The Music Business UK Awards 2025, presented by Music Business Worldwide (MBW) in association with YouTube, has revealed its full shortlist of finalists across the major voted categories. The awards night, scheduled for Tuesday, November 4 in London, recognizes excellence across the UK music industry, with a strong focus on entities supporting UK-signed talent.
Below, we break down the finalists, spotlight new award categories, and explore what this year’s list signals about trends and evolving power centers in the UK music sector
Before diving into the finalists, it’s worth understanding the structure and selection process behind the awards:
The shortlists were curated by a closed panel of music business executives, industry leaders, and domain experts.
Voting for the voted categories opens in early October, and will be conducted by a broader panel of industry professionals.
In addition to the regular categories, several special awards will be presented. These include:
International Executive of the Year (endorsed by PRS for Music), which recognizes a non-British executive making significant contributions to UK / Irish talent.
The Trailblazer: Richard Antwi Award
The Sir George Martin Award (closing honor)
Two new additions for 2025: Breakthrough Artist Manager Of The Year (judged in a closed panel) and Business Manager of The Year (voted)
Tables (diamond, gold, silver/balcony) for the event have already sold out, with only a few high-tier seats remaining — mainly reserved for finalists and their teams.
With the groundwork laid, here’s a breakdown of the key categories and the names to watch.
Below are highlights from some marquee categories and observations on their shortlists:
Songwriter of the Year (non-featured) — Supported by Hipgnosis
Camille Purcell (Kamille)
Emily Nash
Janée Bennett (Jin Jin)
Matt Hales (Aqualung)
Max Wolfgang
Nicholas Gale (Digital Farm Animals)
Peter Rycroft (Lostboy)
Phil Plested
Sam Roman (Rømans)
Uzoechi Emenike (MNEK)
These names represent a mix of established songwriters and emerging voices. The inclusion of songwriters like Emily Nash and Uzoechi Emenike underlines how the modern UK songwriting field is expanding in diversity and collaboration across genres.
Producer of the Year — Supported by YouTube
The producer slate is equally competitive.
Carl Bown;
Conor Dickinson & Will Brown (Manuka);
Denzel Ugoji (ZEL);
Emily Nash;
Markus Dravs;
John Morgan & Will Lansley (Punctual);
Richard Olowaranti (P2J);
Stuart Price;
Tom Hollings & Sam Brennan (Billen Ted);
Zach Nahome
A&R Administrator (The Forbesie) — Supported by PPL
This includes names from major publishing houses like Universal, Kobalt, and Sony.
A&R of the Year (by genre)
Divided by Adult Contemporary, Alternative, Contemporary Black Music (with Spotify support), Dance/Electronic, and Pop.
Each genre shortlist includes both rising and veteran A&R executives.
Artist Lawyer of the Year
Featuring legal heavyweights like Ally Horn (Russells);
James Sully (Reed Smith);
Kieran Jay (Harbottle & Lewis);
Nicky Stein (Clintons);
and more.
Business Manager of the Year
Artist Manager of the Year — Supported by TikTok
UK Artist Management Company (David Enthoven Award)
These newer and managerial roles indicate the Awards expanding focus beyond creative and technical to the operational backbone.
Other notable categories: Independent Publisher of the Year (UK), Major Publisher of the Year (UK), Artist & Label Services Company of the Year (UK), Independent Label of the Year (UK), Major Label: UK A&R Team of the Year, and Major Label: UK Record Company / Group of the Year — Supported by Vevo.
What the 2025 Shortlist Signals for the UK Music Landscape?
Beyond being a prestige event, the shortlists offer meaningful insights into how the UK music industry is evolving. Here are key takeaways:
1. Broadening Definition of “Power” Roles – By introducing awards like Business Manager of the Year and Breakthrough Artist Manager, MBW is acknowledging how the behind-the-scenes operators are critical to modern music success. The infrastructure, strategy, and financial stewardship roles are getting center stage.
2. Genre and Diversity Emphasis – The segmented A&R categories (e.g. Contemporary Black Music, Alternative, Dance) show recognition that genre specialization is now a sign of strategic strength. Also, many names across shortlists reflect increasing diversity in creative and executive roles.
3. Hybrid Creative-Executive Profiles in Demand – Notable crossover appears: for example, Emily Nash is named in both the Songwriter and Producer shortlists. This dual nomination underscores that many music professionals now wear multiple hats. The lines between songwriting, production, and executive contribution are blurring.
4. The Growing Value of Labels & Service Platforms – The Artist & Label Services Company category shows how nontraditional label models and integrated services (distribution, marketing, data) are becoming a pillar of industry success. Similarly, Independent Label of the Year highlights how indies remain a core growth force.
5. Legal, Administrative, and Financial Ops Gaining Spotlight – Including Artist Lawyer of the Year, Business Manager of the Year, and Artist Manager in top tiers signals a shift: operational excellence and rights stewardship are now key differentiators, not afterthoughts.
6. International Bridge Builders Recognized – The International Executive award (for non-UK execs working with UK/Irish talent) shows MBW’s effort to cement cross-border collaborations, particularly as UK artists push globally and foreign execs partner more with UK markets.
