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By Gemma Brosnan COLDPLAY and Duffy will be the big contenders at this year's Ivor Novello Awards after receiving three nominations each for the prestigious awards. Duffy's ‘Rockferry’ is up for best album against Coldplay's ‘Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends’ and they will also go head to head for the most performed song and best-selling British song with ‘Mercy’ up against ‘Viva La Vida’. Mercury Prize winners Elbow will contest the best song with their single ‘One Day Like This’ being nominated alongside ‘My Mistakes Were Made For You’ by The Last Shadow Puppets, the side project band from Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys, and ‘The Last of the Melting Snow’ by new band The Leisure Society. The Leisure Society is the part-time band of Nick Hemming, 35, from Staffordshire who currently works in a warehouse but managed to published and produced their own album and debut single, ‘The Last of the Melting Snow’. The song has been championed by Guy Garvey from Elbow who named it his favourite song of 2008 and is now up against him for the same award. It is the first time in the awards' 54-year history that a self-published musician has been nominated in the prestigious category. Hemming said: “I worked in a record shop for many years and I can remember reading about the Ivors, thinking how it would be the coolest award to win as it's decided on artistic rather than commercial merit. I went straight onto the Ivors website after I’d received the nomination letter and found endorsements from Paul McCartney and John Barry, two of my biggest musical heroes. It feels a little surreal at the moment; I’m incredibly flattered that so many people have taken such a personal song to their hearts.” Nick, who once played in a band with film director, Shane Meadows, has also written and performed music for the films 'A Room for Romeo Brass' and 'Dead Man's Shoes.' Elbow are also in the running for best contemporary song with ‘Grounds for Divorce’ against London rapper Dizzee Rascal's ‘Dance Wiv Me’ and The Ting Tings' ‘That's Not My Name’. In other categories, nominees include Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood for best film score for ‘There Will Be Blood’. The prizes, which have been presented for more than 50 years, are organised by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors with PRS for Music. Patrick Rackow, Chief Executive of BASCA said: “Once again the breadth of the works nominated shows the health of British music writing and the range of talent. I am particularly pleased to see new names on the list of nominees and would like to thank this year’s judges for all of their hard work.” Winners at the 2008 Ivor Novello Awards included Amy Winehouse, Radiohead, Mika and Cherry Ghost and this year’s ceremony will be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on May 21.
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