Raye and Sony’s Jon Platt Speak Out for Songwriters at Ivors Academy Honours Ceremony

At the inaugural Ivors Academy Honours Ceremony in London, British singer-songwriter Raye was visibly emotional while accepting her award. Held at the Intercontinental Park Lane hotel, the event was established by Academy leaders Roberto Neri and Tom Gray to celebrate those championing better pay and conditions for songwriters. Raye, who has become a prominent voice for creator rights, revealed a significant outcome from her recent advocacy: after her public appeals at the 2024 Ivor Novello Awards, the three major music labels have now committed to providing a £75 (around $100) daily fee plus expenses for songwriters attending sessions, a decision finalized through a U.K. government working group on streaming.

Raye was quick to deflect personal praise for this victory. "I don't want to take more credit than is due," she stated, acknowledging her own persistence. She promised to continue leveraging her platform, saying, "as long as God gives me a microphone... I promise to keep fighting the good fight." She then called for the next essential step: collective action to eliminate contractual ambiguities that can be exploited. "We need transparency," she insisted, adding with a knowing smile, "I'm pissing everyone off and I'm really not trying to do that – I just care about these things." This sentiment was shared by fellow honoree Jon Platt, the CEO of Sony Music Publishing, who described the award recipients as individuals who happily "go around pissing people off." Platt's award was presented by Carla Marie Williams, a co-writer for Beyoncé, underscoring the unique weight of recognition from a peer-led organization like The Ivors Academy, which has represented songwriters' interests for decades.

The guest list reflected a broad cross-section of the UK music industry, with publishers, producers, and trade bodies showing their support. Unlike the main Ivors, which have recently featured global superstars, this ceremony intentionally spotlighted the essential work happening behind the scenes. Other honorees included Catherine Manners, founder of the classical agency Manners McDade, and Sir Chris Bryant MP, a pivotal force in the parliamentary streaming inquiry, who asserted that "miracle workers should be paid properly." The night was marked by poignant moments, such as the posthumous award for SESAC's John Sweeney, accepted by his daughter, and a standing ovation for MOBO Group founder Kanya King as she spoke about her recent cancer diagnosis.

Providing a lighter counterpoint, Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson served as the evening's headline act, sharing colorful anecdotes from his music industry past. He recounted fighting an obscenity case over the Sex Pistols' album, fainting while smoking with Peter Tosh, and a memorable encounter with a nude Keith Richards. His award was presented by Peter Gabriel, an artist he originally signed, who praised Branson for leaving an "indelible impression on music" by backing "the new, the rebellious and the outsiders." In a pre-ceremony chat, Branson reflected on Virgin's modest start as a mail-order service, which he and his team grew into a global empire that included the Virgin Megastores chain, recording studios, the Virgin Records label, and the V Festival. The label's launch was famously propelled by the monumental success of Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells," which sold millions of copies and established Virgin as a major independent force.

Branson attributed their success not to a strategic plan, but to their youth and shared ethos with the artists they signed. "We were just young – we were the same age as our artists and we did it our way!" he explained. He noted that backlash from the establishment for supporting controversial acts only strengthened Virgin's brand, eventually attracting legends like the Rolling Stones and David Bowie. Although the 1992 sale of Virgin Records to EMI was "gut-wrenching," Branson cherishes the "massive happy memories." However, he voiced concern that the vibrant landscape of competing independent labels from his era, such as Chrysalis and Island Records, has significantly contracted, limiting avenues for new artists today. While he enjoyed reconnecting with old colleagues, Branson admitted he doesn't miss the industry, preferring to focus on the future. "There was something about the music industry," he reflected, "it had a little more of the icing on the cake"—a fitting metaphor for the Academy's new event, which served as a valuable and celebratory supplement to the main Ivors ceremony.