Brits 2026 – What To Expect?

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Brits 2026
Harald Krichel

Brits 2026: Olivia Dean and Lola Young lead the most anticipated BRITs in years, as the ceremony leaves London for the first time in its nearly 50-year history. The 46th BRIT Awards takes place on Saturday, 28 February 2026 at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, a seismic shift that marks the beginning of a two-year residency outside the capital.

Jack Whitehall returns to host for a record sixth time, eight performers are confirmed (with Taylor Swift the subject of fevered speculation), and nearly 70% of nominations feature women and non-binary artists — the highest representation the BRITs have ever seen. With 92 nominations across 15 categories, a Noel Gallagher homecoming, Mark Ronson’s Outstanding Contribution honour, and the first K-pop performers in BRITs history, this ceremony carries more storylines than any edition in recent memory.

Manchester Takes Centre Stage For The First Time (Brits 2026)

After decades at London venues, most recently The O2 since 2011, the BRITs’ relocation to Manchester’s 23,500-capacity Co-op Live is the single biggest structural change in the ceremony’s history. The move was announced in June 2025 as part of a three-year stewardship deal with Sony Music UK, whose Co-President of RCA Records, Stacey Tang, chairs the 2026 BRITs Committee. Manchester will also host the 2027 ceremony, which will mark the awards’ 50th anniversary.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham called it “a massive coup for Greater Manchester,” and the city’s legendary musical heritage, Joy Division, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, New Order, Happy Mondays, makes it a symbolically potent new home. The ceremony is surrounded by the first-ever BRITs Fringe, delivered by Brighter Sound, featuring industry panels at New Century Hall, development sessions for young musicians at Band on the Wall and the Royal Northern College of Music, a citywide art trail curated by Manchester artist Stanley Chow, and a Brian Cannon exhibition of iconic album artwork at Manchester Piccadilly Station.

The annual BRITs Week for War Child charity concerts have expanded beyond London for the first time, with gigs stretching from Newcastle (Fatboy Slim) to Edinburgh (Jacob Alon) to Nottingham (Myles Smith), culminating in Olivia Dean at Manchester’s Albert Hall and a surprise Robbie Williams show at Aviva Studios.

The trophy itself nods to the host city: designed by Manchester-born fashion designer Matthew Williamson, it’s crafted from amber-toned resin resembling the golden honey of a worker bee, Manchester’s civic mascot, perched atop a globe representing British music’s global reach. General admission tickets are sold out, though Mastercard-exclusive packages remain available, and free tram travel has been arranged for all ticketholders.

Olivia Dean and Lola Young Dominate With Five Nominations Each (Brits 2026)

Nominations were announced on 21 January 2026 in a livestream from Co-op Live, hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Sarah Story and presenter Charley Marlowe. Olivia Dean and Lola Young share the lead with five nominations each, followed by Sam Fender with four, and Dave, Wolf Alice, Lily Allen, Fred again.., and Jim Legxacy with three apiece.

The full nomination slate across every category:

Artist of the Year: Dave, Fred again.., JADE, Lily Allen, Little Simz, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, PinkPantheress, Sam Fender, Self Esteem

Mastercard Album of the Year: Dave – The Boy Who Played the Harp; Lily Allen – West End Girl; Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving; Sam Fender – People Watching; Wolf Alice – The Clearing

Song of the Year with Mastercard (public vote via WhatsApp): Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas – “Blessings”; Chrystal & NOTION – “The Days (NOTION Remix)”; Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande – “Defying Gravity”; Ed Sheeran – “Azizam”; Fred again.., Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax – “Victory Lap”; Lewis Capaldi – “Survive”; Lola Young – “Messy”; Myles Smith – “Nice To Meet You”; Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”; RAYE – “Where Is My Husband!”; Sam Fender with Olivia Dean – “Rein Me In”; Skye Newman – “Family Matters”

Group of the Year: The Last Dinner Party, Pulp, Sleep Token, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice

Breakthrough Artist (renamed from Best New Artist): Barry Can’t Swim, EsDeeKid, Jim Legxacy, Lola Young, Skye Newman

International Artist of the Year: Bad Bunny, Chappell Roan, CMAT, Doechii, Lady Gaga, Rosalía, Sabrina Carpenter, Sombr, Taylor Swift, Tyler, The Creator

International Group of the Year: Geese, HAIM, HUNTR/X (KPop Demon Hunters), Tame Impala, Turnstile

International Song of the Year (public vote via WhatsApp): Alex Warren – “Ordinary”; Chappell Roan – “Pink Pony Club”; Disco Lines & Tinashe – “No Broke Boys”; Gigi Perez – “Sailor Song”; Gracie Abrams – “That’s So True”; HUNTR/X – “Golden”; Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile”; Ravyn Lenae – “Love Me Not”; Rosé & Bruno Mars – “APT.”; Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”; Sombr – “Undressed”; Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia”

Pop Act: JADE, Lily Allen, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, RAYE

Alternative/Rock Act: Blood Orange, Lola Young, Sam Fender, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice

Hip-Hop, Grime & Rap Act: Central Cee, Dave, Jim Legxacy, Little Simz, Loyle Carner

R&B Act: Jim Legxacy, Kwn, Mabel, Sasha Keable, Sault

Dance Act: Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas, FKA twigs, Fred again.. / Skepta / PlaqueBoyMax, PinkPantheress, Sammy Virji

A significant format change this year is that Song of the Year and International Song of the Year are now decided by public vote via WhatsApp (in partnership with Meta), while genre categories have returned to the BRITs Voting Academy, roughly 1,200 industry professionals including label executives, artists, producers, managers, media, and past winners. Two categories have also been renamed: Rising Star has reverted to its original Critics’ Choice Award, and Best New Artist has become British Breakthrough Act for the first time since 2019.

Three Winners Already Confirmed Before the Ceremony (Brits 2026)

Critics’ Choice Award: Jacob Alon. The Scottish art-folk singer-songwriter from Dunfermline, signed to Island Records, was announced as the winner on 19 January on BBC Radio 1. His debut album In Limerence earned a place on the 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist. He beat Rose Gray and Sienna Spiro from the shortlist revealed on 3 December 2025.

Songwriter of the Year: Noel Gallagher. Announced 4 February, the award honours over 30 years of songwriting, from Oasis’s era-defining catalogue to his High Flying Birds solo work, and was significantly timed to coincide with the massive Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour that followed the brothers’ reconciliation in August 2024. Gallagher will collect the award in person in his hometown. This is the first BRIT for either Gallagher brother in 16 years (their last was in 2010). Previous Songwriter recipients include Ed Sheeran, RAYE, and Charli xcx.

Outstanding Contribution to Music: Mark Ronson. Announced 3 February, Ronson’s honour recognises a career spanning 25 billion global streams, nine Grammys, two BRITs, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe. His landmark productions include Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black, “Uptown Funk” with Bruno Mars, “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” with Miley Cyrus, and work on A Star Is Born, Barbie, and Euphoria. He joins previous recipients including David Bowie, Oasis, Elton John, Queen, Robbie Williams, P!NK, and Blur. Ronson will both accept the award and perform live at the ceremony.

Eight Confirmed Performers — and One Very Big Rumour (Brits 2026)

The performance lineup has been rolled out gradually since nominations day. In order of announcement:

  1. Olivia Dean (21 January) — The night’s first confirmed performer and five-time nominee, fresh from winning Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammys.
  2. Harry Styles (28 January) — His first live television performance in nearly three years, debuting music from his upcoming fourth album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally (due 6 March). Not nominated this year, but won four BRITs in 2023. He recently announced a record-breaking 12-night Wembley Stadium run.
  3. Wolf Alice (29 January) — Their BRITs performance debut; nominated in three categories including Group of the Year and Album of the Year for The Clearing.
  4. Mark Ronson (3 February) — Performing alongside his Outstanding Contribution honour.
  5. Rosalía (5 February) — Her first-ever BRITs appearance; nominated for International Artist of the Year and about to launch her 57-show global Lux Tour.
  6. EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI (HUNTR/X) (13 February) — The singing voices of the KPop Demon Hunters Netflix film become the first K-pop artists to perform at the BRIT Awards in history. Their performance will be pre-recorded outside Co-op Live in front of invited fans. Their track “Golden” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and is nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars.
  7. Alex Warren (16 February) — His breakout hit “Ordinary” was the most-played song on British radio in 2025 and the longest-running UK No. 1 by a US artist this decade, with approximately 750 million streams.
  8. Sombr (19 February) — The rising New York singer-songwriter, nominated for International Artist of the Year and International Song of the Year.

The biggest unconfirmed story? Multiple tabloid reports, primarily sourced from The Sun, claim Taylor Swift has “secretly landed in the UK” with a team of roughly 20 people, with her entourage reportedly scheduled to leave “the Monday after the ceremony.” Swift is nominated for International Artist of the Year and International Song of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia” from her twelfth album The Life of a Showgirl. She previously received the Global Icon Award at the 2021 BRITs. Adding tabloid intrigue, both her ex Harry Styles (confirmed performer) and ex Joe Alwyn are reportedly expected to be present. The BRITs have not officially confirmed Swift as a performer or guest.

Who Is Tipped To Win: Betting Odds and Expert Predictions (Brits 2026)

The prevailing narrative is that 2026 will be Olivia Dean’s night, following the recent pattern of dominant winners, RAYE swept in 2024, Charli xcx won five trophies in 2025. Billboard UK editor Thomas Smith describes this as “the most anticipated ceremony since 2022” and notes that since the Artist of the Year category was introduced in 2022, the Album and Artist winners have always been the same person (Adele, Harry Styles, RAYE, Charli xcx). Dean’s album The Art of Loving spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.

CategoryPredicted WinnerKey RivalOdds
Artist of the YearOlivia DeanLola YoungDean 4/6, Young 2/1
Album of the YearOlivia DeanLily Allen, Sam FenderDean 6/4
Song of the YearLola Young (“Messy”)Olivia Dean, RAYEYoung 1/1
Group of the YearWolf AliceSleep Token, Pulp—
Breakthrough ArtistLola YoungJim Legxacy—
International ArtistTaylor SwiftChappell RoanSwift 1/3
International SongLady Gaga & Bruno MarsChappell Roan—
International GroupHUNTR/X or GeeseHAIM, Tame Impala—
Pop ActOlivia DeanLily Allen—
Alt/Rock ActWolf AliceSam Fender—
Hip-Hop/Grime/RapDaveCentral Cee, Little Simz—
R&B ActJim LegxacySault—
Dance ActPinkPantheressFred again..—

The primary threat to an Olivia Dean sweep is Lola Young, who won Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2026 Grammys earlier in February, giving her serious momentum. Lily Allen’s remarkable comeback with West End Girl, her first arena-level success in years, is another compelling narrative that could disrupt Dean’s dominance, particularly in Pop Act and Album of the Year.

Controversies and Talking Points Swirling Around the Ceremony (Brits 2026)

Jack Whitehall’s return sparked immediate criticism. Many commentators argued that moving the BRITs to Manchester presented a perfect opportunity for a new host, ideally someone Northern. Forum discussions suggested AJ Odudu as a more fitting choice. Whitehall also carries baggage from the 2025 ceremony, where he called Becky Hill “Wetherspoons Whitney.” Hill fired back publicly, and the moment has followed him into press ahead of this year’s show.

Whitehall has already been generating headlines in pre-ceremony interviews. A planned Harry Styles sketch was scrapped when Styles refused to participate, and he recounted how Jared Leto once hijacked the autocue at a previous ceremony, deleting Whitehall’s scripted introduction and replacing it with something altogether more grandiose.

The Dance Act category drew criticism for nominating Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas and Fred again.. / Skepta / PlaqueBoyMax, effectively reducing entire years of output to single songs in what should be an artist-level category. Lola Young’s dual nomination in both Alternative/Rock Act and Pop Act was flagged by several outlets as a questionable decision. And while 69.2% female and non-binary representation was widely celebrated, some observers noted that the hip-hop category remains entirely male, and Ed Sheeran, the second-most nominated artist in BRITs history with 25 career nominations, received just a single nod this year.

The Manchester relocation itself remains polarising. Supporters see it as long overdue decentralisation; sceptics question whether the logistics and cultural fit will work, and some London industry figures worry about the impact on the capital’s music ecosystem. The ceremony will be the biggest test yet of whether the BRITs can successfully reinvent themselves outside their traditional home.

Potential History-Making Moments On The Night (Brits 2026)

Several records could fall on 28 February. Chappell Roan could become the first artist to win International Artist of the Year in consecutive years (she won in 2025) and the first two-time winner of International Song of the Year. Dave could become the first male solo artist to win Album of the Year twice (he won in 2020 for Psychodrama).

HUNTR/X could become the first K-pop group to win a BRIT Award, BTS and Blackpink were both previously nominated but never won. HAIM could become the first all-female group to win International Group twice. Pulp’s nomination marks their first in 30 years, since 1996, following their comeback album More, their first LP in 24 years. And Little Simz, nominated three times for Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap Act without ever winning, could finally break through in a three-way battle with Dave and Central Cee, whose non-win in 2025 was widely considered a major snub.

Final Thoughts On Brits 2026

The BRIT Awards 2026 arrives at a genuine inflection point for the ceremony. The Manchester move, record-breaking gender diversity, category revamps, and a fiercely competitive nomination field collectively signal an institution attempting meaningful reinvention. Olivia Dean enters as the clear favourite to dominate the night, but Lola Young’s Grammy momentum and Lily Allen’s comeback narrative inject genuine unpredictability. The unresolved Taylor Swift speculation, the emotional weight of Noel Gallagher accepting an award in his hometown, and the symbolic power of K-pop performers taking the BRITs stage for the first time all ensure that even before a single award is handed out, this ceremony already feels like a watershed.

The broadcast airs live on ITV1 and ITVX at 8pm GMT on Saturday 28 February, with performances streaming globally on YouTube.

Sources For Brits 2026

Becky Anderson
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