Thom Yorke was inducted into the Fellowship of the Ivors Academy at last night’s (May 21) Ivor Novello Awards, where he also debuted a new song.
Yorke played Radiohead classic ‘Jigsaw Falling Into Place’ at the ceremony, while also debuting a new track called ‘Space Walk’.
Introducing Yorke for his award, Harry Styles revealed that he lost his virginity to Radiohead’s ‘Talk Show Host’, then clarifying… “the intro of ‘Talk Show Host’”.
In his own acceptance speech, Yorke hit out at major labels and streaming services and said: “A lot of lip service is paid to new music with self-serving playlists, and to the idea of a vital music scene. But there is a refusal to offer even a semblance of a sustainable revenue source for the majority of musicians. And they continue the nasty fucking opaque accounting tricks that major labels were doing in the ’90s.
“So I guess I’d like to provide a quick reminder to the top of the industry and streaming services: pull your finger out. Where are you gonna get your next juicy back catalogues from, eh?”
He added: “This industry will die and arseholes with it, if all you do is devalue the next generation of artists and their fans. Just remember: without us, you ain’t shit!”
Elsewhere at the 2026 Ivors, winners included Sam Fender, CMAT and Jacob Alon. Fender won Songwriter of the Year, while CMAT’s EURO-COUNTRY picked up the Album of the Year award. Alon won two awards, for Rising Star and Best Song Musically and Lyrically for ‘Don’t Fall Asleep’.
Best Contemporary Song went to Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest for ‘I Stand on the Line’, while the PRS for Music Icon Award was presented to Calvin Harris. Rosalía won International Songwriter of the Year, while Lily Allen was honoured with Outstanding Song Collection and the Visionary Award went to Kano. Elton John also became the Ivors Academy’s first ever President.
