BRIT Awards to be held in new UK city as show moved from London for first time
Show bosses have chosen Manchester to host the next two BRIT Awards in what has been described as a "massive coup" for the city.
The city that spawned era-defining artist such as Oasis, The Smiths, New Order and The Stone Roses is to play host to the Brit Awards for the first time next year.
Manchester's Co-op Live arena – the biggest indoor venue in the UK – will host the awards in 2026 and 2027 after 45 ceremonies in London.
Andy Burnham, metro mayor of Greater Manchester, said: 'This is a massive coup for Greater Manchester. After 48 years, it is great that this prestigious event is about to arrive in the UK capital of music and culture.
'Greater Manchester has an unparalleled music heritage known around the world and this summer will play host to some of the biggest gigs on the planet. That was made possible by our commitment to new talent and giving emerging artists opportunities to make their name.
'Celebrating the Brit Awards here is the next chapter in its story and you can be sure that we will help them do it in style.'
Next year's Brit Awards will also be the first of three years under the stewardship of Sony Music UK, which spearheaded the move to Manchester.
It paves the way for the annual ceremony to move to other parts of the UK in future years. The Mercury Music Prize is being held in Newcastle in October, also moving out of London for the first time.
One source said: 'London has a bit of a stranglehold on the music industry with the majority of record labels being based there.
"This is the perfect response to that and will land really well with fans.' The Brits have been held at the O2 Arena since 2011.
Before that, they were hosted by a variety of venues in London including Earl's Court, Alexandra Palace and the Royal Albert Hall.
Jason Iley, chief executive of Sony Music UK & Ireland, said the move to Manchester would, 'invigorate the show and build on the Brits' legacy of celebrating world-class music'.
The Brits began as the BPI Awards in 1977 and have been an annual event since 1982. They became the Brits in 1989.Co-op Live opened in May 2024.
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