BRITs '08 Nominations launch               Events 

London’s Roundhouse set the scene for The BRITs Nominations launched by the BPI and the event heralds in the BRIT Awards 2008 ceremony on February 20 at London’s Earls Court.
Abigail Parkin (15 Jan ’08).

The BRIT Awards 2008 with MasterCard also marks the start of a new three-year deal with MasterCard that sees its partnership with the BPI enter a tenth consecutive year.

The nominations put the BRITs back on a pop footing after years of indie bands ruling the awards roost with Leona Lewis commanding four nominations as did Take That and Mika.

The coveted "British Group" award is to be battled by Take That, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Editors and pop’s Girls Aloud.

Bat For Lashes performs at nominations launch      

The prestigious MasterCard British Album sees Arctic Monkeys and Take That in competition again, as Favourite Worst Nightmare takes on Beautiful World, along with producer-DJ-artist Mark Ronson’s Version, Mika’s triple platinum debut album Life In Cartoon Motion, and Leona Lewis’ debut Spirit, which sold 1.55 million copies in the UK in its first seven weeks.

A quartet of acts score three nominations apiece for the 2008 Awards, with Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs in the running alongside Mark Ronson and another of 2007’s biggest new names, British songwriter-performer Kate Nash.

Ged Doherty, Chairman of the BRITs Committee commented, "One of the best ways in which the British Music industry will meet the challenges it currently faces is with the continued development of great new British acts. The 2008 BRITs nominee list is certainly proof it is delivering these acts - there is some amazing talent here."

BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor added, "To receive a BRIT nomination means that the BRIT Academy have recognised you as one of the best artists of the last year. Nominees recognise this as a huge accolade. All we can guarantee is that it will be a must-watch show on the 20th of February."

Selections by The BRITs Voting Academy comprise more than 1,000 specially invited members from across the the breadth of the UK music industry from music critics to independent record companies and live concert promoters. The selections reveal no fewer than seven artists with two nominations each. Cutting-edge new British names Klaxons and Bat For Lashes are accompanied by adopted Brit superstar Kylie Minogue and U.S. heavyweights Arcade Fire, The Eagles, Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon.

The 2008 award for Outstanding Contribution to Music will go to one of British music’s greatest legends, Sir Paul McCartney, who will also play live for the Earls Court crowd and the multi-million ITV1 audience. The inaugural winner of the newly-minted Critics’ Choice award is 19-year-old, London-born discovery ADELE who performed the Nominations Launch, which was hosted by Kelly Osbourne and Sandi Thom at the launch party

Reggie Yates and on ITV2. Also playing live were BRIT-nominated acts, Editors, Bat For Lashes and The Hoosiers.

Seven of The BRIT Award performers confirmed to play at the BRIT Awards 2008 with MasterCard are: Kaiser Chiefs, Kylie, Leona Lewis, Mark Ronson, Mika, Rihanna and Sir Paul McCartney.

The BRIT Awards with MasterCard take place on 20th February 2008, at Earls Court. The event will be broadcast live on ITV1.

NOMINATIONS LIST 

BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST**

JAMIE T
MARK RONSON
MIKA
NEWTON FAULKNER
RICHARD HAWLEY 

BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST**