Harry Styles names the song he was listening to when he lost his virginity

Harry Styles left guests at The Ivors laughing after revealing the track that was playing when he lost his virginity.

The former One Direction star appeared at the London ceremony on Thursday (21 May), where he took to the stage to present Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke with the Academy Fellowship.

Styles, 32, had taken a short break from his Together, Together tour, which recently opened in Amsterdam, to attend the event in person.

The Ivors, formerly known as the Ivor Novello Awards, are among the UK’s most prestigious songwriting awards, celebrating composers and songwriters behind some of the biggest and most influential tracks.

Styles was there to honour Yorke, who was handed the Academy Fellowship, the ceremony’s highest honour.

During his speech, Styles explained how much Radiohead’s music had shaped him, before revealing that the song playing during the personal moment was Radiohead’s ‘Talk Show Host.”

Styles praised Thom Yorke before sharing the cheeky throwback (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

As shown in clips since shared on social media sites like X (formerly Twitter), he told the audience: “I lost my virginity to ‘Talk Show Host.’”

After a pause, he added: “Well, I lost my virginity to the intro to ‘Talk Show Host’.”

The admission was met with laughter from the room, with Styles using the joke as part of a wider tribute to Yorke and Radiohead’s influence on his life.

Talk Show Host was released in the 1990s and became closely linked with Baz Luhrmann’s soundtrack for the film, Romeo + Juliet.

Styles, who was born after Radiohead’s debut album Pablo Honey was released, said he discovered the band’s music later, but described Yorke as one of his heroes.

He told the crowd: “I cannot overstate how his work has influenced my belief in the purpose of the arts in our world today…And I cannot overstate how much his work continues to influence me.”

The As It Was singer also suggested one of his own best-known songs might not have existed without Radiohead.

As noted by Variety, he said: “Without ‘Exit Music’, there would be no ‘Watermelon Sugar’. Imagine that. A world without that song? It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

The singer said Radiohead helped shape one of his biggest hits (Stewart Cook/CBS via Getty Images)

Styles also said seeing Radiohead perform in Berlin in 2025 had helped inspire him to tour again.

Yorke appeared visibly moved by the tribute and hugged Styles as he joined him on stage to accept the award.

The Radiohead frontman was not the only artist recognised with the Academy Fellowship on the night, as the late George Michael was also honoured.

Michael’s award was accepted by his former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley.

Elsewhere at the ceremony, Lola Young’s ‘Mess’ was named the PRS for Music Most Performed Work, Calvin Harris received the PRS for Music Icon Award, and Rosalía was named International Songwriter of the Year.