BRIT Awards 2020

The 2020 BRIT Awards were hosted by Jack Whitehall, sadly without his dad in tow, and took place at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday night (February 18th). Here are the winners of those new-fangled award categories.

British Album of the Year

Presented by Billie Eilish and Finneas. The nominees:

• Lewis Capaldi – Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
• Dave – Psychodrama
• Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
• Harry Styles – Fine Line
• Stormzy – Heavy is the Head

Winner: Dave

Song of the Year

The award formerly known as Best British Single was presented by the rubbery Tom Jones. Nominated were:

• Lewis Capaldi – Someone You Loved
• Dave feat. Burna Boy – Location
• Calvin Harris and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man – Giant
• Mabel – Don’t Call Me Up
• Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus – Nothing Breaks Like a Heart
• Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber – I Don’t Care
• Sam Smith and Normani – Dancing with a Stranger
• Stormzy – Vossi Bop
• AJ Tracey – Ladbroke Grove
• Tom Walker – Just You and I

Winner: Lewis Capaldi

British Male Solo Artist

Presented by the also-rubbery Ronnie Wood. The nominees:

• Lewis Capaldi
• Dave
• Michael Kiwanuka
• Stormzy
• Harry Styles

Winner: Stormzy

British Female Solo Artist

Presented by Ellie Goulding and Jorja Smith. The nominees were:

• Charli XCX
• FKA Twigs
• Mabel
• Mahalia
• Freya Ridings

Winner: Mabel

British Group

Presented by an unnecessary large group consisting of Anne-Marie, Courtney Love, and Hailee Steinfeld. Nominees:

• Bastille
• Bring Me the Horizon
• Coldplay
• D-Block Europe
• Foals

Winner: Foals

Best New Artist

The now-elderly Best British Newcomer and subsequently Best British Breakthrough Act award was presented by Clara Amfo and Niall Horan. Nominees:

• Aitch
• Lewis Capaldi
• Dave
• Sam Fender
• Mabel

Winner: Lewis Capaldi

International Male Solo Artist

Improbably presented by Kiefer Sutherland and Paloma Faith, with the following nominees:

• Burna Boy
• Dermot Kennedy
• Post Malone
• Bruce Springsteen
• Tyler, the Creator

Winner: Tyler, the Creator

International Female Solo Artist

Presented by Melanie C. Nominated were:

• Camila Cabello
• Lana Del Rey
• Billie Eilish
• Ariana Grande
• Lizzo

Winner: Billie Eilish

Rising Star Award

This one used to be the Critics’ Choice Award. Nominated were:

• Beabadoobee
• Celeste
• Joy Crookes

Winner: Celeste

British Producer of the Year

Winner: Fred Again

So that’s it for another year!

Advertisement

BRIT Awards 2020 – Nominations

Well, someone has been meddling with the categories this year, but the BRIT Awards nominations are finally among us!

British Album of the Year

• Lewis Capaldi – Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
• Dave – Psychodrama
• Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
• Harry Styles – Fine Line
• Stormzy – Heavy is the Head

Song of the Year

That’s the award formerly known as Best British Single.

• Lewis Capaldi – Someone You Loved
• Dave feat. Burna Boy – Location
• Calvin Harris and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man – Giant
• Mabel – Don’t Call Me Up
• Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus – Nothing Breaks Like a Heart
• Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber – I Don’t Care
• Sam Smith and Normani – Dancing with a Stranger
• Stormzy – Vossi Bop
• AJ Tracey – Ladbroke Grove
• Tom Walker – Just You and I

British Male Solo Artist

• Lewis Capaldi
• Dave
• Michael Kiwanuka
• Stormzy
• Harry Styles

British Female Solo Artist

• Charli XCX
• FKA Twigs
• Mabel
• Mahalia
• Freya Ridings

British Group

• Bastille
• Bring Me the Horizon
• Coldplay
• D-Block Europe
• Foals

Best New Artist

This one used to be called Best British Newcomer, and then became Best British Breakthrough Act.

• Aitch
• Lewis Capaldi
• Dave
• Sam Fender
• Mabel

International Male Solo Artist

• Burna Boy
• Dermot Kennedy
• Post Malone
• Bruce Springsteen
• Tyler, the Creator

International Female Solo Artist

• Camila Cabello
• Lana Del Rey
• Billie Eilish
• Ariana Grande
• Lizzo

Rising Star Award

This one used to be the Critics’ Choice Award. The new name makes sense, to some degree. The fact that they tell us who’s going to win ahead of time does not.

• Beabadoobee
• Celeste
• Joy Crookes

Winner: Celeste, which I’m sure will upset Daphne. Ooh, stick you.

NME Award Winners 1994-2018 (Part One)

The final step we need to take with the NME Awards is to summarise all the winners in one single, easy-to-digest place. So, continuing with the part one of two-part NME Poll Winners 1952-1992, let’s do that!

Best and Worst Single, Video and Album Categories

Here are all the winners for specific singles, videos, albums, films, and books!

Best Single / Track

• 1994 – Radiohead – Creep
• 1995 – Oasis – Live Forever (Best Single), Blur – Girls and Boys (NME Single of the Year)
• 1996 – Oasis – Wonderwall (Best Single), Black Grape – Reverend Black Grape (NME Single of the Year)
• 1997 – Manic Street Preachers – A Design for Life (Best Single), Underworld – Born Slippy (NME Single of the Year)
• 1998 – The Verve – Bittersweet Symphony
• 1999 – Manic Street Preachers – If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
• 2000 – Blur – Tender (Best Single), Aphex Twin – Windowlicker (NME Single of the Year)
• 2001 – Coldplay – Yellow
• 2002 – Ash – Burn Baby Burn
• 2003 – The Vines – Get Free (Best Single), Doves – There Goes the Fear (NME Single of the Year)
• 2004 – The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
• 2005 – Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out
• 2006 – Arctic Monkeys – I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
• 2007 – The View – Wasted Little DJs
• 2008 – Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent
• 2009 – MGMT – Time to Pretend
• 2010 – The Big Pink – Dominos
• 2011 – Foals – Spanish Sahara
• 2012 – Florence + the Machine – Shake it Out
• 2013 – Foals – Inhaler
• 2014 – Disclosure – White Noise
• 2015 – Jamie T – Zombie
• 2016 – Wolf Alice – Giant Peach
• 2017 – Christine and the Queens – Tilted
• 2018 – Charli XCX – Boys

Best Single Ever

• 2000 – Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit

Best Dance Single / Dancefloor filler / Anthem

• 1998 – The Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up
• 1999 – Fatboy Slim – The Rockafeller Skank
• 2008 – The Wombats – Let’s Dance to Joy Division
• 2009 – Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris – Dance Wiv Me
• 2010 – La Roux – In for the Kill (Skream Remix)
• 2011 – Professor Green – Jungle
• 2012 – Katy B – Broken Record
• 2013 – Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch – Sweet Nothing
• 2015 – Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX – Fancy

Worst Single

• 1994 – Meat Loaf – I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)
• 1995 – Whigfield – Saturday Night
• 1996 – Robson Green and Jerome Flynn – I Believe
• 1997 – Spice Girls – Wannabe
• 1998 – Aqua – Barbie Girl
• 1999 – Billie Piper – Because We Want To
• 2000 – The Vengaboys – We’re Going to Ibiza
• 2003 – Robbie Williams – Feel
• 2004 – Fast Food Rockers – Fast Food Song

Best Music Video

• 1995 – Blur – Parklife
• 1996 – Pulp – Common People
• 1997 – The Prodigy – Firestarter
• 1998 – The Verve – Bittersweet Symphony
• 1999 – Manic Street Preachers – If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
• 2000 – Blur – Coffee and TV
• 2002 – Radiohead – Pyramid Song
• 2003 – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll (Punk Song)
• 2004 – Radiohead – There There
• 2005 – Green Day – American Idiot
• 2006 – Oasis – The Importance of Being Idle
• 2007 – The Killers – Bones
• 2008 – Arctic Monkeys – Teddy Picker
• 2009 – The Last Shadow Puppets – My Mistakes Were Made for You
• 2010 – Biffy Clyro – The Captain
• 2011 – My Chemical Romance – Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
• 2012 – Hurts – Sunday
• 2013 – Arctic Monkeys – R U Mine?
• 2014 – Eagulls – Nerve Endings
• 2015 – Jamie T – Zombie
• 2016 – Slaves – Cheer Up London
• 2017 – Slaves – Consume or Be Consumed
• 2018 – The Big Moon – Sucker

Best Album / LP

• 1994 – The Boo Radleys – Giant Steps
• 1995 – Blur – Parklife (Best Album), Oasis – Definitely Maybe (NME Album of the Year)
• 1996 – Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (Best Album), Tricky – Maxinquaye (NME Album of the Year)
• 1997 – Manic Street Preachers – Everything Must Go (Best Album), Beck – Odelay (NME Album of the Year)
• 1998 – Radiohead – OK Computer
• 1999 – Manic Street Preachers – This is My Truth, Tell Me Yours
• 2000 – The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin (Best Album and NME Album of the Year)
• 2001 – Primal Scream – XTRMNTR
• 2002 – The Strokes – This is It
• 2003 – Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head (Best Album and NME Album of the Year)
• 2004 – Radiohead – Hail to the Thief
• 2005 – Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
• 2006 – Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
• 2007 – Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
• 2008 – Klaxons – Myths of the Near Future
• 2009 – Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
• 2010 – Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
• 2011 – Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
• 2012 – The Horrors – Skying
• 2013 – The Maccabees – Given to the Wild
• 2014 – Arctic Monkeys – AM
• 2015 – Kasabian – 48:13
• 2016 – Foals – What Went Down
• 2017 – Bastille – Wild World
• 2018 – J Hus – Common Sense

Best Album Ever

• 2000 – The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses

Worst Album

• 2003 – Robbie Williams – Escapology
• 2005 – Insane Clown Posse – Carnival of Carnage
• 2006 – James Blunt – Back to Bedlam
• 2007 – Robbie Williams – Rudebox
• 2008 – Britney Spears – Blackout
• 2009 – Jonas Brothers – A Little Bit Longer
• 2010 – Jonas Brothers – Lines, Vines, and Trying Times
• 2011 – Justin Bieber – My World
• 2012 – Justin Bieber – Under the Mistletoe

Best Album Artwork

• 2004 – Radiohead – Hail to the Thief
• 2008 – The Good, The Bad & The Queen – The Good, The Bad & The Queen
• 2009 – Muse – HAARP
• 2010 – Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
• 2011 – Klaxons – Surfing the Void
• 2012 – Friendly Fires – Pala

Best Reissue

• 2012 – The Smiths – The Complete Re-issues
• 2013 – Blur – 21
• 2014 – The Clash – Sound System
• 2015 – Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible
• 2016 – David Bowie – Five Years (1969-1973)
• 2017 – Oasis – Be Here Now
• 2018 – Radiohead – OK NOT OK

Best DVD / Best Music DVD / Best Music Film

• 2005 – Oasis – Definitely Maybe
• 2006 – Various Artists – Live 8
• 2007 – Arctic Monkeys – Scrummy Man
• 2008 – Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York
• 2009 – Arctic Monkeys – Live at the Apollo
• 2010 – The Mighty Boosh Live – Future Sailors Tour
• 2012 – Foo Fighters – Back and Forth
• 2013 – The Rolling Stones – Crossfire Hurricane
• 2014 – The Stone Roses – Made of Stone
• 2015 – Pulp – A Film About Life, Death and Supermarkets
• 2016 – Blur – New World Towers
• 2017 – Oasis – Supersonic
• 2018 – Lady Gaga – Five Foot Two

Best Mixtape

• 2018 – Avelino – No Bullshit

Best Book

• 2011 – John Lydon – Mr. Rotten’s Scrapbook
• 2012 – Noel Fielding – The Scribblings of a Madcap Shambleton
• 2013 – Mike Skinner – The Story of the Streets
• 2014 – Morrissey – Autobiography
• 2015 – Viv Albertine – Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys
• 2016 – Patti Smith – M Train
• 2017 – Johnny Marr – Set the Boy Free
• 2018 – Wiley – Eskiboy

Media Categories

The group of media awards, for radio, TV, films, and venues.

Best Radio Show

• 1994 – John Peel (BBC Radio 1)
• 1996-1997 – The Evening Session (BBC Radio 1)
• 1998-1999 – Mark and Lard (BBC Radio 1)
• 2000-2002 – The Evening Session (BBC Radio 1)
• 2003 – The Evening Session / Lamacq Live (BBC Radio 1)
• 2005-2008 – Zane Lowe (BBC Radio 1)

Best TV Show

• 1995 – Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge
• 1996-1998 – Shooting Stars
• 1999 – South Park
• 2000 – The Royle Family
• 2001 – The League of Gentlemen
• 2002 – The Office
• 2003 – The Osbournes
• 2004 – The Office
• 2005 – Little Britain
• 2006 – Gonzo
• 2007-2009 – The Mighty Boosh
• 2010 – The Inbetweeners
• 2011 – Skins
• 2012-2013 – Fresh Meat
• 2014 – Breaking Bad
• 2015 – Game of Thrones
• 2016 – This is England ’90
• 2017 – Fleabag
• 2018 – Stranger Things

Worst TV Show

• 2009 – Big Brother

Best Film

• 1994 – Reservoir Dogs
• 1995 – Pulp Fiction
• 1996 – The Usual Suspects
• 1997 – Trainspotting
• 1998 – The Full Monty
• 1999 – Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
• 2000 – The Blair Witch Project
• 2001 – Gladiator
• 2002 – Moulin Rouge
• 2004 – The Lord of the Rings – The Return of the King
• 2005 – Shaun of the Dead
• 2006 – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• 2007 – Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest
• 2008 – Control
• 2010 – Inglourious Basterds
• 2011 – Inception
• 2012 – Submarine
• 2013 – The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey
• 2015 – Northern Soul
• 2016 – Beasts of No Nation
• 2017 – My Scientology Movie
• 2018 – Baby Driver

Best Website

• 2000 – NME
• 2003 – NME
• 2004 – NME
• 2005 – NME
• 2006 – NME
• 2007 – YouTube
• 2008 – Facebook
• 2009 – YouTube
• 2010 – Muse

Best Band Blog / Twitter / Social Media

• 2008 – The Modern Age (Best Music Blog), Radiohead (Best Band Blog)
• 2009 – Noel Gallagher / Oasis
• 2010 – Radiohead
• 2011 – Hayley Williams
• 2012 – Lady Gaga
• 2013 – Alana Haim
• 2014 – Alana Haim
• 2015 – Liam Gallagher

People Categories

Continuing the odd and eclectic categories from 1954-1992, the NME Awards still give slightly odd awards out to individuals.

Genius/HERO of the Year

• 2000 – Ali G
• 2001 – Liam Gallagher
• 2003 – Ozzy Osbourne
• 2004 – Pete Doherty
• 2005 – John Peel
• 2006 – Bob Geldof
• 2007 – Gerard Way
• 2008 – Pete Doherty
• 2009 – Barack Obama
• 2010 – Rage Against the Machine
• 2011 – Lady Gaga
• 2012 – Matt Bellamy
• 2013 – Barack Obama
• 2014-2015 – Alex Turner
• 2016 – Dave Grohl
• 2017 – Beyoncé
• 2018 – Ariana Grande

Bastard/Git/Arse/Dickhead/Waster/Villain of the Year

• 1994 – John Major
• 1996 – Damon Albarn
• 1997-1999 – Liam Gallagher
• 2000, 2001, 2003 – Robbie Williams
• 2004 – George W. Bush, (Villain of the Year), Pete Doherty (Waster of the Year)
• 2005-2009 – George W. Bush
• 2010 – Kanye West
• 2011 – David Cameron
• 2012 – Justin Bieber
• 2013-2014 – Harry Styles
• 2015 – Nigel Farage
• 2016 – Donald Trump
• 2017 – Nigel Farage
• 2018 – Piers Morgan

Best Dressed / Most Stylish

• 1996 – Jarvis Cocker
• 2003 – The Hives
• 2005 – Brandon Flowers
• 2006 – Ricky Wilson
• 2007 – Faris Rotter
• 2008 – Noel Fielding
• 2009 – Alexa Chung
• 2010 – Lady Gaga
• 2011 – Brandon Flowers

Worst Dressed / Least Stylish

• 1996 – Jarvis Cocker
• 1997 – Liam Gallagher
• 2003 – Christina Aguilera
• 2005 – Jonathan Ross
• 2006 – Justin Hawkins
• 2007 – Jonathan Ross
• 2008-2009 – Amy Winehouse
• 2010 – Lady Gaga
• 2011 – Justin Bieber

Best Comedian

• 1995-1996 – Steve Coogan

Political and Real World Categories

Continuing some of the odder categories from the earlier NME Polls. For clarity, I’ve separated the “live” events from the other “musical” events, although I think the award category was sometimes the same.

Musical Moment / Event of the Year

• 1996 – Skinner, Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds – Three Lions
• 2012 – The Stone Roses reunite
• 2013 – Olympics opening ceremony
• 2014 – Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn come together for Teenage Cancer Trust
• 2015 – Jamie T’s comeback
• 2016 – The Libertines’ secret Glastonbury set
• 2017 – Coldplay’s Viola Beach tribute at Glastonbury
• 2018 – One Love Manchester

Greatest Musical Event Ever

• 2000 – Woodstock

Non-Musical Event of the Year

• 1994 – Unity March
• 1995 – Glastonbury Festival
• 1996 – French Nuclear Testing

Bummer / Disappointment

• 1995 – Kurt Cobain’s Suicide
• 1997 – The Stone Roses breaking up

Hype of the Year

• 1994 – Jurassic Park

Object of Desire / Most Desirable / Hottest / Sexiest Woman

• 1994 – Björk (Object of Desire)
• 1995 – Kylie Minogue (Object of Desire)
• 1997 – Louise (Most Desirable Human Being)
• 1998 – Louise (Most Desirable Human Being)
• 1999 – Natalie Imbruglia (Most Desirable Human Being)
• 2003 – Avril Lavigne
• 2004 – Brody Dalle
• 2005 – Barbara Knox
• 2006 – Madonna
• 2007 – Kate Moss
• 2008 – Kylie Minogue
• 2009 – Hayley Williams
• 2010 – Karen O
• 2011 – Alison Mosshart
• 2012 – Hayley Williams
• 2013 – Amy Lee

Most Desirable / Hottest / Sexiest Man

• 1996 – Liam Gallagher (Most Desirable Human Being)
• 2003 – Chris Martin
• 2004 – Har Mar Superstar
• 2005 – Brandon Flowers
• 2006 – Pete Doherty
• 2007 – Matt Bellamy
• 2008 – Noel Fielding
• 2009-2011 – Matt Bellamy
• 2012 – Jared Leto
• 2013 – Matt Bellamy

Best Haircut

• 2003 – Liam Gallagher
• 2004 – Caleb Followill

Worst Haircut

• 2003 – Jack Osbourne

Join us again next week, when we’ll finish this list off!

NME Awards – 2012-2014

By 2012, the NME Awards were positively contemporary. Let’s take a look at the awards through to 2014.

NME Awards 2012

Below is the full list of nominations for the event, which will be held at the O2 Academy Brixton on February 29.

• Godlike Genius Award: Noel Gallagher
• Outstanding Contribution to Music: Pulp
• Best British Band: Kasabian. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Horrors, Muse
• Best International Band: Foo Fighters. Also nominated: Arcade Fire, Justice, Odd Future, The Strokes
• Best Solo Artist: Florence + the Machine. Also nominated: Adele, Frank Turner, Laura Marling, Miles Kane, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
• Best New Band: The Vaccines. Also nominated: Foster The People, Lana Del Rey, Tribes, Wu Lyf
• Best Live Band: Arctic Monkeys. Also nominated: Kasabian, Muse, Pulp, Two Door Cinema Club
• Best Album: The Horrors, for Skying. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for Suck It And See, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, PJ Harvey, for Let England Shake, The Vaccines, for What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
• Best Track: Florence + the Machine, for Shake It Out. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala, Bombay Bicycle Club, for Shuffle, Hurts, for Sunday, Lana Del Rey, for Video Games
• Best Video: Hurts, for Sunday. Also nominated Arctic Monkeys, for Suck It And See, Beyoncé, for Countdown, Lana Del Rey, for Video Games, Tyler, The Creator, for Yonkers
• Best Festival: Glastonbury. Also nominated: Bestival, Reading & Leeds, T In The Park, V Festival
• Best TV Show: Fresh Meat. Also nominated: Doctor Who, Misfits, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, This Is England ’88
• Best Film: Submarine. Also nominated: Black Swan, Drive, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Inbetweeners Movie
• Best Music Film: Foo Fighters, for Back and Forth. Also nominated: George Harrison, for Living In The Material World, Kings Of Leon, for Talihina Sky, The Libertines, for There Are No Innocent Bystanders, Upside Down – The Creation Records Story
• Best Dancefloor Anthem: Katy B, for Broken Record. Also nominated: Azealia Banks, for 212, Foster The People, for Pumped Up Kicks, Justice, for Civilization, Metronomy, for The Bay
• Hero of the Year: Matt Bellamy. Also nominated: Alex Turner, Dave Grohl, Noel Fielding, Noel Gallagher
• Villain of the Year: Justin Bieber. Also nominated: David Cameron, Lady Gaga, Liam Gallagher, Nick Clegg
• Worst Album: Justin Bieber, for Under the Mistletoe. Also nominated: Coldplay, for Mylo Xyloto, Lady Gaga, for Born This Way, One Direction, for Up All Night, Viva Brother, for Famous First Words
• Worst Band: One Direction. Also nominated: Beady Eye, Coldplay, Muse, Viva Brother
• Hottest Male: Jared Leto (30 Seconds To Mars). Also nominated: Andy Biersack (Black Veil Brides), Dominic Howard (Muse), Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance), Matt Bellamy (Muse)
• Hottest Female: Hayley Williams (Paramore). Also nominated: Amy Lee (Evanescence), Florence Welch (Florence + the Machine), Katy Perry, Marina Diamandis (Marina And The Diamonds)
• Best Album Artwork: Friendly Fires, for Pala. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for Suck It And See, Bombay Bicycle Club, for A Different Kind Of Fix, Björk, for Biophilia, Jay-Z and Kanye West, for Watch The Throne
• Best Band Blog or Twitter: Lady Gaga, for @LadyGaga. Also nominated: Example, for @Example, Frank Turner, for Frank-Turner.com/blog, Kanye West, for @KanyeWest, Hurts, for @Theohurts
• Most Dedicated Fans: Muse. Also nominated: 30 Seconds To Mars, Arctic Monkeys, Hurts, My Chemical Romance
• Best Book: Noel Fielding, for The Scribblings of a Madcap Shambleton, Jared Leto, for Notes From The Outernet, Jarvis Cocker, for Mother, Brother, Lover: Selected Lyrics, Malcolm X, for A Life Of Reinvention, Shaun Ryder, for Twisting My Melon
• Best Small Festival: RockNess. Also nominated: Field Day, Hop Farm, Kendal Calling, Latitude
• Best Reissue: The Smiths, for Complete Re-issues. Also nominated: Manic Street Preachers, for National Treasures, Nirvana, for Nevermind, Primal Scream, for Screamadelica, The Rolling Stones, for Some Girls
• Greatest Music Moment of the Year: The Stone Roses reunite. Also nominated: Brian May joins My Chemical Romance onstage at Reading Festival, Kasabian see in 2012 with their epic London O2 Arena show, Noel Gallagher launches his solo career with press conference, Pulp steal the show at Glastonbury with secret set

NME Awards 2013

London’s Troxy on Wednesday, February 27, 2013:Host: Russell Kane

• Godlike Genius Award: Johnny Marr
• Philip Hall Radar Award: The Child of Lov
• Teenage Cancer Trust Outstanding Contribution to Music: The Cribs
• Best British Band: Biffy Clyro. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, The Vaccines, The Maccabees, The Cribs
• Best International Band: The Killers. Also nominated: Tame Impala, The Black Keys, Odd Future, Crystal Castles, Foo Fighters
• Best Solo Artist: Florence + the Machine. Also nominated: Jake Bugg, Noel Gallagher, Miles Kane, Grimes, Paul Weller
• Best New Band: Palma Violets. Also nominated: Alt-J, Peace, Django Django, Alabama Shakes, Haim
• Best Live Band: The Rolling Stones. Also nominated: The Maccabees, The Cribs, Blur, Biffy Clyro, Foals
• Best Album: The Maccabees, for Given to the Wild. Also nominated: Frank Ocean, for Channel Orange, Jake Bugg, for Jake Bugg, Alt-J, for An Awesome Wave, The Vaccines, for Come Of Age, Tame Impala, for Lonerism
• Best Track: Foals, for Inhaler. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for R U Mine?, Haim, for Don’t Save Me, MIA, for Bad Girls, Palma Violets, for Best Of Friends, Tame Impala, for Elephant
• Best Music Video: Arctic Monkeys, for R U Mine?. Also nominated: Grimes, for Oblivion, MIA, for Bad Girls, David Bowie, for Where Are We Now?, Haim, for Don’t Save Me, Tame Impala, for Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
• Best Festival: Reading & Leeds. Also nominated: T In The Park, Bestival, Primavera, Latitude, Isle of Wight
• Best TV Show: Fresh Meat. Also nominated: Breaking Bad, Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy, Sherlock, The Thick Of It, Doctor Who
• Best Film: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Also nominated: Ted, iLL Manors, The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
• Best Music Film: The Rolling Stones, for Crossfire Hurricane. Also nominated: Searching For Sugar Man, LCD Soundsystem, for Shut Up And Play The Hits, Hit So Hard: The Life & Near Death Story of Patty Schemel Marley, Led Zeppelin, for Celebration Day
• Dancefloor Anthem: Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch, for Sweet Nothing. Also nominated: Mosca featuring Katy B, for What You Came For, Psy, for Gangnam Style, MIA, for Bad Girls, Kanye West and Jay-Z, for Paris, Solange, for Losing You
• Hero of the Year: Barack Obama. Also nominated: David Bowie, Bradley Wiggins, Pussy Riot, Frank Ocean, Dave Grohl
• Villain of the Year: Harry Styles. Also nominated: David Cameron, Skrillex, Psy, Fred Macpherson, Azealia Banks
• Worst Band: One Direction. Also nominated: Muse, Mumford & Sons, Alt-J, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran
• Hottest Man: Matthew Bellamy
• Hottest Woman: Amy Lee
• Best Band Blog or Twitter: Alana Haim (Haim), for @babyhaim. Also nominated: Muse, for @muse, Fred Macpherson (Spector), for @fredmacpherson, Theo Hutchcraft (Hurts), for @theohurts, Wiley, for @EskiDance, MIA, for @MIAuniverse
• Best Fan Community: Muse. Also nominated: Hurts, 30 Seconds To Mars, Manic Street Preachers, The Killers, Enter Shikari
• Best Book: Mike Skinner (The Streets), for The Story of the Streets. Also nominated: David Byrne, for How Music Works, Neil Young, for Waging Heavy Peace, Tim Burgess, for Telling Stories, The Rolling Stones, for 50, Peter Hook, for Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division
• Best Small Festival: Festival No. 6. Also nominated: Sŵn, The Great Escape, Field Day, End Of The Road, Constellations
• Best Reissue: Blur, for 21. Also nominated: Manic Street Preachers, for Generation Terrorists, The Prodigy, for The Fat Of The Land, Interpol, for Turn On The Bright Lights, Smashing Pumpkins, for Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, Ian Brown, for Collected
• Music Moment of the Year: 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. Also nominated: David Bowie‘s comeback, The Stone Roses comeback shows at Heaton Park, The Rolling Stones 50th anniversary show at London’s O2 Arena, Green Day‘s secret set at Reading Festival, Pussy Riot‘s punk prayer

NME Awards 2014

February 26 at London’s O2 Academy in Brixton. Host: Huw Stephens

• Godlike Genius Award: Blondie
• Songwriters’ Songwriter: Paul McCartney
• Award For Innovation: Damon Albarn
• Teenage Cancer Trust Outstanding Contribution to Music Award: Belle and Sebastian
• Best British Band: Arctic Monkeys. Also nominated: Foals, Palma Violets, Biffy Clyro, Disclosure, Two Door Cinema Club
• Best International Band: Haim. Also nominated: Arcade Fire, Queens Of The Stone Age, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend
• Best Solo Artist: Lily Allen. Also nominated: Lorde, Jake Bugg, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, David Bowie
• Best New Band: Drenge. Also nominated: Swim Deep, Chvrches, Jagwar Ma, Wolf Alice, Courtney Barnett
• Best Live Band: Arctic Monkeys. Also nominated: Palma Violets, Biffy Clyro, Haim, Queens of the Stone Age, Savages
• Best Album: Arctic Monkeys, for AM. Also nominated: Queens Of The Stone Age, for Like Clockwork, Peace, for In Love, Kanye West, for Yeezus, Savages, for Silence Yourself, Drenge, for Drenge
• Best Track: Disclosure, for White Noise. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for Do I Wanna Know?, Lily Allen, for Hard Out Here, Arcade Fire, for Reflektor, Primal Scream, for 2013, Daft Punk, for Get Lucky
• Best Music Video: Eagulls, for Nerve Endings. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?, Pharrell, for Happy, Arcade Fire, for Reflektor, Lily Allen, for Hard Out Here, Haim, for Falling
• Best Festival: Glastonbury. Also nominated: Reading & Leeds, T In The Park, Latitude, Bestival, V
• Best TV Show: Breaking Bad. Also nominated: Fresh Meat, Sherlock, Game Of Thrones, Misfits, Doctor Who
• Best Music Film – The Stone Roses, for Made of Stone. Also nominated: Muscle Shoals, Sound City, The National, for Mistaken For Strangers, Good Vibrations, Muse
• Philip Hall Radar Award: Fat White Family
• Best Reissue – The Clash, for Sound System. Also nominated: Nirvana, for In Utero: 20th Anniversary Edition, The Beta Band, for The Regal Years: 1997-2004, The Breeders, for LSXX (Last Splash 20th Anniversary Edition), Bob Dylan, for Bootleg Series, Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971), The Velvet Underground, for White Light/White Heat 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition
• Best Band Blog Or Twitter – Alana Haim (Haim). Also nominated: Jehnny Beth (Savages), Albert Hammond Jr, James Blunt, Theo Hutchcraft (Hurts), Grimes
• Best Book: Morrissey, for Autobiography. Also nominated: Alan McGee, for Creation Stories, Bob Stanley, for Yeah Yeah Yeah, Mark Lewisohn, for The Beatles – All These Years: Volume One: Tune In, Beck, for Song Reader, Richard Hell, for I Dreamed I Was A Very Clean Tramp
• Best Small Festival: Sŵn. Also nominated: RockNess, Y Not, Kendall Calling, Green Man, Festival Number 6
• Best Fan Community: Arctic Monkeys. Also nominated: Hurts, Haim, Muse, Peace, Morrissey
• Music Moment of the Year: Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn come together for Teenage Cancer Trust. Also nominated: Pussy Riot are freed, Arctic Monkeys headline Glastonbury, Rolling Stones headline Glastonbury, Morrissey‘s autobiography is released, Kanye West brings Jesus impersonator on stage
• Worst Band: The 1975. Also nominated: One Direction, The Wanted, Imagine Dragons, 30 Seconds To Mars, Muse
• Hero of the Year: Alex Turner. Also nominated: David Bowie, Este Haim, Russell Brand, Pussy Riot, Lou Reed
• Villain of the Year: Harry Styles. Also nominated: Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke, David Cameron, Vladimir Putin, Russell Brand

See also

• NME Awards on Wikipedia
• NME Awards History – 2012
• NME Awards 2012 – Nominations (Digital Spy)
• NME Awards History – 2013
• NME Awards 2013 – Nominations (Digital Spy)
• NME Awards 2014 – Winners (The Independent)
• NME Awards 2014 – Nominations (Digital Spy)

NME Awards – 2009-2011

Between 2009 and 2011, the NME Awards were still clinging onto their rock obsession, but started to have a few interesting nominees.

Shockwaves NME Awards 2009

Hosted at the Brixton Academy on 25 February 2009, by Mark Watson.

• Godlike Genius Award: The Cure
• Outstanding Contribution to Music: Elbow
• Best British Band supported by Shockwaves: Oasis. Also nominated: Bloc Party, The Last Shadow Puppets, Muse, Radiohead
• Best International Band supported by 4music: The Killers. Also nominated: Crystal Castles, Kings of Leon, MGMT, Vampire Weekend
• Best Solo Artist: Pete Doherty. Also nominated: Ladyhawke, Laura Marling, Lightspeed Champion, Jay-Z
• Best Live Band supported by Red Stripe: Muse. Also nominated: The Killers, Kings of Leon, Oasis, Radiohead
• Best New Band supported by Bench: MGMT. Also nominated: Glasvegas, Late of the Pier, Vampire Weekend, White Lies
• Best Album supported by HMV: Kings of Leon, for Only by the Night. Also nominated: Bloc Party, for Intimacy, Glasvegas, for Glasvegas, The Killers, for Day & Age, Oasis, for Dig Out Your Soul
• Best Track supported by NME Radio: MGMT, for Time to Pretend. Also nominated: Kings of Leon, for Sex on Fire, The Last Shadow Puppets, for The Age of the Understatement, The Ting Tings, for That’s Not My Name, Vampire Weekend, for A-Punk
• Best Dancefloor Filler: Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris, for Dance Wiv Me. Also nominated: Bloc Party, for Mercury, Crystal Castles, for Courtship Dating, Friendly Fires, for Paris, Late of the Pier, for Bathroom Gurgle
• Best Video supported by NME TV: The Last Shadow Puppets, for My Mistakes Were Made For You. Also nominated: Late of the Pier, for Heartbreak, Oasis, for The Shock of the Lightning, Radiohead, for House of Cards, Vampire Weekend, for A-Punk
• Best DVD: Arctic Monkeys, for Live at the Apollo. Also nominated: Foo Fighters, for Live at Wembley Stadium, Kaiser Chiefs, for Live at Elland Road, Muse, for HAARP, The Rolling Stones, for Shine a Light
• Best Live Event: Glastonbury Festival. Also nominated: Isle of Wight, Reading and Leeds, T in the Park, V Festival
• Best TV Show: The Mighty Boosh. Also nominated: Gavin and Stacey, The IT Crowd, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Skins
• Worst TV Show: Big Brother
• Best Film: [not stated]. Nominated: The Dark Knight, Juno, Quantum of Solace, Twilight, Wall-E
• Hero of the Year: Barack Obama. Also nominated: Alex Turner, Brandon Flowers, Noel Fielding, Noel Gallagher
• Villain of the Year: George W. Bush. Also nominated: Amy Winehouse, Gordon Brown, John McCain, Pete Doherty
• Best Dressed: Alexa Chung. Also nominated: Alex Turner, Brandon Flowers, Noel Fielding, Noel Gallagher
• Worst Dressed: Amy Winehouse. Also nominated: Brandon Flowers, Johnny Borrell, Katy Perry, Pete Doherty
• Best Website: YouTube. Also nominated: Bebo, Facebook, Last FM, MySpace
• Best Venue: London Astoria. Also nominated: Brixton Academy, Manchester Apollo, Glasgow Barrowlands, London O2 Arena
• Worst Album: Jonas Brothers, for A Little Bit Longer. Also nominated: Britney Spears, for Circus, Coldplay, for Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, Razorlight, for Slipway Fires, Scouting for Girls, for Scouting for Girls
• Worst Band: Jonas Brothers. Also nominated: Fall Out Boy, Oasis, Scouting for Girls, Tokio Hotel
• Sexiest Man: Matt Bellamy. Also nominated: Carl Barat, Keith Murray, Miles Kane, Pete Doherty
• Sexiest Woman: Hayley Williams. Also nominated: Alison Mosshart, Kate Jackson, Lykke Li, Stephanie Dosen
• Best Album Artwork: Muse, for HAARP. Also nominated: The Cure, for 4:13 Dream, Guillemots, for Red, The Killers, for Day and Age, We Are Scientists, for Brain Thrust Mastery
• Best Band Blog: Noel Gallagher / Oasis. Also nominated: Foals, Lightspeed Champion, Little Boots, Radiohead
• Philip Hall Radar Award: The Big Pink

Shockwaves NME Awards 2010

The awards took place at the Brixton Academy on 24 February 2010, and were hosted by Jarvis Cocker, with performances by Kasabian with Noel Fielding, The Specials, Biffy Clyro featuring Marina Diamandis, The Big Pink with Lily Allen.

• Godlike Genius Award: Paul Weller
• Outstanding Contribution to Music: The Specials
• Best British Band: Muse. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, Biffy Clyro, Kasabian, Oasis
• Best International Band: Paramore. Also nominated: Green Day, Kings Of Leon, Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Best Solo Artist: Jamie T. Also nominated: Dizzee Rascal, Florence And The Machine, Julian Casablancas, Lady Gaga
• Best New Band: Bombay Bicycle Club. Also nominated: The Big Pink, Mumford & Sons, The xx, La Roux
• Best Live Band: Arctic Monkeys. Also nominated: Kasabian, Muse, Radiohead, Them Crooked Vultures
• Best Album: Kasabian, for West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for Humbug, Muse, for The Resistance, The Cribs, for Ignore The Ignorant, The Horrors, for Primary Colours
• Best Track: The Big Pink, for Dominos. Also nominated: Animal Collective, for My Girls, Arctic Monkeys, for Crying Lightning, Florence + The Machine, for Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up), Jamie T, for Sticks N’ Stones
• Best Video: Biffy Clyro, for The Captain. Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, for Cornerstone, Kasabian, for Fire, The Maccabees, for Can You Give It, Oasis, for Falling Down
• Best Live Event: Blur at Hyde Park. Also nominated: Jay-Z at Alexandra Palace, Muse at Teignmouth, Oasis at Heaton Park, The Dead Weather at Shoreditch Church
• Best Festival: Glastonbury Festival. Also nominated: Download, Reading and Leeds Festivals, T In The Park, V Festival
• Best TV Show: The Inbetweeners. Also nominated: Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Peep Show, Skins, True Blood
• Best Film: Inglourious Basterds. Also nominated: (500) Days Of Summer, In The Loop, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Where The Wild Things Are
• Best Dancefloor Filler: La Roux, for In for the Kill (Skream Remix). Also nominated: Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden, for Bonkers, Florence + The Machine, for You’ve Got The Love, Lady Gaga, for Poker Face, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, for Zero
• Best DVD: The Mighty Boosh Live – Future Sailors Tour. Also nominated: Kings Of Leon, for Live At The The O2 Arena, Flight Of The Conchords, for Complete HBO Second Season, The Killers, for Live From The Royal Albert Hall, Nirvana, for Live At Reading
• Hero of the Year: Rage Against The Machine. Also nominated: Beyoncé, Noel Gallagher, Matt Bellamy, Alex Turner
• Villain of the Year: Kanye West. Also nominated: Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher, Simon Cowell, Lady Gaga
• Best Dressed: Lady Gaga. Also nominated: Liam Gallagher, Noel Fielding, Florence Welch, Karen O
• Worst Dressed: Lady Gaga. Also nominated: Matt Bellamy, Katy Perry, Liam Gallagher, Elly Jackson (La Roux)
• Worst Album: Jonas Brothers, for Lines, Vines and Trying Times. Also nominated: Green Day, for 21st Century Breakdown, Lady Gaga, for The Fame, U2, for No Line On The Horizon, Arctic Monkeys, for Humbug
• Worst Band: Jonas Brothers. Also nominated: Green Day, Oasis, Paramore
• Hottest Man: Matt Bellamy (Muse)
• Hottest Woman: Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
• Best Website: Muse.mu. Also nominated: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, GreenDay.com
• Best Album Artwork: Kasabian, for West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Also nominated: Muse, for The Resistance, Green Day, for 21st Century Breakdown, The Cribs, for Ignore The Ignorant, Manic Street Preachers, for Journal For Plague Lovers
• Best Band Blog: Radiohead (Radiohead.com/deadairspace). Also nominated: Muse (Muse.mu and Twitter.com/muse), Noel Gallagher (Oasisinet.com), Los Campesinos! (Loscampesinos.com), Paramore (Paramore.net)
• Giving It Back Fan Award: Lily Allen, for her Twitter ticket treasure hunt. Also nominated: Kasabian and Noel Fielding for free Vlad The Impaler video, Danger Mouse for leaking Dark Night Of The Soul, Arctic Monkeys for their Oxfam golden tickets, Vampire Weekend for giving away Horchata from the album Contra
• Phillip Hall Radar Award: The Drums

Shockwaves NME Awards 2011

Hosted by Angelos Epithemiou at the Brixton Academy on 23 February 2011. Performances by My Chemical Romance, Hurts, PJ Harvey, Crystal Castles, and Foo Fighters.

• Godlike Genius Award: Dave Grohl
• John Peel Award for Innovation: Crystal Castles
• Philip Hall Radar Award: The Naked and Famous
• Outstanding Contribution to Music: PJ Harvey
• Best British Band: Muse. Nominated: Arctic Monkeys, Biffy Clyro, Foals, Kasabian
• Best International Band: My Chemical Romance. Nominated: Arcade Fire, Kings Of Leon, The Drums, Vampire Weekend
• Best Solo Artist: Laura Marling. Nominated: Florence Welch, Frank Turner, Kanye West, Paul Weller
• Best New Band: Hurts. Nominated: Beady Eye, Everything Everything, The Drums, Two Door Cinema Club
• Best Live Band: Biffy Clyro. Nominated: Arcade Fire, Foals, Kasabian, Muse
• Best Album: Arcade Fire, for The Suburbs. Nominated: Crystal Castles, for Crystal Castles II, Foals, for Total Life Forever, My Chemical Romance, for Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys, Two Door Cinema Club, for Tourist History
• Best Track: Foals, for Spanish Sahara. Nominated: Cee Lo Green, for Fuck You, Gorillaz, for Stylo, Janelle Monae feat. Big Boi, for Tightrope, Mark Ronson & The Business Intl., for Bang Bang Bang
• Best Video: My Chemical Romance, for Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na). Nominated: Arcade Fire, for We Used To Wait, Brandon Flowers, for Crossfire, Chase & Status, for Let You Go, Gorillaz, for Stylo
• Best Festival: Glastonbury. Nominated: Download, Reading And Leeds Festivals, T In The Park, V Festival
• Best TV Show: Skins. Nominated: Misfits, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Peep Show, The Inbetweeners
• Best Film: Inception. Nominated: Get Him To The Greek, Kick-Ass, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, The Social Network
• Best Dancefloor Filler: Professor Green, for Jungle. Nominated: Crystal Castles, for Baptism, Kele, for Tenderoni, Plan B, for Stay Too Long, Tinie Tempah, for Pass Out
• Hero of the Year: Lady Gaga. Nominated: Gerard Way, Julian Assange, Kanye West
• Villain of the Year: David Cameron. Nominated: Axl Rose, Justin Bieber, Nick Clegg, Simon Cowell
• Most Stylish: Brandon Flowers. Nominated: Hayley Williams, Lady Gaga, Liam Gallagher, Noel Fielding
• Least Stylish: Justin Bieber. Nominated: Cheryl Cole, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Liam Gallagher
• Worst Album: Justin Bieber, for My World. Nominated: Cheryl Cole, for Messy Little Raindrops, Katy Perry, for Teenage Dream, Kings Of Leon, for Come Around Sundown, My Chemical Romance, for Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys
• Worst Band: Jonas Brothers. Nominated: 30 Seconds To Mars, JLS, Kings Of Leon, Tokio Hotel
• Hottest Man: Matt Bellamy. Nominated: Alex Turner, Billie Joe Armstrong, Dominic Howard, Jared Leto
• Hottest Woman: Alison Mosshart. Nominated: Emily Haines, Hayley Williams, Lady Gaga, Shakira
• Best Album Artwork: Klaxons, for Surfing The Void. Nominated: Foals, for Total Life Forever, Gorillaz, for Plastic Beach, MGMT, for Congratulations, My Chemical Romance, for Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys
• Best Band Blog or Twitter: Hayley Williams. Nominated: Frank Turner, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Theo Hutchcraft
• Best Book: John Lydon, for Mr Rotten’s Scrapbook. Nominated: Carl Barât, for Threepenny Memoir, Jay-Z, for Decoded, Keith Richards, for Life, Russell Brand, My Booky Wook 2
• Best Small Festival (50,000 capacity or lower): RockNess. Nominated: Bestival, Kendal Calling, Latitude, Underage Festival

See also

• NME Awards on Wikipedia
• A History of the NME Awards 1953-2010
• Shockwaves NME Awards 2009 – Nominations
• Shockwaves NME Awards 2009 – Winners
• NME Awards 2010 – Nominations and Winners
• NME Awards 2011 – Nominations and Winners

The BRIT Awards 2016

Quite rightly, you were very excited about the BRIT Awards this year, and you flocked in your hundreds to read my latest selection of The Best of the BRIT Awards. What I wasn’t able to do, mainly due to being on holiday, was list the winners for you. So here goes…

British Male Solo Artist

Nominees:

• Aphex Twin
• James Bay
• Calvin Harris
• Mark Ronson
• Jamie xx

Winner: James Bay

British Female Solo Artist

Nominees:

• Adele
• Florence + The Machine
• Jess Glynne
• Laura Marling
• Amy Winehouse

Winner: Adele

British Group

• Blur
• Coldplay
• Foals
• One Direction
• Years & Years

Winner: Coldplay

British Breakthrough Act

• James Bay
• Catfish and the Bottlemen
• Jess Glynne
• Wolf Alice
• Years & Years

Winner: Catfish and the Bottlemen

British Producer of the Year

• Charlie Andrew
• Mike Crossey
• Tom Dalgety
• Mark Ronson

Winner: Charlie Andrew

British Single

• Adele – Hello
• James Bay – Hold Back the River
• Philip George – Wish You Were Mine
• Jess Glynne – Hold My Hand
• Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
• Little Mix – Black Magic
• Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep is Your Love
• Olly Murs feat. Demi Lovato – Up
• Ed Sheeran & Rudimental – Bloodstream
• Years & Years – King

Winner: Adele

Mastercard British Album of the Year

• Adele – 25
• James Bay – Chaos and the Calm
• Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams
• Florence + The Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
• Jamie xx – In Colour

Winner: Adele

British Artist Video

• Adele – Hello
• Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
• Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep is Your Love
• Jessie J – Flashlight
• Little Mix – Black Magic
• Naughty Boy feat. Beyoncé & Arrow Benjamin – Runnin’ (Lose it All)
• One Direction – Drag Me Down
• Ed Sheeran – Photograph
• Sam Smith – Writing’s on the Wall
• Years & Years – King

Winner: One Direction

International Male Solo Artist

• Justin Bieber
• Drake
• Kendrick Lamar
• Father John Misty
• The Weeknd

Winner: Justin Bieber

International Female Solo Artist

• Courtney Barnett
• Björk
• Ariana Grande
• Lana del Rey
• Meghan Trainor

Winner: Björk. Again.

International Group

• Alabama Shakes
• Eagles of Death Metal
• Major Lazer
• Tame Impala
• U2

Winner: Tame Impala. I bet U2 were furious – they always win this award.

Critics’ Choice

• Izzy Bizu
• Frances
• Jack Garratt

Winner: Jack Garratt

Global Success

A special made-up award for Adele, because she was robbed in the International Male Solo Artist category and was so upset.

Well, that’s it for another year. See you next January for the latest nominees in the ADELE Awards.

The Grammy Awards 2016

Every year in recent times during Awards Week, I’ve tried to go through the list of Grammy winners comprehensively, and come up with some of the highlights. If only it weren’t such a bloody long list…

Best Dance Recording is always an eccentric list, particularly with the US opinion on what counts as dance (although the BRITs always seemed to want to fill the nomination list with Jamiroquai back in the days when the category existed). This year’s nominees included Above & Beyond with Zoë Johnston, with We’re All We Need, and The Chemical Brothers featuring Q-Tip with Go, but of course the winner had to be Justin Bieber, accompanied by Skrillex and Diplo, whoever they might be.

Best Dance/Electronic Album also showed some promise, but Skrillex and Diplo carried that one away too. Unsuccessful nominees included Caribou‘s Our Love, and The Chemical Brothers‘ Born in the Echoes.

I’ve never really understood what “alternative music” is supposed to be, but Björk must have been a strong contender with Vulnicura in the Best Alternative Music Album category. Ultimately, she lost out to Alabama Shakes.

Best New Age Album probably showed some promise, but I’d never heard of any of them. Congratulations to Paul Avgerinos for the win. Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Gilberto Gil lost out to Angelique Kidjo in the patronisingly named Best World Music Album category, while David Bowie‘s Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) managed a belated win in the somewhat inexplicable Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals category.

In the completely bizarrely named Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical (because those classical remixes are such a big deal now), Dave Audé won for his reworking of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars‘s Uptown Funk. And finally, in the eighty-third category, Best Music Film, Roger Waters‘s concert recording The Wall lost out to Amy, the documentary about Amy Winehouse. Probably justified, although The Wall live was a pretty impressive spectacle.

There’s a whole lot more, and there are probably other things of interest to you, if you can make it through the ridiculous number of awards, which I’m sure doesn’t devalue them in the slightest. You can view the results in full here.

The BRIT Awards 2016 – Nominations

On the 24th of February this year, we’ll find out who has won a BRIT Award this year. Or more likely, who has won five, as that tends to be the way it goes. The nominations are spectacularly dull this year, as you’ll see below if you can bring yourself to keep reading – the only truly interesting thing is that they have changed some of the names this year…

British Artist Video

• Adele – Hello
• Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
• Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep is Your Love
• Jessie J – Flashlight
• Little Mix – Black Magic
• Naughty Boy feat. Beyonce & Arrow Benjamin – Runnin’ (Lose it All)
• One Direction – Drag Me Down
• Ed Sheeran – Photograph
• Sam Smith – Writing’s on the Wall
• Years & Years – King

British Breakthrough Act

• James Bay
• Catfish and the Bottlemen
• Jess Glynne
• Wolf Alice
• Years & Years

That’s the same James Bay who won the Critics’ Choice last year (beating Years & Years), both of whom did pretty well on the charts in 2015, after all.

British Male Solo Artist

• Aphex Twin
• James Bay
• Calvin Harris
• Mark Ronson
• Jamie xx

British Female Solo Artist

• Adele
• Florence + The Machine
• Jess Glynne
• Laura Marling
• Amy Winehouse

British Group

• Blur
• Coldplay
• Foals
• One Direction
• Years & Years

British Producer of the Year

• Charlie Andrew
• Mike Crossey
• Tom Dalgety
• Mark Ronson

British Single

• Adele – Hello
• James Bay – Hold Back the River
• Philip George – Wish You Were Mine
• Jess Glynne – Hold My Hand
• Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
• Little Mix – Black Magic
• Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep is Your Love
• Olly Murs feat. Demi Lovato – Up
• Ed Sheeran & Rudimental – Bloodstream
• Years & Years – King

Mastercard British Album of the Year

• Adele – 25
• James Bay – Chaos and the Calm
• Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams
• Florence + The Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
• Jamie xx – In Colour

International Male Solo Artist

• Justin Bieber
• Drake
• Kendrick Lamar
• Father John Misty
• The Weeknd

International Female Solo Artist

• Courtney Barnett
• Björk
• Ariana Grande
• Lana del Rey
• Meghan Trainor

Björk, the only non-British female who anybody cares about (seemingly) receives her sixty-third nomination in this category.

International Group

• Alabama Shakes
• Eagles of Death Metal
• Major Lazer
• Tame Impala
• U2

Oh look, U2 rack up their six thousandth nomination in this category. Because so few other foreign groups are popular in the UK, apparently. It’s a shame R.E.M. haven’t been up to much recently.

Critics’ Choice

• Izzy Bizu
• Frances
• Jack Garratt

The winner of which will be Jack Garratt.

Anyway, good luck to Aphex Twin, who is inexplicably nominated for just the third time ever. Other than that, if you care about any of those nominees, you can vote for some of them at the BRIT Awards website.

The BRIT Awards 2011

For the first time, the BRIT Awards took place at The O2 Arena on 15th February 2011, now, according to the official website, with more live music than ever before. James Corden was the host, and the award was designed by Vivienne Westwood.

This post is part of a series about the history of the BRIT Awards. You can read about the 2010 ceremony here, and the 2012 ceremony next time.

MasterCard British Album of the Year

Presented by Roger Daltrey from The Who. Nominees:

• Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
• Plan B – The Defamation of Strickland Banks
• Take That – Progress
• Tinie Tempah – Disc-Overy
• The xx – xx

Winner: Mumford & Sons

British Single

Voted for by listeners of Capital Radio and users of iTunes, and presented by Alan Carr. Nominees:

• Alexandra Burke feat. Pitbull – All Night Long
• Matt Cardle – When We Collide
• Cheryl Cole – Parachute
• Taio Cruz – Dynamite
• Florence + The Machine – You Got the Love
• Olly Murs – Please Don’t Let Me Go
• Plan B – She Said
• Scouting for Girls – This Ain’t a Love Song
• Tinie Tempah – Pass Out
• The Wanted – All Time Low

Winner: Tinie Tempah

British Male Solo Artist

Presented by Dizzee Rascal. Nominees:

• Plan B
• Robert Plant
• Mark Ronson
• Tinie Tempah
• Paul Weller

Winner: Plan B

British Female Solo Artist

Presented by Boy George. Nominees:

• Cheryl Cole
• Paloma Faith
• Ellie Goulding
• Laura Marling
• Rumer

Winner: Laura Marling

British Group

Voted for by listeners of BBC Radio 2, and presented by Dermot O’Leary. Nominees:

• Biffy Clyro
• Gorillaz
• Mumford & Sons
• Take That
• The xx

Winner: Take That

British Breakthrough Act

Voted for by listeners of BBC Radio 1, and presented by Fearne Cotton. Nominees:

• Ellie Goulding
• Mumford & Sons
• Rumer
• Tinie Tempah
• The xx

Winner: Tinie Tempah

British Producer

Awarded alongside a couple of other producer awards at the Music Producers Guild Awards the week before the main ceremony. Nominees:

• Markus Dravs
• Ethan Johns
• John Leckie
• Mike Pela
• Stuart Price

Winner: Markus Dravs

International Album

Presented by Boris Becker. Nominees:

• Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
• Eminem – Recovery
• Cee Lo Green – The Lady Killer
• Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown
• Katy Perry – Teenage Dream

Winner: Arcade Fire

International Male Solo Artist

Presented by Lewis Hamilton. Nominees:

• Eminem
• Cee Lo Green
• David Guetta
• Bruce Springsteen
• Kanye West

Winner: Cee Lo Green

International Female Solo Artist

Presented by Cheryl Cole. Nominees:

• Alicia Keys
• Kylie Minogue
• Katy Perry
• Rihanna
• Robyn

Winner: Rihanna

International Group

Presented by Simon Le Bon and John Taylor from Duran Duran. Nominees:

• Arcade Fire
• The Black Eyed Peas
• Kings of Leon
• The Script
• Vampire Weekend

Winner: Arcade Fire

International Breakthrough Act

Voted for by viewers of MTV, and presented by Avril Lavigne and Will Young. Nominees:

• Justin Bieber
• Glee Cast
• Bruno Mars
• The National
• The Temper Trap

Winner: Justin Bieber

Critics’ Choice

In association with War Child, and presented by Mark Ronson and Ellie Goulding. Nominees:

• James Blake
• Jessie J
• The Vaccines

Winner: Jessie J

Outstanding Contribution

The BBC’s coverage (linked below) of the previous week’s Music Producers Guild Awards is a little confusing, as the entire event must have been. Was the Outstanding Contribution award part of the BRITs or of the Music Producers Guild event? Wikipedia thinks it was part of the BRITs…

My own interpretation of the situation is that there was no outstanding contribution award at the BRITs this year, but either way, the entirely justified winner was the founder of Mute Records, Daniel Miller, presented by Alison Goldfrapp, while Tony Visconti won the Innovation in Production award.

Performances

• Take That – Kidz
• Adele – Someone Like You
• Rihanna – Only Girl (In the World) / S&M / What’s My Name
• Mumford & Sons – Timshel
• Plan B – She Said / Prayin’
• Arcade Fire – Ready to Start
• Tinie Tempah / Eric Turner / Labrinth – Written in the Stars / Miami 2 Ibiza / Pass Out
• Cee Lo Green / Paloma Faith – Forget You

Further Reading / Viewing

• 2011 on brits.co.uk
• 2011 BRIT Awards on Wikipedia
• BBC coverage of the Music Producers Guild Awards
• Official backstage footage
• James Cordon talks to Justin Bieber
• Highlights from the nominations launch
• The Guardian pre-event report on the changes in the ceremony
• BBC report on the winners and nominees
• The Telegraph report on the event

Introducing Blue Swan

The second unsigned act in this mini-series is Danish duo Kasper Lauest and Henrik Jürgensen, who prefer to be known as Blue Swan. Formed thanks to the Pet Shop Boys forums on the internet in 1999, they started making music with covers of PSB b-sides Your Funny Uncle and A New Life.

They have recorded three “demo albums”: Sinister But Fragile (2004), Intentionally Miserable (2005), and Fire and Flames (2008), and are planning to record together again soon.

As before, we’ve got three tracks to taste from them, and I’m consciously not going to sully them with too many of my opinions! The first of the tracks in their Music for stowaways demo is Black Widow (2004):

By way of warning, you have to make sure you love both autotune and 303 acid sounds if you’re going to sign up to this one! They describe it as dark and haunting, yet melodic, which I think is fair.

Next up, Chief of the Tribe (2008):

One of the comments describes the bass as “slumpy,” which is about right. The melody is definitely reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys.

Finally, we have Everyone I Know (2008):

Again, you can hear the ghost of Neil Tennant haunting this one! They’ve also tagged it with Stock, Aitken, and Waterman, which I can see too.

Kasper’s answers to my daft questions are particularly intriguing…

What’s your favourite synth, and why?

The synth that had the biggest importance to the Blue Swan project was probably the Access Virus C, which I got in 2003 and really got us going. That synth is used on almost everything on our 2004 Sinister But Fragile album.

These days I don’t really use hardware synths anymore, because software synths are so much more handy to use. I generally try to use a lot of different synths, but the most used are probably Lennar Digital Sylenth1, which is very easy to program and good for huge sawtooth based sounds, and refx Nexus 2, which has a lot of nice presets if you’re in quick need of a nice patch.

I like Spectrasonics Triton or Rob Papen Subboombass for bass sounds. I suppose a good approach to synths is to limit oneself and really learn a synth in depth. I’ve never been able to do that though, and prefer to use lots of different synths, flicking through presets until I find something I like and then alter it a bit. I will probably never have the patience to fully learn proper synth programming.

Which (existing) movie would have benefitted your music on the soundtrack?

Maybe some 80’s influenced movie like Drive, but that already had great music. I could see a song like Black Widow, Montague & Capulet or Solitude go with a movie like that. Otherwise I don’t really think we do movie-esque music, although I guess that our mini-album Intentionally Miserable is a movie within itself.

Nobody really listens to music any more. Discuss.

I would argue that people listen to music more than ever before, but arguably less focused that before, which is primarily a result of an enourmously wide range of music being so easily accessible. In the past, a kid would buy a CD and then listen to it religiously. These days we crave new sounds all of the time. I do it myself, I listen to hundreds of new songs every month, constantly looking for new great tunes.

Perhaps it makes me appreciate good tunes a bit less, and it certainly doesn’t allow much time for a track to grow on you, but I wouldn’t say that it was better before. I’m exposed to far greater amounts of great music than in the past and this can’t be a bad thing.

I’ve also noticed that teenagers today don’t just listen to music from the last 18 months, like my generation did when we were teens. They listen to music from every era, which I think is very interesting. There is really something out there for everyone. The internet has allowed for communities of subcultures to worship a particular niche of music, that in the past simply would never have gotten released.

He concludes, “I think the internet has been a huge plus for musicians and people who love music. The only ones it hasn’t been good for is music companies and distributors,” which I would agree with on every level. We also learnt the punishments to which Justin Bieber should be subjected for Eenie Meenie (“cruel and unusual”), which seems fair.

Blue Swan‘s Soundcloud site can be found here: http://soundcloud.com/blueswan