Today, nominations for the Youth Music Awards 2026, the UK’s biggest night in grassroots music have been announced. Taking place at St George’s Hall in Liverpool on Wednesday 28th October, the awards, in association with headline sponsor Wingstop, will leave London for the first time since launching in 2019. The 2026 nominees feature an exciting range of young British artists who have delivered breakthrough projects that continue to shape the future of music, alongside the visionary leaders driving a more diverse, inclusive, and creative industry. 

Spanning 11 categories, the awards highlight emerging talent and grassroots music projects across the UK. The shortlist covers both artistic and industry roles, including the Rising Star Award (Artist), Rising Star Award (Industry), Lyricist Award, Music Video Award, Music Producer Award, Original Track Award (Group), and Original Track Award (Solo). The awards also recognise community led initiatives and trailblazing leaders through the OutstandingProject, Social Action Award, Young Leader Award, and Inspirational Music Leader categories.

This year’s nominees follow in the footsteps of a long line of successful alumni. Youth Music has long provided the crucial early support behind many of the UK’s biggest musical success stories. Youth Music has previously backed BRIT Award and Mercury Prize-winning Sam Fender through Generator, a Newcastle-based music development agency funded by Youth Music. Elsewhere, 2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective built their foundation through Youth Music backed talent development programmes Tomorrow’s Warriors and Kinetika Bloco. Meanwhile, 2024 Mercury Prize winners English Teacher were awarded the Rising Star Award at the 2022 Youth Music Awards ahead of their breakthrough success.

More than 60 judges from across music, media and technology will help select this year's winners, representing organisations such as Apple, Meta, Sony Music UK, Spotify, Universal Music Group and YouTube. Artist judges include BRIT Award winner Myles Smith, DJ duo BICEP, Sister Bliss of Faithless, BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Introducing presenters Snoochie Shy and Jess Izsatt, as well as Youth Music alumni ALT BLK ERA, Emily Makis and LockdownT. 

The move to Liverpool, a UNESCO City of Music, will create 23 paid opportunities for young people to gain hands-on experience at a high-profile music industry event, with a big recruitment push across Liverpool and the North West. Roles on offer include photographers, PR assistants, content creators and event runners.

Nominees for this year’s Rising Star Award (Artist) Sponsored By Empire, given to a group or solo artist making waves in the music industry, include bilingual rapper HULTON, Liverpudlian singer-songwriter Livvy K, trap alternative artist Marz Fay, rap artist Righteous Reck, and Salford-born singer-songwriter Roukaya B.

In the Rising Star Award (Industry) Sponsored By Kickers category, awarded to a young person who’s making their mark behind-the-scenes of the music industries, nominations go to Honey Keenan (founder of Hive Five Management), Jed Wright (founder of Basics), and London-born entrepreneur Rianne Lewis (founder of RUN IT). 

Lyricist Award nominees include Southport songwriter Astles, local-Liverpool rapper KOJ, Colwyn Bay lyricist M. Yesekaon, East London artist simon a., and Beirut-born, London-based Sunkissed Child. This award is presented to an artist or group showcasing originality, emotion, and storytelling through their lyrics in an original track.

Celebrating an outstanding music video by an artist or group, nominees in the Music VideoAward Supported By Notion category include Liverpool's DAYZY, South London's Hillarynx, producer IMVN, and artist simon a. 

Nominated for the Music Producer Award Sponsored by Elephant Music are Yorkshire artist Cherry Seraph, IMVN, Adobe Edge Awards nominee Jelia, and self-taught 3D artist, DJ, and producer Melba. This award is given to a young producer raising the bar in music production, engineering, mixing and/or mastering.

The Original Track Award (Group) shortlist includes C4Truth & RHIA (formed at Bollo Brook youth centre studio), scene-pushers Ronn and Zuko Rosemeid, and Sheffield charity-born group TRACKS Collective. This award celebrates an outstanding original track written and recorded by a group (two or more people).

The Original Track Award (Solo) category includes artist, producer, and vocalist BEASTIE, Liverpool soul artist Bethane, neo-soul artist Hana, Nottingham's Shiloh, Irish soul artist ONYINYÉ, and South London's YV Shells. 

The Outstanding Project Award Supported by Arts Council England nominates grassroots initiatives including Blue Cabin’s This is the Place, in Darlington, Carousel, Green Door Store's live music event The Rock House based in Brighton, West Yorkshire's Conscious Youth C.I.C, Crook-based Jack Drum Arts and Oldham’s Jucabana. The Outstanding Project Award is given for a project doing exceptional work to equalise access to music for young people.

The Social Action Award Sponsored by Muse Group is given to changemakers who have made an outstanding impact on their local community, or to social justice issues. Nominees in this year’s category include London’s Compass Collective, the North West based Songbirds Music UK CIC - Hospital of Music, Thrive Project in Manchester, Sunderland and Wearside’s Women in Need (WWiN), and Manchester-based youth justice arts provider TiPP. 

Nominations for the Young Leader Award Sponsored By AQA, include Stockton-on-Tees multi instrumentalist Finn Simpson Murphy, drum & bass DJ Josh Dickinson (K!NETIC), and film producer Ria Leah. The Young Leader Award is given to a young person who is developing exceptional leadership skills as a project participant.

Inspirational Music Leader Sponsored By the MU nominees include Abi Johnson (The Music Works), Holly Prest (Jubacana Music Futures) and community builder Souria Boudina. This award is given to a music leader who has a lasting impact on their project participants, whether that's through their unique approach, unwavering commitment or deep compassion.

For the past six years, the Youth Music Awards has been held in London, celebrating young people and projects nationwide, but with 86% of Youth Music funding supporting organisations outside the capital, the awards are heading to the North West for the first time. The move to Liverpool comes at a challenging time for the grassroots music sector. Demand for Youth Music-funded projects continues to grow, with waiting lists now standing at 33,500 young people and 20% bigger in the North than the South.

Full Youth Music 2026 nominees:

Rising Star Award (Industry) Sponsored By Kickers

• Honey Keenan (NextGen Fund - Scotland)
• Jed Wright - (NextGen Fund - South East)
• Rianne Lewis (NextGen Fund - London)

Rising Star Award (Artist) Sponsored By Empire

• HULTON (NextGen Fund - South East)
• Livvy K (NextGen Fund - North West)
• Marz Fay (NextGen Fund - London)
• Righteous Reck (NextGen Fund - London)
• Roukaya B (NextGen Fund - North West)

Lyricist Award

• Astles (LIMF Academy - North West)
• KOJ (LIMF Academy Launchpad - North West)
• M. Yesekaon (NextGen Fund - Wales)
• Simon A (NextGen Fund - London)
• Sunkissed Child (NextGen Fund - London)

Music Video Award Supported By Notion

• Dayzy (Noise - Merseyside Youth Association - North West)
• Hillarynx (NextGen Fund - London)
• IMVN (NextGen Fund - London)
• Simon a. (NextGen Fund - London)

Music Producer Award

• Cherry Seraph (NextGen Fund - Yorkshire & The Humber)
• IMVN (NextGen Fund - London)
• Jelia (London)
• Melba (NextGen Fund - North East)

Original Track Award (Group)

• C4Truth & RHIA (London)
• Ronn & Zuko Rosemeid (NextGen Fund - London)
• TRACKS COLLECTIVE (Yorkshire & The Humber)

Original Track Award (Solo)

• BEASTIE (NextGen Fund - London)
• Bethane (Merseyside Youth Association  - North West)
• Hana (NextGen Fund - London)
• Shiloh (Youth Music incubator, Phlexx & Mimm Collective - East Midlands)
• ONYINYÉ (NextGen Fund - West Midlands/Ireland)
• YV Shells (NextGen Fund - London)

Outstanding Project Supported by Arts Council England 

• Blue Cabin, This is the Place (North East)
• Carousel, The Rock House (South East)
• Conscious Youth CIC, Elevation Music (Yorkshire and The Humber)
• Jack Drum Arts, Growing Green Music (North East)
• Jubacana, Music Futures (North West)

Social Action Award Sponsored by Muse Group 

• Compass Collective (London)
• Ros Hawley, Songbirds Music UK CIC (North West)
• Thrive Project (North East)
• TiPP (North East)

Young Leader Award Sponsored By AQA

• Finn Simpson Murphy (Young Producers - North East)
• Josh Dickinson (NextGen Fund - North West)
• Ria Leah (The Spit Game UK - London

Inspirational Music Leader Sponsored By the MU 

• Abi Johnson (The Music Works - South West)
• Holly Prest (Jubacana Music Futures - South East)
• Souria Boudina (New Sounds Of Crawley - South East)

The Youth Music Awards Access Fund enables the award nominees to access funding for their travel to and from the event - this is funded by Sony Music UK. 

Youth Music is a national charity funded thanks to the National Lottery via Arts Council England, players of the Postcode Lottery and support from partners, fundraisers and donors.