James Blunt joins Alex Warren at the BRITs — orchestral 'Ordinary' caps a year of radio and streaming dominance

Why this matters now: the BRITs staging of an orchestral “Ordinary” — with james blunt on piano — functioned as both a validation and a public summation of a song that dominated British radio and streaming in 2025. That concentrated display of momentum underlines how one track can shape an awards night narrative even when it doesn’t take home the contest prize.

James Blunt’s presence amplified a market moment

Placing James Blunt alongside Alex Warren turned the BRITs slot into more than a guest spot: it was a deliberate pairing that reinforced the track’s commercial arc. Here's the part that matters — 'Ordinary' arrived at the ceremony already carrying the most-played-on-radio badge for 2025 and a long-running UK Number One status unusual for a US artist this decade, and the orchestral staging underscored that momentum to the live audience and broader viewing public.

Event details and performance context

Alex Warren performed an orchestral version of 'Ordinary' with James Blunt on piano at the BRIT Awards ceremony held at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on Saturday night (February 28). Warren was backed by a lush string section. The original coverage also noted the presentation invited viewers to watch the performance, with the write-up pointing readers to where it could be seen.

How 'Ordinary' stacked up on awards and charts

The track had been nominated for International Song of the Year but lost out to ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ 'APT', which took that category ahead of several major hits including 'Ordinary'. 'Ordinary' had been the most-played song on British radio in 2025 and became the longest-running UK Number One by a US artist in this decade so far. It was also revealed at the end of 2025 that 'Ordinary' had been the most-streamed song of the 2020s over the course of the year, clocking up around 750million streams.

Micro Q&A: quick clarifications

• Did 'Ordinary' win International Song? No — the International Song of the Year award went to ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ 'APT', which beat out 'Ordinary' and other nominees.
• Where and when did the BRITs take place? The awards were staged at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on Saturday night (February 28).
• Who joined Warren on stage? James Blunt played piano alongside Warren, with the performance supported by a lush string section.

Other notable moments from the BRITs night

Olivia Dean emerged as the evening’s biggest winner with four gongs, including Artist, Album and Song of the Year; the Song of the Year honor went to Dean and Sam Fender’s 'Rein Me In'. The night featured a range of tributes and high-profile performances: Robbie Williams led an all-star rendition of Ozzy Osbourne’s 'No More Tears' while the late Black Sabbath frontman was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Tim Burgess paid tribute to The Stone Roses’ Mani. Outstanding Contribution to Music winner Mark Ronson performed a career-spanning medley joined by Dua Lopa and Ghostface Killah. Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell used her speech to call for further support for the UK’s grassroots music venues. Geese’s Max Bassin attacked ICE and called for a free Palestine during his speech. Rosalía was joined by surprise guest Björk for a dazzling performance of 'Berghain'.

The bigger signal here is that the BRITs combined spectacle with clear commercial signposts — the evening’s set list and speeches repeatedly referenced recent chart and streaming history, and the orchestral 'Ordinary' slot fit that pattern neatly. What’s easy to miss is how the ceremony functioned as both celebration and scoreboard.