Brit Award for British Album of the Year

The Brit Award for British Album of the Year is given annually by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom.[1] The accolade is presented at the Brit Awards, an annual celebration of British and international music.[2] Winners and nominees are determined by the Brit Awards voting academy, which has over one thousand members: record labels, publishers, managers, agents, and media, as well as prior winners and nominees.[3] The award was first presented in 1977 as British Album of the Year. In 1983 and 1984, the award was non-competitive and determined by highest album sales. Album of the Year is generally seen as the Brit Awards' most prestigious honour.

Brit Award for British Album of the Year
Awarded forAchievement in excellence British album
CountryUnited Kingdom (UK)
Presented byBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI)
First awarded1977
Currently held byRayeMy 21st Century Blues (2024)
Most awards
Most nominationsColdplay (6)
Websitewww.brits.co.uk

The inaugural recipients of the award were The Beatles in 1977 for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The first solo artist to win the award competitively was Phil Collins, who won in 1986 for his third studio album, No Jacket Required, with Annie Lennox becoming the first solo female artist to win in 1993. Adele, Arctic Monkeys, and Coldplay hold the record for most wins in the category with three, with two-time winners Manic Street Preachers being the only other act to win more than once. Radiohead hold the record for most nominations without a win, with five. The current holder of the award is Raye, who won it in 2024 for her album My 21st Century Blues.

Achievements

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Coldplay (2001, 2003, 2006), Arctic Monkeys (2007, 2008, 2014), and Adele (2012, 2016, 2022) are the biggest winners in this category with three wins. They are followed by Manic Street Preachers (1997, 1999) with two victories. Ed Sheeran leads solo performers, with four nods. Among female artists, Adele leads with three nominations, winning each time she was nominated. Damon Albarn has the most nominations of any individual, with six, owing to his membership of both Blur and Gorillaz. Albarn ties with Coldplay for most nominations in the category.

Arctic Monkeys won in 2007 and 2008 for Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not and Favourite Worst Nightmare, making them the only consecutive winners.

In 1983, Barbra Streisand became the first woman to receive the award for Memories, which she did non-competitively for the year's best-selling album. Memories holds a unique distinction as the only compilation rather than a studio album to ever win the award. In 1993, Annie Lennox became the first female solo artist to win the competitive award for Diva. Adele is the first female artist and solo act to win the award multiple times, for 21, 25, and 30.[4]

The youngest artist to win in the category is Dave who was 21 when he won for his debut album Psychodrama, released in 2020.

Only two non-UK artists have received the award: Barbra Streisand in 1983 for Memories and Michael Jackson in 1984 for Thriller, which was the only time the award was given to the winner without any other nominees. Those albums are notable as the only non-competitive winners in the award's history, with the award both times given directly to the year's highest-selling album.

To date, 15 artists have won Album of the Year with their debut albums: Sade, Fairground Attraction, Seal, Coldplay, Dido, The Darkness, Keane, Arctic Monkeys, Duffy, Florence and the Machine, Mumford & Sons, Emeli Sandé, Stormzy, Dave, and Raye. Technically, Annie Lennox also won for her debut solo album, though she had already released eight albums as a member of Eurythmics, including two that were nominated in this category.

Recipients

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1970s

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Inaugural recipients The Beatles
Year Album Artist(s)
1977
(1st)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles
The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Elton John
Tubular Bells Mike Oldfield

1980s

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Sade received the award in 1985
 
1988 winner Sting
Year Album Artist(s)
1982
(2nd)
Kings of the Wild Frontier Adam and the Ants
Dare The Human League
Greatest Hits Queen
1983
(3rd)
Memories Barbra Streisand
Complete Madness Madness
The Kids from "Fame" The Kids from "Fame"
1984
(4th)
Thriller Michael Jackson
1985
(5th)
Diamond Life Sade
Human Racing Nik Kershaw
The Unforgettable Fire U2
Welcome to the Pleasuredome Frankie Goes to Hollywood
The Works Queen
1986
(6th)
No Jacket Required Phil Collins
Be Yourself Tonight Eurythmics
Brothers in Arms Dire Straits
Hounds of Love Kate Bush
Songs from the Big Chair Tears for Fears
1987
(7th)
Brothers in Arms Dire Straits
London 0 Hull 4 The Housemartins
Picture Book Simply Red
Silk & Steel Five Star
So Peter Gabriel
1988
(8th)
...Nothing Like the Sun Sting
Actually Pet Shop Boys
Bridge of Spies T'Pau
Faith George Michael
It's Better to Travel Swing Out Sister
1989
(9th)
The First of a Million Kisses Fairground Attraction
Introspective Pet Shop Boys
Love Aztec Camera
Roll with It Steve Winwood
To Whom It May Concern The Pasadenas

1990s

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1991 winner George Michael
 
Seal won for his eponymous debut album
 
Annie Lennox received the award in 1993 for her iconic album Diva
 
Oasis won for their sophomore album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
 
Manic Street Preachers were the first artists to win the award twice
Year Album Artist(s)
1990
(10th)
The Raw and the Cooked Fine Young Cannibals
Club Classics Vol. One Soul II Soul
A New Flame Simply Red
The Seeds of Love Tears for Fears
We Too Are One Eurythmics
1991
(11th)
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 George Michael
Affection Lisa Stansfield
Choke The Beautiful South
Enlightenment Van Morrison
Jordan: The Comeback Prefab Sprout
Sleeping with the Past Elton John
1992
(12th)
Seal Seal
Beverley Craven Beverley Craven
Blue Lines Massive Attack
Stars Simply Red
The White Room The KLF
1993
(13th)
Diva Annie Lennox
Hormonally Yours Shakespears Sister
The One Elton John
U.F.Orb The Orb
Up Right Said Fred
We Can't Dance Genesis
1994
(14th)
Connected Stereo MC's
Emergency on Planet Earth Jamiroquai
So Close Dina Carroll
Suede Suede
Ten Summoner's Tales Sting
1995
(15th)
Parklife Blur
Always & Forever Eternal
Definitely Maybe Oasis
The Division Bell Pink Floyd
Protection Massive Attack
1996
(16th)
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? Oasis
The Bends Radiohead
Different Class Pulp
The Great Escape Blur
Stanley Road Paul Weller
1997
(17th)
Everything Must Go Manic Street Preachers
K Kula Shaker
Moseley Shoals Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Drive Lighthouse Family
Older George Michael
1998
(18th)
Urban Hymns The Verve
Be Here Now Oasis
The Fat of the Land The Prodigy
OK Computer Radiohead
White on Blonde Texas
1999
(19th)
This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours Manic Street Preachers
Bring It On Gomez
I've Been Expecting You Robbie Williams
International Velvet Catatonia
Mezzanine Massive Attack

2000s

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2000 winners Travis
 
Three-time winners Coldplay
 
Dido received the award in 2002 for her album No Angel
 
Arctic Monkeys have won the award three times
 
2009 recipient Duffy won for Rockferry
Year Album Artist(s)
2000
(20th)
The Man Who Travis
Liquid Skin Gomez
Performance and Cocktails Stereophonics
Remedy Basement Jaxx
Surrender The Chemical Brothers
2001
(21st)
Parachutes Coldplay
Born to Do It Craig David
Kid A Radiohead
Lost Songs 95–98 David Gray
Sing When You're Winning Robbie Williams
2002
(22nd)
No Angel Dido
Born to Do It Craig David
Gorillaz Gorillaz
The Invisible Band Travis
Kid A Radiohead
2003
(23rd)
A Rush of Blood to the Head Coldplay
Angels with Dirty Faces Sugababes
The Coral The Coral
A Little Deeper Ms. Dynamite
Original Pirate Material The Streets
2004
(24th)
Permission to Land The Darkness
Gotta Get thru This Daniel Bedingfield
Life for Rent Dido
Magic and Medicine The Coral
Think Tank Blur
2005
(25th)
Hopes and Fears Keane
Absolution Muse
Final Straw Snow Patrol
Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand
A Grand Don't Come for Free The Streets
2006
(26th)
X&Y Coldplay
Aerial Kate Bush
Back to Bedlam James Blunt
Demon Days Gorillaz
Employment Kaiser Chiefs
2007
(27th)
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Arctic Monkeys
Alright, Still Lily Allen
Back to Black Amy Winehouse
Black Holes and Revelations Muse
Eyes Open Snow Patrol
2008
(28th)
Favourite Worst Nightmare Arctic Monkeys
Beautiful World Take That
Life in Cartoon Motion Mika
Spirit Leona Lewis
Version Mark Ronson
2009
(29th)
Rockferry Duffy
In Rainbows Radiohead
The Seldom Seen Kid Elbow
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends Coldplay
We Started Nothing The Ting Tings

2010s

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Florence + the Machine won for their debut album Lungs
 
2011 recipients Mumford & Sons
 
Adele is the only solo artist to have won the award more than once and is one of three three-time winners
 
2017 recipient David Bowie won for his final album Blackstar
 
2018 winner Stormzy
Year Album Artist(s)
2010
(30th)
Lungs Florence and the Machine
It's Not Me, It's You Lily Allen
Sunny Side Up Paolo Nutini
Tongue n' Cheek Dizzee Rascal
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum Kasabian
2011
(31st)
Sigh No More Mumford & Sons
The Defamation of Strickland Banks Plan B
Disc-Overy Tinie Tempah
Progress Take That
xx The xx
2012
(32nd)
21 Adele
Ceremonials Florence and the Machine
Let England Shake PJ Harvey
Mylo Xyloto Coldplay
+ Ed Sheeran
2013
(33rd)
Our Version of Events Emeli Sandé
An Awesome Wave alt-J
Babel Mumford & Sons
Fall to Grace Paloma Faith
Ill Manors Plan B
2014
(34th)
AM Arctic Monkeys
Bad Blood Bastille
Home Rudimental
The Next Day David Bowie
Settle Disclosure
2015
(35th)
x Ed Sheeran
In the Lonely Hour Sam Smith
Royal Blood Royal Blood
This Is All Yours alt-J
Wanted on Voyage George Ezra
2016
(36th)
25 Adele
Chaos and the Calm James Bay
A Head Full of Dreams Coldplay
How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful Florence and the Machine
In Colour Jamie xx
2017
(37th)
Blackstar David Bowie
I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It The 1975
Konnichiwa Skepta
Love & Hate Michael Kiwanuka
Made in the Manor Kano
2018
(38th)
Gang Signs & Prayer Stormzy
Common Sense J Hus
÷ Ed Sheeran
Dua Lipa Dua Lipa
Human Rag'n'Bone Man
2019
(39th)
A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships The 1975
High as Hope Florence and the Machine
Lost & Found Jorja Smith
Speak Your Mind Anne-Marie
Staying at Tamara's George Ezra

2020s

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Dua Lipa won the award in 2021 for Future Nostalgia
 
2023 winner Harry Styles.
 
2024 recipient Raye.
Year Album Artist(s)
2020
(40th)
Psychodrama Dave
Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent Lewis Capaldi
Fine Line Harry Styles
Heavy Is the Head Stormzy
Kiwanuka Michael Kiwanuka
2021
(41st)
Future Nostalgia Dua Lipa
Big Conspiracy J Hus
Collapsed in Sunbeams Arlo Parks
Not Your Muse Celeste
What's Your Pleasure? Jessie Ware
2022
(42nd)
30 Adele
= Ed Sheeran
Seventeen Going Under Sam Fender
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Little Simz
We're All Alone in This Together Dave
2023
(43rd)
Harry's House Harry Styles
Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022) Fred Again
Being Funny in a Foreign Language The 1975
This Is What I Mean Stormzy
Wet Leg Wet Leg
2024
(44th)
My 21st Century Blues Raye
The Ballad of Darren Blur
Beautiful and Brutal Yard J Hus
No Thank You Little Simz
Heavy Heavy Young Fathers

Artists with multiple wins

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Artists that received multiple awards
Awards Artist
3 Adele
Arctic Monkeys
Coldplay
2
Manic Street Preachers

Artists with multiple nominations

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6 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations

Notes

  1. ^ Including three as a member of Blur and two as a member of Gorillaz.
  2. ^ Including two as a member of Eurythmics.

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "About the BPI". British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  2. ^ "BRIT Awards". British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  3. ^ "And the nominees are..." Brits.co.uk. British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  4. ^ Grein, Paul (8 February 2022). "Adele Dominates 2022 Brit Awards: Full List of Winners". Billboard. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.