Youth Music Awards 2026: Nominations Announced as Ceremony Heads to Liverpool
The 2026 Youth Music Awards will take place at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 28 October, marking the first time the ceremony has left London since its launch in 2019. The shortlist spans 11 categories recognising emerging artists and community projects across the UK music industry, with nominees ranging from solo singer-songwriters to regional grassroots organisations (Billboard).
More than 60 judges from companies including Apple, Meta, Sony Music, Spotify, Universal Music Group and YouTube will select this year's winners. The artist judging panel includes BRIT Award winner Myles Smith, DJ duo Bicep, ALT BLK ERA, Faithless' Sister Bliss, and BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Introducing presenters Snoochie Shy and Jess Izsatt. Youth Music alumna Emily Makis also joins the panel alongside Smith and ALT BLK ERA, according to the organisation's awards page.
The relocation to Liverpool will create 23 paid opportunities for young people in the city and across the North West, with roles including photographers, PR assistants, content creators and event runners. A Youth Music Awards Access Fund, funded by Sony Music, will cover nominees' travel costs to and from the event.
Among the Liverpool-rooted nominees are singer-songwriters Livvy K, Bethane and Astles, and rapper KOJ. Livvy K appears on the rising star award (artist) shortlist alongside Hulton, Marz Fay, Righteous Reck and Roukaya B. KOJ and Astles are both nominated for the lyricist award, competing against M. Yesekaon, Simon A and Sunkissed Child.
The original track award (solo) shortlist features BEASTIE, Bethane, Hana, Shiloh, ONYINYÉ and YV Shells, while the group category includes C4Truth & RHIA, Ronn & Zuko Rosemeid and TRACKS COLLECTIVE. Producers Cherry Seraph, IMVN, Jelia and Melba are up for the music producer award, and Dayzy, Hillarynx, IMVN and Simon A contest the music video category.
Beyond artist categories, the awards recognise the people and organisations behind the music. The rising star award (industry) shortlist includes Honey Keenan, Jed Wright and Rianne Lewis. The young leader award nominates Finn Simpson Murphy of Young Producers, Josh Dickinson of NextGen Fund, and Ria Leah of The Spit Game U.K. Inspirational music leader nominees are Abi Johnson of The Music Works, Holly Prest of Jubacana Music Futures, and Souria Boudina of New Sounds of Crawley.
The outstanding project category highlights community music work across England: Blue Cabin's This is the Place (North East), Carousel's The Rock House (South East), Conscious Youth CIC's Elevation Music (Yorkshire & The Humber), Jack Drum Arts' Growing Green Music (North East) and Jubacana's Music Futures (North West). The social action award shortlist includes Compass Collective (London), Ros Hawley's Songbirds Music UK CIC (North West), Thrive Project (North East) and TiPP (North East).
Carol Reid, interim co-CEO at Youth Music, said the 2026 nominees are "an inspiring snapshot of what a more diverse and creative music industry could look like" with grassroots music support. Youth Music, a national charity, raises roughly £10 million each year to fund music projects and has invested £273 million into grassroots organisations and young creatives since 1999.
The track record carries weight. Three recent Mercury Prize winners were previously supported by Youth Music-backed projects: Sam Fender (2025) received early funding through Newcastle-based Generator, English Teacher (2024) won the Youth Music Awards' rising star award in 2022, and Ezra Collective (2023) developed through London youth groups Tomorrow's Warriors and Kinetika Bloco.
What gives the 2026 ceremony its edge is the backdrop. Youth Music's own survey this year found that 37% of its funded projects are considering closure, and nearly 33,500 young people are on waiting lists. In 2025, the charity raised £1 million for its Rescue the Roots campaign and matched the amount, directing £2 million to youth music organisations. An awards night in Liverpool, with paid roles attached, is a tangible signal that the pipeline still runs — even when the pressure on it is rising.
