The NME Awards 2008

The NME Awards have been held annually since 1953. The NME (New Musical Express) magazine has actually been running since March 1952, and so it was not long after the magazine first came about that the Awards began, something that has sustained and continued throughout the years. Today there are more than twenty different categories that awards are handed out on the basis of. Ranging from Worst Dressed right through to Best British Band, there is a fantastic opportunity for artists to be acclaimed with an award. Interestingly, people sometimes get awarded for example as both 'Best' and 'Worst' dressed celebrity of the year as given that the nominations are made predominantly by the magazines readership, anything can happen.

All in all there are 28 different awards that will be given out. I shan't be boring you with the entire list, but here is the pick of the bunch:


Best British Band supported by Shockwaves
Arctic Monkeys
Babyshambles
The Cribs
Klaxons
Muse

Best International Band supported by T4
Arcade Fire
Foo Fighters
The Killers
Kings Of Leon
My Chemical Romance

Best New Band supported by BBC Radio 1
The Enemy
Foals
Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong
The Pigeon Detectives
The Wombats

Best Live Band supported by Carling
Arctic Monkeys
The Cribs
Kaiser Chiefs
Muse
My Chemical Romance

Best Solo Artist supported by 4Music
Kate Nash
Jamie T
Jack Penate
Amy Winehouse
Patrick Wolf

Best Album supported by HMV
'Favourite Worst Nightmare' - Arctic Monkeys
'Shotters Nation' - Babyshambles
'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' - The Enemy
'Myths Of The Near Future' - Klaxons
'In Rainbows' - Radiohead

Best Track supported by Trinity St
'Fluorescent Adolescent' - Arctic Monkeys
'Flux' - Bloc Party
'Men's Needs' - The Cribs
'Lord Don't Slow Me Down' - Oasis
'Let's Dance To Joy Division' - The Wombats

Hero Of The Year
Matt Bellamy
Pete Doherty
Noel Fielding
Ryan Jarman
Thom Yorke

Villain Of The Year
Tony Blair
Johnny Borrell
Gordon Brown
George W Bush
Amy Winehouse

Worst Album
'1973' - James Blunt
'The Trick To Life' - The Hoosiers
'Spirit' - Leona Lewis
'Life In Cartoon Motion' - Mika
'Blackout' - Britney Spears

Each year an artist is also acclaimed with the God Like Geniuses Award. Last year it was Primal Scream, but this year the chosen artist is the Manic Street Preachers. The Manics have kept going since 1986, have to date released a total of eight studio albums, and produce a fantastic brand of alternative rock music which is always enthralling to listen to. It was only a matter of time before the band were chosen for this award and I personally am extremely glad that the Manic Street Preachers have done it this year in achieving 'God Like Genius' status in the eyes of the NME. Nice one lads!

- My Personal Predictions -

To be honest with you, I feel that a lot of these sections are too close to call. I do believe that Muse will probably walk away with the award for Best British band (which I personally don't agree with), but then again it could well go to the Arctic Monkeys (which I really hope it doesn't). I'd like to see The Cribs walk away with this award, and as much as I like the music of Babyshambles, to see them be awarded with this title would be somewhat of a great injustice. This year they released their 'Shotters Nation' album and I personally was not a fan at all which actually brings me on nicely to the Best Album award. For me it's between The Enemy and Klaxons, what will actually be acclaimed Best Album however is probably going to be an entirely different matter and it's just too tight to tell really. Radiohead have probably got the best chance of winning the award for Best Album, their 'In Rainbows' album was greatly successful this year and although I can't stand the band myself, a lot of people do seem to love them.

Best International Band? Well, it has to be between My Chemical Romance and Foo Fighters doesn't it? I believe so anyway, and all being well and good the award should be winging its way straight to Foo Fighters. If it doesn't I'll be quite shocked and actually rather unhappy, but I have faith in the band anyway and believe that they thoroughly deserve it. Best Live Band is another good one, an award that will seemingly go straight to Muse. I have known a lot of people see the band live and rave on about how good they were. As I said before; I personally can't stand Muse and actually find them to be really boring, but they've definitely got a good chance of bagging the award. I don't really know who I want to win this award, the only band in the list that I'm particularly fond of are The Cribs and I don't rate them greatly as a live artist. It would possibly be quite nice to see Kaiser Chiefs win it, they always seem to cause quite a stir when performing live.

Best New Band is the category that I personally am most interested in this year. I have a great fondness for up and coming artists and the Best New Band award is therefore one that I always tend to keep and eye on. Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong are a band that I've never even heard of before if I'm honest, but I'll certainly have to keep an eye out for them. I'll be able to spot them from a long way off with a name like that anyway. I would love to see either The Enemy or The Wombats win this award. I also believe that both of these artists have a good chance of doing so as well. The Enemy had their 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' album released in 2007, and The Wombats released 'A Guide To Love Loss And Desperation', both of which I enjoyed greatly so and neither band I can have too many complaints with the music of. They're certainly both excellent British bands and each of them are equally deserving of winning the award from the NME.

If Kate Nash wins the award for Best Solo Artist then I will be so upset. The woman has no talent whatsoever and to see her win something such as this can be regarded as nothing short of a travesty for music. Ceremonies such as this are meant to award gifted people,but the only 'gift' that Kate Nash is blessed with is having one of the most irritating voices in Britain. Who would I pick then? Well, Amy Winehouse has had a tough year and I personally feel that she really deserves a bit of good fortune to come her way. I'd therefore be happiest if she can walk away as the NME voted Best Solo Artist and feel that it is only right that she does so. It's not just a sympathy vote, I personally believe that she is a greatly talented solo artist and is therefore someone that definitely deserves to walk away with this award, especially given the competition she faces.

Hero Of The Year and Villain Of The Year I regard simply as novelty awards. They could be won by anyone for all I care and frankly I see them basically as waste of space awards. It would raise a few laughs to see Tony Blair or George W. Bush nominated as Villain Of The Year, but what bearing do these awards really have on the state of modern music? Osama Bin Laden was the 2002 Villain Of The Year, but since then it has been won only by George W. Bush. It's quite funny the first time, but if it's awarded to him for a sixth year running then it really will start to annoy me. Give the poor man a break already, vote for someone 'musical' such as Kate Nash or Morrissey instead, it's only right.

The award for Best Track should go to The Wombats for their 'Let's Dance To Joy Division' single, no contest. It will probably go to Oasis or Arctic Monkeys instead, but The Wombats should certainly have a chance. I believe in you anyway Wombats.

So that brings me lastly to the Worst Album award. Ah, how it amuses me to see whiny solo artist James Blunt sitting in this category. If I was to compile my own personal list then he would certainly be in there. Mika once more is another artist that would probably make my list, I wouldn't think to include Britney Spears however. I don't like the woman, but talk about kicking a person when they're down. Amy Winehouse in the category of Villain Of The Year and Britney Spears up for Worst Album? Come on people, be fair now. James Blunt should win this one, if he doesn't then so be it but this is certainly an award that he does deserve to walk away with for once (you won't often hear me chanting the name of James Blunt for an award).

The 2008 NME Awards was most definitely an event to remember. I'm sure there will be no one out there that agrees totally with all the awards given out, it's still a good bit of fun however and I personally greatly enjoyed watching the NME Awards of 2008. It could have been better but was still a lot of fun nonetheless

Roll on 2009 and let there be yet another fantastic awards ceremony for music!