The Brit Awards are changing their tune.
The annual British music award show will no longer split its awards for artist of the year and international artist of the year into male and female categories, the British Phonographic Industry announced Monday.
The decision is part of an effort to make the ceremony “as inclusive and as relevant as possible,” the award show’s governing body said, noting that artists will be celebrated “solely for their music and work, rather than how they choose to identify or as others may see them.”
The Brits become the latest major award show to adopt such a change. The Grammy Awards stopped giving out male and female awards in 2012, while MTV did the same with its annual ceremonies in 2017.
Earlier this year, singer Sam Smith condemned the Brit Awards for dividing its categories.
“Music for me has always been about unification not division,” Smith, who came out as non-binary in 2019, tweeted in March. “I look forward to a time where award shows can be reflective of the society we live in. Let’s celebrate everybody, regardless of gender, race, age, ability, sexuality and class.”
Many film and TV award shows, including the Oscars, Emmys and Golden Globes, separate their acting categories between male and female candidates.
The Brit Awards also announced Monday that the 2022 ceremony will introduce new awards that honor the genres of alternative/rock; rap/grime/hip hop; pop/R&B; and dance.
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