Of the seemingly neverending parade of British music awards, the Brits—which will be given out this year on Feb. 18—seem the most interesting to me. Not only is this year’s recipient of the “Outstanding Contribution To Music” award the Pet Shop Boys, the inevitable news reports the day after the award ceremony, regarding one musician or another involved in some form of drunken embarrassment, are old reliables, even in this tough time for the music biz. And reading the list of hopeful winners gives you an excuse to work on your “puzzled befuddlement” look, especially when you take a gander at the nominees for “International Male Solo Artist”: Beck; Neil Diamond; Jay-Z; Kanye West; and Seasick Steve. The full list of those practicing their acceptance speeches at home right now is below the cut.
British Male Solo Artist:
Ian Brown
James Morrison
Paul Weller
The Streets
Will Young
British Female Solo Artist:
Adele
Beth Rowley
Duffy
Estelle
MIA
British Breakthrough Act:
Adele
Duffy
Last Shadow Puppets
Scouting For Girls
The Ting Tings
British Group:
Coldplay
Elbow
Girls Aloud
Radiohead
Take That
British Live Act:
Coldplay
Elbow
Iron Maiden
Scouting For Girls
The Verve
British Single:
Adele – Chasing Pavements
Alexandra Burke – Hallelujah
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
Dizzee Rascal / Harris / Chrome – Dance Wiv Me
Duffy – Mercy
Estelle Ft Kanye West – American Boy
Girls Aloud – The Promise
Leona Lewis – Better in Time
Scouting for Girls – Heartbeat
X Factor Finalists – Hero
British Album:
Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends
Duffy – Rockferry
Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
Radiohead – In Rainbows
The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing
International Male Solo Artist:
Beck
Neil Diamond
Jay-Z
Kanye West
Seasick Steve
International Female Solo Artist:
Beyonce
Gabriella Cilmi
Katy Perry
Pink
Santogold
International Group:
AC/DC
Fleet Foxes
Killers
Kings of Leon
MGMT
International Album:
AC/DC – Black Ice
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Killers – Day & Age
Kings of Leon – Only By The Night
MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
Critics’ Choice:
Florence and the Machine
Outstanding Contribution to Music:
Pet Shop Boys
Nominations [BRITs 2009]
Who the hell is Beth Rowley?
Seasick Steve could totally take Boxcar Willie if he wasn’t dead.
So Seasick Steve is some sort of hybrid of Larry the Cable Guy, R.L. Burnside, and Emmet Otter?
Alot of those nominees are either boring or awful, but it’s pretty cool that Florence and the Machine won the critic’s choice award.
I played a cigar box guitar festival this summer, and every damn act was exactly the same as Seasick Steve all the way down to each one doing the same damn “Let me introduce the band joke”. If I wasn’t before, I am now. Convinced, that is, that any damn American act that can book a flight to England is set for the next six months. (I don’t normally say “damn” that much)