Adele, James Bay, Years & Years top BRIT Awards 2016 nominations

Adele, James Bay and Years & Years dominate the nominations for this year's BRIT Awards. 

Adele is top of the pile with four nominations in all, including Best Album, Best British Female Solo Artist, Best Single and Best Video. 

Up against Adele for Best Album are James Bay, who is also up for four awards in all, Coldplay, Florence & The Machine and Jamie xx. She also faces stiff competition for Best British Female Solo Artist from Laura Marling, Florence & The Machine, Jess Glynne and Amy Winehouse. 

In the race for Best British Male James Bay will start as favour in a strong field that also features Aphex Twin, Calvin Harris, Mark Ronson and Jamie xx. 

Bay is also sure to be a favourite for Best Breakthrough Act, but he'll have to overcome Wolf Alice, Catfish and The Bottlemen, Jess Glynne and Years & Years, who are also up for four awards, to take home the gong. 

The race for Best British Group will also be a close one with Foals, Years & Years, Coldplay, One Direction and Blur all nominated, but one of the most open categories is Best British Single, which sees the likes of Adele, Calvin Harris, Ellei Goulding and Little Mix all nominated. 

In the international categories there are a few surprise nods with the likes of Tame Impala, Alabama Shakes and Eagles Of Death Metal both nominated for Best International Group where they will be up against heavyweights like U2 and Major Lazer.

Equally in the male category there is a nod for Father John Misty, who will have to duke it out with Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar and Drake for his award.

Meghan Trainor will start as favourite in International Female category, but she'll face stiff competition from Ariana Grande, Bjork, Courtney Barnett and Lana Del Rey. 

Last year's big winners Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran will face off in the race for Best British Video, with Sheeran nominated for 'Bloodstream' and Smith for his Bond theme 'Writing's On The Wall'. They're joined in that race by the likes of Adele, Ellie Goulding, Little Mix, and, most crucially given it's voted for on the night by fans, One Direction. 

The awards will take place on February 24th at London's O2 Arena, will be hosted for the second year in succession by Ant and Dec. 

Coldplay, Adele, Justin Bieber, Jess Glynne, James Bay, Little Mix and The Weeknd will all perform live as part of the awards show. 

It was also confirmed earlier this week that a tribute to David Bowie is now planned as part of the ceremony. 

Last year's BRIT Awards saw the likes of Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Royal Blood and Paloma Faith walk away with the main prizes. Click here to read more about the event. 

 

The full list of nominees for the Brit Awards 2016 is as follows:

 

Best British Male Solo Artist

Aphex Twin

Calvin Harris

James Bay

Jamie xx

Mark Ronson

 

Best British Female Solo Artist

Adele

Amy Winehouse

Florence & The Machine

Jess Glynne

Laura Marling

 

Best British Group

Blur

Coldplay

Foals

One Direction

Years & Years

 

Best British Breakthrough Act

James Bay

Catrfish And The Bottlemen

Jess Glynne

Wolf Alice

Years & Years

 

Best British Single

Adele - 'Hello'

Calvin Harris & Disciples - 'How Deep Is Your Love'

Ed Sheeran & Rudimental - 'Bloodstream'

Ellie Goulding - 'Love Me Like You Do'

James Bay - 'Hold Back The River'

Jess Glynne - 'Hold My Hand'

Little Mix - 'Black Magic'

Olly Murs - 'Up'

Philip George - 'Wish You Were Mine 

Years & Years - 'King'

 

Best British Album Of The Year

Adele - 25

James Bay - Chaos And The Calm

Coldplay - A Head Full Of Dreams

Florence & The Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

Jamie xx - In Colour 

 

British Producer Of The Year

Charlie Andrew

Mark Ronson

Mike Crossey

Tom Dalgety

 

British Artist Video Of The Year

Adele - 'Hello'

Calvin Harris & Disciples - 'How Deep Is Your Love'

Ed Sheeran - 'Photograph'

Ellie Goulding - 'Love Me Like You Do'

Jessie J - 'Flashlight'

Little Mix - 'Black Magic'

Naughty Boy feat. Beyonce & Arrow Benjamin - 'Runnin'

One Direction - 'Drag Me Down'

Sam Smith - 'Writing's On The Wall'

Years & Years - 'King'

 

Best International Male Solo Artist

Drake

Father John Misty

Kendrick Lamar

Justin Bieber

The Weeknd

 

Best International Female Solo Artist

Ariana Grande

Bjork

Courtney Barnett

Lana Del Rey

Meghan Trainor 

 

Best International Group

Alabama Shakes

Eagles Of Death Metal

Major Lazer 

Tame Impala

U2

 

Critic's Choice Award

Jack Garrett - Winner

Frances 

Izzy Bizu