The Brit Awards Nominations: Kanye West, International Male

Dan Gibson | January 20, 2009 2:30 am

Of the seemingly neverending parade of British music awards, the Brits—which will be given out this year on Feb. 18—seem the most interesting to me. Not only is this year’s recipient of the “Outstanding Contribution To Music” award the Pet Shop Boys, the inevitable news reports the day after the award ceremony, regarding one musician or another involved in some form of drunken embarrassment, are old reliables, even in this tough time for the music biz. And reading the list of hopeful winners gives you an excuse to work on your “puzzled befuddlement” look, especially when you take a gander at the nominees for “International Male Solo Artist”: Beck; Neil Diamond; Jay-Z; Kanye West; and Seasick Steve. The full list of those practicing their acceptance speeches at home right now is below the cut.

British Male Solo Artist: Ian Brown James Morrison Paul Weller The Streets Will Young

British Female Solo Artist: Adele Beth Rowley Duffy Estelle MIA

British Breakthrough Act: Adele Duffy Last Shadow Puppets Scouting For Girls The Ting Tings

British Group: Coldplay Elbow Girls Aloud Radiohead Take That

British Live Act: Coldplay Elbow Iron Maiden Scouting For Girls The Verve

British Single: Adele – Chasing Pavements Alexandra Burke – Hallelujah Coldplay – Viva La Vida Dizzee Rascal / Harris / Chrome – Dance Wiv Me Duffy – Mercy Estelle Ft Kanye West – American Boy Girls Aloud – The Promise Leona Lewis – Better in Time Scouting for Girls – Heartbeat X Factor Finalists – Hero

British Album: Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends Duffy – Rockferry Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid Radiohead – In Rainbows The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing

International Male Solo Artist: Beck Neil Diamond Jay-Z Kanye West Seasick Steve

International Female Solo Artist: Beyonce Gabriella Cilmi Katy Perry Pink Santogold

International Group: AC/DC Fleet Foxes Killers Kings of Leon MGMT

International Album: AC/DC – Black Ice Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes Killers – Day & Age Kings of Leon – Only By The Night MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

Critics’ Choice: Florence and the Machine

Outstanding Contribution to Music: Pet Shop Boys

Nominations [BRITs 2009]