Olivia Dean, Lola Young and Lily Allen nominated for 2026 Brit Awards

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:

DaveFred AgainJadeLily AllenLittle SimzLola YoungOlivia DeanPink PantheressSam FenderSelf Esteem

Group:

Last Dinner PartyPulpSleep TokenWet LegWolf Alice

Album:

Dave – The Boy Who Played The HarpLily Allen – West End GirlOlivia Dean – The Art of LovingSam Fender – People WatchingWolf Alice – The Clearing

Breakthrough:

Barry Can’t SwimEsDeeKidJim LegxacyLola YoungSkye Newman

International artist:

Bad BunnyChappell RoanCMATDoechiiLady GagaRosaliaSabrina CarpenterSombrTaylor SwiftTyler The Creator

International group:

GeeseHaimHuntrix – EJAE/Audrey Nuna/Rei AmiTame ImpalaTurnstile

Song of the year:

Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas – BlessingsChrystal and Notion – The Days (Notion Remix)Cynthia Erivo featuring Ariana Grande – Defying GravityEd Sheeran – AzizamFred Again, PlaqueBoyMax, and Skepta – Victory LapLewis Capaldi – SurviveLola Young – MessyMaisie Smith – Nice To Meet YouOlivia Dean – Man I NeedRaye – Where Is My HusbandSam Fender and Olivia Dean – Rein Me InSkye Newman – Family Matters

International song of the year:

Alex Warren – OrdinaryChappell Roan – Pink Pony ClubDisco Lines – No Broke BoysGigi Perez – Sailor SongGracie Abrams – That’s So TrueHuntrix – GoldenLady Gaga and Bruno Mars – die with a smileRavyn Lenae – Love Me NotRose and Bruno Mars – APTSabrina Carpenter – ManchildSombr – UndressedTaylor Swift – The Fate Of Ophelia

Alternative Rock:

Blood OrangeLola YoungSam FenderWet LegWolf Alice

Pop:

JadeLily AllenLola YoungOlivia DeanRaye

Hip hop, grime and rap:

Central CeeDaveJim LegxacyLittle SimzLoyle Carner

R&B:

Jim LegxacyKwnMabelSasha KeableSault

Dance act:

Calvin Harris and Clementine DouglasFKA TwigsFred Again, PlaqueBoyMax, and SkeptaPink PantheressSammy Virji

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