The Ivors Academy has announced that the four original members of Bloc Party are set to receive an Ivor Novello Award in the Outstanding Song Collection category. This award recognises the pioneering indie-rock band’s exceptional ability and legacy in songwriting throughout their 25-year career. Kele Okereke, Russell Lissack, Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong will be honoured with the award at The Ivors with Amazon Music which takes place at Grosvenor House in London on Thursday 22 May 2025.
Bloc Party have spent the past two decades carving out a distinctive voice in modern music, defined by their fearless songwriting and ever-evolving sound. Their groundbreaking debut album Silent Alarm arrived in 2005, a genre-defining record that reshaped the landscape of British indie-rock for years to come, celebrated for its electrifying fusion of indie, rock, electronica and house.
A further five studio albums have since followed, showcasing their brilliance as songwriters and their rare ability to fuse introspective lyricism with a bold, dynamic sound. Their sophomore album A Weekend in the City saw the band expand their sound with atmospheric textures and politically charged themes, earning them a #2 spot in the UK albums chart. In 2008, Intimacy marked another daring shift – embracing electronic production and experimental song structures. Most recently, 2022’s Alpha Games was met with widespread critical acclaim, reaffirming Bloc Party’s fearless creativity and ever-evolving artistry.
Kele Okereke, lead singer of Bloc Party, said: “To be recognised for songwriting is a very special thing for an artist, and receiving an Ivor Novello award for Outstanding Song Collection is a massive honour. Even before you form a band, play a show or record a note, you’re writing songs – it’s at the core of being an artist. It’s amazing to see people connecting with Bloc Party’s music, from those who’ve loved the band from the start, to more and more young people we’re seeing at our shows over the past few years; inspiring us to push forward as a group whilst also being privileged to look back at everything we have already achieved.”
Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “Bloc Party have made a lasting impact on British music through fearless and innovative songwriting and an unwavering artistic vision. With emotional depth and urgency, their songs continue to inspire fans and songwriters around the world. We’re proud to honour Kele, Russell, Gordon and Matt with the Outstanding Song Collection Ivor Novello Award, recognising their craft and the impact of their work.”
With Bloc Party’s inclusion, the total number of songwriters who have received the Outstanding Song Collection Award rises to sixty two. They follow in the footsteps of the likes of John Deacon, Brian May, Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor (Queen), Bono, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jnr and The Edge (U2), Philip Cunningham, Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner (New Order), Nick Banks, Jarvis Cocker, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey, Russell Senior and Mark Webber (Pulp), Noel Gallagher, Steve Winwood, KAMILLE and KT Tunstall – who received the award in 2024.
To commemorate the honour, an unheard Amazon Music Demo of Bloc Party’s global breakthrough song ‘Banquet’, taken from Silent Alarm, is being released exclusively via Amazon Music. The demos program offers an exclusive customer listening experience of the first-ever recordings of popular songs before they ultimately became hits. Previous demo releases include award-winning, platinum-certified songs by Zach Bryan, Maren Morris, KT Tunstall, Ingrid Andress, and Sting.
Amazon Music will also be returning to broadcast live behind the scenes from The Ivors, with a Twitch stream hosted by Zach Sang, alongside singer-songwriter and social media star Talia Mar. The broadcast will feature red carpet interviews, backstage reactions from the winners alongside exclusive performances. The livestream will be broadcast from the awards ceremony at Grosvenor House in London and will be available to watch on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch from 16:00 BST on Thursday 22 May.
Tom Winkler, Head of Publisher, Songwriter, and Society Relations at Amazon Music, said: “We’re excited to return to The Ivors for another year - a fantastic evening celebrating outstanding creativity and the best in songwriting and composing talent. Bloc Party’s brilliant demo recording is testament to this, as the well-deserved recipients of this year's Outstanding Song Collection award. Expect more exclusive content on 22 May, when we’ll be bringing you performances, interviews live from the red carpet and behind the scenes access from these prestigious awards”.
As well as recognising Bloc Party, at The Ivors, Ivor Novello Awards will also be presented for Songwriter of the Year with Amazon Music, Visionary Award with Amazon Music, Special International Award, PRS for Music Icon Award, and Academy Fellowship – set to be awarded to U2. The Ivors will also recognise and celebrate outstanding songwriters and composers across eight nominated categories. The official playlist for The Ivors 2025 on Amazon Music showcases the songs and songwriters nominated for a 2025 award. Listen here.
