Music Week Awards 2023: All the winners at our biggest ever industry celebration

The Music Week Awards 2023 returned for another blockbuster edition at Evolution London in Battersea. With a record number of entries and more than 1,400 guests, the sold-out event (May 24) was our biggest ever edition of the ceremony.

The Music Week Awards is unique in that it represents companies and executives across the music industry. The awards across 24 hotly-contested categories – all independently judged – reflect success during 2022.

The BPI was this year’s headline sponsor. The UK recorded music trade body is marking its 50th anniversary this year.

BBC Radio 1 presenter Vick Hope took on the presenting duties for this year’s ceremony – read our digital cover here to learn how she’s supporting new music. She began the ceremony by acknowledging the achievements of Tina Turner, whose death was announced shortly before the awards.

On the day that their artist Lewis Capaldi secured the fastest-selling album of 2023 so far, EMI Records won the big award for Record Company Of The Year. So it was a perfect moment for the Universal Music UK label helmed by co-presidents Rebecca Allen and Jo Charrington to celebrate their achievements – including No.1 singles for Capaldi, a huge Taylor Swift campaign, Aitch’s debut album, a long-running Sam Smith No.1 with Kim Petras, and catalogue momentum with Queen.

Lewis Capaldi, Universal Music Globe and UMG For Brands were winners in Music & Brand Partnership for the collaboration with Activision on Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II.

Atlantic, last year’s Record Company winner, took home the A&R Award following big breakthroughs for Fred Again.. and Tion Wayne, a Mercury Prize nod for Kojey Radical, a No.1 album for Charli XCX, and streaming success for Ed Sheeran, Anne-Marie and KSI.

And there was another win for Atlantic’s Damian Christian and his colleagues in the Promotions Team category. The label secured another airplay market shares No.1 position for 2022.

The Strat Award, which recognises an industry icon, was presented to head of international touring/co-head of CAA London Emma Banks by Polydor-signed hitmaker Becky Hill. Superstar artists and top execs paying tribute on video included Katy Perry, Tenacious D, Sharleen Spiteri, Sony Music Group chairman Rob Stringer, Warner Music Group Recorded Music CEO Max Lousada, Universal Music UK CEO/chairman David Joseph, and Live Nation’s Denis Desmond.

Banks used her acceptance speech to urge more support for grassroots venues as a crucial route for new artists to develop their careers.

"These venues have given so many important artists their start," said Banks. "We can’t let that die."

The CAA super agent also called for people to work to try and keep Brixton Academy open by writing letters and signing petitions.

"We will be a far worse place if Brixton Academy doesn’t exist," she said.

Banks also paid tribute to the crew and staff who are so integral to successful touring careers – "the people that get up first and go to bed last".

Sony Music Entertainment UK took the inaugural International Marketing award in recognition of the global impact of Cat Burns and Headie One. Since ’93/RCA won the Artist Marketing campaign for Cat Burns, one of 2022’s biggest breakthrough artists. Universal Music Recordings won the Catalogue Marketing category for ABBA.

Spotify won the Music Consumer Innovation trophy for Rap UK Day 1 Club.

UMPG was victorious in the Publisher Of The Year category. As well as representing Harry Styles and co-writer Kid Harpoon, the company’s roster includes Adele, Sam Ryder, Glass Animals, Burna Boy and Rina Sawayama.

In the Sync Team category, Warner Music came through as winners amid tough competition.

Phrased Differently emerged as the victors in the Independent Publisher category. The UK publisher, which partnered with Budde Music in 2020, has become a powerhouse of hitmaking talent based on strong A&R development.

Manager Of The Year went to Jamie Oborne of All On Red, in recognition of The 1975’s global impact, as well as development of acts including Beabadoobee and Pale Waves.

BBC Radio 6 Music reclaimed their crown as the judges’ choice for Radio Station. For Radio Show, top BBC Radio 1 tastemaker Clara Amfo was victorious.

Festival Of The Year returned for the first time since the pandemic, with Reading & Leeds taking the title.

UTA won the Live Music Agency category, while Brudenell Social Club was named winner of Grassroots Venue – Spirit Of The Scene in a public vote supported by Music Venue Trust.

Believe made a big statement with their victory in Label/Artist Services, while The Orchard was honoured in the Sales Team category.

As well as our category sponsors (see below), the drinks reception was sponsored by Wise Music and the branding sponsor was Blinding Talent.

Click here for all this year’s finalists.

Music Week Awards 2023 Winners

The Strat

Emma Banks

Accountancy Firm Of The Year

Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman

A&R Award (sponsored by BPI)

Atlantic Records

Artist Marketing Campaign

Cat Burns, Since ‘93/RCA

Catalogue Marketing Campaign

ABBA, Universal Music Recordings/Polar Music

Festival Of The Year

Reading & Leeds Festival

Grassroots Venue: Spirit Of The Scene – public voted (supported by Music Venue Trust)

Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Independent Publisher Of The Year (sponsored by PRS For Music)

Phrased Differently

Independent Record Company

Domino

International Marketing Team Of The Year

Sony Music Entertainment UK

Label/Artist Services

Believe

Live Music Agency

UTA

Live Music Promoter

Kilimanjaro Live

Manager Of The Year

Jamie Oborne, All On Red Management

Music & Brand Partnership

Lewis Capaldi x Activision x Universal Music Globe x UMG For Brands – Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Music Consumer Innovation

Spotify, Rap UK Day 1 Club

PR Campaign

FLO, Artists’ Way

Promotions Team (sponsored by Radiomonitor)

Atlantic Records

Publisher Of The Year (sponsored by PRS For Music)

Universal Music Publishing Group

Radio Show

Future Sounds With Clara Amfo, BBC Radio 1

Radio Station (sponsored by PPL)

BBC Radio 6 Music

Record Company (sponsored by Confetti Institute Of Creative Technologies)

EMI Records

Sales Team of the year (sponsored by OCC)

The Orchard

Sync Team Of The Year

Warner Music UK

Ticketing Company

Dice

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Music Week Awards 2023: All the winners at our biggest ever industry celebration

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