Olivia Dean has been named Apple Music's Artist of the Year for 2026, becoming the first UK artist to receive the honour. The announcement caps an extraordinary 12 months for the London-born singer-songwriter, who's spent much of the year rewriting the Official Chart record books, dominating the UK's biggest songs and albums rankings and taking her music to audiences around the world. "I love making music," says Olivia. "It's the best thing in the world. I think being Apple's Artist of the Year feels really amazing. To be recognised as an artist that's made an impact is really cool." And it's certainly been a year worth celebrating. In July, Olivia made Official Chart history alongside Sam Fender, as their collaboration Rein Me In became the UK's longest-running Number 1 single of all time. The track ultimately spent an unprecedented 23 non-consecutive weeks at the Official Singles Chart summit, surpassing a record held by Frankie Laine's I Believe since 1953. The pair's success continued into the summer, with Rein Me In crowned the UK's Official Song of the Summer 2026, amassing 69 million combined UK streams between June and August alone. Olivia's solo smash Man I Need followed at Number 2, making her the first artist to occupy the summer's top two positions since Sabrina Carpenter in 2024. And the success doesn't stop there. According to Official Charts Company data, Man I Need is the UK's biggest song of 2026 so far, having accumulated over 173 million combined UK streams by the end of September. Rein Me In follows closely behind at Number 2 with 167 million, while So Easy (To Fall In Love) (6) and Nice To Each Other (12) also feature prominently in the year-to-date Top 40. Her chart-topping album The Art of Loving has proved equally enduring, spending eight weeks at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart and ranking as the UK's second-biggest album of 2026 at the end of the third quarter. Beyond her UK chart achievements, Olivia has enjoyed a remarkable year internationally, collecting a GRAMMY for Best New Artist and four BRIT Awards, including Artist of the Year. She's also sold out a global tour, including a six-night run at London's The O2 arena. Explaining the decision to honour Olivia, Apple Music co-head Rachel Newman says: "What sets Olivia apart is that she speaks from the heart, every time. Her songs make you want to call a friend, dance in your kitchen, and tell someone you love them. She is open and genuine in everything she shares, and that connection is what turned a great year into a defining one."