The 2026 BRIT Awards, held for the first time outside of London at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Saturday, February 28, saw Olivia Dean emerge as the night's biggest winner, collecting an impressive four trophies. Dean's triumphs included the coveted album of the year for her sophomore LP, “The Art of Loving,” artist of the year, and pop act. She also shared the song of the year award with collaborator Sam Fender for their track “Rein Me In,” a category where her solo track “Man I Need” was also nominated. Despite Dean’s significant haul, RAYE maintained the record for most awards won in a single night, having taken home six in 2024.

The ceremony was hosted for a sixth time by comedian Jack Whitehall and featured live performances from a diverse lineup including Dean herself, Harry Styles, Wolf Alice, Alex Warren, and HUNTR/X. Olivia Dean’s multiple wins marked her first-ever BRIT Awards, solidifying her as a major force in the music industry. Her album of the year victory came against strong competition from Dave, Lily Allen, Sam Fender, and Wolf Alice. Dean’s artist of the year win continued a four-year trend of shared winners in both categories, following Adele (2022), Harry Styles (2023), RAYE (2024), and Charli XCX (2025).

Other notable winners included Sam Fender, who further extended his winning streak by securing the alternative/rock act category for the second consecutive year and third time in five years. Lola Young was recognized as the best breakthrough artist, earning her first BRITs trophy, while Wolf Alice secured the group of the year prize for the second time in their career. Rosalía made history as the first Spanish-language artist to win international artist of the year, surpassing contenders such as Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and Lady Gaga. Dave also achieved a significant milestone, becoming the first two-time winner of the hip hop/grime/rap act award.

In the international song category, “APT.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars took the prize, marking Rosé as the first K-pop artist to win at the BRIT Awards. The breakout hit “Golden” by HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters was featured in a pre-recorded segment of the ceremony. Voting for most awards was conducted by the BRITs Voting Academy, comprising industry figures, artists, and critics, while the song of the year and international song of the year categories were decided by fan votes via WhatsApp.

The event also honored several figures with special awards. Noel Gallagher was presented with songwriter of the year, PinkPantheress received producer of the year, and Mark Ronson was recognized for his outstanding contribution to music. A poignant moment of the evening was the posthumous lifetime achievement award for the late Ozzy Osbourne, accompanied by a tribute performance led by Robbie Williams. An In Memoriam segment paid respects to various late musical icons, with The Charlatans’ frontman Tim Burgess remembering local hero Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, the former Stone Roses bassist who passed away in November 2025.