In spite of my animosity towards mainstream tosh and airy fairy bubblegum pop I've always been very fond of the BRIT Awards. They're fun; granted, live performances often mixed, winners occasionally outright absurd and to list the multiplicity of controversially chaotic dramas and scandals calculated since 1977 would have me here all afternoon.
It has further become awash with predictability and painfully corporate with the show's association with MasterCard virtually rammed down our throats at any given opportunity. Certain categories sit with a thin field of nominees, and one reference to Bieber and/or the 1D collective is enough to make you throw your dinner at the television.
Don't let that, however, put you off - there will be top performances from top performers like Arctic Monkeys and Bruno Mars (judge me all you want for the latter, you can't deny the man has moves), an appearance from Prince and a strong likelihood that David Bowie will win Best British Male, 30 years after winning the first time. The BRIT Awards 2014 is set to be a good show, and if it were not for my Breakfast-Club-watching, I would certainly be tuning in.
My BRITS predictions...
See here for the full list of nominees
1. Best British Breakthrough Act - Tom Odell, though Bastille are also a worryingly probable winner.
2. British Video - Naughty Boy (the only other one I've seen in this category is John Newman's in which two people are hit by a lorry).
3. British Female Solo Artist - A very poor list of nominees and I imagine Ellie Goulding will take it.
4. International Female Solo Artist - Lorde.
5. British Group - An infuriating category which defines "band" and "group" as the same thing. Arctic Monkeys are not a group (neither are Bastille), but I think and hope they will win.
6. International Group - Same thing applies. My vote goes to Arcade Fire, a band. (Just saying).
7. British Male Solo Artist - Bowie, I hope.
8. International Male Solo Artist - Justin Timberlake. (I will be equally happy if Bruno wins).
9. British Single - Rudimental or Passenger are deserving winners but I will not be surprised if One Direction scoop it up.
10. MasterCard British Album of the Year - AM, Arctic Monkeys, without question.
