Nominations announced for The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard as it moves to Manchester in a historical first

22 January 2026 - Press release

NEXT GENERATION OF BRITISH ARTISTS OUT IN FRONT WITH FIVE NOMINATIONS FOR LOLA YOUNG AND OLIVIA DEAN

SAM FENDER FOLLOWS MERCURY PRIZE WIN WITH FOUR NOMINATIONS

LILY ALLEN, WOLF ALICE, DAVE, FRED AGAIN.., JIM LEGXACY ALL UP FOR THREE AWARDS

GLOBAL CULTURE MOMENTS RECOGNISED AS WICKED AND KPOP DEMON HUNTERS RECEIVE NODS

PULP RECEIVE FIRST NOMINATION IN 30 YEARS

MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS FOR BRUNO MARS, CALVIN HARRIS, CHAPPELL ROAN, JADE, LADY GAGA, LITTLE SIMZ, PINKPANTHERESS, RAYE, SABRINA CARPENTER, SKYE NEWMAN, SOMBR, TAYLOR SWIFT AND WET LEG

OLIVIA DEAN CONFIRMED AS FIRST PERFORMER FOR BRITs IN ITS NEW HOME OF CO-OP LIVE

 

THE BRIT AWARDS 2026 WITH MASTERCARD
SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2026 AT CO-OP LIVE, MANCHESTER LIVE ON ITV AND ITX
HOSTED BY JACK WHITEHALL

 

Nominations for The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard were announced today exclusively via Bring on the BRITs, a digital broadcast filmed at Manchester's Co-op Live and streamed across the official BRITs' Instagram and Facebook. Hosts Charley Marlowe and Sarah Story revealed the artists nominated across 15 categories, spoke to some of them for first reactions and gave viewers a sneak peek behind the scenes at the BRITs' new home, as it prepares to move out of the capital and to Manchester for the first time in its nearly five-decade history. The stream also featured an exclusive performance from this year's BRITs Critics' Choice winner, Jacob Alon.

The winners of The BRIT Awards 2026 will be announced live on Saturday 28th February, as the show debuts at its new Manchester home, the Co-op Live, and broadcasts exclusively on ITV and ITVX. Award-winning comedian and writer Jack Whitehall returns to host the show, and the winners of each category will each take home the iconic BRITs trophy, this year conceptualised and designed by internationally acclaimed and Manchester-born designer Matthew Williamson, inspired by his roots to the city. 

The winners of Song of the Year with Mastercard and International Song of the Year will be determined by a public vote, exclusively on WhatsApp as part of The BRITs continued partnership with Meta. To vote, fans can head to the BRITs WhatsApp channel or BRITs socials from midday on Friday 30th January until the vote closes at 6pm on Friday 13th February. Further information on the vote can be found at brits.co.uk/vote.

Leading the charge for the 2026 nominations are several British artists who have had exceptional years to date, with significant commercial and chart impact as well as representing an exciting cultural movement for British talent. Lola Young and Olivia Dean, both former BRIT School students and British breakthrough artists that were recognised as defining a British music revival in the UK and globally in the latest BPI Year in Music report, are front and centre of this year's BRITs with five nominations each. Lola is nominated across Artist of the Year, Breakthrough Artist, Song of the Year with Mastercard, Alt/Rock Act and Pop Act; whilst Olivia is nominated for Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year and Pop Act as well as receiving two nods in Song of the Year with Mastercard for 'Man I Need' and 'Rein Me In', her collaboration with Sam Fender. Oliva Dean is also the first performer to be confirmed for this year's show.

Sam Fender will hope to continue his winning streak as he receives four nominations across Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year, Song of the Year with Mastercard and Alt/Rock Act. Sam, a previous Critics' Choice winner, has won Alt/Rock Act twice before and also took home the 2025 Mercury Prize at Newcastle's Utilita Arena in October. 

A host of names receive three nominations each. Dave, for Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year and Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act; Fred again.., for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year with Mastercard and Dance Act; Jim Legxacy for Breakthrough Artist, Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act and R&B Act; Lily Allen for Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year and Pop Act; and Wolf Alice for Group of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year and Alt/Rock Act.

Other British artists up for awards this year include Calvin Harris, JADE, Ed Sheeran, Little Simz, PinkPantheress, RAYE, Skye Newman, Wet Leg and more. British icons Pulp receive their first nomination since 1996, with a nod in Group of the Year. 

Hollywood is also represented in this year's nominations, with two of 2025's biggest cultural moments featured as Cynthia Erivo secures her first BRIT Award nomination, with her rendition of Wicked's 'Defying Gravity' up for Song of the Year with Mastercard; and KPop Demon Hunter's 'Golden' also nominated for International Song of the Year, with HUNTR/X - EJAE / Audrey Nuna / REI AMi also in the running for International Group. 

A number of artists have received debut nominations across International categories. Bad Bunny, Doechii, ROSALÍA and sombr are nominated for the first time in International Artist of the Year, alongside previously nominated artists including Chappell Roan, CMAT, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift. Geese and Turnstile receive their first BRIT nominations in International Group, alongside previous BRIT nominees HAIM and Tame Impala. Alex Warren, Disco Lines & Tinashe, Gigi Perez, Gracie Abrams and Ravyn Lenae are in the running for International Song of the Year for the first time, alongside Bruno Mars, who is featured twice for his collaborations with Lady Gaga and ROSÉ.

The winners of Songwriter of the Year and Producer of the Year will be revealed over the coming weeks, along with other show announcements.

Nearly 70% (69.2%) of the nominations feature women and non-binary people combined as solo artists or in mixed gender groups. This is the highest representation of women and non-binary people yet.

Stacey Tang, Chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and Co-President of RCA Records at Sony Music UK said: "The breadth of artists nominated reflects a thriving year in music and reaffirms that British artists continue to capture imaginations across the globe. I think this list is a powerful demonstration of how vibrant and varied music is right now, with artists across different genres and generations reflecting music that is both commercially successful and has lasting cultural impact. At its core, the BRIT Awards exists to celebrate creativity, and these nominations set the stage for an exciting and memorable night."

BPI Chief Executive, Dr Jo Twist OBE, said: "It's fantastic to see British talent doing so well across the board, especially a next generation of brilliant artists who have broken through with such impact on the global stage in the past 12 months led by Olivia Dean, Lola Young,  Sam Fender, PinkPantheress, Skye Newman, among others – our congratulations to all The BRITs nominees and their labels. The BRIT Awards with Mastercard in Manchester will provide a compelling moment for them all to shine brightly and to spotlight the diverse breadth of talent drawn across the UK and internationally."

The BRITs Voting Academy - responsible for determining the nominees and the overall winners of categories including Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year and Breakthrough Artist - is comprised of approximately 1200 members who are responsible for shaping the creative and commercial success of the British music industry, including artists, producers, labels, retailers, publishers, managers, media, live, social and DSPs. Since 2017, the BRITs Voting Academy has undergone an annual refresh to ensure its membership is inclusive and relevant, as well as being representative of today's industry with members aligned on an artist-first approach. The BRITs' commitment to diversity is supported with a balanced split of women and men, as well as representation of members who identify outside the gender binary, and with a quarter of those who vote identify as being from a Black, Asian or ethnic minority background. The Academy and the voting process is overseen by Civica – an independent voting scrutineer.

The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday 28th February from Manchester's Co-op Live. 

On Monday, Scottish singer/songwriter Jacob Alon was announced as the winner of this year's BRITs Critics' Choice. Jacob found their voice in Edinburgh's folk community, where songs became a lifeline and a way to translate the deep, unspoken parts of themselves. That raw storytelling ultimately shaped their debut album 'In Limerence', a record that announced them as one of the most singular new artists in Britain, and earned them a place on the 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist for Album of the Year.

Rose Gray and SIENNA SPIRO joined Jacob on the shortlist of the prestigious Critics' Choice award. The trio follow in the footsteps of an impressive alumni of former winners and nominees who have gone on to achieve remarkable success after being shortlisted, including Dua Lipa, Adele, Florence + The Machine, James Blake, Michael Kiwanuka, Sam Smith, Jorja Smith, Griff, FLO, The Last Dinner Party, Myles Smith and more. The Critics' Choice shortlist continues to act as a barometer for the next generation of British talent.

Details for the BRITs Fringe, a programme of engagement taking place across Manchester ahead of this year's event, were also announced last week. BRITs Fringe celebrates the city's rich musical heritage, its vibrant contemporary scene and the next generation shaping the future of UK music.

Last month, award-winning comedian, actor, presenter and writer Jack Whitehall was revealed as the host for this year's ceremony. The news was announced via his "Ode to Manchester", shared exclusively across BRITs' socials. In true Jack fashion, he covers everything from the cobbles of Coronation Street to the Curry Mile, the Industrial Revolution to the invention of barm cake. Jack's return to Manchester marks his sixth time presenting the show, having previously hosted in 2025, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018. 

This year the BRIT award has been designed by internationally acclaimed British designer Matthew Williamson. Inspired by his Manchester roots and the city's famous drive and resilience, the trophy is amber toned resin - resembling the golden honey of a worker bee, the city's mascot - atop a globe representing the worldwide reach of British music. 

Mastercard will continue their long-standing headline sponsorship of The BRITs as it moves into its 29th year. ITV remains the official broadcaster for the 34th year, with the awards airing on ITV, STV, ITVX and STV Player. 

These partnerships are vital in supporting and amplifying The BRITs' vision and values, including fundraising for the awards' charitable arm, The BRIT Trust, with a core pillar of the Trust the distribution of funds to charities which promote education and wellbeing through music, including The BRIT School and Nordoff and Robbins Music Therapy.