New Vivienne Westwood-designed Brit
Conspicuous consumption is out at the revamped Brit Awards, which will now culminate with the award of the Best British Album of the year.
As revealed by Beehive in July, the music industry wants a more sober showcase for its wares, following Peter Kay’s less than respectful presentation on ITV1 last year.
Calling JLS “an all-black, male version of Bucks Fizz” and reminding viewers that that they were missing Muslim Driving School would probably not have happened at the Oscars or Grammys, the new model for the annual bash.
The Outstanding Achievement award has been dropped, ending the annual headache for organisers struggling to find someone sufficiently legendary, yet unrewarded, who can keep viewers’ from flicking to the aforesaid driving frolics.
Artists will now form the largest single group represented in the electoral college, in a bid to ensure that those honoured have the respect of their peers.
This gives artists the power that MPs and trade unions had in the Labour leadership election to over-ride the votes of the majority of ordinary members – in this case journalists, retailers and PRs.
Ideally, JLS should argue the merits of their Outta This World album at a series of Brits hustings in front of academy members and rival artists. As with the Labour poll, horse-trading second preference votes will be crucial.
If the show is to climax with the Best British Album prize, in an era where single track downloads dominate and long-form sales are falling, then there had better be some worthy nominees.
Oasis: 1996 Best Brit Album winner
Early favourites must be Take That, who will open the 2011 show, now moved to the O2 Arena. The buzz around the Robbie Williams-powered Progress album, out next week, is good and their topping and tailing the show would be the equivalent of a lifetime achievement prize.
Beehive predicts Take That will compete against Tinie Tempah’s Disc-overy debut. The Brit rapper should win the Breakthrough and single prize for Pass Out and his album best represents a hugely successful year for UK urban music.
In Peter Kay’s words, there should be “something for the Dads”. Tom Jones’ Praise & Blame would be a popular nominee, if not a winner. Robert Plant, Paul Weller, or Elton John’s recent acclaimed albums would fit the bill too.
Plan B’s The Defamation of Strickland Banks will be on the list. It hits the retro-soul commerical spot carved out by Amy’s Back To Black and shows that a young artist, who’s career was going nowhere, can be reinvented with the right support.
New singer-songwirter Rumer’s Seasons of My Soul will also be a big winner with artists and has entered the top three in its first week. It could sneak on to the list and someone has to break up the boys’ club.
So there’ll be no Oasis-style bad boy antics and it might not be the anarchic Brits of yore but maybe that’s appropriate in this age of austerity. Who knows, it might even be a Brits safe enough for David Cameron to attend?
