The 2024 Brit Awards is making two changes to boost the “representation and inclusion” of its nominees. It is adding a separate R&B category to its four genre awards, and it is increasing the number of nominees for both British artist of the year and international artist of the year from five to 10. 

The show, officially dubbed BRIT Awards with Mastercard 2024, returns for its 44th edition on Saturday March 2, 2024.

The Brit Awards introduced four genre awards categories in 2022 — alternative/rock, dance, pop/R&B and hip hop/grime/rap. With the addition of a category focused solely on R&B, there will be five genre awards categories. Eligibility for the R&B award will cover a 24-month period as opposed to the usual 12 months.

At the 2023 Brits on Feb. 11, Harry Styles won the pop/R&B award, over Cat Burns, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa and Sam Smith. The previous year, Lipa won, beating Adele, Joy Crookes, Griff and Ed Sheeran.

For 2024, The Brits will also increase the number of nominees for both British artist of the year and international artist of the year from five to 10. This change, also aimed at improving representation and inclusion, follows extensive consultation within the BRITs organization and relevant industry and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) groups, including the BPI’s own Equity & Justice Advisory Group (EJAG).

“The BRITs is committed to making the show as inclusive and representative as possible,” Dr. Jo Twist OBE, BPI chief executive said in a statement, “The changes to this year’s categories are part of an ongoing process of evolution, and we will continue to review, listen and learn.”

With 10 nominees, British artist of the year and international artist of the year will now mirror song of the year and best international song, which also have 10 nominees. Most other Brits categories have five nominees, except for Rising Star, which has three.

At the 2023 Brit Awards, two of the five nominees for British artist of the year, and four of the five nominees for international artist of the year, were people of color. Styles won artist of the year over Central Cee, Fred Again, George Ezra and Stormzy. Beyoncé won international artist of the year over Burna Boy, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo and Taylor Swift.

The Brits Voting Academy, responsible for determining the shortlists and the overall winners of the Brit Awards (except for the Rising Star award, which is voted on by a separate panel), is refreshed annually, drawing on updated member data, to ensure relevance and diversity across its participants. The Voting Academy is composed of approximately 1,200 individuals drawn from across the music industry, including artists, managers, media, producers, publishers, record labels and retailers.

In 2024, the Voting Academy will again have a balanced split of men and women and will include a number of members who identify as non-binary or who prefer not to specify their gender, while a quarter of its members identify as Black, Asian or ethnic minority background. The Academy and the voting process is overseen by Civica — an independent voting scrutineer.

Eligibility for the above categories (apart from Rising Star and the five genre awards) is achieved either by an artist album achieving a Top 40 placement on the Official U.K. Albums Chart during the 12-month eligibility period (Dec. 9, 2022–Dec. 8, 2023), or two Top 20 singles on the Official U.K. Singles Chart. To be eligible for one of the genre awards, an artist must have released a Top 40 album or single in the same eligibility period, with the R&B award eligibility achieved over a 24-month period.

For each awards category, Voting Academy members select from a longlist of eligible entries. They will be able to select up to 10 entries in the Artist of the Year categories (UK and International) and Song of the Year (UK and International), and up to five in all other categories.

Mastercard returns as headline partner of The Brit Awards for the 26th year.