Reference books claim Queen, specifically Mercury, won two Ivor Novello Awards for Best Song. Gary Osborne, chair of the awards, however, reveals that the reference books are wrong.
Although Killer Queen was nominated for Best Popular Song in 1975, the accolade that year went to Carl Douglas for Kung Fu Fighting.
The myth that Mercury won for Bohemian Rhapsody is more understandable.
In light of the splendorous achievement of that record, it would have been absurd to give the award to anyone but Mercury. Sure enough, it went to… 10cc for I’m Not In Love. The awards committee’s blushes were spared by the fact that they had no option but to give Bohemian Rhapsody the prize for 1975’s Best Selling British Record.
For the record, the other Ivor Novello awards Queen did win were Outstanding Contribution To British Music (1987), Best Selling A-Side (the re-released Bohemian Rhapsody, 1991), Best TV Commercial (May, 1991), International Hit Of The Year (Mercury, Living On My Own, 1993) and Outstanding Song Collection (2005).