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Apple Music has awarded its most important prize of the year, and this time it goes to the UK for the first time. Olivia Dean succeeds Tyler, The Creator. Her hit „Man I Need“ has been in the service's daily charts for more than 14 months without interruption.
Apple Music has named British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean its Artist of the Year 2026. Apple announced the award in a newsroom post on November 9th. According to Apple, she is the first UK artist to receive the title.
Last year, Apple Music named Tyler, The Creator its Artist of the Year 2025. This award is the first part of Apple Music's year-end round, during which it traditionally also releases its year-end charts. All news about the service can be found on the Apple Music topic page.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Olivia Dean is Apple Music Artist of the Year 2026.
- According to Apple, she is the first artist from Great Britain to receive this award.
- Her song „Man I Need“ has been in Apple Music’s Daily Top 100 every day since August 29, 2025.
- The award includes a selection of playlists featuring the most influential songs of the past twelve months.
The Year of Olivia Dean
Her breakthrough came with her album *The Art of Loving*, released at the end of 2025, which really took off that year. Her song „Man I Need“ has been in Apple Music's Daily Top 100 every single day since it entered the charts on August 29, 2025. That's a good 14 months without a break.
She also won a GRAMMY for Best New Artist and four BRIT Awards, including Artist of the Year. In the fall of 2025, Dean was still opening for Sabrina Carpenter at Madison Square Garden in New York. Less than a year later, she played four headlining concerts there, followed by six sold-out shows at the O2 Arena in London.
According to Apple Music editors, her music draws on 1960s soul and pop, with influences from Sade, Prince, and Lauryn Hill. Her songs revolve around love and friendship, inspired in part by bell hooks’ 1999 book, *All About Love: New Visions*.
What Dean and Apple Music say
Olivia Dean describes the award in the German version of the announcement as follows:
I love making music. It's the best thing in the world. I think it's really amazing to be Apple Music Artist of the Year. To be recognized as an artist who has made a difference is really cool.
Rachel Newman, co-head at Apple Music, justifies the choice with Dean's closeness to the audience:
What makes Olivia special is that she always speaks from the heart. Her songs make you want to call your friends, dance in your own kitchen, and tell someone you love them.
As in previous years, the physical award consists of a silicon wafer from Apple, encased between a polished glass disc and an anodized aluminum housing.
Previous award winners
| Year | Artist of the Year | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Billie Eilish | USA |
| 2020 | Lil Baby | USA |
| 2021 | The Weeknd | Canada |
| 2022 | Bad Bunny | Puerto Rico |
| 2023 | Taylor Swift | USA |
| 2024 | Billie Eilish | USA |
| 2025 | Tyler, The Creator | USA |
| 2026 | Olivia Dean | UK |
Billie Eilish is the only artist to have won the title twice. Olivia Dean is the first European artist to receive the global award. In 2021, Apple also presented five regional awards; the German award went to rapper RIN.
A signal for the yearly charts
I interpret this election as a clear indication that Apple Music has a consistent performer at the top this year, rather than a single release date. I expect a song that remains in the top 100 daily for over 14 months to also appear high in the year-end charts.
The year-end charts, including Apple Music Replay, have been released between late November and early December for the past three years. I expect Apple to release them during this period again this year. Until then, the playlist selection for the awards can be found directly in the app. Anyone still undecided between the services can find the differences in the comparison between Apple Music and Spotify.
Did Olivia Dean also have her music on repeat for you in 2026, or would you have expected a different name to win the title? Tell us in the comments who you think would have been the Artist of the Year.
