contemporary composition across all genres and disciplines, celebrating music that demonstrates exceptional craft, originality and impact with audiences. Each winner receives a prestigious Ivor Novello Award – one of the most respected honours in music creation and a globally recognised benchmark for creative excellence.

The Innovation Award is one of the special Gift of the Academy Awards which are presented each year, with previous recipients including Anoushka Shankar, Gavin Bryars, Matthew Herbert and Talvin Singh.

The news comes just days before the release of Richter’s new album, While The Flood Rages. The recording features music from Richter’s latest collaboration with Wayne McGregor, ‘MaddAddam’, inspired by Margaret Atwood’s eponymous trilogy. A project years in the making, the album explores themes of ecological crisis, technological acceleration and human connection. While The Flood Rages will be released on Decca Records on 16 October.

Lord Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “Max Richter has expanded what contemporary composition can be and who it can reach. His music combines extraordinary craft with a constant desire to innovate, connecting with audiences across concert halls, recordings, stage and screen. We’re proud to recognise Max with an Ivor Novello Award for Innovation.”

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “Max is a composer of unmistakable originality and influence. He has created a musical language that is entirely his own, while continually exploring new forms, sounds and ideas. From collaborations with Future Sound of London and Roni Size to ballet, opera, film and television, and landmark works including Sleep, The Blue Notebooks and the score for Hamnet, his work has undoubtedly changed contemporary composition.”

The Ivors Composer Awards are in London on 17 November and are hosted by radio presenter Petroc Trelawny, with BBC Radio 3 as broadcast partner. The ceremony will form part of The Ivors Composer Week (16 – 20 November), an inaugural series of events to broaden the celebration and empowerment of composers further. This includes a new annual event, The Ivors Academy Composer Summit (18 November) held at the Royal Institution, London.

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The Ivors Academy has announced a new multi-year agreement with longstanding partner PRS for Music, who will be title sponsor of The Ivors Composer Awards alongside its support of the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award. This new agreement signifies a shared commitment to celebrate composers and raise the profile and value of contemporary composition.

The Ivors Composer Awards 2026 will take place at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London, on 17 November, in a brand new ceremony. Nine Ivor Novello Award categories will celebrate composition across live performances, commercial recordings, community engagement, film, television and video games, in addition to five Gift of the Academy Awards, including the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award with PRS for Music. The nominated categories celebrate music composed by British, Irish or UK resident composers that was heard by UK audiences for the first time during various eligibility periods.

Lord Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy said: “PRS for Music is an important partner in delivering our commitment to protect, empower and celebrate composers at every stage of their careers and across every form of composition. Their support for The Ivors Composer Awards elevates the recognition of the extraordinary breadth of composing today and helps ensure composers receive the celebration and support they deserve.”

Daniel Lewis, Relationship Manager – Classical, PRS for Music, said: “The Ivors Composer Awards is a valuable public opportunity to recognise the craft of composition in all its forms: whether it’s a classical composer who challenges conventions of musical form, a video game composer who builds immersive worlds, or a screen composer who brings film and television programmes to life. Composers make an enormous contribution to the cultural life of the UK, and we are proud to champion them alongside The Ivors Academy.”

The Ivors Composer Awards will be part of The Ivors Composer Week, taking place from 16 to 20 November, which will broaden the celebration and empowerment of composers further.

The first Ivors Academy Composer Summit on 18 November, at the Royal Institution London, will provide a day of practical knowledge, creative inspiration and meaningful connections for composers working across all genres and disciplines.

The PRS for Music sponsorship has facilitated The Ivors Academy’s bursary scheme which supported composers facing financial barriers to enter their work for consideration without an administration fee. The bursary was open to all members of The Ivors Academy, including composers on the free Discovery tier. In 2026, 22% of entries were made using the bursary.

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The awards recognise the creators and executives setting higher standards across the sector, and whose advocacy, leadership and innovation are shaping a better future for songwriters and composers.

James Blake, celebrated singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, was honoured for his exceptional artistry and advocacy for songwriters and artists. Widely respected for his independent approach, Blake has become one of the clearest voices in debates around fairness, ownership and remuneration, bringing greater attention to how music is distributed and valued while ensuring creators are represented in the conversations shaping the industry. The Honour was presented by CEO of The Ivors Academy Lord Neri and Chair Tom Gray.

Emily Eavis, Glastonbury Festival organiser, was recognised for her impact on music and culture, and her commitment to championing emerging talent. Through the festival, she has created opportunities for songwriters across a variety of genres and backgrounds to connect with audiences on an extraordinary scale, consistently placing new and developing artists alongside globally-recognised acts. Eavis’ Honour was presented by Elbow frontman Guy Garvey.

CEO of IMRO, Ireland’s music rights collecting society, Victor Finn, received an Honour for his longstanding support of Irish songwriters and composers. Since taking the helm in 2008, he has strengthened creators’ rights, revenues and representation, while growing IMRO to more than 30,000 members. Finn also played a key role in The Ivors Academy’s launch in Ireland, its first formal presence outside the UK in more than 80 years. He retires from IMRO at the end of 2026 after almost two decades of leadership. Victor received the Honour from Paul Clements, CEO of the Music Publishers Association.

Broadcaster, DJ, curator and writer Annie Macmanus received an Honour for her role shaping music culture and bringing new music to wider audiences. Across 17 years at BBC Radio 1, she became one of the defining voices in music discovery, helping artists and producers reach new audiences and giving emerging talent a platform at crucial stages in their careers. Since leaving Radio 1 in 2021, she has continued that commitment through AMP (Annie Mac Presents), spanning live events, albums and programming. Macmanus received the Honour from her long-time co-host Nick Grimshaw.

CEO of Publishing, Believe, Chris Meehan, was honoured for nearly two decades spent making music publishing more accessible, transparent and fair for songwriters. Through the businesses he helped build, Meehan has widened access to publishing and royalty collection, helping songwriters better understand their rights, realise the value of their work and build sustainable careers. Peter McCamley, VP of Publishing at Believe Music Publishing presented the Honour.

MNEK was recognised for his contribution as a songwriter, producer and artist, alongside his advocacy for LGBTQIA+ songwriters and artists. A sought-after writer and producer whose work has contributed to the careers and music of artists around the world, MNEK has also created new opportunities for queer talent through annual songwriting camp Proud Sound. As a collaborator, mentor and advocate, MNEK has consistently used his experience and influence to champion emerging talent, build community and make space for others. MNEK’s frequent collaborator, Becky Hill, presented his Honour.

Stormzy received an Honour recognising his impact on British music and culture and his commitment to creating opportunities for others. His music has resonated with audiences around the world and he has used his success to support access to education, to invest in emerging talent, and to broaden pathways into industries and institutions that have not always reflected the diversity of modern Britain. Shani Gonzales, Managing Director of Warner Chappell Music UK and Head of International A&R presented the Honour on stage.

The seven recipients join Elton John, who received an Ivors Academy Honour at The 71^st Ivor Novello Awards in May 2026, in recognition of his outstanding work championing songwriters, composers and creativity across the industry. His Honour recognised his longstanding advocacy for creators’ rights, including his work around AI and the protection of human creativity. At the ceremony, The Ivors Academy also announced Elton John as its first-ever President.

19-year-old singer-songwriter, Mulaa Joans, performed her hit record, “Birthday Girl” as part of the evening’s celebrations. With over 70m streams and rapid social media growth, Joans has quickly captured attention with the depth of her storytelling and a voice that feels both timeless and of the moment.

Lord Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “Congratulations to all of our honourees. We are proud to honour your achievements and how you’re making a positive difference to music and its creators. From establishing inclusive spaces and opening up the world’s biggest stages, to championing new music, meeting ambition with opportunity and getting creators the money they’re due, each of you shows what can happen when we lift each other up.”

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “Tonight is a moment to appreciate the people putting in the hard graft to make music a better place – supporting songwriters and composers, tackling inequality and exclusion, championing diverse voices and making sure creators get a fair deal. These are people who show up, see what’s wrong and have the resolve to do something about it. They use their position to make things better for others. And that deserves to be recognised.”

The Ivors Academy Honours recognise creators and music industry figures who have gone beyond their own careers to make a lasting difference to songwriters and composers. They continue the legacy of the Academy’s Gold Badge Awards, first presented in 1974, which recognised individuals who made an outstanding contribution to the UK’s music industry.

Previous honourees include RAYE, Kae Tempest, Sir Richard Branson, Jon Platt, Kanya King and Carla Marie Williams.

The Ivors Academy Honours 2026 are supported by Believe Music Publishing, IMRO, MCPS, Meta, PPL, PRS for Music, SESAC Performing Rights, TikTok and YouTube Music.

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The Ivors Academy has secured support through the Music Growth Package from Arts Council England to develop practical career support for songwriters and composers.

Arts Council England is investing £837,750 through the Music Growth Package Sector Bodies Programme, supporting 11 sector organisations that help the UK music industry thrive. The awards recognise the role that sector bodies play in connecting, championing and supporting music creators and businesses.

A one-off fund for established music industry bodies, the MGP Sector Bodies Programme will boost UK music creators and independent businesses, investing in skills, artist support and global export opportunities. The funded work will help build skills, create more accessible routes into music careers, strengthen grassroots and regional infrastructure, develop commercial and export opportunities, and support more sustainable and resilient careers.

The Ivors Academy is developing practical support to help composers and songwriters have sustainable careers – from accessing networks and securing commissions to navigating funding and contracts. The programme will also provide bursaries to help creators attend industry opportunities and record new work, opening up future performances, commissions and income.

Lord Neri, Chief Executive, The Ivors Academy said, “We’re pleased to have secured Music Growth Package support through Arts Council England, recognising the importance of composers and songwriters, and the fundamental role they play at the heart of music.

“It means we can give creators more practical support at every stage of their careers – from building networks and securing commissions to navigating funding, contracts and recording new work.”

These are the first awards announced through the £45 million Music Growth Package, a three-year UK Government and Arts Council England investment programme to back artists, music creators, industry professionals and music businesses across the UK.

The Package expects to support more than 2,000 projects over three years, benefiting at least 40,000 artists and music professionals, and thousands of music fans across the UK and beyond.

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Announced at the Academy’s 2026 Annual General Meeting, the programme also includes support for Basic Income for the Arts, continued development of a Living Composer Trust, the Composer Summit and The Ivors Composer Awards in November.

It forms part of the Academy’s wider work to protect, empower and celebrate all songwriters and composers, as its global membership reaches 16,000 from 2,000 in May 2025.

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy: “The BBC agreement is a pushback against all those who say we can’t do better. Creator rights can and must be protected. The Ivors Academy is proving time and again, whether it’s this or in gaining per diems for songwriters, that a strong creator organisation can challenge, change minds and deliver for the creators that power our growing creative industry.”

The AGM also followed Chief Executive Roberto Neri officially becoming The Rt Hon. Lord Neri, following his appointment to the House of Lords.

New BBC commissioning guidelines

The BBC, BBC Studios Music Publishing, The Ivors Academy and Musicians’ Union have collectively agreed new commissioning guidelines for media composers, setting clear and fair standards for composers working with the BBC.

The guidelines allow for clear negotiations for new commissions which favour the publishing interest retained by composers, commitments to prioritise human creativity and respect creators’ rights in relation to generative AI, as well as action to widen access for underrepresented composers through comprehensive data collection. The guidelines set out a fair and transparent approach to the pitching process and contracting, as well as clear recognition of additional music writers.

The BBC will also share the guidelines with independent production companies making programmes for the BBC.

Read the BBC commissioning guidelines for media composers.

Lord Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy: “The BBC has a long history championing music. These guidelines show what we can achieve together to protect composers’ interests and ensure their contributions are properly valued. We call on commissioners across the industry to sign up to these standards and help create a future where composers are treated fairly.”

Dom Walker, Global Business Director, BBC Studios: “I am delighted that we are able to share these guidelines in the spirit of continued transparency and collaboration.”

Nicky Bignell, BBC Head of Music Rights: “We are proud to support standards that respect and value the creative work of composers, and we stand alongside The Ivors Academy and the Musicians’ Union to ensure the artistic contributions of their members are protected.”

Naomi Pohl, General Secretary of the MU: “The BBC is the biggest employer and engager of music makers in the UK. We are delighted to publish these guidelines which will help composers to better understand the commissioning process and ensure they are treated consistently. The Ivors Academy and MU are working together to protect composers’, songwriters’ and musicians’ rights as Generative AI develops and these guidelines provide important protections for those writing for the BBC – we want other organisations to follow and make similar commitments.”

Backing Basic Income for the Arts

The Academy also confirmed its support for Basic Income for the Arts, calling for governments to explore how guaranteed income for artists and creators could provide greater financial security and help more people sustain careers in the arts.

This work is informed by Catherine Martin, Head of Policy at The Ivors Academy in Ireland and former Irish Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, who oversaw the introduction of Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts pilot while in government.

Bringing composers together

In November, the Academy will hold its first Composer Week, creating opportunities to support, connect and celebrate composers across genres and disciplines.

The Composer Summit on 18 November will bring composers and the wider industry together to share knowledge, address the issues affecting composers’ careers and build connections.

The day before, The Ivors Composer Awards will celebrate outstanding composition across classical, jazz, sound art, electronic music, film, television, games, stage and beyond.

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The court ruled in favour of GEMA, the German Collective Management Organisation, in its case against AI music generator Suno. GEMA argued that, through simple text prompts, Suno produces songs that are “misleadingly similar” to original works in GEMA’s repertoire without obtaining licenses.

The court in Munich found that Suno ⁠did not have the right to ​process the music of artists represented by GEMA without their consent, that storing GEMA’s repertoire infringed their mechanical rights, distributing this music to the public breached their making available right, and that Suno had to provide more information about the illicit revenues it had earned through these breaches of copyright law. 

During the proceedings, GEMA demonstrated that Suno could reproduce songs it represents with identical lyrics, similar musical styles and even matching titles, despite prompts containing no reference to melody, harmony, rhythm or arrangement. Explore more. 

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, said: ““Where music is used to make commercial output, it obviously has to be legally licensed. Congratulations to GEMA for putting their money and resources into this important victory for songwriters and composers. Proof, were it needed, that on this side of the Atlantic we have our own rules and our own copyright law. Waiting for the USA to produce flawed precedents within their increasingly dubious legal framework is not the path. Collection societies everywhere take note.”

Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “Let’s be very clear, AI companies don’t get to use songwriters’ or composers’ work without permission. New technology doesn’t make copyright optional. GEMA has won an important victory for music, a huge thanks to them for bringing this case. Now other Collective Management Organisations and courts around the world must continue to uphold the fundamental principle that copyright law must be protected, respected and strengthened.”

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Since becoming Chief Executive of The Ivors Academy, Roberto has led a transformation of the organisation, strengthening its position as the leading voice for songwriters and composers globally. Under his leadership, the Academy has grown into one of the world’s most influential organisations representing music creators, significantly expanding its membership from 2,000 to 15,000 members in a year, increasing its impact with government and industry, launching new initiatives to support creators and extending its reach and influence internationally.

During this time, The Ivors Academy has strengthened its campaigning on creators’ rights, secured important policy progress on issues including generative AI and creator remuneration, expanded opportunities for professional development, and introduced new programmes and events that celebrate and empower songwriters and composers at every stage of their careers.

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “Roberto has spent his entire career on one stubborn argument: that songwriters and composers deserve actual, spendable money, not just polite applause. He’s one of the rare people in this industry, who’s won that argument on his day.

Together, The Ivors Academy has stopped being a good idea people admire from a distance and become one of the most influential organisations for songwriters and composers anywhere in the world; built by getting industry, government and creators to sit in the same room and agree on something, which is its own kind of small miracle.

This appointment isn’t a gift. It’s just everyone else catching up with what the rest of us already knew. I couldn’t be more pleased for him and for our community on gaining such a committed champion entering the House of Lords.”

Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “It is an enormous honour to be appointed to the House of Lords. Everything I have worked towards throughout my career has been driven by a belief that music creators deserve to be valued, fairly rewarded and given every opportunity to succeed.

It is a privilege to lead The Ivors Academy and to work alongside extraordinary songwriters, composers and colleagues every day. I look forward to continuing to champion music creators and the wider creative industries, ensuring they remain at the heart of our cultural life and future prosperity.”

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