Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music
Awarded forAchievement in excellence in music
CountryUnited Kingdom (UK)
Presented byBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI)
First awarded1977
Currently held byKylie Minogue (2024)
Most awardsPaul McCartney, John Lennon and Elton John (3)
Websitewww.brits.co.uk

The Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music is the Lifetime Achievement award given by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI),[1][2] an organisation which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom.[3] The accolade is presented at the Brit Awards, an annual celebration of British and international music.[4] The honourees 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.[5]

History

The award was first presented in 1977 and was subsequently awarded annually from 1982 to 2010. The award has since been presented intermittently as the BRIT's Icon Award, with the original name being re-instated at the 2019 Brit Awards ceremony.[6] Since 2000, the Classic BRIT Awards have also annually presented their own Outstanding Contribution to Music Award.[7] The award was last presented under its original name at 2019 Brit Awards.[8] However, the Global Icon Award, which was described as the BRIT's "highest accolade", and an international version of the BRIT's Icon Award, was presented in 2021 to Taylor Swift.[9]

Elton John, Paul McCartney and John Lennon are the artists with the most wins with three awards. U2 were the first international band to receive the BRIT award while Pink and Bob Geldof were the first female solo artist and the first international artist to receive it respectively. Cecilia Bartoli and Andrea Bocelli were the first female soloist and international artist respectively to receive the Classic BRIT Award.

Contemporary winners

Paul McCartney received the award in 1977 and 1983 as part of The Beatles and in 2008 as a solo artist
1986, 1995 and 2014 honouree Elton John
1998 winners Fleetwood Mac
2024 winner Kylie Minogue
Year Recipient(s)
1977 LG Wood and The Beatles
1982 John Lennon
1983 The Beatles
1984 George Martin[10]
1985 The Police[11]
1986 Elton John and Wham![12]
1987 Eric Clapton[13]
1988 The Who[14]
1989 Cliff Richard (Lifetime Achievement Award)[15]
1990 Queen[16]
1991 Status Quo[17]
1992 Freddie Mercury (posthumously)[18]
1993 Rod Stewart[19]
1994 Van Morrison[20]
1995 Elton John[21]
1996 David Bowie[22]
1997 Bee Gees[23]
1998 Fleetwood Mac[24]
1999 Eurythmics[25]
2000 Spice Girls[26]
2001 U2[27]
2002 Sting[28]
2003 Tom Jones[29]
2004 Duran Duran[30]
2005 Bob Geldof[31]
2006 Paul Weller[32]
2007 Oasis[33]
2008 Paul McCartney[34]
2009 Pet Shop Boys[35]
2010 Robbie Williams[36]
2012 Blur[37]
2014 Elton John (Icon Award)[38]
2016 David Bowie (Icon Award)[39]
2017 Robbie Williams (Icon Award)[40]
2019 Pink[8]
2021 Taylor Swift (Global Icon Award)[9]
2024 Kylie Minogue (Global Icon Award)[41]

Classic winners

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Inaugural winner Nigel Kennedy
Composer John Williams received the award in 2012
Year Recipient
2000 Nigel Kennedy
2001 Simon Rattle
2002 Andrea Bocelli
2003 Cecilia Bartoli
2004 Renée Fleming
2005 James Galway
2006 Placido Domingo
2007 Vernon Handley
2008 Andrew Lloyd Webber
2009 José Carreras
2010 Kiri Te Kanawa
2011 John Barry (posthumously)
2012 John Williams
2013 Hans Zimmer
2014 Luciano Pavarotti (posthumously)
2018 Vera Lynn

Artists with multiple wins

References

  1. ^ White, Adam (20 February 2019). "Pink is mediocre and American – why are the Brits giving her a lifetime achievement award?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  2. ^ Sherwin, Adam (12 December 2012). "War Child get special Brit Award as lifetime achievement gong dropped". The Independent. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  3. ^ "About the BPI". British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  4. ^ "BRIT Awards". British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  5. ^ "And the nominees are..." Brits.co.uk. British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  6. ^ "Here's a FULL LIST of who's won the BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution". Capitalfm.com. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Classic BRITs - Outstanding Contributions & Lifetime Achievement Awards". Classicfm.com. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  8. ^ a b "P!nk to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award". BRIT Awards. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  9. ^ a b "Taylor Swift to receive Global Icon Award!". BRIT Awards. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  10. ^ "Brit Awards 1984". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Brit Awards 1985". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Brit Awards 1986". Brit Awards. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Brit Awards 1987". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Brit Awards 1988". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Brit Awards 1989". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Brit Awards 1990". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Brit Awards 1991". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Brit Awards 1992". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Brit Awards 1993". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  20. ^ "Brit Awards 1994". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Brit Awards 1995". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Brit Awards 1996". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Brit Awards 1997". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  24. ^ "Brit Awards 1998". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  25. ^ "Brit Awards 1999". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Brit Awards 2000". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Brit Awards 2001". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  28. ^ "Brit Awards 2002". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  29. ^ "Brit Awards 2003". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  30. ^ "Brit Awards 2004". Brit Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  31. ^ Smith, David (30 January 2005). "We should share in 'Saint' Bob's Brit award, complain former Rats". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  32. ^ "Paul Weller to be honoured at next year's Brits". Nme.com. 21 November 2005. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  33. ^ "Oasis 'Outstanding' at BRIT Awards". Nme.com. 14 February 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  34. ^ Nicole Martin (21 February 2008). "Outstanding Brit award lifts Sir Paul McCartney". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  35. ^ "Pet Shop Boys accept Outstanding Contribution To Music award at BRITs". Nme.com. 18 February 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  36. ^ "Robbie Williams for 'Outstanding Contribution To Music' BRIT". Nme.com. 23 October 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  37. ^ Singh, Anita (8 December 2011). "Brit Awards: Blur honoured for outstanding contribution". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  38. ^ "Elton John honoured with BRITs Icon Award". BRIT Awards.
  39. ^ "WATCH: David Bowie receives Icon Award at the Brits". Hotpress.
  40. ^ "Robbie Williams: BRITs Icon". BRIT Awards.
  41. ^ "Kylie Minogue to receive Brits global icon award and will perform at ceremony".
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