Sting to be awarded fellowship by The Ivors Academy
Sting’s music has been an integral part of rock and roll since the 1970s. Even if some artists might not think they are influenced by his music, they can still hum the guitar hook of ‘Message in a Bottle’ or the main melody line of ‘Every Breath You Take’. Sting has been a one-of-a-kind musician, and it seems that the Ivors have agreed as well.
This year, the Ivors Academy has announced Sting would become a Fellow of the Academy. Prior to his recent accolade, Sting had already been recognised by the Ivors, given a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 as well as been awarded seven Ivor Novellos over the course of his career.
While Sting might have sold millions of records, he holds this accolade the closest to his heart, saying: “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 honoured 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”.
With this honour, Sting also joins another echelon of songwriters at the Ivors, with past recipients being legends like Sir Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Kate Bush. Labelmate Joan Armatrading had nothing but positives for Sting’s inclusion, saying: “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”.
Outside of his massive hits, Sting has also expanded his palette throughout his musical career, working with jazz greats in his solo career and dipping his toes into world music. From the Police’s first single up to the present day, Sting has always been focused on how to twist his music in a different direction.
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