Some of the biggest names in rock and pop will gather for the biggest night in the UK music calendar tonight when the Brit Awards are staged at London’s 02 Arena.
:: British breakthrough act:
Alt-J
Ben Howard
Jake Bugg
Jessie Ware
Rita Ora
:: British female solo artist:
Amy Winehouse
Bat For Lashes
Emeli Sande
Jessie Ware
Paloma Faith
:: British group:
Alt-J
Mumford & Sons
Muse
One Direction
The xx
:: Live act:
Coldplay
Mumford & Sons
Muse
Rolling Stones
The Vaccines
:: British male solo artist:
Ben Howard
Calvin Harris
Olly Murs
Richard Hawley
Plan B
:: British producer (already announced):
Paul Epworth
:: British single
Adele – Skyfall
Alex Clare – Too Close
Coldplay featuring Rihanna – Princess Of China
DJ Fresh featuring Rita Ora – Hot Right Now
Emeli Sande – Next To Me
Florence + The Machine – Spectrum (Say My Name)
James Arthur – Impossible
Jessie J – Domino
Labrinth featuring Emeli Sande – Beneath Your Beautiful
Olly Murs featuring Flo Rida – Troublemaker
Rita Ora featuring Tinie Tempah – RIP
Rizzle Kicks – Mama Do The Hump
Robbie Williams – Candy
Rudimental featuring John Newman – Feel The Love
Stooshe – Black Heart
:: Special recognition award (already announced): Warchild
:: Brits global success (for international sales in 2012) – to be announced on the night
:: Critics’ choice (already announced): Tom Odell
:: International female solo artist:
Alicia Keys
Cat Power
Lana Del Rey
Rihanna
Taylor Swift
:: International group:
Alabama Shakes
Black Keys
Fun
The Killers
The Script
:: International male solo artist:
Bruce Springsteen
Frank Ocean
Gotye
Jack White
Michael Buble
:: Best album:
Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
Emeli Sande – Our Version Of Events
Mumford & Sons – Babel
Paloma Faith – Fall To Grace
Plan B – Ill Manors
Here are some facts and figures about the event:
:: A team of 1,000 people will be working backstage at the awards to ensure everything runs smoothly. They include 600 waiting and serving staff.
:: The crew has worked for two weeks to build the stage set, which has been brought on-site in 60 truck-loads.
:: Crowd safety barriers which would stretch 2km end-to-end will be set up around the building to keep order.
:: The sound and TV requirements mean that around 35km of cable will be coiled around the venue.
:: Goodie bags for VIP guests include overnight stays in a treehouse suite, a karaoke kit, perfumes and a portable wireless stereo system.
:: Catering staff will serve 4,000 meals to the guests and team involved in staging the event. The revellers will also use 15,000 glasses, while 5,500kg of ice cubes will be used to chill their drinks.
:: In total, the catering team – which includes 60 chefs – will have spent 2,000 hours preparing food. They will have worked their way through 1.5 tonnes of potatoes, one tonne of English beef fillet and beef shin, 100kg of mushrooms and 400 trays of baked macaroons.
:: This year three acts have each achieved a trio of nominations – Mumford & Sons, Alt J and Emeli Sande. But the highest number achieved in any one year is six, with Robbie Williams achieving that in 1999 and Craig David equalling it in 2001.
:: Williams has won more Brits than any other artist or group, with 12 awards in his own right. He also won five as a member of Take That, giving a grand total of 17.