The nominees were announced on January 31, with the ceremony taking place on Friday March 3 at Earl's Court. It's the first time the awards have taken place on a Friday, and the first time they've taken place after the Grammys.
Records to be released between August 98 and November 99; "British" categories open to acts containing a majority of UK passport holders. "Best-of" albums are not eligible unless at least 51% of the album by running time is new.
| British Categories | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best British Group | Blur Gomez Stereophonics Texas Travis | Battle lines are drawn in the usual place. No surprises: double nominations for Travis, the Stereophonics (Best Newcomer two years ago) or Gomez. Texas retains an appeal to the panel beyond their popular reach while Blur's experimental album gives their first nod since 1996. This award has gone to the BB Album winner for the past six years. I'd like to see Blur win the award, but it's probably going to go to Travis ahead of the 'Phonics. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Best British Album | Basement Jaxx 'Remedy' The Chemical Brothers 'Surrender' Gomez 'Liquid Skin' Stereophonics 'Performance & Cocktails' Travis 'The Man Who' | As ever, this is pretty much a re-run of the Group award, so the comments there stand. Expect Travis to complete the double, but Basement Jaxx might come from behind to surprise everyone. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Best British Male Solo Artist | David Bowie Ian Brown Sting Tom Jones Van Morrison | Gosh. Look at all the new talent there. Jones (debut: 65) Morrison (67) Bowie (69) Sting (77) Brown (89). Usually, the UK female category is the weakest, but this shows the dearth of new solo acts, especially as Fatboy Slim is not eligible, and regular winner Paul Weller released nothing this year. Haven't a clue how this will go, and don't care much. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Best British Female Solo Artist | Beth Orton Beverley Knight Gabrielle Geri Halliwell Melanie C | Just for once, this is a strong line-up, with all five nominees securing top 20 albums. Gabrielle (best newcomer, 94) released a single as the nominations came out, which could well swing votes her way. Two Spice Girls are nominated, but neither album has sold very well. Beverley Knight's soul and Beth Orton's folk complete a well-rounded line up. I'd love Beth Orton to win, her career could use the boost. However, I expect Gabrielle will beat off Mel C for the gong. Tori Amos is eligible for this award by marriage, but her 1999 album does not meet the new content requirement. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Best British Dance Act | Basement Jaxx The Chemical Brothers Fatboy Slim Jamiroquai Leftfield | Fatboy would be popular, Jaxx seems to have lots of fans in high places, as does Jamiroquai. Leftfield feels like a make-up-the-numbers nomination, but the Chemicals could be a popular compromise vote. The Chemicals would be my tip, but the Jaxx might beat them out. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Categories Voted By The Public | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best British Single | Basement Jaxx 'Red Alert' Supergrass 'Moving' Moloko 'Sing It Back' Blur 'Tender' Robbie Williams 'She's The One' Travis 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me' Fatboy Slim 'Praise You' Manic Street Preachers 'You Stole The Sun From My Heart' The Chemical Brothers 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' Shanks & Bigfoot 'Sweet Like Chocolate' | Voted by listeners to Commercial Radio. We need to look for huge sellers, or records that have remained popular for ages. That narrows the field to Williams, Fatboy, Bigfoot and possibly Travis, eliminating classics from Blur and the Chemicals. Of those four, Williams won this award last year, Travis has a large fan base, Fatboy's picked up a far larger audience than usual, and Bigfoot's just might go that bit further. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Best British Video | Aphex Twin 'Windowlicker' Fatboy Slim 'Praise You' Robbie Williams 'She's The One' The Chemical Brothers 'Let Forever Be' Supergrass 'Pumping On Your Stereo' | Voted by viewers of MTV:UK. Again, pick the popular videos on the channel: Robbie, Fatboy, Chemicals. I suspect that Robbie won't win this, as his video is not the best. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Best British Newcomer | Adam Rickett Ann Lee Charlotte Church Martine McCutcheon S Club 7 Groove Armada Phats & Small Shanks & Bigfoot Spacedust Wamdue Project Fierce Glamma Kid Honeyz Kele Le Roc Jamelia Beta Band Death In Vegas Gay Dad Unkle Wiseguys | Voted by listeners to Radio 1 We need to find someone cool, that appeals to the uber-trendies that listen to the station. Fats, Bigfoot, Fierce, Beta Band, Death In Vegas and possibly the Wiseguys. Eliminating the biggest export - Church; and the most successful - McCutcheon, S Club 7. A straightforward bums-on-seats count. Geri's nomination is for the weakest of her three singles, while Steps' comes from 1998 and was a Best Single nominee last year. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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00-feb-12