Stormzy, Ed Sheeran and Everything Everything lead the nominations for the 2018 Ivor Novello Awards.
The 24-year-old grime star is up for Best Contemporary Song for ‘Don’t Cry For Me’ featuring Raleigh Ritchie and the coveted Album Award for the already multiple award-winning record ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’.
Ed Sheeran dominates the PRS For Music Most Performed Work category with ‘Shape Of You’ – which he co-wrote with Steve Mac and Johnny McDaid – and ‘Castle on the Hill’, both from his recording-breaking LP ‘Divide’, in contention.
Indie rockers Everything Everything’s ‘Can’t Do’ is up for Best Song Musically and Lyrically and their album ‘A Fever Dream’ is shortlisted for the Album Award prize.
Commenting on the news, the rock group – comprised of Jonathan Higgs, Jeremy Pritchard, Michael Spearman and Alex Robertshaw – wrote on Twitter: "Honoured to have been nominated for two @TheIvors Novello awards this year – Best Album for ‘A Fever Dream’, and Best Song Musically and Lyrically for ‘Can’t Do’. http://theivors.com (sic)"
Everything Everything and Stormzy will compete with Kate Stables’ ‘Moonshine Freeze’ for the Album Award.
Other nominees include Rag’n’ Bone Man, whose hit song ‘Human’ will battle it out with Ed’s two songs for Most Performed Work.
Rapper Dave will go up against his peer Stormzy with his song ‘Question Time’ in the running for Best Contemporary Song.
And Elbow’s ‘Magnificent (She Says)’ and Sampha’s ‘(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano’ are up for Best Song Musically and Lyrically alongside Everything Everything.
Sponsors BASCA will also present a series of awards on the night in recognition of a contribution to British music, including; the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement, the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection, PRS for Music Outstanding Contribution to British Music, PRS for Music Special International Award, the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year and The Ivors Inspiration Award.
The winners will be announced at a star-studded ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House on May 31, which will be hosted by Paul Gambaccini.
The 2018 Ivor Novello Award music nominations are as follows:
BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY
‘Can’t Do’
Written by Jonathan Higgs, Jeremy Pritchard, Alex Robertshaw and Michael Spearman
Performed by Everything Everything
Published in the UK by Black Butter Music Publishing – BMG
‘Magnificent (She Says)’
Written by Guy Garvey, Craig Potter, Mark Potter and Pete Turner
Performed by Elbow
Published in the UK by Salvation Music Ltd – Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Ltd
‘(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano’
Written by Sampha
Performed by Sampha
Published in the UK by Beggars Music – Young Turks Music
BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG
‘Cola’
Written by Michael di Scala, Alexander Kotz AKA Elderbrook and Dave Whelan
Performed by CamelPhat and Elderbrook
Published in the UK by Defected Music Ltd and Black Butter Music Publishing – BMG
‘Don’t Cry For Me’
Written by Michael ‘Stormzy’ Omari, Varren Wade and Wizzy Wow
Performed by Stormzy ft. Raleigh Ritchie
Published in the UK by Warner/Chappell Music Ltd, Bucks Music Group and Wardlaw Music
‘Question Time’
Written by Dave and Fraser T Smith
Performed by Dave
Published in the UK by Warner/Chappell Music Ltd and Kobalt Music Publishing
PRS FOR MUSIC MOST PERFORMED WORK
‘Castle on the Hill’
Written by Benny Blanco and Ed Sheeran
Performed by Ed Sheeran
Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Ed Sheeran Limited – Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Ltd
‘Human’
Written by Jamie Hartman and Rag ΄n΄ Bone Man
Performed by Rag ΄n΄ Bone Man
Published in the UK by Reservoir Reverb Music and Warner/Chappell Music Ltd
‘Shape of You’
Written by Steve Mac, Johnny McDaid and Ed Sheeran
Performed by Ed Sheeran
Published in the UK by Rokstone Music – Universal Music Publishing, Spirit B-Unique – Polar Patrol and Ed Sheeran Limited – Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Ltd
ALBUM AWARD
‘A Fever Dream’
Written by Jonathan Higgs, Jeremy Pritchard, Alex Robertshaw and Michael Spearman
Performed by Everything Everything
Published in the UK by Black Butter Music Publishing – BMG
‘Gang Signs & Prayer’
Written by Michael ‘Stormzy’ Omari
Performed by Stormzy
Published in the UK by Warner/Chappell Music Ltd
‘Moonshine Freeze’
Written by Kate Stables
Performed by This is the Kit
Published in the UK by Beggars Music – 4AD Songs