Following the exciting news earlier this summer that the iconic BRIT Awards will leave the capital for the very first time in nearly five decades, and move to a new home in Manchester for 2026 and 2027, organisers have now revealed the first details of next year’s ceremony as plans for 2026 start to take shape, and a new era for the UK’s biggest night in music beckons.
New BRIT Award categories and criteria for 2026
The 2026 awards categories, eligibility and voting processes will evolve for 2026, supporting The BRITs’ ambition and vision to offer an unrivalled platform to both established and new artists, celebrate creativity and diversity, showcase stand-out British talent to a global audience, and create moments that live beyond the night itself – think Arctic Monkeys‘ 2014 acceptance speech and Sabrina Carpenter‘s iconic performance in 2025.
The Rising Star award will revert to its original name for 2026 – the BRITs Critics’ Choice award – in acknowledgement of the importance of ‘critical acclaim’ to artists at this early and crucial stage of their career. This prestigious prize has been presented to artists including Adele, Sam Smith, Sam Fender, Celeste, Jorja Smith, The Last Dinner Party and Myles Smith.
The Best New Artist award will also switch in 2026 to Breakthrough Artist – with recent recipients of the award including The Last Dinner Party, RAYE, Wet Leg and Little Simz.
The BRITs in 2026 will see 16 awards, and for the following awards, artists will need to have achieved either a Top 30 Album or two Top 20 singles in the eligibility period:
- Artist of the Year
- International Artist of the Year
- Mastercard Album of the Year
- Group of the Year
- International Group of the Year
For the five genre awards – Alternative/Rock, Dance, Hip Hop/Grime/Rap, Pop and R&B – the criteria remains as having achieved a Top 40 Album or Single.
Chair of the 2026 BRITs Committee
Having spearheaded the move to Manchester, Sony Music UK will steer The BRITs for the next three years, and it has been announced that Stacey Tang will be Chair of the 2026 BRITs Committee. In this role, Stacey will take responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the show, including the creative direction, with the support of the Committee which is made up of representatives from the UK major and independent record labels, BRITs TV, and the BPI.
Stacey Tang said: “As a massive music fan I always watched the BRIT Awards growing up, but revisiting the shows through the lens of Chair has given me a totally different perspective. Being inspired by the spectacle and show as a young person, now motivates me to create something that feels important nationally and globally, while capturing the brilliant and eccentric nuance of British music and culture.
“The decision to move to Manchester has been met with amazing feedback from the local community and the industry. To oversee a show that’s doing something for the first time feels energising but ultimately, we also want to inject fun into the proceedings… and people in Manchester know how to have fun!”
As Co-President of RCA Records UK, Stacey is widely recognised and celebrated for her global marketing expertise, having successfully spearheaded campaigns for UK artists such as Cat Burns, Myles Smith, JADE, Tems and Bring Me The Horizon alongside international success with Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, P!NK, SZA, Sleep Token and Future.
Prior to RCA, Stacey was involved in the early careers of Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris and George Ezra. Committed to supporting social justice and diversity within the industry, Stacey sits on the board of Sony Music’s Social Justice Fund, is a trustee of the Ed Sheeran Foundation, a member of ESEA Music and has an advisory role at The Evamore Music Project (Cancer Awareness Trust).
Stacey was named on Billboard’s UK Power Players 2025 and was recognised as the fifth most influential woman in music on BBC’s Women in Music list, behind Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Adele – pretty impressive stuff.
BRITs 2026 Creative Team
The move to Manchester creates an unparalleled opportunity to approach the show with a fresh and innovative mindset, enabling The BRITs brand to continue growing its reach and impact. To that end, organisers have also revealed details of its best-in-class creative team that will deliver the 2026 show.
The creative team is set to include multi-Emmy-award winning production designer Misty Buckley, Double BAFTA-winning entertainment director Phil Heyes, BRITs TV Executive Producer Sally Wood, and Maggie Crowe OBE, BPI’s Director of Events & Charities.