News Story

Olivia Dean and Lola Young are the most nominated acts for year’s Brit Awards ceremony with five each.

Britpop band Pulp have scored their first nomination in 30 years, in the best group category.

The nominations were announced on Wednesday evening at a livestreamed event from Co-op Live in Manchester, where Sam Fender, the most recent recipient of the Mercury Prize, received four nominations.

Lily Allen, whose album West End Girl caused a stir when it was released last year, is nominated in three categories for best album, artist of the year, and pop act.

Her first album in seven years, it is said to detail the alleged infidelity of her ex-husband, US actor David Harbour.

Singer-songwriter Dean is up for best pop act, artist of the year, best album for The Art of Loving, and best song for Man I Need.

Young’s whose hit single Messy also earns her a nomination in the best song category, is also up for best pop act and artist of the year, as well as breakthrough act.

Fender is also nominated for artist of the year, alternative rock act, and best album for his release People Watching, as well as best song for Rein Me In, his collaboration with Dean.

London-born actress and singer Cynthia Erivo is nominated for best song for Defying Gravity, featuring Ariana Grande, from the film Wicked.

Dean and Young face tough competition in the artist of the year category, which is dominated by female acts including Jade, Pink Pantheress and Self Esteem.

Rising star, Lewisham-born rapper, singer and producer Jim Legxacy, receives a nod in the breakthrough category, where he is up against Barry Can’t Swim, EsDeeKid, Young, and Skye Newman, the recent winner of BBC Radio 1’s Sound Of 2026.

Pulp, who are up for best group the same award they were nominated for in 1996, but did not win will go head to head with Last Dinner Party, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice and Sleep Token.

In the best album category Dave is nominated for The Boy Who Played The Harp, alongside Wolf Alice for The Clearing, and the releases from Dean, Allen and Fender.

Legxacy is also nominated for best hip hop, grime and rap act alongside Dave, Central Cee, Little Simz and Loyle Carner while he gets a nod for R&B act too.

That category also has nominations for Kwn, Mabel, Sasha Keable, and Sault.

In song of the year, Ed Sheeran’s Azizam goes up against Lewis Capaldi with Survive, Raye with Where Is My Husband, and Newman with Family Matters.

It was also revealed that the public will be be able to cast their votes in the song of the year and international song of the year categories via WhatsApp.

The nomination ceremony was hosted by DJ and radio presenter Sarah Story and influencer Charley Marlowe.

Marlowe, 25, announced she will be hosting the red carpet coverage for the award ceremony next month, alongside TV presenter Tyler West.

The awards, hosted by comedian and actor Jack Whitehall, will be broadcast live on February 28 on ITV and ITVX.

The full list of nominees are:

Artist of the year:

Dave Fred Again Jade Lily Allen Little Simz Lola Young Olivia Dean Pink Pantheress Sam Fender Self Esteem

Group:

Last Dinner Party Pulp Sleep Token Wet Leg Wolf Alice

Album:

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

Breakthrough:

Barry Can’t Swim EsDeeKid Jim Legxacy Lola Young Skye Newman

International artist:

Bad Bunny Chappell Roan CMAT Doechii Lady Gaga Rosalia Sabrina Carpenter Sombr Taylor Swift Tyler The Creator

International group:

Geese Haim Huntrix EJAE/Audrey Nuna/Rei Ami Tame Impala Turnstile

Song of the year:

Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas Blessings Chrystal and Notion The Days (Notion Remix) Cynthia Erivo featuring Ariana Grande Defying Gravity Ed Sheeran Azizam Fred Again, PlaqueBoyMax, and Skepta Victory Lap Lewis Capaldi Survive Lola Young Messy Maisie Smith Nice To Meet You Olivia Dean Man I Need Raye Where Is My Husband Sam Fender and Olivia Dean Rein Me In Skye Newman Family Matters

International song of the year:

Alex Warren Ordinary Chappell Roan Pink Pony Club Disco Lines No Broke Boys Gigi Perez Sailor Song Gracie Abrams That’s So True Huntrix Golden Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars die with a smile Ravyn Lenae Love Me Not Rose and Bruno Mars APT Sabrina Carpenter Manchild Sombr Undressed Taylor Swift The Fate Of Ophelia

Alternative Rock:

Blood Orange Lola Young Sam Fender Wet Leg Wolf Alice

Pop:

Jade Lily Allen Lola Young Olivia Dean Raye

Hip hop, grime and rap:

Central Cee Dave Jim Legxacy Little Simz Loyle Carner

R&B:

Jim Legxacy Kwn Mabel Sasha Keable Sault

Dance act:

Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas FKA Twigs Fred Again, PlaqueBoyMax, and Skepta Pink Pantheress Sammy Virji