Olivia Dean and Sam Fender triumph at BRITs 2026 in Manchester

The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard made history this evening, departing London for the first time in nearly five decades to take over Manchester’s Co-op Live. Hosted by Jack Whitehall, the ceremony celebrated a landmark year for British music, defined by northern grit and global ambition.

Olivia Dean emerged as the night’s biggest winner, securing three major awards including Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year, and Pop Act. Her haul extended to a fourth trophy for Song of the Year, shared with Sam Fender for their chart-topping collaboration “Rein Me In.” Fender enjoyed a double victory of his own, retaining the Alternative/Rock Act title for the second consecutive year.

The evening was punctuated by high-concept performances, beginning with a global exclusive from Harry Styles, who opened the show with “Aperture.” Wolf Alice claimed Group of the Year, while Lola Young took home Breakthrough Artist. International honors were equally historic; ROSALÍA was named International Artist of the Year, and ROSÉ & Bruno Mars secured International Song of the Year for “APT.,” marking the first-ever BRIT win for a K-pop artist.

Legendary status was a recurring theme throughout the broadcast. Noel Gallagher was named Songwriter of the Year, presented by Bobby Gillespie, while Mark Ronson received the Outstanding Contribution to Music award. Ronson celebrated with a sprawling medley featuring Dua Lipa and Ghostface Killah. In a poignant moment for the host city, Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess led a tribute to the late Stone Roses bassist Mani.

The ceremony concluded with a heavy metal flourish as the late Ozzy Osbourne was posthumously honored with the Lifetime Achievement award. Introduced via video by Dolly Parton and accepted by Sharon Osbourne, the tribute culminated in an all-star rendition of “No More Tears” fronted by Robbie Williams and backed by members of Ozzy’s original band. The move to Manchester, coupled with record-breaking performances, cemented 2026 as one of the boldest chapters in the ceremony’s history.

Here is the full list of winners:

Album of the Year: Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
Song of the Year: Sam Fender and Olivia Dean, Rein Me In
International Song of the Year: Rosé and Bruno Mars, APT.
Artist of the Year: Olivia Dean
International Artist of the Year: Rosalía
Group of the Year: Wolf Alice
International Group of the Year: Geese
Breakthrough Artist: Lola Young
Best Pop Act: Olivia Dean
Best R&B Act: Sault
Best Alternative/Rock Act: Sam Fender
Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act: Dave
Best Dance Act: Fred Again, Skepta, and PlaqueBoyMax
Songwriter of the Year: Noel Gallagher
Producer of the Year: PinkPantheress
Outstanding Contribution to Music: Mark Ronson
Lifetime Achievement: Ozzy Osbourne
Critics’ Choice: Jacob Alon