Brits 2014: can they top last year's snoozefest?

AFTER last year's Brit Awards were dismissed as dull by Robbie Williams – and many other lesser mortals - the organisers are hoping that tonight's event will generate more of a stir.

James Corden, hosting for a fifth and final time, will introduce performances by Katy Perry, Arctic Monkeys and Bruno Mars in what organisers hope will be the most exciting event of the British music calendar.

Here are four reason why they might be right...

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Bowie is back: This year Bowie is the bookies' favourite to bag the prize for Best British Male for his come-back album /The Next Day/, according to the Independent. The last time Bowie won a Brit was in 1996, when he was presented with an honourary award for his contribution to music by Tony Blair. If Bowie fends off competition from Jake Bug, Tom Odell and Mercury Prize winner, James Blake, he will go down in history as the oldest ever recipient of a Brit.

Prince: The pop maestro - who has won five Brits himself - will be joined by his band his band 3rd Eye Girl to present the first award of the night, according to the Brits official website. Prince is currently playing a string of come-back shows around London and is about to release his fourteenth studio album.

Brits go global: For the first time, this years awards will be steamed live on YouTube in a bid to attract more fans from outside of the UK. The stream will not be available in the UK, but live coverage begins on ITV 1 at 8pm. In another Brits first, fans will also have the opportunity to decide the winner of the Best British Video category via Twitter during the live show.

Brits go punk: Fashion designer Philip Treacy, entrusted with the task of designing the 2014 Brit statuette, chose to couple a simple black-and-white design with a huge Mohawk. He told Vogue: "My inspiration for the trophy comes from a uniquely British genre of music, punk." Previous designers of the statuette include Vivienne Westwood, Peter Blake and Damien Hirst.

Here is the full list of nominees:

BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST David BowieJake BuggJames BlakeJohn NewmanTom Odell BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST BirdyEllie GouldingJessie JLaura MarlingLaura Mvula BRITISH GROUP Arctic MonkeysBastilleDisclosureOne DirectionRudimental BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACTBastilleDisclosureLaura MvulaLondon GrammarTom Odell CRITICS' CHOICE Identifed by a panel made up of media critics.Sam Smith (Winner) BRITISH SINGLEBastille PompeiiCalvin Harris/Ellie Goulding I Need Your LoveDisclosure Ft AlunaGeorge White NoiseEllie Goulding BurnJohn Newman Love Me AgainNaughty Boy Ft Sam Smith La La LaOlly Murs Dear Darlin'One Direction One Way Or Another (Teenage Kicks)Passenger Let Her GoRudimental Ft Ella Eyre Waiting All Night

MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEARArctic Monkeys AMBastille Bad BloodDavid Bowie The Next DayDisclosure SettleRudimental Home