NME shortlist throws up a mixture of old and new talent
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Your support makes all the difference.The best of British musical talent is pitted against the cream of American rock in this year's NME magazine shortlist, announced today.
Arctic Monkeys, the Sheffield ensemble who have already won three NME accolades in the past year, were nominated in four categories alongside Muse and Kasabian, as well as the US acts, My Chemical Romance and The Killers.
The shortlist, which recognises NME readers' favourite international acts, was compiled with the votes of around 200,000 people who nominated albums, new artists and best live bands among other categories. The winners will be announced on 1 March.
Fresh faces including Lily Allen, Sam Duckworth, whose music for Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly was largely created on his laptop, and Jamie T, a Hoxtonite creating punk sounds, feature on the shortlist next to 1990s indie music legends, Jarvis Cocker, the former frontman of Pulp, and Thom Yorke from Radiohead.
Dan Silver, NME's associate editor, said the shortlist pitted not just Americans against British acts but also old against new.
"There are five big bands which dominated this year's shortlist and it's a case of Brits versus the Americans. The Killers have been influenced by British indie rock but My Chemical Romance is part of the "emo" or emotional hardcore American sub-genre of punk rock. In the solo artists category, it's old school versus new school," he said. Responding to the quality of the nominations, Arctic Monkeys said: "It seems weird for us to be alongside them [the competition] because we still feel like a little band."
Mr Silver said new musical acts were establishing themselves far quicker than in previous years, due to the rise of music download and video sharing websites.
"Bands are going from being unknown to topping the charts in a matter of weeks, in the same process that used to take years and many albums," he said.
Meanwhile, the ShockWaves NME Awards Shows will come to London for a month of gigs from 12 February. Headlining acts include Kasabian, Babyshambles and Amy Winehouse.
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Nominations
* BEST BRITISH BAND
Arctic Monkeys
Babyshambles
Kasabian
Muse
Oasis
* BEST SOLO ARTIST
Lily Allen
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
Jarvis Cocker
Jamie T
Thom Yorke
* BEST ALBUM
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever You Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Kasabian - Empire
The Killers - Sam's Town
Muse - Blackholes and Revelations
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
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