KT Tunstall was also a winner at the Brit Awards

James Blunt picked up two awards for most performed song and international hit of the year for You're Beautiful.

Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett of Gorillaz were named Songwriters of the Year at the awards ceremony in London.

Kaiser Chiefs' Employment won best album. The Ivors honour UK songwriters, composers and music publishers.

KT Tunstall said her win was an inspiration.

New Order won the award for outstanding song collection

"I've been writing songs for 15 years and it's amazing to just sit in your room and do something that you like doing and it turns into this. It gives you a kick up the arse to carry on," said Tunstall.

James Blunt joked to journalists about his song winning the most performed work award.

"I'm going to be rude about this before anyone else has the chance - thank you so much for the award for most overplayed song."

Kaiser Chiefs' Ricky Wilson attended the awards on crutches after being hit by a car earlier this week.

Tunstall, Blunt, Gorillaz and the Kaiser Chiefs all won awards at the Brit Awards earlier this year.

Career achievement

Coldplay missed out on an Ivor after being nominated for three awards - their single Fix You was up for best song, with Speed of Sound included in the international hit of the year category.

Best contemporary song went to Athlete for Wires.

Swedish film Evil beat off competition from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe to win best original film score - composed by Francis Shaw.

Channel 4's Elizabeth I picked up best television soundtrack.

The Bee Gees, Ray Davies, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff all picked up career achievement honours.

Criticism

New Order won the best outstanding song collection award, while That's My Goal, written by Jorgen Elofsson, Jeremy Godfrey and Bill Padley for X-Factor winner Shayne Ward, won best-selling UK single.

The classical music award went to composer Sir Harrison Birtwistle, who took the opportunity to have a swipe at modern music.

"Why is your music so loud? You must all be brain-dead. This isn't me against pop music, I didn't know so many cliches existed as I've heard in the last half-hour," he said at the ceremony.

Birtwhistle's works include operas The Mask of Orpheus and The Last Supper.