Brit Awards 2020 winners: women remain unrepresented but black artists dominate

Rapper Dave took home the most coveted prize from the Brit Awards, but singer Lewis Capaldi totted up the most gongs.

The build-up to the annual awards show was overshadowed by criticism of the lack of female nominees in mixed gender categories, with just four women named in 25 spots — all loosing out to men.

Twenty-one year-old Dave took home best album for his first offering Psychodrama, which addresses black identity and institutional racism, and topped the country's music charts last year.

Here are the main winners of the night:

• Album of the year — Psychodrama by Dave
• Best British male — Stormzy
• Best British female — Mabel
• Best new artist — Lewis Capaldi
• Best song — Someone I Loved by Lewis Capaldi
• Best British group — Foals
• International female — Billie Eilish
• International male — Tyler the Creator 

The Brit Awards have recognised the cream of British music since they were first held in 1977, but have often been peppered with scandal and farce.

The disproportionately male shortlists come despite the Brits' voting academy undergoing a major overhaul in 2017 to make it more gender balanced and diverse, with hundreds of new members joining the nominating pool.

But while women were under-represented in the awards, black artists dominated the nominations in 'best album' and 'best male'.

British artists account for an eighth of album sales worldwide, according to figures from BPI, which represents the British music industry.