BRITs bosses explain why no women are nominated for Artist of the Year

[Teletubby 149,580]

The BRIT Awards have tried to explain the reason why no women are nominated for Artist of the Year at next month's ceremony.

This year, only 12 of the 68 singers eligible for this award were women, and included Mabel, Florence and the Machine, Charli XCX, Becky Hill and Rina Sawayama.
Artists qualify for the longlist for Artist of the Year if they have had a Top 40 album or two Top 20 singles in the eligibility period. The BRITs Voting Academy then decides on the nominees.

Amid furious fans questioning why the likes of Charli - real name Charlotte Emma Aitchison - or Florence Welch got snubbed, The BRIT Awards have issued a statement.

 "While it’s disappointing there are no nominations in the Artist of the Year category, we also have to recognise that 2022 saw fewer high profile women artists in cycle with major releases as was the case in 2021.

Last year’s introduction of new categories aimed at making the awards even more inclusive, recognising exceptional work rather than how artists identify. It saw women artists thrive, winning 10 of the 15 awards on the night and Adele being crowned inaugural Artist of the Year.

We are pleased to see Wet Leg leading the nominations with four nods and FLO winning the Rising Star, and artists such as Nova Twins also included in this year’s shortlists, and while it’s disappointing there are no nominations in the Artist of the Year category, we also have to recognise that 2022 saw fewer high profile women artists in cycle with major releases as was the case in 2021.

"These trends based around the release schedule are a feature of the music industry, but if, over time, a pattern emerges, then this puts the onus on the industry to deal with this important issue – and the BPI is already carrying out a major study to identify barriers that may inhibit more women becoming successful in music, so that there can be solutions that result in meaningful change."

source

[Stef666 4,604]

Good on them. I'm tired of this representation for the sake of representation narrative. Not everything is discrimination and sexism just because things aren't 50/50. Some people need to leave their woke bubbles.

[androiduser 7,438]

but this only implies that only high profile musicians deserve awards

[Cssomeone 1,646]

24 minutes ago, androiduser said:

but this only implies that only high profile musicians deserve awards

But the award is for 'Artist of the Year', who did you expect to be nominated?

[Stef666 4,604]

27 minutes ago, androiduser said:

but this only implies that only high profile musicians deserve awards

The Artist of the Year cannot be low-profile in the first place.

[moonsago 7,285]

Honestly it’s getting tired to see every instance when something like this happens be profiled as discrimination without taking in account plausible and realistic factors as to why it happened besides the overly misused phrase ‘white old men decide’. Sometimes male artists ( like in this case ) released more, sometimes their achievements were bigger, sometimes their music was better, sometimes they were bigger names, sometimes, sometimes, sometimes... it’s not always about actively trying to discriminate. Let’s be level headed and not turn an actually important conversation into a perversion by abusing it. 

[Night Vision 3,068]

2 hours ago, Stef666 said:

Good on them. I'm tired of this representation for the sake of representation narrative. Not everything is discrimination and sexism just because things aren't 50/50. Some people need to leave their woke bubbles.

 

1 hour ago, Cssomeone said:

But the award is for 'Artist of the Year', who did you expect to be nominated?

 

1 hour ago, Stef666 said:

The Artist of the Year cannot be low-profile in the first place.

 

51 minutes ago, moonsago said:

Honestly it’s getting tired to see every instance when something like this happens be profiled as discrimination without taking in account plausible and realistic factors as to why it happened besides the overly misused phrase ‘white old men decide’. Sometimes male artists ( like in this case ) released more, sometimes their achievements were bigger, sometimes their music was better, sometimes they were bigger names, sometimes, sometimes, sometimes... it’s not always about actively trying to discriminate. Let’s be level headed and not turn an actually important conversation into a perversion by abusing it. 

This would be fine if there weren't several female artists who are more high-profile than some of the nominees. You could say that perhaps the voters just preferred their music, but the high-profile argument doesn't really work in this case.

[Debithius 5,853]

2 minutes ago, Night Vision said:

 

 

 

This would be fine if there weren't several female artists who are more high-profile than some of the nominees. 

Well maybe it's because they weren't eligible?

[Night Vision 3,068]

Just now, Debithius said:

Well maybe it's because they weren't eligible?

Florence + the Machine, Charli XCX, Wet Leg, Rina Sawayama, Little Simz, would all have been eligible (to name a few). Again, I'm not saying they were necessarily ostracised because of their gender, but you can't really argue that there were no high-profile women who were eligible, considering that all of those women had bigger years in the charts that some of the nominees.

[Debithius 5,853]

4 minutes ago, Night Vision said:

Florence + the Machine, Charli XCX, Wet Leg, Rina Sawayama, Little Simz, would all have been eligible (to name a few). Again, I'm not saying they were necessarily ostracised because of their gender, but you can't really argue that there were no high-profile women who were eligible, considering that all of those women had bigger years in the charts that some of the nominees.

Edit: just reread the OP. However, if men had a better year then of course nominate the ones who are more deserving and not women who doesn't deserve the noms anyway for the sake of... whatever people want to achieve?

[Monstermilo 4,579]

6 hours ago, Stef666 said:

Good on them. I'm tired of this representation for the sake of representation narrative. Not everything is discrimination and sexism just because things aren't 50/50. Some people need to leave their woke bubbles.

coming from a white male

pls dont 

anytime women are excluded, it stems from sexism 

there are plenty of relevant women they couldve added. 

you sound like a trump supporter

[thisguyN 616]

14 minutes ago, Monstermilo said:

coming from a white male

pls dont 

anytime women are excluded, it stems from sexism 

there are plenty of relevant women they couldve added. 

you sound like a trump supporter

This is not my place to comment actually, but I just wanna point out these kinds of assumptions are what drives segregation in opinions. No, not every time a woman is not included in something is about sexism. No, not everyone who disagrees with putting quotas and representation for sake of representation is a Trump supporter. 

[thisguyN 616]

(connection issue double post)

[thisguyN 616]

(connection issue triple posting mom come pick me up)

[vanna shintuyu 10,767]

22 minutes ago, thisguyN said:

This is not my place to comment actually

But you are so why say this

22 minutes ago, thisguyN said:

I just wanna point out these kinds of assumptions are what drives segregation in opinions.

Because of a lack of understanding on both sides, right? Both are just as bad? Not because misogynists, racists, ableists, homophobes, transphobia, etc. always move the goalposts and resort to lying and mudslinging to make the marginalized look bad?

22 minutes ago, thisguyN said:

No, not every time a woman is not included in something is about sexism.

When you look at the restrictions put on women in music, it does. Women have to strive for different objectives put on them by labels, and as an apparent Gaga fan, you should be acutely aware of that.

22 minutes ago, thisguyN said:

No, not everyone who disagrees with putting quotas and representation for sake of representation is a Trump supporter. 

No, but blaming representation for the sake of it is a huge dogwhistle for "let's just keep things between white (straight) men because that's the status quo and it's all I feel comfortable with" and that aligns completely with trump supporter rhetoric.

Complaining about representation "for the sake of it" shows a PROFOUND misunderstanding of what representation means to marginalized people and speaks highly of an individual's lack of empathy.