Sting Announced As Latest Academy Fellow Of The Ivors Academy

Sting has been announced as the latest songwriter to become an Academy Fellow of the The Ivors Academy, the institution’s highest honor. He will receive the award at The Ivor Novello Awards ceremony on May 18 in London.

In accompanying news, the Academy has also named Amazon Music as the new title sponsor of The Ivors. Amazon Music has shared an exclusive demo of Sting’s track “If It’s Love,” taken from his latest album The Bridge, providing an insight into his creative process.

Sting is the 23rd Fellow inducted into the Academy in its 79-year history, joining such fellow songwriting greats as Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush CBE, Joan Armatrading MBE, and Peter Gabriel, who received the award in 2022.

In a career of 100 million record sales with The Police and as a solo artist, Sting has won seven Ivor Novello Awards, including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. He says of the new honor: “Of all the awards in the world of music, The Ivors are for me, the most prestigious. Songwriting is a skilled craft and The Ivors Academy are its guild.

“So, I am delighted and honored to be offered this Fellowship of the Academy, joining and acknowledging this extraordinary group of fellow songwriters, and all of those who went before us.”

One of the UK’s foremost songwriters and performers

Fellow Joan Armatrading, speaking on behalf of The Ivors Academy, said: “Across all of Sting’s work as a solo artist and with the iconic band The Police, he is without doubt one of the UK’s foremost successful songwriters and performers and is certainly deserving of one of the most prestigious awards in the music business. My huge congratulations on being made a Fellow of The Ivors Academy, Sting.”

The Amazon Original demo of “If It’s Love” is the seventh release in the newly-launched demos program. Previous demos in the series include the early versions of award-winning, platinum-certified songs by Walker Hayes and Maren Morris.

In the new multi-year global deal between The Ivors Academy and Amazon Music, the latter will offer its cross-category capabilities to bring new and established music creators to the forefront, via exclusive content offerings, live performances, an immersive red carpet, and backstage interviews to be livestreamed on the Amazon Music UK Twitch channel in 2023.

Tom Gray, the Mercury prize-winning campaigner and chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “Globally, songwriters are justly demanding the recognition that they deserve. As we push back against the historic undervaluing of the song and songwriter, we are delighted to collaborate with Amazon Music to celebrate songwriters, explore their craft and firmly place their value and originality at the centre of music. Together, we will make sure that The Ivors is recognised around the world as the most important celebration of songwriting.”

Amazon Music is also to integrate this year’s Rising Star nominees into its global developing artist programme Breakthrough, which provides long-term, customized global plans for emerging artists during crucial moments in their careers. This support includes video and audio content, global marketing, increased visibility across Amazon Music playlists and programming, and Amazon Original tracks that will be available only on Amazon Music.

Tom Winkler, head of songwriter, publisher and society relations at Amazon Music, notes: “Songwriters craft the music and stories that define culture and ignite fandom. By globally amplifying the exceptional work of The Ivors Academy, Amazon Music will continue to celebrate songwriters and empower fans to discover the craft behind the music.”

This year’s Ivor Novello Award nominees will be announced on Tuesday April 18, and the winners will be revealed at The Ivors with Amazon Music at Grosvenor House in London on Thursday May 18.

Stream Sting’s demo of “If It’s Love” on Amazon Music.