Brit Awards 2026: Everything you need to know!

It's a big weekend for music fans, as the Brit Awards are being held in Manchester for the first time ever.

For the last 48 years, the ceremony – which is all about the celebration of British music and talented artists from the UK and beyond – has taken place in London.

The very first awards were held in 1977, with the past 15 ceremonies taking place at London's O2 Arena.

The Brits will be held at the Manchester Co-op Live arena this year and in 2027 as part of a two-year deal.

Find out everything you need to know about this year's Brit Awards below...

This year, there are 16 awards up for grabs.

Olivia Dean and Lola Young - who have both been nominated for Artist of the Year and Best Pop Act - are the main nominees, with five nominations each.

Olivia Dean's album The Art of Loving - which features hits including Nice To Each Other and Man I Need - is up for Album of the Year.

Meanwhile, Messy singer Lola Young has been nominated as this year's Breakthrough Artist.

They're closely followed by Sam Fender, who has four nominations including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Alternative/Rock Act.

His song Rein Me In with Olivia Dean is in the running for Song of the Year.

The International Artist of the Year category is full of big names, including Taylor Swift who had the fastest-selling album in the UK last year with The Life of a Showgirl.

Bad Bunny, who took home Album of the Year at the 2026 Grammy Awards, is also nominated in this category, as well as Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii and Chappell Roan.

Four winners have already been revealed, including PinkPantheress who will take home the prize for Producer of the Year.

Oasis star Noel Gallagher has been announced as the 2026 Songwriter of the Year, whilst DJ and producer Mark Ronson will be honoured for his Outstanding Contribution to Music.

Scottish singer-songwriter Jacob Alon is the winner of the 2026 Brits Critics' Choice award, which showcases new talent.

Speaking about the award, Jacob said: "I really care about and believe in this music, and it makes my world brighter every time it reaches someone else."

Stars including Harry Styles, Olivia Dean and RAYE are set to perform at the glitzy ceremony on Saturday.

EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI – who are the singing voices for fictional girl group HUNTR/X in KPop Demon Hunters – will also take to the stage.

Other artists set to perform include rock band Wolf Alice, DJ and music producer Mark Ronson and singer-songwriter Alex Warren.

There will also be performances from singer-songwriter Rosalía and alt-pop singer Sombr.

This year, the trophy for the awards ceremony has been created by British designer Matthew Williamson.

He took his inspiration from the city of Manchester - the new home of the Brits.

One of the symbols of Manchester is a worker bee, so the trophy's been made from amber-toned resin to look like a drip of golden honey.

Matthew said his final design reflected "the city's role during the Industrial Revolution and so much more".

He added that he "wanted to create something timeless and stylish that each recipient would feel proud to own and display".

To celebrate the Brit Awards, streets in Manchester city centre have been brought to life with a special art trail.

It features colourful murals and billboard takeovers by a team of 21 local artists.

In addition, signs at Deansgate railway station in the city have been temporarily changed to "Olivia Deansgate" to welcome singer Olivia Dean to the city.

This week, she performed a special show at Manchester's Albert Hall as part of the city's Brits Week celebrations.

She's one of several famous musicians playing small concerts in Manchester to help raise money for charity.

Other stars taking part include Robbie Williams, Myles Smith and Fatboy Slim.

Are you looking forward to the Brits? Who do you think deserves to win? Who are your favourite artists?

Let us know in the comments below...