Nordoff And Robbins Raises £760,000 Towards Music Therapy And Honours Legendary Music Icons At Glittering O2 Silver Clef Awards Ceremony

The prestigious annual O2 Silver Clef Awards, held today to honour artists from across the music industry, has so far raised £760,000 and counting for Nordoff and Robbins, the UK’s largest music therapy charity. The star-studded event is the biggest of the year for the charity, raising essential funds for music therapy services in an increasingly challenging social climate where costs are rising, children face a mental health crisis and nearly one million people will be living with dementia by 2030.

Money raised today will support Nordoff and Robbins' trained music therapists in reaching those living with autism, dementia, learning difficulties, brain injuries, life-limiting illnesses, mental health challenges, grief and trauma; helping them to connect and communicate through music.

This afternoon’s glittering award ceremony - now in its 48th year - at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane, saw one of the most enduring and iconic British bands of the last three decades, blur, honoured with the flagship O2 Silver Clef Award. The O2 Silver Clef Award is the most esteemed award of the day, honouring artists of the highest calibre who continue to impact the music industry with their outstanding careers and contribution to music. Previous legendary winners include: Stormzy, David Bowie, Ed Sheeran, Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, George Michael, Annie Lennox, Dame Shirley Bassey, Kylie Minogue, The Rolling Stones, Oasis and Coldplay. 

Pioneering global rockers AC/DC won the Legend Award, acknowledging five decades of the band, whose huge impact still reverberates through today’s rock musicians. Pop culture megastar Chaka Khan received the Global Impact Award in recognition of her 50 years of international influence, while world-renowned rocker Mark Knopfler won the revered Music Icon Award.

Pop star Jessie Ware won Best Female, lauded UK hip hop artist Loyle Carner took home the Best Male Award, global artists The 1975 won Best Group and acclaimed Scottish band Texas received the Outstanding Achievement Award. The ground-breaking Jacob Collier picked up the Innovation in Music Award, London legend Cat Burns received the Best New Music Award, genre busting Ezra Collective won the Contemporary Music Award and impossible to classify Scottish group Young Fathers received Best Live Act.

Guest award presenters included Mica Paris, Clara Amfo, Jamie Cullum, Chris Evans, Annie Mac, Athian Akec and Simon Moran.

Presented by Edith Bowman for the sixth-year running, with Carrie and David Grant hosting the blue carpet, the O2 Silver Clef Awards are held to recognise and celebrate the talent of the winning artists and are one of the highlights of the music industry calendar - bringing together artists, labels, management teams and celebrity supporters. Since 1976 the awards have raised over £13.5 million for Nordoff and Robbins’ transformative music therapy services and honoured some of the greatest names in music. Hosted with O2 for the last 23 years, the annual lunch is Nordoff and Robbins’ biggest fundraising event of the year thanks to table sales, sponsorship and live auctions on the day, featuring special items from the winning artists alongside money can’t buy experiences donated by the music industry.

In 2023, Nordoff and Robbins held nearly 50,000 vital music therapy sessions across the UK. Shaped by more than 60 years of practice, Nordoff and Robbins’ trained music therapists use the power of music to transform people’s lives by helping them to express themselves and connect with others. The charity works with children and adults at over 380 schools, hospitals, hospices and care homes, as well as providing sessions from its centres nationwide. 

The flagship O2 Silver Clef Award, presented by James Ford, this year honours blur, for their iconic position at the heart of British music and cultural life for over three decades. Since announcing their arrival with debut album Leisure in 1991, blur - Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Dave Rowntree and Alex James – went on to revolutionise the sound of English popular music with six successive UK #1 albums ‘Parklife’ (1994), ‘The Great Escape’ (1995), ‘Blur’ (1997), ’13’ (1999), ‘Think Tank’ (2003) and ‘The Magic Whip’ (2015) and a string of Top 10 singles, including two No 1s with ‘Country House’ and ‘Beetlebum’ helping to propel the band to mass popularity at home and abroad. blur have released eight studio albums and collected ten NME Awards, six Q Awards, five BRIT Awards and an Ivor Novello Award and played live to thousands of devoted fans across the globe. The band’s most recent studio album - the critically acclaimed No 1 record ‘The Ballad of Darren’ - was released in July last year.

Lead singer Brian Johnson picked up the Amazon Music Legend Award on behalf of AC/DC from Mark Knopfler. AC/DC are one of the most influential rock bands in history, with over 200 million albums sold worldwide. The band’s ‘Back In Black’ album stands out as the ‘bestselling album by any band ever’ and the ‘third bestselling album by any artist’ with global sales of 50 million and counting. The band continues to sell out shows on multiple continents, sell millions of albums annually, generate streams in the billions, and have a legion of dedicated fans, which grows with every passing year. The band is undertaking a sold-out European stadium tour this summer in support of their 17th album ‘Power Up’, which debuted at #1 in 21 countries.
Legendary pop culture icon Chaka Khan, renowned for her unmistakable voice and style, received the prestigious Raymond Weil Global Impact Award from Mica Paris. The 10-time Grammy Award-winning international superstar is celebrating her 50th anniversary in music and also received a well-deserved induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year. Chaka Khan has made a profound impact as a singer, songwriter, producer, visual artist, author and actress, with the rare distinction of having recorded in eight different music genres. She continues to entertain and energise her world of fans with her uplifting anthems, performing on six continents to sold-out crowds.

The legendary Mark Knopfler received the American Express Music Icon Award from Brian Johnson. As lead singer, guitarist and song writer of rock icons Dire Straits, which he co-founded with brother David in 1977, Mark found global success with hit singles including ‘Sultans Of Swing’, ‘Romeo And Juliet’, and ‘Money For Nothing’. Dire Straits remain one of the most popular British rock bands ever, with global album sales of more than 120 million including Brothers In Arms (1985), one of the best-selling records in history. Mark pursued a solo career after the band dissolved in 1995, releasing 10 solo albums as well as composing film scores and producing albums for artists including Bob Dylan and Randy Newman. His tenth solo studio album ‘One Deep River’ was released in April 2024.

Pop icon Jessie Ware was presented with the Live Nation Best Female by Clara Amfo.

South London-born trailblazer Loyle Carner received the AEG Presents Best Male Award from Athian Akec.

Pop-rock global artists The 1975 received ASM Global Best Group from Simon Moran, managing director of SJM Concerts.

Iconic Scottish pop-rock band Texas picked up the Tysers Live Outstanding Achievement award from Chris Evans.

London legend Cat Burns received the Ticketmaster Best New Music Award from Chris Hawkins.  

British jazz quintet, Ezra Collective received the PPL Contemporary Music Award from Annie Mac.

British singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and global collaborator Jacob Collier picked up the Oak View Group Innovation in Music Award from Jamie Cullum.

The impossible to classify Scottish group, Young Fathers, took home the PizzaExpress Live Best Live Act Award from Edith Bowman.

Quotes:

Alex James, blur said:  "Making music with my brothers in blur has been one of the great gifts of my life. We are absolutely chuffed to receive the O2 Silver Clef Award and help raise awareness for Nordoff and Robbins, a brilliant organisation.”

Brian Johnson, AC/DC said: "We're over the moon to receive the Amazon Music Legend Award. As a band, we've been dishing out our own brand of music therapy for the past five decades, so to hear all about how Nordoff and Robbins helps the young and the old with the power of music is something that we understand and salute. Thank you for this honour.”

Chaka Khan said: "Music has always been my solace, my strength, my voice, a gift. I'm grateful for this beautiful honour to be part of the Nordoff and Robbins creative community, where the power of music is used to transform, inspire, and bring love to the world. Music really does heal.”

Mark Knopfler said: “I am honoured to have been chosen to receive the Icon Award at this year’s O2 Silver Clefs. It’s a privilege to support an event that is directly part of such important music therapy work. One of the best parts of being an artist is meeting people who have been touched by your music. I think we have all appreciated the power of music in our own lives from time to time. Nordoff and Robbins believes in sharing the value of music with everyone who needs it – that’s why I’m a longtime supporter and will continue to help raise funds so Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapists can continue their vital work.”

Jessie Ware said: “It’s a total honour to have been selected to receive the Best Female award at this year’s ceremony. Nordoff and Robbins do such important work. Music therapy is a real necessity for those who receive it and there is more demand for it now than ever before. I’ve also seen music as a fantastic form of self-expression, and so can understand the life changing nature of music therapy. I’m so pleased to be a part of an event that supports Nordoff and Robbins’ important work so thank you so, so much.” 

The 1975 said: “We’re so grateful to have been chosen to receive the Best Group award and thankful to be able to play our part in celebrating the valuable work Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapists do.”  

Sharleen Spiteri, lead singer, Texas said: “The band and I are absolutely thrilled to receive the award for Outstanding Achievement. We’ve been lucky enough to share our music with fans for over 30 years, and we’ve enjoyed celebrating the past, present, and future of British and International music at this year’s O2 Silver Clef Awards. I’ve been a supporter of this amazing charity for years now, words can’t begin to say how much their work impacts people of all ages through the power of music.” 

Cat Burns said: “I’m honoured to receive the award for Best New Music. In what has been a whirlwind few years for me, these moments are absolute dreams come true. The work of Nordoff and Robbins is truly inspiring; it really enables people who are otherwise isolated from society to experience the joy that music brings.”  

Femi Koleoso of the Ezra Collective said: “The Ezra Collective first got together when we met in a youth club, so we really understand the value music has when it’s put into the hands of young people. Music therapy is an important part of this, as the work that Nordoff and Robbins does with children can change lives. It’s a really beautiful thing that we’re supporting this work. Thanks to everyone that’s helped us get to where we are; this Contemporary Music Award means so much to us.”  

Jacob Collier said: “I am overjoyed to have been chosen as the recipient of this year’s Innovation Award. The depth, power and universality of music has been of foundational importance to my life and humanity ever since I can remember. The amount I’ve learned in the past ten years - creating, collaborating and performing all round the world - has shown me more than ever just how crucial and transformative music is for all people. That the magic of music is changing so many people’s lives through Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapy work warms my heart, and it makes me extremely proud to be a part of this event.”

Young Fathers said: “We’re pleased to be honoured with Best Live Act. After many years of cutting our teeth playing a lot of gigs, it seems that our live show has become the thing where people finally understand what the band is all about. Which is essentially chasing moments that take you somewhere else, somewhere only music can really. That’s why we’re supporting Nordoff and Robbins – helping their therapists to bring music and connection to more people who really need it.”

Sandra Schembri, CEO of Nordoff and Robbins said: “As a charity, music is part of our DNA. We witness every day that where words fail, music speaks. The support of the incredible global superstars, newer artists and our music industry peers who attend the O2 Silver Clef Awards means that we can provide the power of music therapy to those at the sharpest end of need.

“It costs £8.2 million a year to reach the thousands of people we connect with across the UK, with the need for our services rising. We are seeing so many people denied access to the care and support they need. Fundraising events like these and the money they bring in are essential to our ability to continue our work. Without the success of this event, the music for many would have stopped.

“Every penny raised helps children and adults across the UK access music therapy, which can be transformational. We each have an understanding of the power music has in our lives – music therapy is about making that power available to those who cannot access it on their own, whether for a child struggling to speak, a parent living with dementia or a loved one living with life altering injuries.”

Gareth Griffiths, Director, O2 said: "We are incredibly proud of the money raised at this year’s O2 Silver Clef Awards. What a day celebrating the outstanding achievements of all the talented artists recognised this year. A special congratulations to blur for receiving the well-deserved O2 Silver Clef Award. Their contributions to the music industry have been nothing short of extraordinary, and we are honoured to be part of this momentous occasion. At O2, we are committed to supporting the music industry and look forward to continuing our partnership with Nordoff and Robbins to support more people through their incredible music therapy efforts across the nation."

Find out more about Nordoff and Robbins and how you can support at nordoff-robbins.org.uk.