I’m still reeling from the news that Q Magazine is no longer with us, but it seems a fair assumption that the Q Awards probably won’t happen again any time soon. Tickets are still on sale for the event on 14th October 2020, at an eye-watering £999 per person, so let’s hope I’m wrong about that, but either way, I never got around to summarising last Autumn’s Q Awards ceremony, so let’s jump onto it now.
The 2019 event took place at N on N, and were presented by Nadine Shah.
Q Best Breakthrough Act Presented by Red Stripe
Nominees:
- Lewis Capaldi
- Gerry Cinnamon
- Easy Life
- Sam Fender
- Fontaines DC
- Little Simz
- Pale Waves
- Rosalía
- Self Esteem
- Slowthai
- AJ Tracey
- Working Men’s Club
Winner: Pale Waves
Q Best Track Presented by Absolute Radio
Nominees:
- Lewis Capaldi – Someone You Loved
- Billie Eilish – Bad Guy
- FKA Twigs – Cellophane
- JARV IS – Must I Evolve
- Lizzo – Juice
- Róisín Murphy – Incapable
- The 1975 – People
- AJ Tracey – Ladbroke Grove
- Stormzy – Vossi Bop
- Vampire Weekend – Harmony Hall
Winner: Lewis Capaldi
Q Best Album
Nominees:
- Dave – Psychodrama
- Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
- Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
- Fat White Family – Serfs Up
- Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost (Part 1)
- Little Simz – Grey Area
- The 1975 – A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
- Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive
- Slowthai – Nothing Great About Britain
- Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow
Winner: Foals
Q Best Live Performance Presented by The Cavern Club
Nominees:
- The Courteeners – Heaton Park
- Doves – TCT at Royal Albert Hall
- Florence & The Machine – BST Hyde Park
- Ariana Grande – The O2
- Michael Kiwanuka – End of the Road
- The 1975 – Reading Festival
- Stormzy – Glastonbury
- The Streets – Brixton Academy
- The Strokes – All Points East
- Neil Young & Bob Dylan – BST Hyde Park
Winner: Michael Kiwanuka
Q Best Solo Act
Nominees:
- Lewis Capaldi
- Loyle Carner
- Dave
- Billie Eilish
- Liam Gallagher
- Aldous Harding
- Kano
- Stormzy
- Kate Tempest
- Florence Welch
Winner: Stormzy
Q Best Act In The World Today Presented by Rocksteady Music School
Nominees:
- Arctic Monkeys
- Christine and the Queens
- Biffy Clyro
- Lana Del Rey
- Billie Eilish
- Florence And The Machine
- Liam Gallagher
- The 1975
- Bruce Springsteen
- Stormzy
Winner: The 1975
Q Best Festival/Event
Nominees:
- All Points East
- British Summer Time
- Glastonbury
- Isle of Wight Festival
- Latitude
- Reading and Leeds Festival
Winner: All Points East
Q Innovation In Sound
Winner: Dizzie Rascal
Q Classic Album
Winner: Tricky, for Maxinquaye
Q Maverick Presented by The Roundhouse
Winner: Edwyn Collins
Fender Play Award
Winner: Anna Calvi
Q Outstanding Contribution To Music
Winner: Kano
Q Classic Songwriter
Winner: Kevin Rowland
Q Inspiration
Winner: Madness
Q Icon Presented by Raymond Weil
Winner: Christine and the Queens
Q Hero
Winner: Kim Gordon
Q Song Of The Decade
Winner: Lana Del Rey, for Video Games
Q Best Vocal Performance
Winner: Little Simz