Season 30
The BRIT Awards, often simply called The BRITs, are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of British or Britannia, but has subsequently become a "backronym" for British Record Industry Trust.
The 30th annual BRIT Awards aired on M-Net on Thursday 18 February 2010, at 23h00. They were hosted by Peter Kay.
Overview
The awards began in 1977 under the auspices of the BPI, the British record industry's trade association. The last BPI Awards show took place at the Albert Hall and was the first prime-time TV event.
In 1989 they were renamed the Britannia Awards, or BRIT Awards.
BRIT is also an acronym for the British Record Industry Trust Show - the Trust supports youngsters in the arts and education mainly at The BRIT School in London.
Strong music industry sponsorship and involvement mean that awards are given without much democratic process and, many suspect, for strongly commercial reasons. These are awards given by the music industry to the music industry. Robbie Williams pointed this out accepting an award a few years back.
More recently, the awards have more reflected the tastes of the record-buying public, with an artist needing to prove popular and chart-topping before they are rewarded.
The BRIT Awards used to be broadcast live until 1989, when Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood hosted a shambolic show in which just about everything went wrong - lines were fluffed, bands mis-cued, and airtime filled with embarrassing silence.
After this the show was recorded, and broadcast the following night, part of a revamp by Jonathan King for 1990 whose actions also included naming them the BRITs, hosting the show in 1987 - the most successful previous show - and releasing a megamix of British dance acts including S'Express and A Guy Called Gerald called BRITs 1990.
He also managed to get Margaret Thatcher to croon How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?
King subsequently went on to revamp A Song for Europe and won the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK in 1997, in which year the BPI awarded him their Man of the Year accolade.
Pre-recording proved to be a good idea when, during a Michael Jackson performance in 1996, Jarvis Cocker from the band Pulp invaded the stage in an impromptu protest at Jackson's 'messianic' performance.
There have been many such notable instances, including several UK politicians presenting awards and being heckled (and, in the case of John Prescott, having water thrown over him, at the 1998 awards, by Chumbawamba vocalist Danbert Nobacon) and a remarkable performance by The KLF in 1992.
2010 Nominees
British Female Solo Artist
Bat for Lashes
Florence & the Machine
Leona Lewis
Lily Allen
Pixie Lott
British Male Solo Artist
Calvin Harris
Dizzee Rascal
Mika
Paolo Nutini
Robbie Williams
British Breakthrough Act
Florence & the Machine
Friendly Fires
JLS
La Roux
Pixie Lott
British Group
Doves
Friendly Fires
JLS
Kasabian
Muse
MasterCard British Album
Dizzee Rascal - Tongue n’Cheek
Florence & the Machine - Lungs
Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Lily Allen - It’s Not Me, It’s You
Paolo Nutini - Sunny Side Up
British Single
Alesha Dixon - Breathe Slow
Alexandra Burke Ft Flo Rida - Bad Boys
Cheryl Cole - Fight For This Love
Joe McElderry - The Climb
JLS - Beat Again
La Roux - In For The Kill
Lily Allen - The Fear
Pixie Lott - Mama Do
Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart
Tinchy Stryder Ft N-Dubz - Number 1
Critics' Choice
Ellie Goulding
Delphic
Marina and the Diamonds
BRITs Album of 30 Years
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
Dido - No Angel
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
Duffy - Rockferry
Keane - Hopes & Fears
Oasis - (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
Sade - Diamond Life
The Verve - Urban Hymns
Travis - The Man Who
The BRITs Hits 30
Bee Gees - Stayin’ Alive/How Deep is Your Love
Bros. - I Owe you Nothing
Coldplay - Clocks
Eurythmics & Stevie Wonder - Angel
Girls Aloud - The Promise
Kanye West - Gold Digger
Kylie Minogue - Can’t Get You Out of my Head
Michael Jackson - Earth Song
Paul McCartney - Live & Let Die
Pet Shop Boys - Go West
Robbie Williams & Tom Jones - The Full Monty Medley
Scissor Sisters - Take Your Mama
Spice Girls - Wannabe/Who Do You Think You Are
Take That - Beatles Medley
The Who - Who Are You
International Female Solo Artist
Lady Gaga
Ladyhawke
Norah Jones
Rihanna
Shakira
International Male Solo Artist
Bruce Springsteen
Eminem
Jay-Z
Michael Buble
Seasick Steve
International Album
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Black Eyed Peas - The End
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream
Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
Lady Gaga - The Fame
International Breakthrough Act
Animal Collective
Daniel Merriweather
Empire of the Sun
Lady Gaga
Taylor Swift
Outstanding Contribution Award
Robbie Williams