Brit Awards 2024: Biggest nomination 'snubs' of all time from The Sex Pistols to The Smiths

The Brit Awards 2024 is just around the corner, meaning it's time to retrospectively look back at the biggest shocks from years gone by. Like many big award shows in the season, the Brits is partial to a controversial snub but some of the best bands and albums in British history don't even have a nomination to their name.

There's always a guaranteed shock at the annual Brit Awards ceremony, whether that's Laura Marling snatching the 'Best British Female' award from Cheryl Cole and Ellie Goulding in 2011 or Simply Red's Mick Hucknall beating out competition from Elton John, Phil Collins and George Michael to walk away with the 'British Male Solo Artist' award in 1993.

But while a surprise win is bound to steal the headlines, there's been a handful of nomination snubs that have flown under the radar over the years. From The Smiths' era-defining album, 'The Queen is Dead', to Depeche Mode's best-selling record of all time, here's the biggest nomination snubs in the history of the Brit Awards.

Brit Awards' biggest nomination snubs of all time

Rina Sawayama (2021)

For the 2021 Brit Awards ceremony, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) - who run the Brits and the Mercury Prize - amended the rules to allow artists who were born in the UK or have lived in the UK for more than five years to compete.

The change was brought about after it was confirmed Rina Sawayama's debut LP 'Sawayama', would be ineligible for the 2020 Mercury Prize Awards. The Japanese-British pop star - who had lived in the UK for 26 years at that point - accused the awards body of 'othering' artists who they deemed 'not British enough'.

Despite changing the rules for the 2021 ceremony, Sawayama only received one nomination for the 'Rising Star Award' - which she lost to Griff. For an artist who inspired such a seismic shift in the award show's history, to only receive one nomination will go down as one of the biggest snubs of Brits history.

The Smiths (1987)

The Smiths' third studio album, 'The Queen Is Dead' is arguably the most revered record in the group's discography and has held up as one of the essential albums of the 80s. However, you might be surprised to find out, The Smiths didn't receive a single nomination at the Brit Awards following its release.

Fortunately, frontman Morrissey isn't likely to be phased by the historic snub... right? In 2015, he said: “The BRIT Awards have come to define what is neither talent nor star, having paid no attention to what is true. Therefore, not having accepted a Brit Award indicates classical value for any artist who takes their music seriously”.

Sex Pistols (1977)

Just ten days before the release of the punk outfit's seminal debut, 'Never Mind the B*llocks, Here's the Sex Pistols', BPI held the first edition of "The British Record Industry Britannia Awards" - later coined the Brit Awards. Despite having already made a cultural impact with the album's lead singles, 'Anarchy in the UK' and 'God Save the Queen', along with being signed to a mainstream label, the group were shut out of the first ceremony.

Since breaking up in 1978, Johnny Rotten and co have never been retrospectively rewarded for their impact on British music. A lifetime achievement award for the punk pioneers was “discussed” in 2006, but nothing has turned up since.

Depeche Mode (1991)

in 1990, Depeche Mode released 'Violator', to widespread acclaim. The synth-pop group's seventh studio album propelled the band to international stardom with the album reaching number two on the UK Albums Chart, and landing in the top 10 of the Billboard 200.

Despite this, the group's best-selling album - which sold over 4,954,390 copies - wasn't even nominated in the 'British Album of the Year' category. The awards show also snubbed the new-wave act in the 'British Group' category and instead awarded them 'Best New Song' for 'Enjoy the Silence'.

Sam Smith (2018)

While Sam Smith has been generously rewarded in the past, the 2018 Brit Awards ceremony saw the 31-year-old shut out despite his record 'The Thrill of It All' being the UK’s third biggest-selling album of 2017.