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Brit Award for Song of the Year

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Brit Award for Song of the Year
2024 winner Raye
Awarded forAchievement in excellent song
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI)
First awarded1977
Currently held byRaye featuring 070 Shake – "Escapism"
Most awardsTake That (5)
Most nominationsCalvin Harris (8)
Websitewww.brits.co.uk

The Brit Award for Song of the Year is an award given by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), an organisation 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] The winners and nominees are determined by the Brit Awards voting academy with over one-thousand members, which comprise record labels, publishers, managers, agents, media, and previous winners and nominees.[3] The award was first known as Brit Award for British Single, from the inaugural 1977 Brit Awards[4] through to the 2019 Brit Awards,[5] was first renamed as Song of the Year in 2020,[6] returned to the name British Single in 2021,[7] then returned to Song of the Year in 2022.[8]

In 1984 and 1991, the category was non-competitive, with the award given directly to the highest-selling single of the year.

The inaugural recipients in this category were Queen and Procol Harum, who both won in 1977. The current holder of the award is Raye, who won in 2024 for "Escapism" featuring 070 Shake.

Achievements

[edit]

Robbie Williams is the biggest winner in this category with six, including three as a member of Take That, who have five wins, the most of any group. They are followed by three-time winner Adele, and Harry Styles, who won twice as a solo artist and once as a member of One Direction. Queen are the only other act to win more than once, with two. Williams leads all performers with twelve nominations, followed by Calvin Harris, who has nine. Take That has the most nominations as a group, with seven. Dua Lipa has the most nominations among female artists, with five each. Ed Sheeran holds the record for most nominations without a win, with eight.

Take That were the first act to win British Single in two consecutive years: in 1993 ("Could It Be Magic") and 1994 ("Pray"), and they repeated this feat, winning in 2007 with "Patience" and 2008 with "Shine". That record was overtaken by Robbie Williams, a former member of the band, when he had three wins in a row with "Angels" (1999), "She's the One" (2000), and "Rock DJ" (2001).

The first female act to win the award was Spice Girls in 1997, for "Wannabe". Dido became the first female solo performer to win in 2004, for "White Flag". Adele is the first female artist to win the award twice, winning for "Skyfall" in 2013 and "Hello" in 2016 and then became the first woman to win three times with 2022's "Easy on Me".

The first and only tie in this category in Brits history happened at the inaugural ceremony in 1977, when both "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen and "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum won the award.

Unlike other categories, international artists are eligible for Single/Song of the Year if the primary artist is British. The only foreign artist to ever win this award is Bruno Mars in 2015 as a featured artist on Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk".

Recipients

[edit]

1970s

[edit]
Joint-inaugural winners Procol Harum
Year Single Artist(s)
1977
(1st)
"Bohemian Rhapsody" Queen
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" Procol Harum
"I'm Not in Love" 10cc
"She Loves You" The Beatles

1980s

[edit]
1984 winners Culture Club received the award for their iconic single "Karma Chameleon"
1987 recipients Pet Shop Boys
Rick Astley won in 1988 for "Never Gonna Give You Up"
Year Single Artist(s)
1982
(2nd)
"Tainted Love" Soft Cell
"Prince Charming" Adam and the Ants
"Stand and Deliver" Adam and the Ants
1983
(3rd)
"Come On Eileen" Dexys Midnight Runners
"Eye of the Tiger" Survivor
"Fame" Irene Cara
1984
(4th)
"Karma Chameleon" Culture Club
1985
(5th)
"Relax" Frankie Goes to Hollywood
"Careless Whisper" Wham!
"Smalltown Boy" Bronski Beat
"Smooth Operator" Sade
"Two Tribes" Frankie Goes to Hollywood
1986
(6th)
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Tears for Fears
"19" Paul Hardcastle
"Dancing in the Street" David Bowie & Mick Jagger
"Money for Nothing" Dire Straits
"Running Up That Hill" Kate Bush
1987
(7th)
"West End Girls" Pet Shop Boys
"Don't Leave Me This Way" The Communards & Sarah Jane Morris
"Holding Back the Years" Simply Red
"The Lady in Red" Chris de Burgh
"Sledgehammer" Peter Gabriel
1988
(8th)
"Never Gonna Give You Up" Rick Astley
"China in Your Hand" T'Pau
"It's a Sin" Pet Shop Boys
"Love in the First Degree" Bananarama
"Pump Up the Volume" MARRS
1989
(9th)
"Perfect" Fairground Attraction
"Kiss" Art of Noise featuring Tom Jones
"Real Gone Kid" Deacon Blue
"She Makes My Day" Robert Palmer
"Twist in My Sobriety" Tanita Tikaram

1990s

[edit]
Phil Collins won the award in 1990
1991 recipients Depeche Mode
Two-time winners Queen
Five-time winners Take That
Spice Girls won for their worldwide smash "Wannabe"
Robbie Williams holds the record for most wins in this category, with six. Williams won three of his awards as a member of Take That, and three as a solo artist.
Year Single Artist(s)
1990
(10th)
"Another Day in Paradise" Phil Collins
"All Around the World" Lisa Stansfield
"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler
"Belfast Child" Simple Minds
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid II
"Ferry Cross the Mersey" The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden & Stock Aitken Waterman
"Let's Party" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
"Sealed with a Kiss" Jason Donovan
"Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" Marc Almond featuring Gene Pitney
"Swing the Mood" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
"That's What I Like" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
"Too Many Broken Hearts" Jason Donovan
"You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" Sonia
1991
(11th)
"Enjoy the Silence" Depeche Mode
1992
(12th)
"These Are the Days of Our Lives" Queen
"3 a.m. Eternal" The KLF
"Any Dream Will Do" Jason Donovan
"Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" Iron Maiden
"Dizzy" Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff
"The Stonk" Gareth Hale & Norman Pace
1993
(13th)
"Could It Be Magic" Take That
"Goodnight Girl" Wet Wet Wet
"It Only Takes a Minute" Take That
"A Million Love Songs" Take That
"Stay" Shakespears Sister
1994
(14th)
"Pray" Take That
"Animal Nitrate" Suede
"Creep" Radiohead
"Don't Be a Stranger" Dina Carroll
"Wild Wood" Paul Weller
Eliminated
"Boom Shack-A-Lak" Apache Indian
"Dreams" Gabrielle
"Moving On Up" M People
"Oh Carolina" Shaggy
"Regret" New Order
1995
(15th)
"Parklife" Blur featuring Phil Daniels
"Girls & Boys" Blur
"Live Forever" Oasis
"Love Is All Around" Wet Wet Wet
"Stay Another Day" East 17
Eliminated
"If I Only Knew" Tom Jones
"Searching" China Black
"Sweetness" Michelle Gayle
"Texas Cowboys" The Grid
"Things Can Only Get Better" D:Ream
1996
(16th)
"Back for Good" Take That
"Common People" Pulp
"Country House" Blur
"Missing" Everything but the Girl
"Wonderwall" Oasis
Eliminated
"Alright" Supergrass
"Fairground" Simply Red
"A Girl Like You" Edwyn Collins
"No More "I Love You's"" Annie Lennox
"Roll with It" Oasis
1997
(17th)
"Wannabe" Spice Girls
"Born Slippy" Underworld
"A Design for Life" Manic Street Preachers
"Don't Look Back in Anger" Oasis
"Fastlove" George Michael
"Firestarter" The Prodigy
"Lifted" Lighthouse Family
"Return of the Mack" Mark Morrison
"Tattva" Kula Shaker
"You're Gorgeous" Babybird
1998
(18th)
"Never Ever" All Saints
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" The Verve
"I Wanna Be the Only One" Eternal featuring BeBe Winans
"Old Before I Die" Robbie Williams
"Paranoid Android" Radiohead
"Say What You Want" Texas
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" / "Candle in the Wind 1997" Elton John
"Song 2" Blur
"Tubthumping" Chumbawamba
"You're Not Alone" Olive
1999
(19th)
"Angels" Robbie Williams
"Brimful of Asha" Cornershop
"If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" Manic Street Preachers
"Life" Des'ree
"Millennium" Robbie Williams
"Outside" George Michael
"Perfect 10" The Beautiful South
"Road Rage" Catatonia
"The Rockafeller Skank" Fatboy Slim
"Teardrop" Massive Attack

2000s

[edit]
2002 winners S Club 7
Dido became the first solo female winner in 2004 for "White Flag"
Will Young received the award in 2005
2006 winners Coldplay
Girls Aloud won for their comeback single "The Promise"
Year Single Artist(s)
2000
(20th)
"She's the One" Robbie Williams
"Hey Boy Hey Girl" The Chemical Brothers
"Moving" Supergrass
"Praise You" Fatboy Slim
"Red Alert" Basement Jaxx featuring Blu James
"Sing It Back" Moloko
"Sweet like Chocolate" Shanks & Bigfoot
"Tender" Blur
"Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" Travis
"You Stole the Sun from My Heart" Manic Street Preachers
2001
(21st)
"Rock DJ" Robbie Williams
"7 Days" Craig David
"Babylon" David Gray
"Dancing in the Moonlight" Toploader
"Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" Spiller featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor
"It Feels So Good" Sonique
"Overload" Sugababes
"Pure Shores" All Saints
"The Time Is Now" Moloko
"Yellow" Coldplay
2002
(22nd)
"Don't Stop Movin'" S Club 7
"21 Seconds" So Solid Crew
"Clint Eastwood" Gorillaz featuring Del the Funky Homosapien
"Do You Really Like It?" DJ Pied Piper and the Masters of Ceremonies
"Eternity/The Road to Mandalay" Robbie Williams
"Gotta Get Thru This" Daniel Bedingfield
"It's Raining Men" Geri Halliwell
"Mambo No. 5" Bob the Builder
"Pure and Simple" Hear'Say
"Whole Again" Atomic Kitten
2003
(23rd)
"Just a Little" Liberty X
"Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake)" Gareth Gates
"Anything Is Possible" Will Young
"The Tide Is High" Atomic Kitten
"Unchained Melody" Gareth Gates
2004
(24th)
"White Flag" Dido
"Scandalous" Mis-Teeq
"Spirit in the Sky" Gareth Gates
"Superstar" Jamelia
"Sweet Dreams My LA Ex" Rachel Stevens
2005
(25th)
"Your Game" Will Young
"Amazing" George Michael
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid 20
"Dry Your Eyes" The Streets
"Everybody's Changing" Keane
"In the Middle" Sugababes
"Lola's Theme" The Shapeshifters
"Take Me to the Clouds Above" LMC vs U2
"Thank You" Jamelia
"These Words" Natasha Bedingfield
2006
(26th)
"Speed of Sound" Coldplay
"Is This the Way to Amarillo" Tony Christie featuring Peter Kay
"Push the Button" Sugababes
"That's My Goal" Shayne Ward
"You're Beautiful" James Blunt
2007
(27th)
"Patience" Take That
"All Time Love" Will Young
"America" Razorlight
"Chasing Cars" Snow Patrol
"Fill My Little World" The Feeling
Eliminated
"I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" Sandi Thom
"A Moment Like This" Leona Lewis
"Put Your Records On" Corinne Bailey Rae
"She Moves in Her Own Way" The Kooks
"Smile" Lily Allen
2008
(28th)
"Shine" Take That
"Bleeding Love" Leona Lewis
"Grace Kelly" Mika
"Valerie" Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse
"Worried About Ray" The Hoosiers
Eliminated
"1973" James Blunt
"About You Now" Sugababes
"Foundations" Kate Nash
"Real Girl" Mutya Buena
"Ruby" Kaiser Chiefs
2009
(29th)
"The Promise" Girls Aloud
"Better in Time" Leona Lewis
"Heartbeat" Scouting for Girls
"Mercy" Duffy
"Viva la Vida" Coldplay
Eliminated
"American Boy" Estelle featuring Kanye West
"Chasing Pavements" Adele
"Dance wiv Me" Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris & Chrome
"Hallelujah" Alexandra Burke
"Hero" The X Factor Finalists 2008

2010s

[edit]
2011 winner Tinie Tempah
One Direction won for their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful"
Three-time recipient Adele
Bruno Mars is the only non-British recipient of the award, winning as a featured artist on Ronson's "Uptown Funk"
Little Mix won the award in 2017
2018 winner Rag'n'Bone Man
2019 winner and nine-time nominee Calvin Harris
Dua Lipa won the award for featuring on Harris' "One Kiss", and is the most-nominated woman in the category
Year Single Artist(s)
2010
(30th)
"Beat Again" JLS
"Bad Boys" Alexandra Burke featuring Flo Rida
"Break Your Heart" Taio Cruz
"Breathe Slow" Alesha Dixon
"The Climb" Joe McElderry
"The Fear" Lily Allen
"Fight for This Love" Cheryl
"In for the Kill" La Roux
"Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" Pixie Lott
"Number 1" Tinchy Stryder featuring N-Dubz
2011
(31st)
"Pass Out" Tinie Tempah featuring Labrinth
"All Night Long" Alexandra Burke featuring Pitbull
"All Time Low" The Wanted
"Dynamite" Taio Cruz
"Many of Horror" Matt Cardle
"Parachute" Cheryl
"Please Don't Let Me Go" Olly Murs
"She Said" Plan B
"This Ain't a Love Song" Scouting for Girls
"You Got the Love" Florence and the Machine
2012
(32nd)
"What Makes You Beautiful" One Direction
"The A Team" Ed Sheeran
"All About Tonight" Pixie Lott
"Changed the Way You Kiss Me" Example
"Glad You Came" The Wanted
"Heart Skips a Beat" Olly Murs featuring Rizzle Kicks
"Price Tag" Jessie J featuring B.o.B
"She Makes Me Wanna" JLS featuring Dev
"Someone like You" Adele
"Wherever You Are" Military Wives featuring Gareth Malone
2013
(33rd)
"Skyfall" Adele
"Beneath Your Beautiful" Labrinth featuring Emeli Sandé
"Black Heart" Stooshe
"Candy" Robbie Williams
"Domino" Jessie J
"Feel the Love" Rudimental featuring John Newman
"Hot Right Now" DJ Fresh featuring Rita Ora
"Impossible" James Arthur
"Mama Do the Hump" Rizzle Kicks
"Next to Me" Emeli Sandé
"Princess of China" Coldplay & Rihanna
"R.I.P." Rita Ora featuring Tinie Tempah
"Spectrum (Say My Name)" Florence and the Machine
"Too Close" Alex Clare
"Troublemaker" Olly Murs featuring Flo Rida
2014
(34th)
"Waiting All Night" Rudimental featuring Ella Eyre
"Burn" Ellie Goulding
"Dear Darlin'" Olly Murs
"I Need Your Love" Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Goulding
"La La La" Naughty Boy featuring Sam Smith
"Let Her Go" Passenger
"Love Me Again" John Newman
"One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" One Direction
"Pompeii" Bastille
"White Noise" Disclosure featuring AlunaGeorge
2015
(35th)
"Uptown Funk" Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
"Budapest" George Ezra
"Ghost" Ella Henderson
"I Got U" Duke Dumont featuring Jax Jones
"My Love" Route 94 featuring Jess Glynne
"Nobody to Love" Sigma
"Rather Be" Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne
"Stay with Me" Sam Smith
"Summer" Calvin Harris
"Thinking Out Loud" Ed Sheeran
2016
(36th)
"Hello" Adele
"Black Magic" Little Mix
"Bloodstream" Ed Sheeran & Rudimental
"Hold Back the River" James Bay
"Hold My Hand" Jess Glynne
"How Deep Is Your Love" Calvin Harris & Disciples
"King" Years & Years
"Love Me like You Do" Ellie Goulding
"Up" Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato
"Wish You Were Mine" Philip George
2017
(37th)
"Shout Out to My Ex" Little Mix
"Dancing on My Own" Calum Scott
"Faded" Alan Walker
"Fast Car" Jonas Blue featuring Dakota
"Girls Like" Tinie Tempah featuring Zara Larsson
"Hymn for the Weekend" Coldplay
"Pillowtalk" Zayn
"Rockabye" Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul & Anne-Marie
"Say You Won't Let Go" James Arthur
"This Is What You Came For" Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna
2018
(38th)
"Human" Rag'n'Bone Man
"Did You See" J Hus
"Feels" Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean
"Mama" Jonas Blue featuring William Singe
"New Rules" Dua Lipa
"Shape of You" Ed Sheeran
"Strip That Down" Liam Payne featuring Quavo
"Symphony" Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson
"Touch" Little Mix
"You Don't Know Me" Jax Jones featuring Raye
2019
(39th)
"One Kiss" Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa
"2002" Anne-Marie
"Barking" Ramz
"I'll Be There" Jess Glynne
"IDGAF" Dua Lipa
"Leave a Light On" Tom Walker
"Lullaby" Sigala & Paloma Faith
"Shotgun" George Ezra
"Solo" Clean Bandit featuring Demi Lovato
"These Days" Rudimental featuring Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen

2020s

[edit]
2020 award recipient Lewis Capaldi
Three-time winner Harry Styles received the award in 2012 as a member of One Direction, and 2021 and 2023 as a solo artist
Year Single Artist(s)
2020
(40th)
"Someone You Loved" Lewis Capaldi
"Dancing with a Stranger" Sam Smith & Normani
"Don't Call Me Up" Mabel
"Giant" Calvin Harris & Rag'n'Bone Man
"I Don't Care" Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
"Just You and I" Tom Walker
"Ladbroke Grove" AJ Tracey
"Location" Dave featuring Burna Boy
"Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus
"Vossi Bop" Stormzy
2021
(41st)
"Watermelon Sugar" Harry Styles
"Ain't It Different" Headie One featuring AJ Tracey & Stormzy
"Don't Need Love" 220 Kid & Gracey
"Don't Rush" Young T & Bugsey featuring Headie One
"Head & Heart" Joel Corry featuring MNEK
"Lighter" Nathan Dawe featuring KSI
"Physical" Dua Lipa
"Rain" Aitch & AJ Tracey featuring Tay Keith
"Rover" S1mba featuring DTG
"Secrets" Regard & Raye
2022
(42nd)
"Easy on Me" Adele
"Bad Habits" Ed Sheeran
"Bed" Joel Corry, Raye & David Guetta
"Body" Tion Wayne & Russ Millions
"Clash" Dave featuring Stormzy
"Cold Heart" Elton John & Dua Lipa
"Don't Play" Anne-Marie, KSI & Digital Farm Animals
"Friday" Riton & Nightcrawlers featuring Mufasa & Hypeman
"Heat Waves" Glass Animals
"Holiday" KSI
"Latest Trends" A1 x J1
"Little Bit of Love" Tom Grennan
"Obsessed with You" Central Cee
"Remember" Becky Hill & David Guetta
"Wellerman (220 Kid x Billen Ted remix)" Nathan Evans, 220 Kid & Billen Ted
2023
(43rd)
"As It Was" Harry Styles
"Baby" Aitch & Ashanti
"Go" Cat Burns
"Starlight" Dave
"Merry Christmas" Ed Sheeran & Elton John
"B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal
"Green Green Grass" George Ezra
"Forget Me" Lewis Capaldi
"Afraid to Feel" LF System
"Unholy" Sam Smith & Kim Petras
2024
(44th)
"Escapism" Raye featuring 070 Shake
"Miracle" Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding
"Prada" Cassö, Raye & D-Block Europe
"Let Go" Central Cee
"Sprinter" Dave & Central Cee
"Dance the Night" Dua Lipa
"Eyes Closed" Ed Sheeran
"Who Told You" J Hus featuring Drake
"Strangers" Kenya Grace
"Wish You the Best" Lewis Capaldi
"Boy's a Liar" PinkPantheress
"Dancing is Healing Rudimental, Charlotte Plank & Vibe Chemistry
"Firebabe" Stormzy featuring Debbie
"React" Switch Disco & Ella Henderson
"Messy in Heaven" Venbee & Goddard.

Artists with multiple wins

[edit]
Artists that received multiple awards
Awards Artist
6 Robbie Williams[a]
5 Take That
3 Adele
Harry Styles[b]
2 Queen
  1. ^ Including his three wins as a member of Take That.
  2. ^ Including his 2012 win as a member of One Direction.

Artists with multiple nominations

[edit]
12 nominations
9 nominations
8 nominations
7 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations

Notes

  1. ^ Including five as a member of Take That.
  2. ^ Including one as a member of Wham!.
  3. ^ Including two as a member of One Direction.
  4. ^ Including one as a member of Girls Aloud.
  5. ^ Including one as a member of Mis-Teeq.
  6. ^ Including one as a member of the Spice Girls.
  7. ^ Including one as a member of S Club 7.
  8. ^ Including one as a member of Bananarama and one as a member of Shakespears Sister.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  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 9 March 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  3. ^ "And the nominees are..." Brits.co.uk. British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  4. ^ "The BRITs 1977". BRIT Awards Ltd. 1977-10-18. Archived from the original on 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2022-05-02. (note: set to access the archived copy, which gives more information and includes nominees of all awards as well as both winners of the award for British Single, as Queen is missing from the May 2022 URL)
  5. ^ "2019 | 20 / 02 / 2019 - The O2 | Hosted By Jack Whitehall". BRIT Awards Ltd. 2019-02-20. Archived from the original on 2022-02-06. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  6. ^ "We're back!". BRIT Awards Ltd. 2019-11-17. Archived from the original on 2019-11-17. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  7. ^ "2021 | 11 / 05 / 2021 - The O2 | Hosted By Jack Whitehall". BRIT Awards Ltd. 2021-05-11. Archived from the original on 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  8. ^ "Adele wins Song of The Year in association with Mastercard!". BRIT Awards Ltd. 2022-02-08. Archived from the original on 2022-02-20. Retrieved 2022-05-02.