The 61st Ivor Novello Awards took place yesterday (May 19th 2016) in London and honoured several classic and contemporary artists from Adele to Simple Minds. It's a ceremony to celebrate songwriting and composing, as opposed to performance, and is sponsored by the copyright company PRS for Music Limited. Once again, it is presented by the British Academy Of Songwriters Composers & Authors (BASCA).

Simple MindsSimple Minds won Outstanding Song Collection

Unsurprisingly, Adele landed Songwriter of the Year after the success of '25' and her hit single 'Hello'. James Bay was another predictable success, the PRS Most Performed Work awarded for his UK number two single 'Hold Back The River'. Ed Sheeran's protege Jamie Lawson won Best Song Musically and Lyrically for 'Wasn't Expecting That', beating Sheeran himself whose track 'Bloodstream' with Rudimental was also up for nomination.

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Best Contemporary Song went to electronic duo Snakehips (James Carter and Oliver Lee) alongside Chance The Rapper and Cass Lowe for 'All My Friends' - a song which also featured Tinashe on vocals. Meanwhile Villagers frontman Conor O'Brien was presented with the Album Award for the Dublin band's number one third album 'Darling Arithmetic'. 

Some classic bands that were recognised at the 2016 Ivors were the Happy Mondays (Mark Day, Paul Davis, Paul Ryder, Shaun Ryder and Gary Whelan) who took home The Ivors Inspiration Award, Simple Minds (Charlie Burchill, Jim Kerr and Mick MacNeil) who landed Outstanding Song Collection, and Portishead (Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons and Adrian Utley) who were honoured with the PRS Outstanding Contribution to British Music accolade. 

The Ivors Classical Music Award went to the Glasgow born composer Oliver Knussen CBE best known for his 80s children's opera 'Where the Wild Things Are'. Songwriter Wayne Hector got the International Achievement prize for his work with the likes of Westlife, JLS, One Direction and James Blunt among others, while Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award and the PRS Special International Award went to Bryan Adams.

Alex Garland's sci-fi drama 'Ex_Machina' starring Domhnall Gleeson got the Ivor for Best Original Film Score, having earlier this year won the Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects. Plus, Ben Whishaw crime series 'London Spy' got Best Television Soundtrack.