Blur are set to receive the O2 Silver Clef Award at the annual charity gala ceremony this year.
Per Music News, the Britpop legends will be honoured on July 5 with the event’s biggest prize, alongside the other newly-announced prize winners of the night in AC/DC, Chaka Khan, Loyle Carner, Mark Knopfler, Young Fathers and Jacob Collier.
With this award, Blur joins a league of past awardees that includes David Bowie, Oasis, Paul McCartney and Kylie Minogue.
“Making music with my brothers in Blur has been one of the great gifts of my life,” said bassist Alex James in a statement.
“We are absolutely chuffed to receive the O2 Silver Clef Award and help raise awareness for [music therapy charity] Nordoff and Robbins, a brilliant organisation.” Last year’s recipient of the O2 Silver Clef was Stormzy.
In a statement, AC/DC expressed that they’re “over the moon” to receive the Amazon Music Legend Award for their lengthy run as a recording artist and live touring act.
“As a band, we’ve been dishing out our own brand of music therapy for the past five decades,” said vocalist Brian Johnson, “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.”
Meanwhile, Chaka Khan will receive the Global Impact Award, praising Nordoff and Robbins as an organisation “where the power of music is used to transform, inspire, and bring love to the world.” Loyle Carner will receive the Best Male Award, Knopfler with the Music Icon Award, Young Fathers with Best Live Act, and Jacob Collier for Innovation in Music.
Other acts receiving prizes that night will be Jessie Ware, The 1975, Texas, Cat Burns and Ezra Collective.
With the annual awards event, the charity says that over £13 million has been raised since its first edition in 1976.
In July, Blur will also release the feature-length documentary To The End, which will follow their recent reunion and release of ninth album ‘The Ballad of Darren’.
