Brit Awards 2026
So the Brit Awards rolled around again last night (February 28th 2026) and for the first time in it's 46 year history, the show was held outside of London, with Manchester instead playing host.
On the night, thirteen awards were handed out. With a few awards and honours handed out before the ceremony. Ozzy Osbourne was honoured with the BRITs Lifetime Achievement Award following his passing in July. Noel Gallagher was given the Songwriter of the Year award, following the huge success of Oasis 'Live 25' reunion tour. Mark Ronson was also given an award for his Outstanding Contribution to Music.
Songwriter of the Year
When Noel Gallagher was announced as the winner of this award, even his most avid fans were a little shocked. The last song Noel released was a demo, 'In a Little While', and a cover of Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' in 2024.
When the Brit's announced that the award would be honouring his whole body of work, it made more sense.
In a press statement from the Brits, they described Gallagher's influence as "permeating the fabric of British culture for over 30 years," citing both his "seminal work with Oasis" and his "ambitious and acclaimed solo albums" with High Flying Birds.
The award follows a 2025 that redefined the scale of British rock. After ending 16 years of speculation in August 2024, the 'Oasis Live ‘25' tour became a global phenomenon, spanning 41 sold-out dates. From the opening night in Cardiff to five legendary homecoming nights at Manchester’s Heaton Park and a staggering seven shows at Wembley Stadium, the tour saw a new generation of fans devouring a setlist of era-defining anthems.
His award was presented to him by Primal Scream's Bobby Gillepse and was preceded by a video link from Pep Guardiola.
As he took to the stage, Noel said, "Yes, Manchester. I’m gonna start by saying, I’ve gotta thank my brother, and Bonehead, Guigsy, Tony McCarroll, Alan White, Gem and Andy – they brought those songs to life. Without them, I’d just be a singer-songwriter, and no one gives a shit about singer-songwriters.”
“But more importantly, I’d like to thank you, the people, who have kept those songs alive for the last 35 years. Without you, you’ve given us the most extraordinary life, and thank you very much for that.”
Noel concluded by returning to the Manchester theme: “Have a great night. Up the fucking Blues.
Liam wasn't at the awards, but he had been watching at home. Following his brother's speech, he took to X and posted:
Making a joke about Noel, clearly not saying his brother's name in the speech. It was a wholesome speech from Noel, who made nods to nearly every member of Oasis when talking about his win. Missing out both Chris Sharrock and Zack Starkey.
His nod to the rest of them, though, including Tony McCarroll, the band's original drummer who Noel famously had a bad falling out. It seems a lot of hatchets have been buried following the Live 25 tour.
Geese- Ruffle a Few Feathers
International Group was taken home by Geese, the Brooklyn band beat out Haim, Tame Impala, HUNTR/X and Turnstile to take home the award. That in itself was already one of the shocks of the evening.
The band's drummer, Max Bassin, was in Manchester to pick up the award, and in a room that had seen a few before him, including Wolf Alice and Lola Young, recite prewritten speeches.
He said one of the shortest and most controversial Brit Awards speeches of the night.
Two sentences: “What up the Brits!” “I just want to say, free Palestine, fuck ICE, RIP Mani, let’s go Geese.”
His speech was cut by the broadcaster in the UK, ITV, due to his comments around Palestine and ICE, but that also meant that the audience at home missed his dedication to one of Manchester's most famous sons.
Mani Tribute
Despite the broadcast cutting of Geese bigging up Mani, he was given a tribute later on in the show. With The Charlatans, Tim Burgess takes to the stage to share a few words.
“I’m here tonight to pay tribute to a good friend of mine.
“I know he was loved by so many of you here tonight and many more watching on TV,” he continued. “Mani was a kid from a few miles up the road. He changed music and inspired generations ahead of him. These songs he recorded will be his legacy, along with his unforgettable smile and uncontainable enthusiasm.
“He was truly one of the phenomenal ones, and they are far and few between. So, I just want you to think about Mani for a moment,” he said as the crowd cheered.
“We can cherish the thought that we got to experience our time and his time together. Let’s take a few moments to remember Mani and some of the people who we lost in the music industry, who we’ve lost in the last year.”
The list of names of names within the n Memoriam section was shockingly long this year, with Rick Buckler, Mani, Brian Wilson, Chris Rea, Clem Burke, Sly Stone and Ozzy Osbourne just to name a few.
I think Neil McCormick, the Chief Music Critic, puts it in a much better way than I could: "Sometimes it seems like the great first era of pop is really fading before our very eyes."
I thought Tim did a good job introducing the section and saying a few words about a friend, and a brilliant musician. But he seemed extra nervous on stage. I felt as if they could have given him some help. Shaun Ryder and Bez of the Happy Mondays were both in the room, and after they presented an award, they were seen as the butt of a few Northern jokes, and more like the class clowns rather than serious musicians. I'm sure they'd have liked to have said a few words on Mani. Bobby Gillespie shared the stage with Mani for many years in Primal Scream, I'm sure again he'd have liked to have spoken about Mani. Let's not forget Noel Gallagher was also in the room, and I'm sure he's got a bit to say on Mani and The Stone Roses.
The Brits missed an opportunity, I feel it felt a little rushed and tagged on. As mentioned, I thought Tim did a good job and spoke fondly of a friend and musical legend, it just felt as if they could have done more. Even the video proved quite difficult to watch, and see those who had passed.
Bloom Baby Bloom- Wolf Alice Get their Flowers
I've been a Wolf Alice fan for years, and it's amazing to see them finally get the flowers they deserve. Last year, the band made the step into arenas following their brilliant fourth album 'The Clearing'. They won their second Brit last night, Group of the Year, which they won for the first time in 2022.
After accepting the trophy from the Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder and Bez, Rowsell thanked everyone who had supported them early in their career, including fans who bought a piece of their “atrocious merch” in their early days.
She went on to address one of the most existential threats to the UK music scene – the ongoing plight of small and grassroots music venues, which a report in January revealed had seen 30 venues close in the 12 months up to July 2025, and a further 48 cease operating as gig spaces.
Rowsell said: “We’d like to also thank all of the pubs and clubs and grassroots venues across the country where we quite literally learned to play our instruments and write our songs. Thank you for opening your doors to us, and thank you to those who continue the fight to keep them open.”
“It’s worth mentioning that despite the billions of pounds the live sector contributes to our economy, last year 30 independent venues closed down, 6,000 jobs were lost, and over half the small venues reported making no profit at all.”
She continued: “It shouldn’t be a battle to survive for bands and artists, we shouldn’t be reliant on favours or anyone's funding schemes in order to do things at a level we feel proud of. It shouldn’t feel like a golden ticket, but a viable career decision for anyone from any background.”
“Because you only have to look around us today and see how proud we are of Britain’s musical contribution and how important it is to nurture and protect the UK’s amazing music scene,” she concluded.
Following their award win, the band took to the stage to play 'The Sofa', the second single from their album 'The Clearing'.
You Can't Rein Them In
The night kicked off with the highly anticipated Song of the Year, a category where the favourite both won and lost in a unique twist of fate. While many predicted Olivia Dean would triumph with her solo masterpiece 'Man I Need', she did indeed take to the stage, but to collect the award for her collaboration with Sam Fender, 'Rein Me In'.
The win came at the perfect moment, falling just a week after the track finally topped the UK Singles Chart. It was a victory of endurance as much as artistry; 'Rein Me In' recently shattered the record for the longest climb to Number 1 in chart history, proving that some songs simply demand time to settle into the national consciousness.
Accepting the award, a gracious Dean said: “I just want to say thank you to Sam. I think this is such a beautiful song, and it’s been a total pleasure to be a part of it.”
Fender, clearly moved by the song's journey from a notebook to a stadium anthem, added, “I love this song. I wrote it about four years ago and I loved it then, but Olivia truly made it her own. I just want to say a massive thank you to her and her fans for taking it to where it is now.”
The Woman We Need
Following her earlier victory alongside Sam Fender for Song of the Year, Olivia Dean truly swept the board, claiming four awards in total, including the night's most prestigious honours, Artist of the Year and Album of the Year.
It was a fitting coronation for an artist who has been unavoidable since last summer. Her second album, 'The Art of Loving', hasn’t left the UK Top 5 since its release week, while her single 'Man I Need' has reigned as the most-streamed track in Britain for seven of the last nine weeks. If the UK Singles Chart were a direct reflection of public popularity, rather than a labyrinthine system of weighted streams, Accelerated Chart Ratios, and negative variances, the track would have been Number 1 for the better part of the year.
Dean’s dominance is so total that, were it not for the "three-track rule" preventing artists from flooding the charts, a quarter of the current Top 40 would consist entirely of her discography. She has also achieved the rarest of feats: a genuine US breakthrough. 'The Art of Loving' is currently enjoying its 16th week in the US Top 10, famously outselling Taylor Swift’s 'The Life of a Showgirl'.
Under these circumstances, if she hadn’t swept the board, she’d have had every right to demand a steward’s inquiry. Taking the stage to perform 'Man I Need', she accepted the Album of the Year trophy with a simple, grounded message: “This album is just about love, and loving each other in a world that feels loveless right now.”
The Boy Who Won a Brit
Dave’s victory in the hip-hop/grime/rap category felt less like a surprise and more like an inevitability. He has transcended the "grime artist" label to become one of the most vital British cultural figures of the 2010s and 2020s. His work acts as a mirror for the disenfranchised, masterfully weaving together threads of political corruption, religious faith, and the current trials and tribulations faced by the young, all while paying homage to the UK pioneers who came before him.
This intellectual weight was the backbone of his third album, 'The Boy Who Played the Harp'. On paper, the record was a massive gamble: a collection of sparse, existential tracks where Dave openly questioned his own future in music. Yet, it was this raw vulnerability that resonated most.
The album didn't just top the charts; it produced 'Raindance', a global anthem that proved high-concept art could still dominate the mainstream. Though a sold-out arena tour kept him from the ceremony, the win solidifies his status: Dave isn't just winning awards; he’s defining the era.
I'm Always On Stage- Fender Wins Again
When the nominees for the Alternative/Rock category were announced, it was glaringly obvious who would take the trophy. While a valid argument could have been made for the artistry of Wolf Alice, the likes of Blood Orange, Wet Leg, and Lola Young were never truly in with a chance against the sheer momentum of Sam Fender.
What Sam Fender has achieved over the last 12 months is nothing short of exceptional. He has moved beyond "rising star" status into the realm of the elite, fueled by the massive success of 'People Watching'. After winning the 2025 Mercury Prize, fittingly crowned in his own backyard during the first-ever Newcastle ceremony, he arrived at the 2026 BRITs as the man to beat. In a characteristically class act, he even donated his £25,000 Mercury winnings to the Music Venue Trust, proving he hasn't forgotten the grassroots circuit that built him.
With stadium shows checked off, a record-breaking Number 1 single in 'Rein Me In', and a third consecutive chart-topping album under his belt, Sam is in a rare, privileged position as a songwriter. Backed by an exceptional band, he’s crafting "heartland rock" that your parents recognize, yet still perfectly soundtracks the frustrations of a new generation. A Glastonbury 2027 headline slot now feels like a banker; having conquered stadiums, the Pyramid Stage is the only natural next step.
The Ugly State of the World
On the red carpet, long before the first trophies were hoisted, the air in Manchester was thick with defiance. While many viewed the night as a celebration, a vocal contingent of artists used their platform to argue that in 2026, silence is no longer an option.
CMAT, nominated for International Artist of the Year, was among the most outspoken, rejecting the notion that creative spaces should remain neutral. “I’m not a fan of anyone arguing that art isn’t a political place,” she stated. “Everything is politics. You don't get to make art in a fascist state, and fascism is showing its ugly head in Ireland, the UK, and America.”
Speaking to The Guardian, she specifically took aim at Berlin Film Festival jury president Wim Wenders, whose recent suggestion that cinema should “stay out of politics” sparked an industry-wide backlash. “It’s cowardice,” CMAT countered. “It shows these people are entirely removed from how normal people live. They’ve become successful and wiped their hands clean of the working class or the oppressed because they have the luxury to do so. I don’t think that’s fair.”
That sentiment was echoed by Wolf Alice bassist Theo Ellis. Fresh off the band’s win for Group of the Year, Ellis argued that musicians have a unique power to bypass traditional media. “Major news outlets throughout 2025 were downplaying global atrocities,” he noted, specifically citing the genocide in Gaza. “Artists were taking up the mantle, which is brave and amazing. It says more about the failures of legacy media than it does about us.”
The political landscape at home was equally front-of-mind. Ellis described the rise of the far-right in the UK as “shocking,” pointing to the recent Gorton and Denton by-election, where a Green Party victory was shadowed by a strong Reform UK second-place finish, as a sign of how extreme the national climate has become.
Even the usually whimsical Wet Leg took a firm stance. Frontwoman Rhian Teasdale succinctly noted: “To be apolitical is political.” Her bandmate, guitarist Joshua Omead Mobaraki, was more direct regarding the surge of Reform UK, stating, “I don’t want them to win any seats.” Conversely, he found a beacon of hope in the Green Party’s new MP, Hannah Spencer. “She’s sick. She’s so cool. Congratulations to the people of Gorton and Denton for getting that done.”
However, the evening’s most sombre note came from Artist of the Year nominee Self Esteem. “This country is getting scarier and scarier,” she admitted, confessing to a genuine sense of dread. “I’m terrified we’re going into a dark place, darker than where we are already.” When asked to clarify what that "dark place" looked like, her answer was chillingly brief: “The party that is doing the best in the polls at the moment.”
Harry's Back
Harry Styles kicked off the ceremony with his defiant return single, 'Aperture'. Though it secured a UK Number 1 in its release week, the track has since begun a swift descent down the charts, perhaps a symptom of it being such a fascinating stylistic outlier in today’s pop landscape.
Euphoric yet hauntingly detached, 'Aperture' perfectly captures that specific dancefloor trance: the feeling of being "out of it," gazes fixed on the human melee while remaining physically tethered to the rhythm. This duality defined his performance. Styles appeared entirely in the moment, jiving with his expansive band and backing singers while twitching in synchronisation with dancers clad in surrealist snail T-shirts and sunglasses.
Yet, there was a noticeable restraint; he seemed to exist one level above the fray, refusing to let himself become too giddy beyond a few flickering grins. His vocal delivery sat in that pocket of airy, warm observation perfected by Erlend Øye of 'Kings of Convenience', but the visual DNA was pure late-era David Bowie.
As Styles ages, he is beginning to inhabit that same particular handsomenessm sharp tailoring paired with a "thousand-yard stare" that somehow manages to take in every detail of the foreground. It was the performance of a man who has conquered the pop world and is now content to observe it from a slightly different altitude.
This new era is going to be an interesting one. We are just a week away from his album, and his summer tour is already shaping up to be special.
The Prince of Darkness: A Final Farewell
The evening’s most emotional peak was reserved for the closing moments, as the BRITs paid tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne with a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award. Following his passing in July 2025, the honour felt like a necessary acknowledgement of a man who didn't just play rock music; he defined the very spirit of it.
The tribute began with a surprise video message from Nashville, as Dolly Parton appeared on the big screens to introduce the award. "Ozzy’s legacy has left a permanent imprint in the fabric of music lovers everywhere," she said, before calling Sharon Osbourne to the stage. Accompanied by her daughter, Kelly and son Louis, Sharon delivered a speech that was quintessentially Osbourne: sharp, funny, and deeply moving.
She described Ozzy as a "humble egomaniac" and a "true artist" who never forgot his working-class Birmingham roots, famously ending her speech with a defiant: “Up the Villa and Birmingham forever. There will never be another Ozzy Osbourne.”
The ceremony then culminated in a heavy-hitting performance of 'No More Tears'. Curated by Sharon, the "supergroup" was fronted by Robbie Williams and featured a lineup of Ozzy’s most iconic collaborators, including bassist Robert Trujillo and guitarist Zakk Wylde. As Wylde tore through a soaring, virtuosic solo against a backdrop of family photos, it felt like the perfect, loud, and unapologetic send-off for the Prince of Darkness.
Conclusion: A Night of Northern Soul and New Icons
As the lights dimmed on Manchester’s Co-op Live, it was clear that the gamble to move the BRITs out of London had paid off. The city’s musical heritage, felt in every nod to Mani, every Noel Gallagher "Up the Blues" shout, and the chaotic energy of Shaun Ryder, gave the ceremony a grit and authenticity that the O2 Arena has often struggled to replicate.
The 2026 BRITs will be remembered as the year Olivia Dean became the undisputed Queen of British Pop and Sam Fender solidified his status as a generational voice. Yet, beneath the glamour and the record-breaking stats, there was a palpable edge of unease. From the political fire of CMAT and Wolf Alice to the sombre "In Memoriam" section, the night served as a reminder that we are in a period of transition.
We are watching the "first era of pop" fade away while a new, more politically vocal and stylistically adventurous generation takes its place. Whether it’s the existential introspection of Dave, the avant-garde pop of Harry Styles, or the grassroots activism of Ellie Rowsell, British music in 2026 isn't just surviving, it’s fighting back. The move to Manchester wasn't just a change of scenery; it was a necessary change, a reminder that the world of British music exists outside of London, and the Brit School.