Harry Styles and Kid Harpoon lead nominations at The Ivors

Harry Styles and his songwriting partner Kid Harpoon lead the way ahead of The Ivors with three nominations each.

The pop superstar, who enjoyed a standout 2022 featuring number ones and a sell-out world tour, secured two nods for his work on single As It Was – Most Performed Work and Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

The pair also secured a nomination for songwriter of the year.

Singer-songwriter Cleopatra Nikolic, better known by her stage name Cleo Sol, and record producer Inflo (Dean Josiah Cover), also score three nominations for their work with mysterious musical collective Sault and Brit Award-winning rapper Little Simz.

Florence Welch, Ed Sheeran, rapper Knucks, Tyler Johnson, Johnny McDaid of Snow Patrol, and The Flight follow with two nods apiece.

The Ivors recognise the work of songwriters and composers across nine categories and have been running since 1956.

This year, 72 individual songwriters and composers have received nominations, with 54% getting a nod for the first time.

After experiencing a global resurgence in popularity following its use in Netflix series Stranger Things, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill is nominated in the PRS For Music Most Performed Work category.

Sheeran makes history as Bad Habits is once again nominated after winning the award last year, becoming the first artist to do so.

In the Best Album category, the nominees include Arctic Monkeys’ The Car, Obongjayar’s Some Nights I Dream Of Doors, and Fontaines DC’s Skinty Fia.

Nikolic and Inflo are both nominated twice for their work on Little Simz’s No Thank You and Sault’s 11 alongside co-writers Jamar McNaughton and Jack Penate.

Among the nominees for Songwriter of the Year are Welch, Styles and Kid Harpoon, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers of Wet Leg, George Daniel and Matty Healy of The 1975, and rapper Central Cee and producer Young Chencs.

Other categories include Best Television Soundtrack, Best Original Video Game Score and Best Original Film Score.

Tom Gray, chairman of The Ivors Academy, said: “The music nominated for an Ivor Novello this year is testament to the power and range of British and Irish songwriting and screen composing.

“It’s a superlative list and, on behalf of The Ivors Academy, I’m delighted to congratulate every writer nominated for their craft and achievements.”

The winners will be announced at Grosvenor House in London on Thursday May 18.

As previously announced, Sting will become a fellow of the academy, its highest honour.