FEATURE:
No Prizes for Guessing...
IN THIS PHOTO: Jorja Smith (who won the Critics’ Choice Award at this year’s Brit Awards; in a year when the ceremony showed greatest diversity and recognition of artists outside of Pop/the mainstream but still struggled to completely escape that mould)/PHOTO CREDIT: Bella Howard for GQ
Why It Is Time for an All-Inclusive, Definitive Music Award Ceremony
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WHETHER you feel music awards are a valid and essential…
IN THIS PHOTO: Sam Smith, winner of Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Stay with Me, Best Pop Vocal Album for In the Lonely Hour and Best New Artist poses in the press room during The 57th Annual Grammy Awards at the STAPLES Center on 8th February. 2015 in Los Angeles, California/PHOTO CREDIT: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
dynamic of the music industry; many are of the same opinion: there are few ceremonies and options that provide that true credibility and unity. I am reading pieces regarding black artists who often do not get recognition beyond genre-specific - Grime and Rap, for example – awards and, when it comes to the mainstream options, how many minority artists are included? I guess it is improving and you are seeing artists like Stormzy and Cardi B getting nods and gongs. The Grammys has been criticised for its lack of racial inclusion regarding the top prizes. There are, again, efforts to be more inclusive and considered but it seems, for the most part, the biggest award shows are dominated by particular races and styles. Pop still rules the roost whereas Rock and Indie have taken a back-seat; the mainstream gets more of a say and there isn’t, in my mind, that award show that goes all the way and covers all the bases. You might say that award shows are all about hubris and ego; giving artists due and putting them in the spotlight. There is little point to recording music if there is not that chance of winning awards and having a special moment. Actors, as much as they’d say otherwise, would love to win an Oscar or BAFTA and, again, there is that talk of racial exclusion and imbalance. The work itself is good enough and real value comes in terms of influence and touching fans.
IN THIS PHOTO: Katy Perry/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
Awards are not the be all and end all of everything but, for most, it is something to work towards and can be more instructive and direct that critical exposure. If you want to know which album or artist is the best of the year; there is that sense of guideline and consensus. Regarding that last point; one of the issues that has come into voting and award shows is the accusations of rigging. Last year, Katy Perry came out and accused award shows of being fixed:
“Her openness is a huge part of her new on- and offstage persona, one that she’s been building ever since her political awakening in the fall, and has carried over into her subsequent musical endeavors. In a new profile for the New YorkTimes, Perry also shared some sharp comments on the music industry’s top honors that helped give her a platform.
“All the awards shows are fake,” she told the Times, “and all the awards that I’ve won are fake.” She continued on to call awards “constructs,” suggesting that they don’t have audiences’ true tastes in mind.
Perry has been the recipient of a litany of awards in her blockbuster pop career, including prizes from the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and many more. She has not yet, however, nabbed a Grammy, although she performed “Chained to the Rhythm” at that show’s 2017 event”.
IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images
I recall the Grammys being accused of ignoring black artists and awarding artists with the biggest record label. You do wonder if there is a pre-arranged deal with the huge labels regarding their talent and giving them awards. I am not suggesting all award shows operate that way but most of the big winners are looked after by the major labels. Not only are accusations being levied at U.S. awards; here in the U.K., The Brit Awards have been accused of bias and problems:
“Despite celebratory moments, the 2018 BRITs came under scrutiny for a voting mishap regarding the award for British Video of the Year. On Twitter, popular British girl group Little Mix were winning by a landslide and were head to head with 3 former One Direction members. Until the very last second when the polls closed, Little Mix were still on the list as being at the #1 spot thus supposedly earning them the award.
After a few minutes, the winner was revealed to be Harry Styles and his video for Sign of the Times. Fans became outraged and some quickly posted multiple screenshots proving the girl groups’ win on Twitter.
This isn’t the first time the BRITs have been accused of rigging awards. Two decades ago when the Spice Girls were at the top and Spicemania was flourishing, the quintet lost the award for British Group to the Manic Street Preachers. The winner for British Group has been purely male-dominated since its inception back in 1977”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar (whose album, DAMN, missed out on the Album of the Year Grammy this year to Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic)/PHOTO CREDIT: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
I admit The Brit Awards is one of the few mainstream events that has diversified through the years. Recognising more women, black artists and broadening its genre scope; despite a few Pop-bias winners, it was a more eclectic and credible ceremony than in years previous. Away from the calls of label corruption and rigging; there are other considerations that need to be explored. The MOBOs are endangered because of lack of popularity/sponsorship and this has always been a place where black artists could get their dues and props. Look at the appeal of The Brit Awards and does it hold the same sway and controversy – the raucous and riotous getting into the press – as years past?! The Grammys have always faced criticism regarding genre-bias and ignoring true calibre; there are award shows for specific genres like Country and Grime but there is a lot of division. Look at something like The Oscars and you have this long night that recognises those behind the scenes and people that normally don’t make the red carpet press delirious. The Welsh Music Prize has just been awarded to Boy Azooga for the sensational 1,2, Kung Fu! The award show came about because of a lack of recognition for Welsh/Welsh-speaking artists and was discovered by Huw Stephens. Away from race, bias and language; there is always that thing regarding genre and how big award shows choose their nominees. This year’s Mercury Prize was won by Wolf Alice and, again, there were some shocked faces.
IN THIS PHOTO: Wolf Alice (after winning the 2018 Mercury Prize for Visions of a Life)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
Another London-based winner – after Sampha won in 2017 -; their Visions of a Life album walked away with the prize. There were hopes Nadine Shah would win (a norther artist with Muslim heritage) but she was denied. Although it was not a commercial sell-out, there was the feeling the public favourite was denied. I have long-since stopped getting excited about The Brit Awards and Mercury build-up. I feel like there are some interesting possibilities but, too often, there are missed opportunities and oversights. The Mercury panel failed to shortlist any real Folk or Country acts; not a lot of Soul or R&B and, for the most part, there was some safety. The final part of the award ceremony issue is recognition underground/rising talent as opposed those who we all know about and have won awards before. Again, when you look at the Mercury Prize and wonder whether artists could have been left out – Lily Allen and Noel Gallagher – and others (such as Let’s Eat Grandma and Shame) included. There are always going to be unpopular decisions regarding nominees and the way awards go but I feel, too often, labels and panels are responsible. There are public-nominated music awards but most of what is dished out is decided by a narrow focus. Awards are a great incentive for artists and, when they come with a cash prize, it can give that extra boost for a new artist.
IN THIS PHOTO: Let’s Eat Grandma (who missed out on the shortlist for this year’s Mercury Prize for their album, I’m All Ears)/PHOTO CREDIT: Jenn Five
Great albums and labels deserve gongs and it seems there are lots of big awards – all courting their fair share of criticism – and smaller shows that are underappreciated and under-funded. It seems like there is an easy option to overcome all the hurdles: get this one-for-all and inclusive award show that would allow public voting and less grumbling. It would be impossible to unite all genres and categories – as you’d be there all night – but, like the Academy Awards; maybe having more categories and giving things variation. You could have a special category for Welsh-language and Scotland; be more open-minded regarding black artists and what they bring to music and, when it comes to the best album of the year, have that public input. Either that or do genre-specific album prizes or have a tournament regarding voting – all albums are listed and they are whittled down to the final four/six on the night. Without having labels pulling strings and any accusations of rigging; it would be a chance for small labels to win awards and rising artists to get their due. You could have music video options and recognise producers, engineers and D.J.s. Not only could you include award shows – and artists from them – like the MOBOS and The Brit Awards (and the Grammys), but shine a light on upcoming artists who never get a look-in.
I feel like the BBC should lead an initiative like this and often wonder why BBC Radio 6 Music do not have their own award show. They could perfectly orchestrate an award show that cured the problems regarding genre, gender and racial exclusion. The American Music Awards were held recently and, as you can see from this BBC piece; the night was dominated by Pop and white artists. I feel like there is that appetite for music awards, and always will be, but too many are dogged by narrowness, commercialism and that desirable musical commodity: the clean and white artist. Are music award shows relevant and worth anything in this day and age?! I discovered an article from Vice that asked the question and looks at issues that are not only affecting the music industry but Hollywood:
“The award show season has long been caught in this odd cultural situation. People like Madonna—or Kevin Hart, or Tiffany Haddish—are often employed to orchestrate some online buzz, which likely couldn’t be achieved without them. Over the last few years, amid an aggressively declining viewership, award shows have struggled, and ultimately failed, to arrive at a fraction of the cultural importance they once had. (There was a time when just having a nomination was enough generate more revenue.) These efforts, admittedly, have been valiant: in late June, the Recording Academy opened its “General Field” category—which includes the Record, Song, and Album of the Year awards—from five to eight nominees; last month, Sandra Oh became the first Asian woman to be nominated for an Emmy as lead actress in a drama series; and recently, the Oscars announced it would introduce some 900 new members into the Academy to diversify its voting body...
PHOTO CREDIT: @landall/Unsplash
But these measures have also, on the other hand, served to affirm the presence of a widening gap between art and commerce. The two leading films at the Oscars this year, The Shape of Water (which won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Score, and Best Production Design) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (which won Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor) were certainly not the best films in the race. The former is, at its core, a conventional romance flick—one that can just barely pass, if you squint your eyes enough, as an allegory for something else. Its situation in the 1960s (and its use of a black woman custodian as a foil character) is all that gives it any political weight. And then there is Billboards, which is—to be polite—altogether an incredibly racist film.
For the most part, award shows, as Carrie Battan wrote last year, seem to exist for the sole purpose of reinforcing antiquated ideas of what art—in an era of ultimate sociopolitical turmoil and pandemonium—is supposed to be: polite, conventional, and, most importantly, white”.
One main contributor to the decline of award shows – with the likes of the MOBOs resting for a year – is that thing with oversaturation. There are so many music award options that you are only ever going to be interested in the odd one. With most people getting a bit tired of the variety of awards out there; is it now time to vanquish the smaller, more predictable options and assimilate into this all-conquering, all-inclusive option? Maybe it would still see people sigh but it would only be the ONE show – you’d sit through maybe a few hours or so – and you could bring in little bits of music documentaries; some great live performances and have this interactive, uncontroversial option.
IN THIS PHOTO: Lady Leshurr at the 2016 MOBO Awards/PHOTO CREDIT: PA Images
It seems, quite rightly, there is a malaise and fatigue regarding award shows and the sheer number out there! The Guardian explored this earlier in the year:
“With viewers switching off, is it any surprise that the Mobo organisation has cancelled this year’s bash, claiming to be “regrouping” for a better outing in 2019? Or that the Oscars’ organisers want to add a prize for “popular film” because low ratings must be down to plebeian viewers unable to comprehend a Churchill biopic, rather than because they put out a three-hour show, 70% of which is strangers thanking strangers.
If you are tiring of all these dos, you are not alone. The sheer number of ceremonies is causing something of a crisis in the tuxedo-wearing community. In the past year, viewing figures have been down for almost every big awards show, with the Oscars, Grammys and Video Music Awards all drawing some of their lowest audiences ever. Last week’s Emmys was supposed to be a chance for renewal, with Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels drafted in to give the show razzle dazzle. In the end it was another ratings flop, and jokes bombed so badly it seemed as though the audience was taking part in a mass choral rendition of John Cage’s 4’33”. The only respite came from an onstage proposal from the winner of best director of a variety special. It was touching, but distracted from the fact that he was winning an Emmy for directing the Oscars. If award shows are, at the best of times, a circle jerk, surely the Emmys giving an Emmy to the Oscars is closer to one of Lennon and McCartney’s myopic self-pleasure sessions”.
PHOTO CREDIT: @elishavision/Unsplash
Have a look here and you can see the sheer wealth and range of music award shows. You might not be able to accommodate everything and include everything into a single night but there is a great opportunity to provide something more diverse, quality-controlled and yet something that also recognises those often overlooked and cast aside. From British artists outside of London to women and black musicians; entire genres and getting the voting sorted so it is not influenced by big labels – there is a lot that can be done and I think, if done right, there would be this definitive and properly-god music award show! I would love to see it happen but it does not seem like anyone is initiating change and this evolution. Artists do not only make albums for fans and themselves: there is that desire to produce something exceptional and, alongside that, have it recognised through awards and celebration. That sort of boost and recognition gives impetus to others and for that band/artist; they are then spurred on and have that sense of achievement. I am seeing too many people ignored and entire sections of the music community being relegated or having to set up their own award shows. As we get used to the complaints regarding British award shows and the fixing of U.S. ones; the sheer dominance of white Pop artists; one has to ask whether this independent yet fierce opponent could give a home to everyone and be seen as this equal and reactive.
IMAGE CREDIT: BBC/Getty Images
I would like to see this change and feel a big station/organisation like BBC Radio 6 Music could lead the charge. With events and initiatives like BBC Introducing providing special shows and discussions relating to various sides of music – how to get into the industry and how to deal with mental-health issues – it seems like the award show is at the other end of the spectrum. It is that peak where an artist can look back at their start and be acknowledged for something incredible. Given the very few award ceremonies that tend to please and unite music fans; I feel we need to make a change and bring that improvement. The award show would not demand people dress in fancy clobber and it would not be a chance for bigwigs and huge labels to clean up. It would be an impressive and diverse show that would help to reverse many of the problems existing and give recognition to artists who, normally, toil in anonymity. I am not sure which big music award show comes next but I am not holding my breath or getting too excited about it. I used to love so many aspects of music – including award shows and the charts – but that enthusiasm has waned. I have not given up on the music award ceremony and feel that, with an overhaul and this new inspiration, we could launch something that could please everyone and be free...
IN THIS PHOTO: Adele was one of the big winners at the 2017 Grammys/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
FROM controversy.