Sir Elton John is to receive the first ever Brits Icon Award.
The new accolade will be celebrated at a separate event each year. A spokesperson for the Brits told NME that the award will not replace the Outstanding Contribution Award, which continue to be presented at each year’s Brits on an ad-hoc basis.
The spokesperson added: “This new award aims to recognise the very highest level of British music achievement. Many artists have made an outstanding contribution, but only a select few have shaped our very culture – not just here in the UK, but in the rest of the World too. This prestigious new ‘Hall of Fame’ award has been introduced to acknowledge this very special level of achievement.”
Sir Elton will be inducted at an event on September 2, which will later be broadcast on ITV. The Brit Awards ceremony will take place on February 19, 2014 at London’s O2. “It’s a tremendous honour and a real thrill for me to have my work acknowledged in this way, and I’m really looking forward to participating in what promises to be a very special occasion,” he said in a statement.
Brit Awards chief executive Geoff Taylor added: “The Brit Awards has recognised many exceptional artists whose music has connected with millions of fans. A few of these artists, such as Sir Elton John, have achieved such a level of artistic creativity and originality, critical acclaim, global recognition and popular success that they deserve to be recognised as true Icons of our cultural life.”
Earlier this month, Elton John was forced to pull all his summer tour dates, including a massive concert in London’s Hyde Park, after being diagnosed with appendicitis.