Coldplay win songwriters' award

NEW YORK (Coldplay Fans Website) - Coldplay have been honoured as songwriters of the year at the Ivor Novello awards.
The band were praised for their chart-topping second album A Rush of Blood to the Head.

David Gray won best song of the year for The Other Side, beating Oasis's Stop Crying Your Heart Out and Aqualung's Strange and Beautiful.

Coldplay, who were unable to attend the event in London, were beaten to the prize for best contemporary song by The Streets for his single Weak Become Heroes.

Skinner has won huge critical acclaim for his debut album Original Pirate Material, but until now has largely failed to translate that into awards. He also triumphed over Ms Dynamite for the contemporary song prize, who beat him to the Mercury Music Prize last year.

Avril Lavigne won the award for international hit of the year with Complicated, Liberty X won the title for most performed work with Just A Little, and Will Young's Anything is Possible was the best-selling UK single.

Beach Boy Brian Wilson was handed a special international award for his achievements at Grosvenor House Hotel ceremony.

Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry was given an award for his outstanding contribution to British music, while U2 were honoured with the prize for outstanding song collection.

UB40 were given the international achievement award to mark their success overseas.

The other winners were: Ivors dance award - Lazy, X-Press 2 featuring David Byrne; Best original film score - The Quiet American, Craig Armstrong; Best original TV music - Seltham Sings, Dextrous/Simon Armitage; Ivors classical music award - Boots of Lead, Simon Holt.