BILLBOARD.COM: Emeli Sande, Mumford & Sons Lead BRIT Award Nominations

British music stars Emeli Sande, Mumford & Sons, Alt-J and Rita Ora lead the nominations for the 2013 BRIT Awards, which were announced on Thursday (Jan. 10). The annual salute to U.K. artists will be held on Feb. 20, with performances from One Direction, Muse, Sande, Mumford & Sons, Ben Howard and Robbie Williams.

Sande, a Scottish singer-songwriter whose lauded debut album "Our Version of Events" was released last year, scored the most nominations with four, including a nod in the British Album of the Year category. Her LP will compete against Plan B's "Ill Manors," Alt-J's "An Awesome Wave," Paloma Faith's "Fall To Grace" and Mumford & Sons' "Babel."

Folk stars Mumford & Sons, Mercury Prize winners Alt-J and Roc Nation pop newcomer Rita Ora scored three nominations each, while artists like Muse, Paloma Faith, Plan B, Olly Murs, Jessie Ware, Ben Howard, Rihanna and Coldplay each scooped up a pair of nods. If Rihanna tops Alicia Keys, Cat Power, Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift for the International female solo artist trophy, it would mark her third consecutive win in the category.

Last year, Adele scored three nominations for her smash album "21," and took home British album of the year. In 2013, the U.K. superstar could add another BRIT to her awards mantle, as her James Bond anthem, "Skyfall," is up for Best British single.

Finally, a pair of interesting nominees: Amy Winehouse, who passed away in July 2011, could be named British female solo artist of the year, for her posthumous release "Lioness: Hidden Treasures." And the Rolling Stones could score the British live act trophy, despite only playing five shows in 2012.

Check out the full list of 2013 BRIT Award nominees:

British male solo artist

Calvin Harris

Plan B

Richard Hawley

Ben Howard

Olly Murs

British female solo artist

Amy Winehouse

Paloma Faith

Bat For Lashes

Jessie Ware

Emeli Sande

British breakthrough act

Jake Bugg

Jessie Ware

Alt-J

Ben Howard

Rita Ora

British group

Mumford and Sons

Alt-J

The xx

Muse

One Direction

British single

Adele - Skyfall

Alex Clare - Too Close

Coldplay featuring Rihanna - Princess Of China

DJ Fresh featuring Rita Ora - Hot Right Now

Emeli Sande - Next To Me

Florence + The Machine - Spectrum (Say My Name)

James Arthur - Impossible

Jessie J - Domino

Labrinth featuring Emeli Sande - Beneath Your Beautiful

Olly Murs featuring Flo Rida - Troublemaker

Rita Ora featuring Tinie Tempah - RIP

Rizzle Kicks - Mama Do The Hump

Robbie Williams - Candy

Rudimental featuring John Newman - Feel The Love

Stooshe - Black Heart

British album of the year

Emeli Sande - Our Version of Events

Plan B - Ill Manors

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

Paloma Faith - Fall To Grace

Mumford and Sons - Babel

International male solo artist

Jack White

Gotye

Michael Buble

Frank Ocean

Bruce Springsteen

International female solo artist

Rihanna

Alicia Keys

Cat Power

Lana Del Rey

Taylor Swift

International group

The Black Keys

The Script

Alabama Shakes

Fun.

The Killers

British live act

Mumford and Sons

Coldplay

Muse

The Vaccines

The Rolling Stones

British producer

Damon Albarn

Jake Gosling

Paul Epworth

Special recognition award

Warchild

Critics' choice

Winner: Tom Odell