Words by Olivia Cellamare


Why do we feel the need to award musicians with things such as Best Album or Best Dressed?

Is there really any need for these awards? The fact that they’ve been given a record deal and sold some records should be enough, right? I suppose it isn’t. Whatever feeds the ego I suppose.

Although a lot are decided by the general public, many are not.  And more often than not the right person does not win the award.  There are some who think awards are fixed. Let’s face it, they clearly are- Brits?  Mercury Music Prize anyone?

We are forced lists of who we should love, who we should hate, who’s going to be massive and who we should ignore.

The majority of hardcore music lovers are not stupid and obviously won’t buy into the JLS X-Factor rubbish. Yet, JLS have won MOBO awards and are up for a Brit. If you’re going to be awarded shouldn’t you have been around a bit or done something worthy of awarding?

Morrissey summed it up at a gig in Stirling last year, “Mercury Music Prize-shove it up your arse.”

Awards are rigged and meaningless. It’s a bit like a popularity contest or being picked last during PE in school- no matter how good you are the ones that these supposed “experts” back are the ones we are going to have rammed down our necks for the next year or so.

Not to mention that they increase album sales, it is sort of shameless promotion for winners and losers. All albums or artists nominated for a Brit or Mercury Prize have a sticker in the corner of the CD case stating that they are a nominee or winner. You wonder what is the point of the awards when it is painfully predictable who will win certain categories at the Brits.

All I can do is beg of you to not vote for any of them.

However, I would like to add that I am a huge Florence + The Machine and Ellie Goulding fan, so I guess this makes me a hypocrite. Maybe I should be a politician…..

Posted In Midweek Comment, Feb 04 2010. Words - Publisher 1