BRIT Awards 2020: 12 quirky facts about this year's ceremony

This year's BRIT Awards is a big one, as the ceremony celebrates its 40th year.

There are lots of performances lined up - Stormzy, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Mabel, Dave, Lewis Capaldi and Rod Stewart to name a few - and there's been a significant shake-up of its categories - see the full list of nominations.

1. It's a good year for new (and a couple of not-so-new) acts...

11 of this year's 27 nominees have been shortlisted for the first: Bring Me The Horizon, D-Block Europe, Freya Ridings, Charli XCX, Aitch, Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Burna Boy, Tyler The Creator, Dermot Kennedy and Post Malone.

2. ...But plenty of this year's nominees have got previous.

This year’s bunch of shortlisted acts have previously picked up 64 nominations between them. Coldplay have the most at 27, followed by Bruce Springsteen on 9. 

Billie Eilish is performing and picks up her first BRIT nomination this year.

3. Rap is back in a big way

Dave, who is nominated for four awards, is the first rapper to pick up that many nominations in nine years, since Tinie Tempah in 2011. Back then, he was shortlisted for Album of the Year, Single of the Year (which he won), British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act (which he also won). 

4. They've all got the hits to back up their nominations...

This year’s nominated acts have 208 Top 40 singles between them, including 19 Number 1s. Ariana Grande has the most chart-toppers, with five.

5. ...And had a fair few successful albums.

This year’s nominated acts have a total of 75 Top 10 albums between them, 41 of which have gone to Number 1. Bruce Springsteen has the most chart-topping albums among them with 11.

6. Coldplay could extend their BRITs record

Coldplay, who are nominated for Best British Group, are the most successful band in BRITs history, with 28 nominations and nine wins.

Coldplay love performing at the BRITs (Shutterstock)

7. Coldplay also have a habit of stealing the show.

Coldplay also jointly hold the record for most performances at the BRITs with Take That and Robbie Williams, with seven.

8. The always hotly-contested International Female Category is closer than ever.

If the Best International Female category was decided based on UK single chart sales over the past year, it would be between Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish: Ariana’s 8.7 million to Billie’s 7.4 million. That said, the rest of the nominated acts - Lizzo, Lana Del Rey, Camila Cabello - have had an incredibly strong year. 

9. There are significantly fewer awards up for grabs this year.

Seven award categories have been renamed or abolished altogether, reducing the number of awards this year from 13 to nine. Awards that have been pulled this year are: International Group Award, Best British Video Award, Outstanding Contribution to Music Award, Global Success Award. Renamed categories are: Best New Artist (previously British Breakthrough Act), Song of the Year (previously British Single of the Year) and Rising Star Award (previously Critics’ Choice Award).

Harry is up for two big awards at this year's BRITs (Shutterstock)

10. Harry Styles could achieve something none of his One Direction bandmates have.

Five years after their split, Harry Styles is the first One Direction member to be nominated in the Male Solo Artist category. He's also up for the big Album of the Year prize for Fine Line.

11. Song of the Year is anyone's for the taking.

Just three of this year’s 10 tracks nominated for Song of the Year have reached Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart: Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber’s I Don’t Care, Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved, and Stormzy’s Vossi Bop. The fan voting element of this category has also been dropped this year. 

12. This year's Rising Star winner is getting an even bigger platform

This year’s Rising Star winner (previously Critics’ Choice), Celeste, is the first time the award brand-new artist to perform on the BRITs main stage.

The BRIT Awards 2020 takes place on Tuesday, February 18 and will be broadcast live from London's O2 Arena on ITV from 8pm.