A delighted Olivia Dean took home the double whammy of Artist and Album of the Year at this year’s Brit Awards, thanks to the success of her 2025 album The Art of Loving.
The 2026 Brit Awards ceremony was held at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester on Saturday 28 February, with Dean, Lily Allen and Sam Fender among the night’s nominees.
Dean, 26, enjoyed a huge year in 2025 thanks to the success of her second album, The Art of Loving, and singles such as “Man I Need” and “Nice to Each Other”, while also winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in January.
The soul-pop singer was up for Song of the Year for two songs: for her single “Man I Need” and also for her collaboration with singer-songwriter Sam Fender, “Rein Me In”, ultimately winning with Fender for “Rein Me In” before taking Artist of the Year.
She won a total of four of the five nominations she had, only missing out on the fifth due to being nominated twice in the Song of the Year category.
Meanwhile, buzzy New York band Geese won International Group. Oasis rocker Noel Gallagher received the Songwriter of the Year award, following the band’s massive reunion tour of 2025. Mark Ronson was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award while PinkPantheress was announced as Producer of the Year ahead of the ceremony. Rock band Wolf Alice took home the prize for Best Group.
Here are the winners of the 2026 Brit Awards.
Artist of the Year
Dave
Fred Again
JADE
Lily Allen
Little Simz
Olivia Dean - WINNER
PinkPantheress
Sam Fender
Self Esteem
Group of the Year
The Last Dinner Party
Pulp
Sleep Token
Wet Leg
Wolf Alice - WINNER
Album of the Year
Dave – The Boy Who Played the Harp
Lily Allen – West End Girl
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving - WINNER
Sam Fender – People Watching
Wolf Alice – The Clearing
Breakthrough Artist
Barry Can’t Swim
EsDeeKid
Jim Legxacy
Lola Young - WINNER
Sky Newman
International Artist
Bad Bunny
CMAT
Doechii
Lady Gaga
Rosalia - WINNER
Sabrina Carpenter
Sombr
Tyler, the Creator
International Group
Geese - WINNER
Hunter X
Tame Impala
Turnstile
Song of the Year (public vote)
Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas – “Blessings”
Chrystal and Notion – “The Days (Notion Remix)”
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande – “Defying Gravity”
Ed Sheeran – “Azizam”
Fred Again, Skepta and 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 and Olivia Dean – “Rein Me In” - WINNER
Skye Newman – “Family Matters”
International Song (public vote)
Alex Warren – “Ordinary”
Chappell Roan – “Pink Pony Club”
Disco Lines x Tinashe – “No Broke Boys”
GG Perez – “Sailor Song”
Gracie Abrams – “That’s So True”
Hunter X – “Golden”
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – “Die With a Smile”
Raven Lenni – “Love Me Not”
Rose x Bruno Mars – “APT” - WINNER
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Sombr – “Undressed”
Taylor Swift - “The Fate of Ophelia”
Alternative/Rock
Blood Orange
Lola Young
Sam Fender - WINNER
Wet Leg
Wolf Alice
Pop
JADE
Lily Allen
Lola Young
Olivia Dean - WINNER
RAYE
Hip-hop/Grime/Rap
Central Cee
Dave - WINNER
Jim Legxacy
Little Simz
Loyle Carner
R&B
Jim Legxacy
KWN
Mabel
Sasha Keeble
Sault - WINNER
Dance Act
Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas
FKA twigs
Fred Again, Skepta and PlaqueBoyMax - WINNER
PinkPantheress
Sammy Virgi
Critics Choice
Jacob Alon
Olivia Dean preaches ‘the art of loving’ as she sweeps 2026 Brit Awards
Jack Whitehall condemned for ‘classist’ jokes at Brit Awards ceremony in Manchester
Brit Awards to honour Ozzy Osbourne with lifetime achievement award
Jack White, Rosie O’Donnell among celebrities to speak out against US strikes on Iran
When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas canceled this year
Neil Sedaka, legendary ‘(Is This the Way to) Amarillo’ songwriter, dies aged 86
