Beyond the vagaries of human foibles and imperfections there lies the world of science and maths. Of absolute irrefutable values. A world increasingly ruled by the demigods of AI, able to pick patterns from chaos and – global adtech firm Quantcast are hoping – 2025’s Brit award winners from losers…
Place your bets once again as we embark upon the wacky world of the Brit Awards once more – only this time we’ve got science on our side.
Famous for being a little unpredictable in their picks, the Brit Awards Academy have ruled the roost since 1977, operating under their own secret agenda to choose career-changing winners while snubbing more than a few dead certs along the way.
Thus when Quantcast – the advertising technology company well versed in studying online activity to deliver just what you’re looking for – got in touch to volunteer the Brit winners early, we had to sit up and take notice.
Instead of remembering who last bought a round and who owes who a favour, Quantcast have cut out the skullduggery and instead used online engagement levels with music stars to let science tell us this year’s winners.
Using the volume of engagement with artists across websites and platforms on the open internet – places like news sites and blogs, rather than closed social media networks and subscription services – and data from April 2024 (right after last year’s awards) to early February 2025, Quantcast have crunched the numbers.
And for those increasingly popular collabs the analysis only includes the audience they shared, rather than simply adding both together.
And the winners… might be…
And the results show – perhaps unsurprisingly given the clean sweep at the recent Grammy Awards – yet another historic night for female music stars.
In fact Quantcast is predicting that almost 70% of the awards on offer will be going to female artists or female-led bands.
And the night’s biggest winner?
This year’s big name will be… [grabs large pinch of salt]… Dua Lipa, who they predict will take home three awards – more than any other artist – thanks to the data gleaned via 64 million devices engaging with her content in the past 12 months.
Extrapolating the facts Quantcast has Lipa taking Mastercard Album of the Year (beating Charli XCX) and Artist of the Year (narrowly beats Sam Fender with 56m engaged devices).
Similarly, Lipa is set to take Pop Act of the Year (again beating Charli XCX into second place) with the 360-hitmaker having to make do with just Best Dance Act of the Year, a title she also achieved at the Grammys with Best Dance/Electronic Album for Brat and Best Dance Pop Recording for Von Dutch.
Hmm… We’ll be honest. With Lipa’s third album Radical Optimism not striking the same cultural high-C as 2020’s Future Nostalgia, we’re finding it hard to back any kind of Lipa love…
Surely (after already winning Songwriter of the Year) Charli XCX is going to clean up here?
As for International Artist of the Year, who else could Quantcast be predicting, other than Taylor Swift with her album activity and acclaimed Eras Tour hooking up with 110 million engaged devices.
Hmm… It’s been a hell of a year for Sabrina Carpenter. Just sayin’…
Runner-up prizes in the category go to Beyoncé (on 66 million engagements), Billie Eilish (65 million), and Sabrina Carpenter (51 million). But Queen Bey IS on the money for International Song of the Year with Texas Hold ‘Em garnering the most views.
Again, take these AI numbers – entirely absent from blood, sweat and hard work – with a pinch of salt. Surely Chappell Roan’s Good Luck, Babe! has got to score here?
Meanwhile it’s good news (potentially) for Coldplay, who are on track to win Group of the Year (beating The Cure) with Feelslikeimfallinginlove getting Song of the Year (beating Now and Then by The Beatles).
Come on. Wouldn't The Cure make a solid, bold statement here. And The Beatles y’say? I hear they might catch on…
“The Brits is one of the most highly anticipated award ceremonies of the year and as soon as the nominees are announced, speculation runs wild over which acts and albums will be celebrated on the night,” said Nisha Ridout, Marketing Director at Quantcast.
“Our data shows women are leading the charge, claiming the top awards. With International Women’s Day just around the corner, it’s empowering to see so many powerful women predicted to be celebrated on the night.”
Meanwhile back in the real world of the random…
Of course, choosing the real Brit Award winners is nowhere near as scientific. In fact, the entire process, while outwardly straight-as-a-die and entirely talent and merit based, is – perhaps reassuringly for such a subjective art form – entirely reliant on the vagaries, tastes and moods of the ‘music experts’ who make up The Brit Awards Voting Academy.
The Voting Academy is comprised of approximately 1,200 individuals from the industry being artists, labels, managers, press, publishers, producers, retailers, promoters, venues, and other associated hangers-on.
And if you're picturing a bunch of old men in suits, rest assured that the panel never rests on its laurels and each year – since 2017 at least – the Academy has undergone a thorough refresh, they promise.
We’ll see who they pick for real later tonight, but for now here’s the rest of Quantcast’s picks alongside those all-important engagement numbers…
Mastercard Album of the Year
Dua Lipa - 64,800,000
Charli XCX - 46,900,000
Artist of the Year
Dua Lipa - 64,800,000
Sam Fender - 56,700,000
Best New Artist
English Teacher - 39,400,000
Ezra Collective - 6,800,000
Group of the Year
Coldplay - 75,500,000
The Cure - 29,700,000
International Artist
Taylor Swift - 110,000,000
Beyoncé - 66,400,000
International Group of the Year
Linkin Park - 27,100,000
Fontaines D.C. - 15,300,000
Alternative Rock Act
Sam Fender -56,700,000
The Cure - 29,700,000
Dance Act
Charli XCX - 46,900,000
Becky Hill - 29,100,000
Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Act
Stormzy - 81,100,000
Little Simz - 41,700,000
Pop Act
Dua Lipa - 64,800,000
Charli XCX - 46,900,000
R&B Act
Jorja Smith - 78,800,000
FLO - 57,300,000
Song of the Year with Mastercard
Coldplay - 75,500,000
The Beatles - 72,900,000
International Song of the Year
Beyonce - 66,400,000
Billie Eilish - 65,700,000
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