The BRITs 2020 to handover creative control to the artists for their performances in a show promising more music than ever, with a streamlined nine awards to be presented on the night
2020 sees The BRIT Awards celebrate its 40th major show since launching in 1977. Instead of looking back, The BRIT Awards 2020 with Mastercard are planning a host of changes to evolve the show and maintain the position as the UK’s biggest music awards. With fewer awards and more music than ever before, the celebrations will take place on Tuesday 18th February at London’s O2 Arena and will be broadcast live on ITV.
The BRITs 2020 will hand creative direction over to the artists for their performances with less awards and more music.
The BRITs will hand the stage to the artists booked to perform on the night without imposing any creative limitations on their performances. Artists will be encouraged to create and curate their own unique moments bespoke to The BRIT Awards in 2020.
The number of the awards presented on the night will be streamlined to just nine, allowing the ceremony to include more music. All the award categories have been given a refresh and the winners will all be decided by the 2020 Official Voting Academy. Reviewed annually the Academy is made up of experts from all areas of music throughout the UK, including artists, retailers, promoters, agents, publishers, labels, producers and media, with approximately 1200 individuals.
Winners on the night will receive the iconic and classic Lady Britannia BRIT statuette, which returns after nearly a decade’s rest having been reimagined each year since 2011 by a guest designer.
Critics’ Choice Award to be renamed as the Rising Star Award
Since 2008 the Critics’ Choice Award has helped launch some of the most loved British artists of the last decade including Sam Fender, Adele, Florence + The Machine, Sam Smith and Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, resulting in over 90 million album sales worldwide. Now in its 11th year, and in keeping with the categories being refreshed for 2020, The BRITs are evolving the award and renaming it the Rising Star Award. To date this award has been chosen by a specially selected panel of music editors and critics from the national press and online music editors, plus heads of music at major radio and music TV stations. This year, for the inaugural Rising Star Award, the panel has been expanded to include more tastemakers including songwriters, producers and live bookers - those working with new rising talent on a regular basis.
In a BRITs first and providing a major platform to new British talent, the recipient of the 2020 Rising Star Award will get a performance slot on the main show on the 18th February.
The award is open to British artists who have not yet achieved either a recording in the Official Charts UK Top 20 Artist Album Chart, or two recordings in the Top 20 Singles Chart.
Awards Show 2020 Category List
[Criteria: All British unless noted otherwise]
Male Solo Artist
Female Solo Artist
Best Group
Best New Artist (previously British Breakthrough Act)
Rising Star (previously the Critics’ Choice Award)
Song Of The Year (previously British Single)
Mastercard Album Of The Year
International Male Solo Artist
International Female Solo Artist
Speaking about the 2020 changes Chairman of The BRITs Committee for 2020 and Chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK David Joseph said:
“We have had a fresh look at the BRIT Awards this year. Most importantly we will be putting creativity, British culture and exceptional performances at the heart of the show to make BRITs night a world class celebration. The awards should be a global platform for the artists of the year to create moments that live beyond the night itself. We are looking at everything to put on the best possible show.”
Chief Executive, BPI and BRIT Awards Ltd Geoff Taylor said:
“It’s always exciting to launch the next BRITs campaign, but it’s extra special to be announcing the 40th edition of the awards show. The BRITs Committee will endeavour to make the 2020 BRITs a truly landmark event, highlighting not only another remarkable 12 months in the British music year to a growing global audience, but also paying tribute to many unforgettable BRITs moments that are now part of a rich and much loved heritage.”
More exciting developments will be announced in the coming months in the run up to the UK’s premiere music event – which will, as always, be a huge celebration of the incredible achievements of British artists and the success stories of the last 12 months.