(02-15-2006) U2, Westlife up for Brit awards tonight - IOL*

[HelloAngel]

U2, Westlife up for Brit awards tonight

Ed. Note -- Best of luck to our boys!

The Brit Awards take place tonight with Westlife and U2 representing Irish interest in the glitzy event. They are among the acts nominated for awards on the biggest night in the British music calendar.

Westlife have been nominated in the Pop Act category, where the winner will be chosen by CD:UK viewers, The Sun Bizarre column readers and customers of 02 and Motorola.

U2 are up for two awards to add to their haul at the Grammys last week - they are nominated in the International Group and International Album (for How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb) categories.

International stars including Madonna and Prince are scheduled to attend the ceremony.

Meanwhile, after a strong year for British music, local acts are hoping for a clean sweep at the awards.

Former British Army captain James Blunt’s five nominations are for Best British Male, Best Album, Best Pop Act, Best Breakthrough Act and Best British single for his smash hit You’re Beautiful.

Leeds rockers Kaiser Chiefs are up for Best British Group, Best Album, Best Live Act, Best Rock Act and Best Breakthrough Act.

The band will open the show with I Predict A Riot.

If either act gets a clean sweep, they will make Brits history. Blur hold the record for the most awards after they picked up four gongs in 1995.

Chris Evans will host this year’s event from London’s Earls Court Arena.

Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall is up for Best British Female, Best Breakthrough Act and Best British Live Act. She will battle it out for the best female award with Charlotte Church, Katie Melua, Natasha Bedingfield and Kate Bush.

Bush made her long-awaited comeback last year with Aerial, her first album in 12 years.

Coldplay have four nominations – Best British Group, Best Album, Best Live Act and Best British Single for Speed of Sound.

Madonna is hot favourite for Best International Female prize while other acts tipped for success are Gorillaz and band-of-the-moment Arctic Monkeys.

Paul Weller will pick up the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music and will close the show.

Diminutive US star Prince has flown into London especially for the show but is reportedly still deciding whether to perform.

Brit Awards Nominees

British Male Solo Artist
:: Antony and the Johnsons
:: Ian Brown
:: James Blunt
:: Robbie Williams
:: Will Young

British Female Solo Artist
:: Charlotte Church
:: Kate Bush
:: Katie Melua
:: KT Tunstall
:: Natasha Bedingfield

British Group
:: Coldplay
:: Franz Ferdinand
:: Gorillaz
:: Hard-Fi
:: Kaiser Chiefs

MasterCard British Album
:: Coldplay – X&Y
:: Gorillaz – Demon Days
:: James Blunt – Back to Bedlam
:: Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
:: Kate Bush – Aerial

British Single (winner chosen by UK commercial radio listeners)
:: Coldplay – Speed Of Sound
:: James Blunt – You’re Beautiful
:: Shayne Ward – That’s My Goal
:: Sugababes – Push The Button
:: Tony Christie ft Peter Kay – (Is This The Way To) Amarillo?

British Breakthrough Act (winner chosen by Radio 1 listeners)
:: Arctic Monkeys
:: James Blunt
:: Kaiser Chiefs
:: KT Tunstall
:: The Magic Numbers

British Urban Act
:: Craig David
:: Dizzee Rascal
:: Kano
:: Lemar
:: Ms Dynamite

British Rock Act (winner chosen by Kerrang! TV viewers)
:: Franz Ferdinand
:: Hard-Fi
:: Kaiser Chiefs
:: Kasabian
:: Oasis

British Live Act (winner chosen by Radio 2 listeners)
:: Coldplay
:: Kaiser Chiefs
:: Franz Ferdinand
:: KT Tunstall
:: Oasis

Pop Act (winner chosen by CD:UK viewers, The Sun Bizarre column readers and customers of 02 and Motorola)
:: James Blunt
:: Katie Melua
:: Kelly Clarkson
:: Madonna
:: Westlife

International Male Solo Artist
:: Beck
:: Bruce Springsteen
:: Jack Johnson
:: John Legend
:: Kanye West

International Female Solo Artist
:: Bjork
:: Kelly Clarkson
:: Madonna
:: Mariah Carey
:: Missy Elliott

International Group
:: Arcade Fire
:: Black Eyed Peas
:: Green Day
:: U2
:: White Stripes

International Album
:: Arcade Fire – Funeral
:: Green Day – American Idiot
:: Kanye West – Late Registration
:: Madonna – Confessions On A Dancefloor
:: U2 – How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

International Breakthrough Act
:: Arcade Fire
:: Daniel Powter
:: Jack Johnson
:: John Legend
:: Pussycat Dolls

Outstanding Contribution to Music
:: Paul Weller


© Thomas Crosbie Media, 2006.
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=172775144&p=y7z77585x

 

[Balfron]

I warn you now guys that the Brit Awards are not to be taken seriously. Most awards are decided by the industry themselves and they always vote for the most 'exciting' new bands in music. Remember The Darkness? They won 3 Brit Awards... Don't expect U2 to win much; they are established already, the music industry doesn't need to hype them. Arctic Monkeys will likely do quite well, even though they have already been over-hyped...

Just don't be disappointed if U2 don't win!

(PS they might the awards are unpredictable sometimes...)

 

[Pamelakellett]

I agree. I don`t think the boys will get anything at the Brits. They seem to do much better in USA than UK, but I`m happy to be be proved wrong! I didn`t think they would get all 5 grammys so what do know!

 

[STING2]

They seem to do much better in USA than UK,

Not when it comes to albums sales. On per capita basis, sales of HTDAAB in the United Kingdom are twice as high as they are in the United States.

 

[Pamelakellett]

Well just as I thought, beaten by Green Day in both categories. Kaiser Chiefs did well though.

 

[Balfron]

Because Kaiser Chiefs are the band the record industry thinks is pushing the industry into the limelight the most...

make nothing of it guys

 

[Bono's Tart]

I don't think the band will loose much sleep do you?

I love Kaiser Chiefs!

 

[Carek1230]

I hope the boys pull out some more awards. After the Grammy sweep, I hope it's in the stars for them tonite!

 

[Lila64]

they lost to Green Day - both categores

 

[edge3]

You have to be British to qualify for most of the Brit awards so U2 are always at a disadvantage here. In fact, since they started best international album in 2002 (& being Irish), they can actually only ever qualify for these 2 awards (except for the 'outstanding contribution to music' in 2001 & the then one off 'most succesful live act' in 1993).

Anyway apart from 'The Bomb' Arcade Fire's 'Funeral' should have won best international album but that's just not mainstream enough for the Brits. Green Day for Best International Group is just about fair enough i spoooose considering U2 have already won it a record 5 times.

 

[light]

I am not overly sad they did not get the awards. They've got already plenty of this stuff and after the 5 Grammys who cares about the Brit awards anyway