Brit Awards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The BRIT Awards
The O2 Arena in London on the evening of Brit Awards 2016
Presented by	British Phonographic Industry (BPI)
Country	United Kingdom
First awarded	18 October 1977; 47 years ago (1977-10-18) (as The British Record Industry Britannia Awards)
Television coverage
Network	Thames Television (1977) BBC One (1985–1992) ITV (1993–present)

The BRIT Awards (often called the BRITs) are big annual music awards in the UK. They are given out by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) to celebrate amazing achievements in popular music. The name "BRIT" originally came from "British" or "Britannia." Later, it became a fun way to say "British Record Industry Trusts Show." The first awards were held in 1977, and they became an annual event in 1982. Mastercard has been a main sponsor for a long time. There used to be a similar awards show for classical music called the Classic BRIT Awards.

The BRIT Awards are the most famous music awards in the UK. They have seen many memorable moments in British pop culture. These include the last public appearance of Freddie Mercury, a protest by Jarvis Cocker against Michael Jackson, and the famous Union Jack dress worn by Geri Halliwell from the Spice Girls. Many of these exciting moments happened in the 1990s, when the show was known for being a bit wild and unpredictable. Since then, it has become more organized and polished.

The BRIT Awards were shown live on TV until 1989. After a show that didn't go well, they were recorded and shown the next night from 1990 to 2006. Since 2007, the BRIT Awards have been broadcast live again on ITV. The show moved to the O₂ Arena in London in 2011, where it has been held ever since.

The BRIT Award trophy, which features Britannia.

The trophy given to winners at the BRIT Awards features Britannia. She is a female figure who represents Britain. Since 2011, famous British artists and designers have regularly created new designs for the trophy. These artists include Vivienne Westwood, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, and Peter Blake.

Robbie Williams holds the record for winning the most BRIT Awards. He has won 13 awards as a solo artist and five more as part of the group Take That. The girl group Little Mix made history at the Brit Awards 2021. They became the first female group to win the Best British Group award in 43 years. In 2024, English singer-songwriter Raye broke the record for the most nominations in one year with seven. She also won six awards, the most by any artist in a single night.

Award Ceremonies

The first BRIT Awards ceremony was in 1977. It was called "The BRITish Record Industry BRITannia Awards." This event celebrated the Queen's Silver Jubilee. It was shown on TV by Thames Television. The awards have been held every year since 1982.

How the Show is Broadcast

The 1988 BPI Awards was the first ceremony shown live on TV. Before that, the BBC had broadcast the show from 1985. The shows from 1982 to 1984 were not shown on television. The BBC continued to broadcast the renamed BRIT Awards, live in 1989 and then pre-recorded from 1990 to 1992. ITV has shown the awards since 1993. They were pre-recorded until 2006 and have been live since 2007. BBC Radio 1 has also provided radio coverage from backstage since 2008.

The Launch Show

For many years, ITV has shown a special program in January called The BRITs Are Coming. This show announces some of the artists nominated for the upcoming awards. Famous hosts have included Jonathan Ross and Kate Thornton.

The show returned in 2013 after a break. It was hosted by Nick Grimshaw at the Savoy Hotel in London. Other hosts have included Reggie Yates, Laura Whitmore, Emma Willis, Clara Amfo, and Alice Levine. In 2018, The BRITs Are Coming was broadcast live for the first time. The 2023 show was held on a weekend for the first time. In January 2024, the launch show was renamed Bring on The BRITs. It was live-streamed online as part of a new partnership with Meta. The same format was used for the 2025 launch show.

Recent Winners

Here are some of the most recent winners from the BRIT Awards:

Most recent Brit Award winners

← 2024 1 March 2025 2026 →

Award British Artist of the Year British Group Best New Artist Winner Charli XCX Ezra Collective the Last Dinner Party   Award British Album of the Year British Single of the Year Rising Star Winner Brat by Charli XCX Guess by Charli XCX ft. Billie Eilish Myles Smith

The outside of The O₂ Arena in London, where the Brit Awards have been held since 2011.

Memorable Moments

Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood (1989)

In 1989, the show was broadcast live. It was hosted by Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac and singer Samantha Fox. They were not very experienced hosts, and there were problems with the script. This led to a show that was not well-received. The hosts often mixed up their lines, and some guest stars came on stage at the wrong time.

Andy Bell and Boy George Embrace (1989)

Boy George and Andy Bell of Erasure (pictured in 2011) shared a kiss on stage at the Brit Awards 1989.

When Andy Bell from Erasure accepted the award for Best British Group in 1989, he kissed Boy George on stage. The crowd cheered. Bell said it was a protest against a law that limited discussions about homosexuality in schools.

Freddie Mercury's Last Public Appearance (1990)

The 1990 awards ceremony was the last time Queen frontman Freddie Mercury appeared in public. Queen received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Mercury, who had been unwell, did not speak. Brian May spoke for the band. Mercury's appearance was noticeably different.

The KLF (1992)

In 1992, the band The KLF won Best British Group. They were supposed to open the show. They tried to make a big statement by performing a very loud version of their song "3 a.m. Eternal" with another band, Extreme Noise Terror. There were flame-throwers, and one member even fired blank shots into the audience. After the performance, their publicist announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, The KLF have now left the music business." Later, The KLF left a dead sheep outside an after-show party and buried their BRIT Award trophy. This showed their strong feelings about the music industry.

Michael Jackson and Jarvis Cocker (1996)

In 1996, Michael Jackson received a special award. During his performance, he appeared as a 'Christ-like figure' surrounded by children. Jarvis Cocker from the band Pulp ran onto the stage. He lifted his shirt and pointed his backside towards Jackson. Cocker later said he was protesting Jackson's performance. He was questioned by the police but was not charged. Cocker explained, "My actions were a form of protest at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christ-like figure."

Oasis and Blur Rivalry (1996)

The year 1996 saw a big rivalry between Britpop bands Oasis and Blur. The media loved to highlight the competition between them. Both bands played along. At the 1996 BRIT Awards, Oasis members Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher teased Blur by singing a changed version of Blur's song "Parklife" when they accepted their award.

Adele's Speech Cut Short (2012)

Adele won the British Album of the Year, which is a very important award. Less than a minute into her thank-you speech, the host James Corden had to stop her. This was to introduce the band Blur, who were scheduled to perform a long set. Adele was clearly upset and showed her middle finger. She later said that gesture was for the awards organizers, not her fans. The show's organizers apologized to Adele.

Alex Turner's Speech (2014)

In 2014, Arctic Monkeys won British Album of the Year. When they went on stage, lead singer Alex Turner gave a speech about how rock music might go through ups and downs but will never truly disappear. He ended by dropping the microphone and saying, "Invoice me for the microphone if you need to." This speech caused a lot of discussion. Some people thought it was brilliant, while others found it strange. Turner later said he was just nervous and couldn't pretend the award was something he had always dreamed about.

Little Mix's Historic Win (2021)

Little Mix won Best British Group in 2021.

In 2021, Little Mix made history by becoming the first girl group to win the British Group award since it started in 1977. In their acceptance speech, they spoke about the challenges women face in the UK music industry. They talked about how male artists often dominate and how there isn't enough diversity. They also mentioned other great female groups like the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud who had contributed a lot but were often overlooked by the awards.

Raye Sets a New Record (2024)

At the Brit Awards 2024, English singer-songwriter Raye received seven nominations. This broke the record for the most nominations for a single artist in one year. She also won six awards, setting a new record for the most wins in a single night.

Award Categories

Current Awards

Special Awards

How Winners Are Chosen

The BRIT Awards website explains how winners are chosen. First, a list of eligible artists, albums, and songs is put together. Then, over 1,000 people from the music industry vote. This group includes past nominees and winners. They vote using a secure online system. The voting process is carefully checked. Fan voting was stopped after 2019 but brought back in 2022.

Most Successful Artists

Coldplay (pictured performing in Manchester, 2023) has won nine Brit Awards, including four for Best British Group.

Many artists and groups have won multiple BRIT Awards. Here are some of the most successful:

Pink performing at the 2019 Brit Awards where she received the Icon award.

Images for kids

• 

  Katy Perry performing on stage at the 2017 Brit Awards

See also

In Spanish: Premios Brit para niños