Olivia Dean dominated the 2026 Brit Awards, held for the first time in Manchester at the Co-op Live arena, securing four prestigious awards including artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year, and pop act. The 26-year-old’s success follows a rapid ascent to prominence fueled by her second album, The Art of Loving, and a recent Grammy Award for best new artist.
Dean’s winning streak began with the song of the year award for “Rein Me In,” a duet with Sam Fender. Remarkably, she was also nominated in the same category for her solo track, “Man I Demand,” which has remained in the UK Top 10 since its release in August. The song category was decided by public vote via WhatsApp, as was the award for international song of the year, which went to Rosé and Bruno Mars for “APT.”
Accepting the album of the year award, Dean stated, “This album is just about love, and loving each other in a world that feels loveless right now.” The Art of Loving has resonated with audiences through its exploration of modern dating, combined with a sophisticated blend of musical styles including bossa nova, trip-hop, neo-soul, and jazz.
Sam Fender also enjoyed success at the ceremony, winning the alternative/rock category – his third win in the category, following triumphs in 2022 and 2025, and adding to his 2019 critics’ choice award. Whereas Dean’s collaboration with Fender on “Rein Me In” proved victorious, the song originated as a solo track on Fender’s album, People Watching, before being re-released with a new verse from Dean, subsequently topping the UK singles chart.
Lola Young, who received five nominations, won the breakthrough artist award. Her journey to recognition has been gradual, having been nominated for the critics’ choice award in 2021 and releasing her third album. Her song “Messy,” released in May 2024, reached UK No 1 eight months later, with much of its success occurring within the eligibility period for the 2026 Brit Awards.
Other winners included Wolf Alice, who secured the group of the year award for the second time, recognizing their album The Clearing. Frontwoman Ellie Rowsell dedicated the award to grassroots music venues, highlighting the challenges facing the sector and advocating for increased support for artists. Dave won the hip-hop/grime/rap act award, following the success of his album The Boy Who Played the Harp and its single “Raindance.”
Skepta, alongside Fred Again and PlaqueBoyMax, won the dance act prize for their dubstep collaboration “Victory Lap,” marking Fred Again’s first win in the category after three previous nominations. The R&B act award went to Sault, headed by producer Inflo, after losing out to Raye in 2024.
Internationally, Rosalía was named international artist of the year for her album Lux, surpassing more commercially successful artists like Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny. Geese, an indie rock band from New York City, won the international group category for their album Getting Killed, defeating Haim and Tame Impala.
PinkPantheress made history as the first female winner of the producer of the year award, recognized for her UK garage-influenced production on her album Fancy That. A remix of her track “Stateside,” featuring Zara Larsson, is currently the second-most streamed song worldwide on Spotify.
Noel Gallagher was awarded songwriter of the year, following the highly anticipated Oasis reunion. He acknowledged the contributions of his brother Liam and other band members, stating they “brought those songs to life.” Mark Ronson received the outstanding contribution award, celebrating a diverse career that includes producing Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and the soundtrack to the Barbie movie. He paid tribute to Winehouse, emphasizing the enduring impact of their collaboration.
A lifetime achievement award was presented to Ozzy Osbourne, who died in July 2025, and accepted by his wife, Sharon. She described him as “authentic, gifted, totally unpredictable,” and a “true artist.” A tribute performance of “No More Tears” by Robbie Williams, featuring Metallica’s Robert Trujillo and Zakk Wylde, concluded the ceremony.
An incident occurred during the display when US pop singer Sombr was tackled on stage by a man wearing a shirt proclaiming “Sombr is a homewrecker,” which was later revealed to be a publicity stunt for the singer’s new single.
