Olivia Dean and Lola Young, two of 2025’s most prominent breakout artists, lead the nominations for this year’s Brit Awards, each securing five nods.
Both artists are shortlisted for the coveted Artist of the Year award, alongside previous Brit Award recipients such as Lily Allen, Dave, and Little Simz.
Sam Fender, following his recent Mercury Prize win, garners four nominations, including Album of the Year and Best Single for his collaboration with Dean, “Rein Me In.”
Adding to the anticipation, reunited indie band Pulp receives their first nomination since 1996 – the year marked by Jarvis Cocker’s infamous stage intervention during Michael Jackson’s performance of “Earth Song.”
Pulp, nominated for multiple awards at the 1996 ceremony, had performed their hit single “Sorted for Es & Wizz” when Cocker voiced his objection to Jackson’s elaborate stage presentation, which depicted the singer as a messianic figure protecting a multitude of children.
In protest, Cocker took to the stage, directing a gesture toward the cameras before swiftly exiting, pursued by Jackson’s security personnel.
Cocker was subsequently arrested and faced allegations of assaulting the children on stage. While no charges were filed, the incident garnered worldwide attention.
“For a while, I thought that was really the only thing I was going to ever be remembered for,” the singer tells the BBC.
“It put me into a kind of recognisability bracket that I could never have imagined. I’d always wanted to be famous from being a young kid. I got it, and then I regretted it.
“So the fact that we have been nominated [again] for some music that we’ve made, I feel like that’s laid that to rest. So I’m very I’m very, very happy.”
The complete list of nominees can be found here
Pulp is nominated for Best Group, recognizing the success of “More,” their first album in 25 years.
The category is highly competitive, with nominations also going to Wolf Alice, The Last Dinner Party, Wet Leg, and the enigmatic rock band Sleep Token.
Olivia Dean is widely considered a front-runner for Best Artist and Best Album following the chart-topping success of her acclaimed soul album, “The Art of Loving.”
“It feels crazy to be nominated for five Brit Awards,” said the star, who’ll also perform at the Brits ceremony. “Just even one would be crazy.”
“Having been at the Brit school and now having this full-circle moment 10 years later is going to feel very emotional.”
The Best Album category promises intense competition, following a particularly strong year for British music.
Dean faces competition from Lily Allen’s “West End Girl,” Wolf Alice’s “The Clearing,” and Dave’s introspective “The Boy Who Played The Harp.”
Also in contention is Sam Fender’s fourth album, “People Watching.”
An incisive and politically charged record addressing working-class issues, its stadium-ready anthems made it the best-selling new release by a British artist last year.
Should he win, Fender would become only the third artist to win Best Album at both the Brits and the Mercury Prize, joining Arctic Monkeys and Dave.
One of the main questions surrounding the ceremony, to be held in Manchester next month, concerns Lola Young.
The London-born singer is nominated for Best Artist, Best Breakthrough, Best Pop Act, Best Alternative Act, and Song of the Year for “Messy,” after her distinctive blend of pop and punk made her one of 2025’s most-streamed artists.
However, the 25-year-old has taken a break from her career after collapsing on stage last September, to prioritize her mental and physical health.
Young recently announced her first show of 2026 – at the SXSW festival in Texas this March – but her attendance at the Brits remains unconfirmed.
Jacob Alon is confirmed to attend, having already been announced as the winner of the Critics’ Choice Award.
The Scottish singer, often compared to Nick Drake, expressed surprise that his acoustic songs were in contention for an award previously won by artists like Adele, Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, and Myles Smith.
“It feels like I’m getting away with something that I shouldn’t be getting away with,” the singer told BBC Radio 1.
The Best International Artist category acknowledges the growing influence of Latin music, with Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny and Spanish artist Rosalía receiving the genre’s first-ever Brit nominations.
They are competing against established US artists like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpener, while Ireland is represented by country-pop star CMAT – whose revealing outfit made headlines at the 2024 Brit Awards.
Another sign of evolving tastes comes in the shortlist for Best International Song, where K-pop makes its Brit Awards debut through Rosé and Bruno Mars’s “APT,” alongside Huntr/x’s “Golden,” from the Netflix animation “K-Pop Demon Hunters.”
The awards ceremony will take place on February 28th at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena, marking the first time the Brits have been held outside London since its inception in 1977.
Comedian Jack Whitehall will return to host the show for the sixth time.
“It feels like a real full circle moment returning to host this historic night at the Co-op Live, a venue that is only a stone’s throw away from the comedy club I did my first 10 minute set in all those years ago,” he said via press release.
“Hopefully I get a few more laughs than I did that night. I cannot wait.”
Find out who’s nominated at the biggest night in British music, from Sam Fender to Bad Bunny.
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