Just watched the NME Awards and for the first time in years I caught the BRITS the other week. As usual there was a huge fanfare for the BRITS and there was a thread on here and the TV Forum but the NME Awards hardly seemed to have been mentioned.

Are the NME Awards seen as not as important as the BRITS? Adele swept the board at the BRITS fair enough but she didn't win anything at the NME Awards and I personally loved every single winner at the NMEs unlike the BRITS. 1 Direction ffs

Anyway if you were an up and coming musical act where would you like to pick up your Best New Act gong or Best Single or Album. NME or BRITS, your call?

I just watched the NME awards, seemed to have everything that the Brits didn't have... just that extra "wit" was missing at the Brits. Pretty amusing most of the speeches, none of this "Well, i'd like to thank the producer and my cat... without them this wouldn't be possible" nonsense that went on at the Brit Awards.

Performances were alot better aswell, nice to see some real talent on a stage for a change... not the odd popstar up there because of teenage popularity.

Brit Awards sadly takes itself too serious now, seems to be trying to match the Grammys by going all formal... problem is, when you go down that route, you take all the amusement out of it.

As for your question... it would be the Brits, not because I see them any better than the nme, but simply because it gets more attention and it's good for an artists record sales and boost in popularity.

They're all meaningless anyway. So, a few people decided you're the best new artist this year and gave you a cheap looking trophy? I don't know why people get so worked up about it.

Brit. Gets you more exposure. But overall a grammy. Big thing for a uk artist. and you can't moan about the performers. People put Olly murs and rihanna there. I don't mind riri, but God. Olly was plain awful.

the nme awards became less important when nominees mirrored the brit awards, it was less apparant this year but on the whole the pool is very similar. When it was the poll, it was better and it was an antidote to the brit awards. The absolute worst thing was when an award was sponsored by a hair product.

I would have thought with the nme awards a proper band, meaning a band that play there instruments are more likley to win,rather than a talentless boy/girlband or a waterman/ cowell money making machine.

if i was an artist i'd want a Brit and a grammy on my mantlepiece. the NME awards did look more fun though

The Brits are a more broad spectrum award show, whereas the NME awards are pretty much just awards for the sort of acts they like in NME magazine. If you are that sort of act, or like that sort of music exclusively, then you'll probably prefer the NME awards and convince yourself they are more credible, but ultimately, it's never going to be as impressive as winning an award that includes a wider variety of music.

It's a bit like the Smash Hits awards. They were great for acts that were popular with Smash Hits readers, but it's unlikely anyone over the age of 25 cared that much. See also the MOBOs, the Classical Brits, and so on.

I don't like the NME awards. They don't seem to cater for a wide variety of music compared to even the BRITs.

Well neither of them are at all 'credible' but at least a Brit is likely to give you a sales boost.

They're not meant to cater to a wide range of music, they're voted for by NME readers. People don't give that complaint to the MOBOs. Agree with a lot of points, the Brits would give you more exposure. But the NME's don't take themselves too seriously, I always prefer the artists nominated there and I always prefer watching the live performances/speeches. If I was in a band or whatever, I'd prefer an NME award. Same with the Q awards, I'd much rather have one of those than a Brit. One Direction won single of the year, where's the credibility in a Brit award?

But that was a public voted award. What about Ed Sheeran and Adele's awards, are those awards not credible?

NME is for alternative and 'rock' acts and their worst catergories are clearly for acts who are popular in the mainstream, or don't fit what they consider as 'real' music.
But it's funny that Coldplay and Muse were up for those awards...

Again, the awards are voted for by readers. Not all the readers are going to enjoy the same music. Look, my opinion on the Brits isn't going to change just because Adele got an award. And I can't stand Ed Sheeran, watered down music for teenage girls. They want a real troubadour try Nick Drake. But anyway. I prefer NME awards because I like the majority of acts, whereas the Brits I like the minority.

Yeah, that's understandable.

Ultimately, the type of music I like, and if I were an artist, the type of music that I'd make, would be ridiculed and mocked by NME and their readers, so I would hate to be in that award show. lol

Oh and that isn't strictly true. Last year for example Kings of Leon were nominated for Worst Album and Worst Band, when they are a band loved by NME. Readers were disappointed with their latest release and voted accordingly. Lady Gaga won Hero Of The Year in 2011, whereas this year she was cast in a negative light because of readers reaction to her latest album. You need to check up on the awards won before you make unfair comments.

You could always gatecrash the party and play your music full blast.

The NME is nowhere near as popular or influential as it was back in its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s, so I would say that is probably why.

The most influential media today are music videos, TV and the Internet, not the music press.

For me it would be an NME award because I much prefer the type of music celebrated on there so I suppose it is subjective but to try to be objective and talk just as a viewer the actual show was so much more enjoyable than the BRITS. Don't take themselves so seriously as some have suggested.

I guess the shows themselves are results of how important they're perceived on the outside so I'm for the NME Awards to stay low key if that means it can remain such enjoyable viewing.

I think the Brits seem more of a formal awards show that can benefit your exposure and sales, as the winners are mostly decided by those from the industry.

The NME awards just look like a great night out and the chance to socialise with other bands, solo acts or anyone else who turns up. It's a much more relaxed and casual atmosphere, voted for by the fans so it comes across very fan friendly.

Neither

I would pin my hopes on a Grammy.

This, both are crappy but a Brit gives you more exposure.

Ok I didn't know that, I was just going on this year's nominees.

I think the Brits should bring back catergories like Best Pop Act/Rock Act etc to give other artists a chance, basically more like The Grammys. For a 2 hour show, there's hardly any awards given out.

I agree with that, I think I'd enjoy the Brits more if they diversified the type of awards they gave out. Also they should move it to BBC, the frequent adverts were a joke.

For me I'd liken the NME awards to Johnny Cash. And the Brits to Rod Stewart.
Johny Cash was forever COOL. And Rod Stewart??

I've never seen the NME awards but I see them a response from the NME to all these safe awards ceremony out there - it's meant to be cool - and sometimes by trying to look too cool, they take themselves a bit too seriously - quite low key and a bit different from your normal live performance - Sugababes 3.0 covering Artic Monkeys's IBYLGOTD springs to mind for example. I don't know if you can put them against the BRits in that sense but for sure, the Brits to me are not what they used to be and have completely lost for quite some years now their spark and their credibility. I didn't bother catching them this year but from I saw on youtube, it is very commercial more of your extravagant family-friendly TV show happening live than an actual awards ceremony. The performances are very safe, quite blend and you're guaranteed to get the same acts than you've seen on the X-factor etc. As for the categories, they barely represent the British Music scene do they? It is clearly now a vehicle of self-promotion for BBC radio and its playlist and little to do with celebrating the British music scene...And I'm getting really bored with this self-congratulatory atttitude about waving the British Flag in these awards!? Most of these nominated acts have worked with European & American producers/composers so before starting to play the patriotism card perhaps they should come with a proper British sound of their own instead of hooking up with Ryan Tedder to churn out millions of copies and pretend they're doing it for the country!?