The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They have been presented annually in London (UK) by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) since 1956, and over 1,000 statuettes have been awarded.

Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place each May and are sponsored by PRS for Music. They are respected worldwide as the major platform for recognising and rewarding Britain and Ireland’s songwriting and composing talents. The Ivors remain the only award ceremony in the musical calendar that is not influenced by publishers and record companies, but judged and presented by the writing community. The Award itself is a solid bronze sculpture of Euterpe, the muse of lyric poetry.

Kate Bush at the Ivor Novello Awards

  • Kate Bush won the Ivor Novello award for ‘Outstanding British Lyric’ for The Man With The Child In His Eyes in 1979. She was also nominated for ‘Best Pop Song’ and ‘Best Song Musically and Lyrically’ for Wuthering Heights, but lost out to Gerry Rafferty’s ‘Baker Street’ in both categories.
  • In 1981, her song Babooshka was nominated for ‘Best Song Musically and Lyrically’, but lost out to ‘Woman In Love’, written by Barry and Robin Gibb for Barbra Streisand.
  • In 1983, The Dreaming was nominated for ‘Outstanding British Lyric’, but lost to the Dire Straits’ ‘Private Investigations’.
  • In 1986, Running Up That Hill was nominated for ‘Best Contemporary Song’, but lost to Tina Turner’s ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’.
  • In 2002, Kate received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
  • In 2012, the album 50 Words For Snow was nominated for the Album Award, but lost to PJ Harvey’s ‘Let England Shake’.