The voting: Votes are cast by 500 selected music industry professionals, including record company executives, promoters, DJs and pluggers. Musicians themselves do not get a vote.
The timetable: To be nominated for this year's awards, records must have been released between 1 August 1996 and 15 November 1997. Ballot forms, listing all eligable acts, were sent to the panel of 500 during the third week of November, and returned by mid-December. The nominations were announced on 12 January 1998, with the awards ceremony following on 9 February. Balloting for the awards decided by the panel started on 13 January; for the awards chosen by the public from the panel's shortlist commenced on 15 January. All ballots close on 4 February.
| The Panel's Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Oasis The Prodigy Radiohead Texas The Verve |
Oh my. What a start. The self-proclaimed most important award at the ceremony, and we have two acts (Oasis and Verve) that are the main reason why the British music industry is ossifying around our ears; and one act (Prodigy) that is far more mouth and hype than talent. We also have Radiohead, the critics' choice, who have an album that is not as dull as we feared. And, rising above them all is Texas, whose White On Blonde album has sold simply on its own strength. They're my nominees to win. | |
| Gosh. This is an awfully familiar set of nominations. Logic would suggest that the same group will win this as best group. An industry carve-up would give the award to someone else. Either way, I'm pushing Texas, followed slightly more closely by Radiohead. | Oasis - Be Here Now The Prodigy - The Fat Of The Land Radiohead - OK Computer Texas - White On Blonde The Verve - Urban Hymns |
|
| BEST BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST Gary Barlow Elton John Finley Quaye Paul Weller Robbie Williams |
Media attention heads to the spat between the two ex-members of Take That, Barlow and Williams, and the merits or otherwise of their records. There's also the interesting R&B antics of Quaye, another tedious album from Weller, the Godfather of Fossils, and a classic album from John. The sentimental money goes to Elton John, the brightest young talent is Gary Barlow, and my vote just heads to Elton. | |
| How come Lisa Stansfield's always nominated in this category? Partly because there's such a dearth of talent. Last year only four acts qualified, this year five made it. Personally, I'd vote for folk singer Beth Orton, but expect Shola Ama will make the cut. | BEST BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST Shola Ama Michelle Gayle Louise Beth Orton Lisa Stansfield |
|
| BEST BRITISH DANCE ACT The Brand New Heavies The Chemical Brothers Eternal Jamiroquai The Prodigy |
An award that consistently fails to justify its existance. Brand New Heavies in a very weak list. | |
| A category that appears somewhat superflous. Stephen Street, if you must know. | BEST BRITISH PRODUCER Nigel Godrich/Radiohead Liam Howlett Roni Size Stephen Street Youth/The Verve/Chris Potter | |
| The People's Choices | ||
|---|---|---|
| BEST BRITISH SINGLE All Saints - Never Ever Blur - Song 2 Chumbawamba - Tubthumping Eternal featuring Be Be Winans - I Wanna Be The Only One Elton John - Something About The Way You Look Tonight/Candle In The Wind 1997 Olive - You're Not Alone Radiohead - Paranoid Android Texas - Say What You Want The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony Robbie Williams - Old Before I Die |
Seven classic records, one indifferent (Olive) and two piles of pants (Verve and Robbie Williams). It's not a perfect list - I'd have given nods to Radiohead's Karma Police and Texas' Black Eyed Boy, but these are small points. As this is a public popularity contest, expect the Spice Girls to win. Only, they're not nominated; neither "Spice up your life" nor "Who do you think you are" were given the nod. So, I expect a close-run race between the All Saints and Elton John, with Chumbawumba and Eternal heading the chasing pack. Personally, I'd plump for Blur, but not by much. | |
Trade magazine Music Week has claimed that last year saw a massive explosion of British talent. This list does not give justice to that. All Saints, Quaye, Reeves and Ama represent the R&B explosion; Olive and Reprazent come from the highly tedious jungle; Embrace, Stereophonics and Travis are part of the general stasis of UK rock music; and Orton is the first folk singer to have a nomination in this category. The list overlooks one band that brought some energy to the tired scene, and my vote goes to Kenickie. Of the ten on the list, Beth Orton gets my nod ahead of my expected winners, All Saints. | BEST BRITISH NEWCOMER All Saints Shola Ama Embrace Olive Beth Orton Finley Quaye Conner Reeves Roni Size & Reprazent Stereophonics Travis | |
| BEST BRITISH VIDEO All Saints - Never Ever Blur - Song 2 David Bowie - Little Wonder The Chemical Brothers - Block Rockin' Beats Dario G - Sunchyme Jamiroquai - Alright Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean Republica - Drop Dead Gorgeous Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life Supergrass - Late In The Day The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony |
If one category sums up what the Brits this year should be, this is it. A wide variety of acts, each appealing to their own consitiuencies. The Spices will win it, and probably deservedly, but stop for a moment to consider the claims of Bowie, Dario G, Jamiroquai, Republica, Supergrass and the Spices. All six could have reasonably expected multiple nominations, but are forced to play off for the one award. This is especially hard on Republica, who do have energy and verve - more than Oasis and Verve put together. | |
| The International Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| BEST INTERNATIONAL NEWCOMER Erykah Badu Daft Punk Eels Hanson No Doubt |
Five acts of extreme class - be it alternate, pop, ska, dance or soul, these have it covered. Picking a favourite out is not easy, but I'd just plump for the Eels ahead of Hanson. | |
| Another perennially weak category. This year, it's a choice between one rocker or four shades of dance. Coolio gets my nod, but I'd far sooner vote not to award at all. | BEST INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST Jon Bon Jovi Coolio LL Cool J DJ Shadow Sash! | |
| BEST INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST Erykah Badu Bjork Meredith Brooks Celine Dion Janet Jackson |
Again, a quintet that spans the realm of music, though this time just leaves something missing. Celine by a nose. | |
| Note that four of these five are also in the newcomer category, and U2 seem to be there to make up the numbers. Again, the Eels pip Hanson. | BEST INTERNATIONAL GROUP Daft Punk Eels Hanson No Doubt U2 | |
| BEST SOUNDTRACK The Full Monty Men In Black Romeo + Juliet Space Jam Trainspotting #2 |
A good soundtrack album can stand on its own, without reference to the film or show from which it came. That rules out Monty and MiB. Trainspotting won last year, which just about rules it out for this time, and I'd favour R+J ahead of Space Jam. But I expect the panel to go the other way. | |
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