2026 MOBO Awards Nominations Announced: Full List Across Music, Film, and Culture Categories
The nominees for the 2026 MOBO Awards have been revealed, spotlighting outstanding achievements in Black music and culture from September 2024 to October 2025. The ceremony, marking the MOBO Organisation’s 30th anniversary, will take place in Manchester in March 2026 for the first time. Leading the pack are Olivia Dean and Little Simz, each earning four nominations, including Album of the Year for Dean’s ‘The Art Of Loving’ and Simz’s ‘Lotus’. Central Cee is a strong contender in Best Male Act and Album of the Year with ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’. PinkPantheress features in Best Female Act, Song of the Year for ‘Illegal’, and Best Electronic Act. Rising stars like Jim Legxacy and Kwn also stand out with multiple nods in newcomer, song, and genre categories. Other key categories include Best Song (with tracks like Raye’s ‘Where Is My Husband!’ and Olivia Dean’s ‘Man I Need’), Best Newcomer (EsDeeKid, Jim Legxacy, Kwn), and genre-specific awards such as Best Grime (Skepta, Wiley), Best Drill (Nemzzz, Pozer), Best R&B/Soul (Flo, Elmiene, Olivia Dean), Best Jazz (Ezra Collective, Nubya Garcia), and Best International Act (Ayra Starr, Tyla, Cardi B, Vybz Kartel). The awards also recognize excellence in film/TV performances (Cynthia Erivo in Wicked, Damson Idris in F1) and media personalities. This diverse lineup highlights boundary-pushing creativity and cultural impact across hip-hop, R&B, electronic, African, Caribbean, and other scenes.