Emeli Sande shared the spotlight with Oscar nominee Adele on Thursday as the Brit Awards nominations were announced, with the Scotland-born singer leading the pack after being nominated in four different categories.The star, who had the best-selling album in the UK last year, is up for Best Female, Best Album and has two tracks in the Best Single shortlist.
In the big award of the night - Best Album - Emeli's Our Version Of Events will fight it out between Alt-J's An Awesome Wave, the Mumford and Sons release Babel and Plan B's Ill Manors. Paloma Faith is also up for the title for her second album Fall To Grace.
Emeli and Paloma will go up against each other once more in the British female category, with Bat For Lashes (Natasha Khan), Jessie Ware and Amy Winehouse completing the contenders. Emeli's final nomination is as one of the 15 tracks in the running for best single with Next To Me.Speaking before the nominations were announced, Emeli looked back at 2012 and how amazing it was for her. "So many things happened, the Olympics were a big one, the album being a best seller was a massive highlight, and getting married... I have to put that number one, " she confessed.
Amy Winehouse was also nominated for the gong - she could take a posthumous Brit Award after being shortlisted for Best British Female. The late star - who died 17 months ago - previously took the title in 2007 on the back of her massive Back To Black album.Amy, who was eligible as a result of the release of her Lioness: Hidden Treasures album, is thought to be the first nominee to be included posthumously. Although Freddie Mercury won a Brit in 1992, a little over two months after his death, that was an honorary award for his outstanding contribution to music.Veteran stars the Rolling Stones were nominated for Best Live Act - the first time they have been in the running for a Brit for 17 years.Coldplay, Mumford And Sons, Muse and The Vaccines are the bands who will challenge the Stones - who performed two UK shows at London's O2 Arena to mark their 50th anniversary last year - for the best live act title.
Mumford And Sons will line up against Alt-J again for best British group, with The XX and Muse. Pop act One Direction - who will be performing on the night when the awards take place on February 20 - complete the category after a year which has seen them conquer the US. The nominations were announced at a ceremony in London's Savoy Hotel, which saw the first 2012 Brit trophy - designed by artist Damien Hirst with his signature spot design - handed to critics' choice winner Tom Odell. It was handed over by last year's recipient Emeli Sande.