Scottish singer Emeli Sande joined folk act Mumford and Sons and indie rockers Alt-J with three Brit Award nominations apiece, but the biggest surprise was a posthumous nod for Amy Winehouse 18 months after she died.

Winehouse was included in the British female solo category, in which she was up against Sande, Jessie Ware, Paloma Faith and Bat for Lashes.

She was shortlisted for Lioness: Hidden Treasures, an album of unreleased songs and demos dating back to 2002 which hit stores in December 2011 and topped the British charts.

The Back to Black singer’s father Mitch Winehouse said he was “delighted” with what he called the first-ever posthumous Brit nomination, adding in a statement:

“It proves that her music still has an enormous effect on the public now and for the generations to come.”

Freddie Mercury won a Brit in 1992, a little over two months after his death but that was an honorary award for his outstanding contribution to music.

The other surprise package in a list some critics said largely upheld the Brits’ reputation for rewarding commercial success over musical originality, veteran rockers the Rolling Stones were nominated for British live act.

The ageing quartet returned to the stage for a short, sell-out tour at the end of 2012 in London and the US to mark 50 years in business.

Despite criticism of high ticket prices, the band won critics and audiences over with hit-laden performances that belied their age.

“We all had such a blast, everyone was at the top of their game & the hometown audiences at The O2 were just fantastic...” lead singer Mick Jagger wrote on Twitter. “It’s great to be nominated ... we will see you soon.”

The last time the group was nominated was in 1996 and it is the only act to be nominated in both this year’s awards and at the first Brit Awards in 1977.

Sande took part in the opening and closing ceremonies at the London Olympics, helping to boost sales of her debut album Our Version of Events which sold an estimated 1.4 million copies in Britain last year.

She was nominated for best British female, best British single for Next to Me and the coveted Mastercard British album of the year prize. Sande also features on another contender for the single prize, Labrinth’s Beneath Your Beautiful.

Among the best album contenders are the other acts who each picked up three nominations – Mumford and Sons, who have enjoyed success both in Britain and the US, and Alt-J, the former for Babel and the latter for An Awesome Wave.

Alt-J walked away with the prestigious Mercury Prize for the same record in November.

Rounding out the album category are rapper Plan B for Ill Manors and Paloma Faith for Fall to Grace.

Boyband sensation One Direction received a nomination for best British group, and are up against Alt-J, Mumford and Sons, Muse and The xx.

A new award will be introduced at the ceremony on February 20 at London’s O2 Arena.

The Brit’s Global Success Award will go to the British act with the highest international sales during the 2012 calendar year excluding the domestic market.

Rihanna leads the field in the shortlist for international female act and stands a chance of becoming the first person to win the prize in three consecutive years. She is against Alicia Keys, Cat Power, Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift.

Confirmed to perform on the night were Muse, Robbie Williams, Sande, Mumford and Sons, Ben Howard and One Direction.

This year’s statuettes were designed by artist Damien Hirst and feature his trademark spots on a white background.

Full list of nominees

British breakthrough act
Alt-J
Ben Howard
Jake Bugg
Jessie Ware
Rita Ora

British female solo artist
Amy Winehouse
Bat For Lashes
Emeli Sande
Jessie Ware
Paloma Faith

British group
Alt-J
Mumford and Sons
Muse
One Direction
The xx

Live act
Coldplay
Mumford and Sons
Muse
Rolling Stones
The Vaccines

British male solo artist
Ben Howard
Calvin Harris
Olly Murs
Richard Hawley
Plan B

British producer
Damon Albarn
Jake Gosling
Paul Epworth

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

Special recognition award
Warchild

Critics’ Choice
Tom Odell

International female solo artist
Alicia Keys
Cat Power
Lana Del Rey
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

International group
Alabama Shakes
Black Keys
Fun
The Killers
The Script

International male solo artist
Bruce Springsteen
Frank Ocean
Gotye
Jack White
Michael Bublé

Best album
Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
Emeli Sande – Our Version of Events
Mumford and Sons – Babel
Paloma Faith – Fall to Grace
Plan B – Ill Manors