On February 21st 1984, Tim Rice was standing on stage at the Grosvenor House Hotel, about to introduce the fourth BRIT Awards. This post is part of a series about the history of the BRIT Awards. You can read about the 1983 ceremony here, and the 1985 ceremony here.
The fourteenth BRIT Awards, on the fourteenth of February 1994, were something of a turning point for the BRITs. After corporate suits, total unmitigated chaos, and The 1980s, they had been through a number of incarnations, but somehow in 1994 the BRITs came of age. Since then, it has been essential annual viewing (or avoiding) for any fan of music.
In 1994, they were presented by Elton John and RuPaul, and took place at Alexandra Palace, in London.
Best British Newcomer
Presented by Tori Amos. Nominees:
Apache Indian
Gabrielle
Jamiroquai
Shara Nelson
Suede
Winner: Gabrielle.
Best International Newcomer
Presented by Kylie Minogue. Nominees:
4 Non Blondes
Björk
Rage Against the Machine
Spin Doctors
SWV
Winner: Björk.
Best British Dance Act
Presented by Seal. Nominees:
Apache Indian
Jamiroquai
M People
Stereo MCs
The Shamen
Winner: M People.
Best Soundtrack/Cast Recording
Presented by Rozalla. Nominees:
Reservoir Dogs (various artists)
Sleepless in Seattle (various artists)
The Bodyguard (Whitney Houston / various artists)
The Jungle Book (various artists)
Whats Love Got To Do With It (Tina Turner)
Winner: The Bodyguard, accepted by Whitney Houston.
Best International Female Solo Artist
Presented by ze Jean-Paul Gauthier. Ze nominees:
Björk
Janet Jackson
Mariah Carey
Nanci Griffith
Tina Turner
Longeur vidéo ere.
Winner: Björk.
Best International Group
Presented by Kiki Dee. Nominees:
Crowded House
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Spin Doctors
U2
Winner: Crowded House.
Best Selling Single and Album of 1993
Video here. Look at the size of his mouth!
Winner: Meat Loaf.
Best British Producer
Nominees:
Brian Eno
Flood
M People
Nellee Hooper
Youth
Winner: Brian Eno.
Best Music Video
Voted for by viewers of MTV Europe, and presented by Pip Dann. Nominees:
Gabrielle – Dreams
Jamiroquai – Too Young To Die
New Order – Regret
Peter Gabriel – Steam
Suede – Animal Nitrate
Shortlist:
Take That – Pray
Pet Shop Boys – Go West
Depeche Mode – I Feel You
David Bowie – Jump They Say
Sting – Fields of Gold
Winner: Take That.
Best International Male Solo Artist
Presented by Vivienne Westwood. Nominees:
Billy Joel
Lenny Kravitz
Meat Loaf
Neil Young
Terence Trent D’Arby
Winner: Lenny Kravitz.
Best British Single
Voted for by listeners of BBC Radio 1, and presented by Steve Wright. Nominees:
Apache Indian – Boom Shak-A-Lak
Dina Carroll – Don’t Be a Stranger
Gabrielle – Dreams
M People – Moving On Up
New Order – Regret
Paul Weller – Wild Wood
Radiohead – Creep
Shaggy – Oh Carolina
Suede – Animal Nitrate
Take That – Pray
Winner: Take That.
Best British Album
Presented by Jack Dee. Nominees:
Dina Carroll – So Close
Jamiroquai – Emergency on Planet Earth
Stereo MCs – Connected
Sting – Ten Summoners Tales
Suede – Suede
Winner: Stereo MCs.
Best British Female Solo Artist
Presented by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. Nominees:
The annual British music industry bash had been growing in every way for a number of years. In 1988, it decided to improve itself by stopping being quite so corporate. In 1989, it changed its name to the BRIT Awards and nearly destroyed itself. After the unmitigated disaster of the 1989 ceremony, the 1990 awards switched to a different venue and was altogether a little more self-conscious.
The ceremony would sadly see the last public appearance of Freddie Mercury, but on a lighter note would also see Fine Young Cannibals justifiably return their awards in reaction to a video of Margaret Thatcher choosing her favourite pop song (How Much is That Little Doggie in the Window? although it sadly didn’t win any awards in 1990).
For now, though, it’s February 18th 1990, we’re at the Dominion Theatre in London, and Cathy McGowan out of The 1960s is your host for the evening.
Voted for by the listeners of the Simon Mayo Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 1, and presented by Simon Mayo. Nominees:
Band Aid II – Do They Know it’s Christmas
Jason Donovan – Sealed With a Kiss
Jason Donovan – Too Many Broken Hearts
Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – Swing the Mood
Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – That’s What I Like
Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – Lets Party
Lisa Stansfield – All Around the World
Marc Almond & Gene Pitney – Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart
Phil Collins – Another Day in Paradise
Simple Minds – Belfast Child
Sonia – You’ll Never Stop Me
Soul II Soul – Back to Life
Various Artists – Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey
An astonishing number of nominations, three of which were for Jive Bunny, but fortunately they didn’t manage to win. Unfortunately, um… well, watch the video here.
