Last week saw the nominations for the
2009 Brit Awards, with Coldplay and Duffy coming out on top with four nominations each.
Given the propensity for these awards shows to mirror sales charts and pump up artists who record companies feel should be more successful (in commercial terms), should we even pay any attention to them? They seem to have completely ignored the now-mainstream
phenomenon of (illegal) downloading and new ways of distributing albums (Radiohead, for example, putting themselves initially out of contention for an award because they started selling In Rainbows as a download from their site).
Record companies don't seem to be able to wrap their collective heads around the concept that CD sales and legal downloads are only a tiny fraction of what people are really listening to. While there is a case to be made for the Brits and other awards shows like it to
recognise more critically-acclaimed but less popular acts, what about recognising the people and musical acts who are embracing new technology and trends?
And no, I'm not talking about MySpace Music.
I'm talking about the Isle of Man, who have proposed
a small flat tax for everyone with an Internet connection and allows unlimited music sharing. I'm talking about
Ten Tracks, a service for listeners and music artists that's affordable and fair. I'm talking about services like Last.fm, which allows Internet-connected devices to
stream music based on a listener's preferences, and no one needs to download or buy a thing if they don't want to. I'm unhappy that services like Muxtape had to
shut themselves down because record companies aren't able to think creatively (but there's hope for Muxtape yet).
What I'd like to see is a music awards show for innovators and the progressive-minded, where artists who understand and embrace the increasingly connected world are recognised for their musical talent and foresight. These artists and services are relevant; charts and awards that recognise only 'legal' purchases are not.
