For reasons that I don’t entirely remember, NME decided to take the year off from their awards ceremony in 2019, so returned on 12 February 2020, just weeks before the lockdown started in the UK. Due to other commitments, we didn’t manage to cover it here at the time, so here we are, a year late! The ceremony was held at the O2 Academy Brixton, a year ago last week.
Godlike Genius
Winner: Emily Eavis
Best British Album
Nominees:
- FKA twigs – Magdalene
- Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, Pt. 1
- Little Simz – GREY Area
- Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
- Slowthai – Nothing Great About Britain
Winner: Little Simz
Best Album in the World
Nominees:
- Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
- FKA twigs Magdalene
- Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, Pt. 1
- Lana del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
- Little Simz – GREY Area
- Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
- Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind
- Slowthai – Nothing Great About Britain
- Stella Donnelly – Beware of the Dogs
- Tyler, the Creator – IGOR
Winner: Lana del Rey
Best British Song
Nominees:
- AJ Tracey – Ladbroke Grove
- Dua Lipa – Don’t Start Now
- Georgia – About Work the Dancefloor
- Mura Masa feat. Slowthai – Deal Wiv It
- The 1975 – People
Winner: AJ Tracey
Best Song in the World
Nominees:
- AJ Tracey – Ladbroke Grove
- Billie Eilish – Bad Guy
- Clairo – Bags
- Dua Lipa – Don’t Start Now
- Georgia – About Work the Dancefloor
- Lil Nas X – Old Town Road (Remix)
- Lizzo – Juice
- Mura Masa feat. Slowthai – Deal Wiv It
- Post Malone – Circles
- The 1975 – People
Winner: Billie Eilish
Best British Solo Act
Nominees:
- AJ Tracey
- Charli XCX
- FKA twigs
- Slowthai
- Yungblud
Winner: FKA twigs
Best Solo Act in the World
Nominees:
- AJ Tracey
- Beck
- Billie Eilish
- Charli XCX
- FKA twigs
- Lana del Rey
- Lizzo
- Slowthai
- Taylor Swift
- Yungblud
Winner: Taylor Swift
Best British Band: Supported by Pizza Express
Nominees:
- Bring Me The Horizon
- IDLES
- Krept & Konan
- The 1975
- The Big Moon
Winner: The 1975
Best Band in the World
Nominees:
- Bring Me the Horizon
- Brockhampton
- BTS
- HAIM
- IDLES
- Krept & Konan
- Slipknot
- Tame Impala
- The 1975
- The Big Moon
Winner: Slipknot
Best New British Act: Supported by Nordoff Robbins
Nominees:
- Celeste
- D-Block Europe
- Easy Life
- Jade Bird
- Sam Fender
Winner: Easy Life
Best New Act in the World
Nominees:
- Celeste
- Clairo
- D-Block Europe
- DaBaby
- Dominic Fike
- Easy Life
- Fontaines DC
- Girl In Red
- Jade Bird
- Sam Fender
Winner: Clairo
Best Live Act: Supported by Copper Dog Whiskey
Nominees:
- Amyl + The Sniffers
- Foals
- Iggy Pop
- Lizzo
- Slowthai
Winner: Foals
Best Collaboration
Nominees:
- BTS + Halsey
- Charli XCX + Christine and the Queens
- Megan Thee Stallion + DaBaby
- Slowthai + Mura Masa
- Yungblud + Dan Reynolds
Winner: Slowthai + Mura Masa
Best Music Video
Nominees:
- Brockhampton – I Been Born Again
- Easy Life – Nice Guys
- Normani – Motivation
- Stormzy – Vossi Bop
- Yungblud – Original Me
Winner: Yungblud
Best British Festival
Nominees:
- All Points East
- Glastonbury
- Parklife
- Reading & Leeds
- Wireless
Winner: Glastonbury
Best Small Festival: Supported by Cano Water
Nominees:
- Bluedot
- End of the Road
- Iceland Airwaves
- Kendal Calling
- Øya
Winner: End of the Road
Best Festival in the World
Nominees:
- All Points East
- Coachella
- Fuji Rock
- Glastonbury
- Mad Cool
- Parklife
- Reading & Leeds
- Rock In Rio
- Sziget
- Wireless
Winner: Glastonbury
Best Festival Headliner
Nominees:
- Cardi B
- Lana Del Rey
- Stormzy
- The 1975
- The Cure
Winner: The Cure
Best Film
Nominees:
- Blue Story
- Hustlers
- Joker
- Midsommar
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Winner: Blue Story
Best Film Actor
Nominees:
- Florence Pugh
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Lupita Nyong’o
- Micheal Ward
- Taron Egerton
Winner: Taron Egerton
Best TV Show: Supported by 19 Crimes
Nominees:
- The End of the Fucking World
- Fleabag
- Peaky Blinders
- Stranger Things
- Top Boy
Winner: Peaky Blinders
Best TV Actor
Nominees:
- Asa Butterfield
- Jessica Barden
- Jodie Comer
- Kano
- Zendaya
Winner: Jessica Barden
Best Music Film
Nominees:
- Beyoncé – Homecoming
- BTS – Bring the Soul
- Liam Gallagher – As It Was
- Michael Hutchence – Mystify
- Rocketman
Winner: Liam Gallagher
Best Book
Billed as ‘Best Book’ by NME themselves, the name was corrected by some online to ‘Best Music Book’. Nominees:
- Brett Anderson – Afternoons with the Blinds Drawn
- Debbie Harry – Face It: A Memoir
- Elton John – Me
- Prince – The Beautiful Ones
- Tegan & Sara – High School
Winner: Debbie Harry
Best Reissue
Nominees:
- Aretha Franklin – Amazing Grace
- Muse – Origin of Muse
- Prince – 1999
- R.E.M. – Monster 25
- The Beatles – Abbey Road
Winner: Muse
Best Podcast: Supported by Dax
Nominees:
- Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
- My Dad Wrote A Porno
- Sex Power Money
- Stay Free: The Story of The Clash
- The Missing Cryptoqueen
Winner: Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
Best Game
Nominees:
- Death Stranding
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- The Outer Worlds
Winner: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Songwriter of the Decade
Winner: Robyn
Band of the Decade
Winner: The 1975
Under the Radar Award
Winner: Beabadoobee
NME Icon
Winner: Courtney Love
Music for stowaways 