BRIT Awards... what?

19 February 2010

If the award was for an outstanding contribution to the music industry then I wouldn't be so indignant. Williams' rise to solo fame on the shoulders of a manufactured pop group, the money he was able to demand for his services, and his ability to alter his persona and performance to ensure that he was as successful at the Glastonbury Festival as he was on Top of the Pops, demonstrated what was possible for the industry in the years leading up to the end of the 20th Century. But I fail to see in what way he has contributed to music.

And this is my criticism of the entire event; the BRIT Awards are not a celebration of music, they are a celebration of the industry. Just as the myriad polls that declared The Strokes' 'Is This It' the best album of the 2000s, they conflate the ability to sell albums and fill column inches with artistic achievement. All of the winners have achieved stardom, but not one has done anything substantial for music:

• Dizzee Rascal: rap/mutilated hip-hop
• Lily Allen: girly pop
• JLS: talent show pop
• Kasabian: indie rock (apparently)
• Florence& the Machine: quirky girl pop
  
• Spice Girls: bad pop
• Jay-Z: just another rapper
• Lady GaGa: mainstream dance
• Oasis: Beatles rip off
• Elli Goulding: no idea, sorry

I want to reiterate that I'm not necessarily saying I think these 'artists' make bad music (although for the most part I do), simply that they have contributed little or nothing original to music as an art form.

Perhaps I'm making a mistake in thinking that these awards are meant to be about music itself (although in the case of the outstanding contribution award there can be no doubt). The BRIT Award website simply doesn't say whether the winners received awards because they were the best singer or musician, or because they sold the most albums or singles.

However, the Awards are arranged by the British Phonographic Industry, an organisation which describes itself as "the representative voice of the UK recorded music business". That is, the BPI promotes the industry on behalf of its membership, which includes the four major music companies: Warner Music Group, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group. As it boasts on its website, "BPI members account for approximately 90% of all recorded music sold in the UK".

Let's take another look at the winners and see if an answer begins to suggest itself:

• Dizzee Rascal: independent labels, but distributors include Universal and Sony
• Lily Allen: London Records (Warner Music) then Regal Recordings (Parlophone - EMI)
• JLS: Epic Records (Sony)
• Kasabian: RCA (Sony) and Columbia (Sony)
• Florence& the Machine: Island Records (Universal)
• Spice Girls: Virgin (Thorn EMI)
• Jay-Z: Roc-A-Fella (Universal), Priority (EMI), Def Jam (Universal)
• Lady GaGa: Interscope (Universal)
• Oasis: independents

Before I began researching this I really didn't know who these acts were signed to - honest. I was confident I'd find information to back up my point though because it's just too obvious that these events are nothing more than promotion for the big labels, a big pat on the back to the performers for bringing in the cash.

Possibly the most sickening element of the spectacle is the acts deluding themselves that they're being rewarded for their artistic talent, but I suppose it's not surprising when you consider the extent of their self belief; Lady "I'm so crazy" GaGa acts as if Madonna never simulated masturbation or the shagging of a black Jesus some 20 years ago.

Music shouldn't be an industry in this sense, and it doesn't need to be either. Listen to the latest edition of the Jonny & Alex Show and you'll hear several great bands that haven't needed a major label to produce wonderful music.

The success of Kooba Radio and similar efforts also proves we can distribute the unsigned music we love. The sad fact is, however, that most of the bands we showcase probably do aspire to be signed to one of those major labels.

PS If you're still not convinced, consider the fact that Coldplay, Dido, and Duffy were amongst the nominations for the best album of the past thirty years.

Read more of my writing at cogitata.co.uk.