Adele
Simon Emmett*Adele, Ed Sheeran, Dave and Little Simz are the leading contenders for the 2022 Brit Awards, with four nods each. The nominations were announced on Saturday (Dec. 18) on an hour-long TV special, The Brits Are Coming, which aired on ITV and ITV Hub. The awards will be presented on Feb. 8 at the O2 Arena in London.
Adele will have to wait nearly a year for the 2023 Grammy nominations, in which her long-awaited fourth album, 30, is expected to be a major force.
This year marks the first time that the Brits have combined separate male and female categories in both artist of the year and international artist. So how did it shake out? Females took two of the five spots for artist of the year (Adele and Little Simz), but four of the five spots for international artist (Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift). Eilish won a Brit Award as female international artist in each of the last two years. Swift won a global icon award last year.
Morever, the Brits report that more female artists were nominated for Brit Awards this year than in any previous year in the past decade.
Griff is nominated for best new artist, a year after taking the Brits rising star award. Holly Humberstone was already announced as this year’s winner of the rising star award.
While the U.S. music industry is adjusting to the Grammys’ eleventh-hour expansion from eight to 10 nominees in each of the Big Four categories — album, record and song of the year plus best new artist — the Brits have (gulp) 15 nominees in each of two song categories — song of the year with Mastercard and international song of the year.
Several of this year’s Brit nominees are also nominated in comparable categories for Grammys. Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” Doja Cat featuring SZA’s “Kiss Me More” and Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” all of which are Grammy-nominated for both record and song of the year, are vying for international song of the year at the Brits. So is Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U.” Rodrigo is also up for record and song of the year at the Grammys, but with a different hit, “Driver’s License.”
ABBA, which last month received their first Grammy nomination, gained a Brit nod for international group, alongside BTS, Måneskin, Silk Sonic and The War on Drugs. Elton John receives his first Brit nomination in 20 years, in song of the year, for “Cold Heart (Pnau Mix),” his hit collab with Dua Lipa.
Sam Fender, who won the rising star award two years ago, is nominated for three Brits, as are West London rapper Central Cee and French DJ/producer David Guetta.
The winners of the four new genre categories – rock/alternative act, hip hop/grime/rap act, dance act, pop/R&B act – will be determined by a public vote via TikTok, which will open on Jan 21.
The Brits Are Coming special featured performances by Anne-Marie, Glass Animals, Mimi Webb and Joel Corry & Gracey. The special was hosted by Clara Amfo and Maya Jama.
British comedian Mo Gilligan is set to host the Brit Awards, which are presented by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
Here’s the complete list of nominees.
Artist of the year (in association with YouTube Shorts)
Adele, Columbia, Sony Music
Dave, Dave Neighbourhood, Universal Music
Ed Sheeran, Asylum, Warner Music
Little Simz, Age 101/Awal
Sam Fender, Polydor, Universal Music
Group
Coldplay, Parlophone, Warner Music
D-Block Europe, D-Block Europe, Universal Music
Little Mix, RCA, Sony Music
London Grammar, Ministry Of Sound, Sony Music
Wolf Alice, Dirty Hit
Brits Rising Star (Panel of critics, influencers, writers and composers; in association with BBC Radio 1)
Winner: Holly Humberstone, Polydor, Universal Music
Bree Runway EMI, Universal Music
Lola Young, Island, Universal Music
Song of the year (with Mastercard)
(Top 15 identified By peak eight weeks of sales in the U.K. Chart. Winner identified by voting academy. In association with Mastercard. Media Partner Global Media via Capital FM)
A1 & J1, “Latest Trends,” EMI, Universal Music
Adele, “Easy on Me,” Columbia, Sony Music
Anne-Marie/KSI/Digital Farm Animals, “Don’t Play Asylum”/BMG, Warner Music
Becky Hill & David Guetta, “Remember,” Polydor/Parlophone, Universal Music/Warner Music
Central Cee, “Obsessed With You,” Central Cee (Parlophone For Pinkpantheress), Central Cee/Warner Music
Dave featuring Stormzy, “Clash,” Dave Neighbourhood, Universal Music
Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits,” Asylum, Warner Music
Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart (Pnau Mix),” EMI/Warner Records, Universal Music/Warner Music
Glass Animals, “Heat Waves,” Polydor, Universal Music
Joel Corry/Raye/David Guetta, “Bed,” Asylum/Platoon/Parlophone, Warner Music
KSI, “Holiday,” BMG
Nathan Evans/220Kid/Billen Ted, “Wellerman,” Polydor, Universal Music
Riton X Nightcrawlers feat. Mufasa & Hypeman, “Friday” (Dopamine Re-Edit) Ministry of Sound, Sony Music
Tion Wayne & Russ Millions, “Body,” Atlantic, Warner Music
Tom Grennan, “Little Bit of Love,” Insanity, Sony Music
Best new artist
Central Cee, Central Cee, Warner Music
Griff, Warner Records, Warner Music
Joy Crookes, Insanity/Speakerbox Recordings, Sony Music
Little Simz, Age 101/Awal
Self Esteem, Fiction, Universal Music
Mastercard album of the year
Adele, 30, Columbia, Sony Music
Dave, We’re All Alone in This Together, Dave Neighbourhood, Universal Music
Ed Sheeran, =, Asylum, Warner Music
Little Simz, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Age 101/Awal
Sam Fender, Seventeen Going Under, Polydor, Universal Music
Producer of the year
(Independent panel; to be announced in January)
Songwriter of the year
(Independent panel; to be announced in January)
Genre categories
(The genre category winners will be decided by the public powered by TikTok)
Rock, alternative
Coldplay, Parlophone, Warner Music
Glass Animals, Polydor, Universal Music
Sam Fender, Polydor, Universal Music
Tom Grennan, Insanity, Sony Music
Wolf Alice, Dirty Hit
Hip-hop, grime, rap
AJ Tracey, AJ Tracey/Revenge Records
Central Cee, Central Cee, Warner Music
Dave, Dave Neighbourhood, Universal Music
Ghetts, Warner Records, Warner Music
Little Simz, Age 101/Awal
Dance
Becky Hill, Polydor, Universal Music
Calvin Harris, Columbia, Sony Music
Fred Again, Atlantic, Warner Music
Joel Corry, Asylum, Warner Music
Raye, Platoon
Pop, R&B
Adele, Columbia, Sony Music
Dua Lipa, Warner Records, Warner Music
Ed Sheeran, Asylum, Warner Music
Griff, Warner Records, Warner Music
Joy Crookes, Insanity/Speakerbox Recordings, Sony Music
International artist
Billie Eilish, Polydor/Interscope. Universal Music
Doja Cat, Ministry of Sound, Sony Music
Lil Nas X, RCA, Sony Music
Olivia Rodrigo, Polydor/Geffen, Universal Music
Taylor Swift, EMI, Universal Music
International group
ABBA, Polydor, Universal Music
BTS, Big Hit Entertainment/Polydor, Universal Music
Måneskin, Columbia, Sony Music
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars/Anderson. Paak), Atlantic, Warner Music
The War on Drugs, Atlantic, Warner Music
International song of the year (Top 15 identified by peak eight weeks of sales in the U.K.
chart. Winner identified by voting academy.)
ATB/Topic/A7S, “Your Love (9PM),” EMI/Positiva, Universal Music
Billie Eilish, “Happier Than Ever,” Polydor/Interscope. Universal Music
Ckay, “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah),” Parlophone, Warner Music
Doja Cat featuring SZA, “Kiss Me More,” Ministry Of Sound, Sony Music
Drake featuring Lil Baby, “Girls Want Girls,” Ovo/Republic Records, Universal Music
Galantis/Guetta/Little Mix, “Heartbreak Anthem,” Atlantic/RCA, Sony Music, Warner Music
Jonasu, “Black Magic,” 3 Beat, Universal Music
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, “Stay,” EMI/RCA, Sony Music/Universal Music
Lil Nas X, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” RCA, Sony Music
Lil Tjay & 6lack, “Calling My Phone,” Columbia/Polydor/Interscope, Sony Music, Universal Music
Måneskin, “I Wanna Be Your Slave,” Columbia, Sony Music
Olivia Rodrigo, “Good 4 U,” Polydor/Geffen, Universal Music
Polo G, “Rapstar,” Columbia, Sony Music
Tiësto, “The Business,” Atlantic, Warner Music
The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears,” Republic Records/XO, Universal Music
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso honored Shyne with a key to the city during a ceremony held at the East Flatbush Young Men’s Mentorship Expo on Saturday. The recognition highlighted both his influence in hip hop and his contributions as a public figure and advocate. Reynoso also declared April 25, 2026 as “Shyne Day” in Brooklyn.
“Shyne embodies what is possible when a community believes in its young people, and the magic that can happen when young people are given the resources they need to thrive. East Flatbush raised Shyne, and it only made sense to present him with the Key to Brooklyn as we team up to deliver hope and opportunity to dozens of young men today,” Reynoso said at the event, as caught by BK Reader.
Shyne also addressed the crowd. “This is the community that raised me, and it’s important for me to pass that love forward,” he said. “There couldn’t be a better way to celebrate this milestone than coming back home and pouring into the next generation.” He also revealed that everyone in attendance would receive complimentary tickets to his 25th anniversary concert on May 2 at the Kings Theatre.
The show will mark 25 years since the release of his self titled debut studio album, which arrived on September 26, 2000. Even while Shyne was incarcerated at the time, the project debuted and reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart. It moved close to 160,000 units in its opening week.
Earlier this week, Shyne posted a video of himself standing outside the Kings Theatre on Instagram while promoting the upcoming performance. "Can’t wait to see you this Saturday, May 2 @kingsbklyn as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Shyne Album…..the celebration will continue @crownhilltheatre where I will meet, take pictures and party with you, my loyal supporters, who’ve made Shyne a Rap Legend," he captioned the post. Fans filled the comments with fire emojis in response.
