Named after entertainer Ivor Novello, these awards for songwriting and composing – nicknamed The Ivors – are presented annually by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA). Since it was founded in 1956, the organization has given out more than 1000 awards to primarily British and Irish songwriters and composers. The awards are given to performers, albums, and songs in a variety of categories. As stated on their website, they “celebrate, honour and reward excellence in songwriting and composing…They are named in honour of Ivor Novello, Britain’s most successful and distinguished theatrical composer at the time, and represent the pinnacle of musical achievement and peer recognition in the music industry.”
Check out other “songs of the year” lists here.
2023:
- Best Contemporary Song: Raye, 070 Shake, and Mike Sabath “Escapism”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Florence + the Machine “King”
- Most Performed Work: Harry Styles “As It Was”
2022:
- Best Contemporary Song: Little Simz “I Love You, I Hate You”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Sam Fender “Seventeen Going Under”
- Most Performed Work: Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits”
2021:
- Best Contemporary Song: Future Utopia with Dave & Es Devlin “Children of the Internet”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Obongiayar “God’s Own Children”
- Most Performed Work: Harry Styles “Adore You”
2020:
- Best Contemporary Song: Dave “Black”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Jamie Cullum “Age of Anxiety”
- Most Performed Work: Calvin Harris & Rag ‘n’ Bone Man “Giant”
2019:
- Best Contemporary Song: The 1975 “Love It if We Made It”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Ben Howard “Nica Libres at Dusk”
- Most Performed Work: Rudimental with Jess Glynne, Macklemore, & Dan Caplan “These Days”
2018:
- Best Contemporary Song: Dave “Question of Time”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Elbow “Magnificent (She Says)”
- Most Performed Work: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
2017:
- Best Contemporary Song: Skepta “Man”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Michael Kiwanuka “Black Man in a White World”
- Most Performed Work: Coldplay with Beyoncé “Hymn for the Weekend”
2016:
- Best Contemporary Song: Snakeships “All My Friends”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Jamie Lawson “Wasn’t Expecting That”
- Most Performed Work: James Bay “Hold Back the River”
2015:
- Best Contemporary Song: Clean Bandit with Jess Glynne “Rather Be”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Hozier “Take Me to Church”
- Most Performed Work: Clean Bandit with Jess Glynne “Rather Be”
2014:
- Best Contemporary Song: James Blake “Retrograde”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: London Grammar “Strong”
- Most Performed Work: Passenger “Let Her Go”
2013:
- Best Contemporary Song: The Maccabees “Pelican”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Emeli Sandé “Next to Me”
- Most Performed Work: Olly Murs “Dance with Me Tonight”
2012:
- Best Contemporary Song: Lana Del Rey “Video Games”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Ed Sheeran “The A Team”
- Most Performed Work: Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
2011:
- Best Contemporary Song: Tinie Tempah “Pass Out”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: The Villagers “Becoming a Jackal”
- Most Performed Work: Plan B “She Said”
2010:
- Best Contemporary Song: Bat for Lashes “Daniel”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Lily Allen “The Fear”
- Most Performed Work: Lily Allen “The Fear”
2009:
- Best Contemporary Song: Elbow “Grounds for Divorce”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Elbow “One Day Like This”
- Most Performed Work: Duffy “Mercy”
- Best Selling British Single: Coldplay “Viva La Vida”
2008:
- Best Contemporary Song: Cherry Ghost “People Help the People”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Amy Winehouse “Love Is a Losing Game”
- Most Performed Work: Take That “Shine”
- Best Selling British Single: Beyoncé with Shakira “Beautiful Liar”
2007:
- Best Contemporary Song: Amy Winehouse “Rehab”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Scott Matthews “Elusive”
- Most Performed Work: Scissor Sisters “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’”
- Best Selling British Single: Leona Lewis “A Moment Like This”
- International Hit of the Year: Madonna “Sorry”
2006:
- Best Contemporary Song: Wires “Athlete”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: KT Tunstall “Suddenly I See”
- Most Performed Work: James Blunt “You’re Beautiful”
- Best Selling British Single: Shayne Ward “That’s My Goal”
- International Hit of the Year: James Blunt “You’re Beautiful”
2005:
- Best Contemporary Song: Franz Ferdinand “Take Me Out”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Streets “Dry Your Eyes”
- Most Performed Work: Britney Spears “Toxic”
- Best Selling British Single: Band Aid 20 “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”
- International Hit of the Year: U2 “Vertigo”
2004:
- Best Contemporary Song: Amy Winehouse “Stronger Than Me”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Will Young “Leave Right Now”
- Most Performed Work: Jamelia “Superstar”
- Best Selling British Single: Michael Andrews with Gary Jules “Mad World”
- International Hit of the Year: Dido “White Flag”
2003:
- Best Contemporary Song: Streets “Weak Become Heroes”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: David Gray “The Other Side”
- Most Performed Work: Liberty X “Just a Little”
- Best Selling UK Single: Will Young “Anything Is Possible”
- International Hit of the Year: Avril Lavigne “Complicated”
2002:
- Best Contemporary Song: Ash “Shining Light”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: U2 “Walk On”
- Most Performed Work: Kylie Minogue “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”
- Best Selling UK Single: Hear’Say “Pure and Simple”
- International Hit of the Year: Kylie Minogue “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”
2001:
- Best Contemporary Song: Craig David “Seven Days”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: David Gray “Babylon”
- Most Performed Work: All Saints “Pure Shores”
- Best Selling British Single: Bob the Builder “Can We Fix It”
- International Hit of the Year: Sonique “It Feels So Good”
2000:
- Best Contemporary Song: Travis “Why Does It Always Rain on Me”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Robbie Williams “Strong”
- Most Performed Work: Madonna “Beautiful Stranger”
- Best Selling British Single: Cliff Richard “The Millennium Prayer”
- International Hit of the Year: Christina Aguilera “Genie in a Bottle”
1999:
- Best Contemporary Song: The Sundays “Here’s Where the Story Ends”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Cher “Believe”
- Most Performed Work: Robbie Williams “Angels”
- Best Selling British Single: Cher “Believe”
- International Hit of the Year: Cher “Believe”
1998:
1997:
- Best Contemporary Song: Manic Street Preachers “A Design for Life”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Queen “Too Much Love Will Kill You”
- Most Performed Work: George Michael “Fastlove”
- Best Selling British Single: Spice Girls “Wannabe”
- International Hit of the Year: Spice Girls “Wannabe”
1996:
- Best Contemporary Song: Supergrass “Alright”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Pulp “Common People”
- Most Performed Work: Take That “Back for Good”
- Best Selling British Single: Take That “Back for Good”
- International Hit of the Year: Seal “Kiss from a Rose”
1995:
- Best Contemporary Song: Des’ree “You Gotta Be”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Celine Dion “Think Twice”
- Most Performed Work: Wet Wet Wet “Love Is All Around”
- Best Selling British Single: Wet Wet Wet “Love Is All Around”
- International Hit of the Year: Wet Wet Wet “Love Is All Around”
1994:
- Best Contemporary Song: Take That “Pray”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Sting “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You”
- Most Performed Work: Duran Duran “Ordinary World”
- Best Selling British Single: Mr. Blobby “Mr. Blobby”
- International Hit of the Year: Freddie Mercury “Living on My Own”
1993:
- Best Contemporary Song: Charles & Eddie “Would I Lie to You?”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Annie Lennox “Why”
- Most Performed Work: Right Said Fred “Deeply Dippy”
- Best Selling British Single: Charles & Eddie “Would I Lie to You?”
- International Hit of the Year: Charles & Eddie “Would I Lie to You?”
1992:
- Award in Recognition of the Exceptional Success of a Single Song: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
- Best Contemporary Song: Seal “Crazy”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: The Waterboys “The Whole of the Moon”
- Most Performed Work: Right Said Fred “I’m Too Sexy”
- Best Selling British Single: Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” / “These Are the Days of Our Lives”
- International Hit of the Year: Seal “Crazy”
1991:
- Best Contemporary Song: Adamski “Killer”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Elton John “Sacrifice”
- Most Performed Work: Erasure “Blue Savannah”
- Best Selling British Single: Elton John “Sacrifice” / “Healing Hands”
- International Hit of the Year: Lisa Stansfield “All Around the World”
1990:
- Best Contemporary Song: Lisa Stansfield “All Around the World”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Mike + the Mechanics “The Living Years”
- Most Performed Work: Donna Summer “This Time I Know It’s for Real”
- Best Selling British Single: Jason Donovan “Too Many Broken Hearts”
- International Hit of the Year: Fine Young Cannibals “She Drives Me Crazy”
1989:
- Best Contemporary Song: Climie Fisher “Love Changes Everything”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Sting “They Dance Alone”
- Most Performed Work: Kylie Minogue “I Should Be So Lucky”
- Best Selling British Single: Cliff Richard “Mistletoe & Wine”
- International Hit of the Year: George Michael “Faith”
1988:
1987:
- Best Contemporary Song: Eurythmics “It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush “Don’t Give Up”
- Most Performed Work: Diana Ross “Chain Reaction”
- Best Selling British Single: Nick Berry “Every Loser Wins”
- International Hit of the Year: Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls”
1986:
- Best Contemporary Song: Tina Turner “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Elton John “Nikita”
- Most Performed Work: Philip Bailey with Phil Collins “Easy Lover”
- Best Selling British Single: Elaine Paige & “I Know Him So Well”
- International Hit of the Year: Paul Hardcastle “19”
1985:
1984:
1983:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Leo Sayer “Have You Ever Been in Love”
- Most Performed Work: THe Stranglers “Golden Brown”
- Best Selling British Single: Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen”
- International Hit of the Year: Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder “Ebony and Ivory”
1982:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Elaine Paige “Memory” (written by Andrew Lloyd Webber & T.S. Eliot for Cats)
- Most Performed Work: Shakin’ Stevens “You Drive Me Crazy”
- Best Selling British Single: Adam & the Ants “Stand and Deliver”
- International Hit of the Year: Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight”
1981:
- Best Contemporary Song:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Barbra Streisand “Woman in Love”
- Most Performed Work: Fern Kinney “Together We Are Beautiful”
- Best Selling British Single: St. Winifred’s School Choir “There’s No One Quite Like Grandma”
- International Hit of the Year: Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II”
1980:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Supertramp “The Logical Song”
- Most Performed Work: Art Garfunkel “Bright Eyes”
- Best Selling British Single: Art Garfunkel “Bright Eyes”
- International Hit of the Year: Cliff Richard “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
1979:
1978:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Julie Covington “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”
- Most Performed Work: Julie Covington “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”
- Best Selling British Single: Paul McCartney & Wings “Mull of Kintyre”
- International Hit of the Year: Julie Covington “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”
1977:
- Most Performed Work: Brotherhood of Man “Save Your Kisses for Me”
- Best Selling British Single: Brotherhood of Man “Save Your Kisses for Me”
- International Hit of the Year: Brotherhood of Man “Save Your Kisses for Me”
1976:
1975:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Ralph McTell “Streets of London”
- Most Performed Work: The Wombles “The Wombling Song”
- Best Selling British Single: Mud “Tiger Feet”
- International Hit of the Year: Paper Lace “The Night Chicago Died”
1974:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Elton John “Daniel”
- Most Performed Work: Gilber O’Sullivan “Get Down”
- Best Selling British Single: Gary Glitter “I Love You Love Me Love”
- International Hit of the Year: Cliff Richard “Power to All Our Friends”
1973:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Nilsson “Without You”
- Most Performed Work: THe New Seekers “Beg, Steal, or Borrow”
- Best Selling British Single: Lieutenant Pigeon “Mouldy Old Dough”
- International Hit of the Year: Nilsson “Without You”
1972:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Hurricane Smith “Don’t Let It Die”
- Most Performed Work: George Harrison “My Sweet Lord”
- Best Selling British Single: George Harrison “My Sweet Lord”
- International Hit of the Year: Ben Vereen “Superstar” (from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar)
1971:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: The Beatles “Something”
- Most Performed Work: Christie “Yellow River”
- Best Selling British Single: Mungo Jerry “In the Summertime”
- International Hit of the Year: Mungo Jerry “In the Summertime”
1970:
- Best Contemporary Song: Blue Mink “Meltong Pot”
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: Peter Sarstedt “Where Do You Go to My Lovely?”
- Most Performed Work: The Beatles “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da”
- Best Selling British Single: The Beatles with Billy Preston “Get Back”
- International Hit of the Year: Malcolm Roberts “Love Is All”
- Special Award for Originality: David Bowie “Space Oddity”
1969:
- Most Performed Work: Cliff Richard “Congratulations”
- Best Selling British Single: The Beatles “Hey Jude”
- International Hit of the Year: Tom Jones “Delilah”
1968:
- Best Song Musically and Lyrically: The Beatles “She’s Leaving Home”
- Most Performed Work: Sandie Shaw “Puppet on a String”
- Best Selling British Single: Engelbert Humperdinck “The Last Waltz”
- International Hit of the Year: Procol Harum “A Whiter Shade of Pale”
1967:
- Most Performed Work: The Beatles “Michelle”
- Best Selling British Single: The Beatles “Yellow Submarine”
- International Hit of the Year: The New Vaudeville Band “Winchester Cathedral”
1966:
- Outstanding Song: The Beatles “Yesterday”
- Most Performed Work: The Seekers “I’ll Never Find Another You”
- Best Selling British Single: The Beatles “We Can Work It Out ”
1965:
1964:
- Most Outstanding Song: “If I Ruled the World”
- Most Performed Work: The Beatles “She Loves You”
- Best Selling British Single: The Beatles “She Loves You”
1963:
- Most Outstanding Song: Matt Monro “My Love and Devotion”
- Most Performed Work: Mr. Acker Bilk “Stranger on the Shore”
- Best Selling British Single: The Tornadoes “Telstar”
1962:
- Most Outstanding Song: Anthony Newley “What Kind of Fool Am I?”
- Most Performed Work: Matt Monro “My Kind of Girl”
- Best Selling British Single: Helen Shapiro “Walkin’ Back to Happiness”
1961:
- Most Outstanding Song: Matt Monro “Portrait of My Love”
- Best Selling and Most Performed Work: Georgia Brown “As Long As He Needs Me” (written by Lionel Bart for Oliver!)
- Worthy of an Award, But Not Governed by Existing Categories: Peter Sellers & Sophia Loren “Goodness Gracious Me”
- Special Award: Johnny Worth (writer) “What Do You Want if You Don’t Want Money?”
1960:
- Most Outstanding Song: Anne Shelton “Village of St. Bernadette”
- Best Selling and Most Performed Work: Russ Conway “Side Saddle”
1959:
- Most Outstanding Song: Peter Hart (writer) “The Wind Cannot Read”
- Best Selling and Most Performed Work: Joe “Mr. Piano” Henderson “Trudie”
1958:
- Most Outstanding Song: Tommy Steele “A Handful of Songs”
- Best Selling and Most Performed Work: Russ Hamilton “We Will Make Love”
1957:
- Most Outstanding Song: Tommy Steele “A Handful of Songs”
- Best Selling and Most Performed Work: Norman Newell and Mátyás Seiber (writers) “By the Fountains of Rome”
1956:
- Most Outstanding Song: Paddy Roberts “In Love for the Very First Time”
- Most Popular Song: Tolchard Evans “Ev’rywhere”
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First posted 5/20/2012; last updated 5/18/2023.
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