English folk rock band, Mumford and Sons, recently released a music video for their track, “Whispers in the Dark,” the new single off their highly acclaimed album, Babel.
Emeli Sandé leads the nominations for the 2013 Brit Awards with four, including one in the coveted British Album category.
The Scottish singer, who won the Critics’ Choice award at last year’s Brits, is also nominated twice in the British Single category, for Next to Me and Beneath Your Beautiful (with Labrinth), and could be crowned best British Female.
British folk band Mumford and Sons are nominated in three categories, as are Mercury Prize winners Alt-J. The two acts will go head-to-head in the British Group and British Album categories. The other nominees for British Album are Paloma Faith and Plan B.
The Rolling Stones, who celebrated their 50th anniversary as a band last year, are nominated for Best British Live Act – an award which returns after last being handed out in 2009 – and have been confirmed as one of the performers at the ceremony, as well as Muse, Sandé and One Direction.
The veteran British rock band, who sold out two dates at London’s O2 Arena in November 2012 in less than ten minutes, were also nominated at the inaugural Brit Awards ceremony in 1977, losing out to the Beatles in the Best British Group category.
However, they will not receive the Outstanding Contribution to British Music award – won last year by Blur – as this prize has been omitted from the 2013 ceremony. Previous winners of the award have included Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Weller and Status Quo.
Adele is up for two awards, despite not having released an album since January 2011. Her theme to the James Bond film Skyfall is nominated for British Single, while she will take on boy band One Direction and Mumford and Sons for the new Global Success award which will recognise a British act’s worldwide success.
Amy Winehouse is posthumously nominated in the British Female category. The British singer-songwriter died at her home in Camden last year aged 27, with a second inquest recently confirming that accidental alcohol poisoning was the cause of death.
Elsewhere, Bruce Springsteen is up against Frank Ocean in the International Male category, while Rihanna, Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift are among the nominees for International Female.
It had already been announced that this year’s Critics’ Choice Award will go to Chichester-born singer-songwriter Tom Odell.
The Brit Awards 2013 take place on Wednesday, February 20, and will be hosted by James Corden.
The Complete List Nominees:
Alt J
Ben Howard
Jake Bugg
Jessie Ware
Rita Ora
British Female
Amy Winehouse
Bat for Lashes
Emeli Sandé
Jessie Ware
Paloma Faith
British Group
Mumford and Sons
Muse
One Direction
The xx
British Live Act
Rolling Stones
Coldplay
Mumfords
Muse
Vaccines
British Male
Ben Howard
Calvin Harris
Ollie Murs
Richard Hawley
Plan B
Global Success
Mumford and Sons
Adele
One Direction
British Producer
Damon Albarn
Jake Gosling
Paul Epworth
British Single
Adele, Skyfall
Alex Clare, Too Close
Coldplay + Rihanna, Princess of China
Rita Ora/DJ Fresh, Hot Right Now
Emile Sandé, Next To Me
Florence+ the Machine, Spectrum
James Arthur, Impossible
Jessie J, Domino
Labrinth ft. Emeli Sandé, Beneath Your Beautiful
Ollie Murs, Troublemaker
Rita Ora, RIP
Rizzle Kicks, Mama Do The Hump
Robbie Williams, Candy
Rudimental, Feel the Love
Stooshe, Black Heart
Special Prize
War Child
Critics’ Choice
Tom Odell
International Female
Rihanna
Alicia Keys
Cat Power
Lana del Ray
Taylor Swift
International Group
Alabama Shakes
Black Keys
Fun
Killers
Script
International Male
Bruce Springsteen
Frank Ocean
Gotye
Jack White
Michael Buble
British Album
Alt J
Emeli Sandé
Mumford and Sons
Paloma Faith
Plan B
— source: telegraph.co.uk image from spin.com and nme.com