BRITs NOMINATIONS & VOTING: How the BRIT Awards 2010 are decided
There are fourteen BRIT Awards in total: most are voted for by the BRITs Academy.
The BRITs Academy comprises 1,000 people from across the UK music business – people who work for record companies (large and small), music publishers, music students, artist managers, producers, TV presenters, DJs, musicians, music press, promoters, venues, record retailers, concert promoters and music lawyers.
The Academy’s membership is selected by the BPI, with help from other representative bodies such as the MMF (managers), MPA (music publishers) and the MU (musicians). Less than a quarter of the academy's membership is drawn from record labels, and half of those (12% of the academy in total) are from major labels.
All academy votes are collected online, and are counted and verified by official scrutinisers ERS (Electoral Reform Services).
The Academy is reviewed every summer, and each member is provided with details of all the artists, songs and albums eligible to receive awards. It is from this long list of eligible artists that the nominees and winners are selected in each category.
The award categories for 2010 were:
1. British Male Solo Artist
(voted for by the Academy)
2. British Female Solo Artist
(voted for by the Academy)
3. British Breakthrough Act
(top 5 selected by the Academy, winner chosen by Radio 1 listeners)
4. British Group
(voted for by the Academy)
5. MasterCard British Album
(voted for by the Academy)
6. British Album of 30 Years
(top 5 selected by the Academy, winner chosen by Radio 2 listeners)
7. International Male Solo Artist
(voted for by the Academy)
8. International Female Solo Artist
(voted for by the Academy)
9. International Breakthrough Act
(top 5 selected by the Academy, winner chosen by MTV viewers)
10. International Album
(voted for by the Academy)
11. British Single
(voted for by UK Commercial radio listeners - in association with UK Commercial Radio & The Sun Bizarre Column)
12. BRITs Performance of 30 Years
(a TV programme taking place on ITV 1 on Saturday 9th January 2010 featuring clips of past performances to celebrate the 30th Anniversary. The public will be able to vote online for their favourite performance and the winner will be given a special award on the night of the show - in association with GMTV)
13. Critics’ Choice
(this award is decided by a panel of media critics)
14. The Outstanding Contribution to British Music Award
(the only award decided by the BPI itself: the recipient is selected by the BPI council - twelve executives from labels large and small elected to the board of management by the BPI membership on recommendations put forward by the BRITs Committee)
www.brits.co.uk