Brit Awards Play Safe in 2011

So that's it for another year -- the annual industry back-slap fest that is the Brit Awards, which in 2011 promised a re-invention to celebrate more cutting edge UK music, but mostly failed to deliver on the night.

Sure, the scale of the event had increased, moving a brief canter across town from Earl's Court to east London's branded O2 Arena -- surely just another sign of the increased commerciality of the bash -- there were no gong choices tonight to scare the horses.

One arguable upset was Laura Marling beating the likes of 'X Factor' queen Cheryl Cole to British Female Solo Artist -- but she'd already had the industry seal of approval when she was put up for last September's Mercury Music Prize.

Still, at least Marling never mimes and is a genuine singer-songwriter, albeit majoring in the kind of contemporary folk that won't clear the table at a dinner party.

Even Rihanna agreed to tone down her planned performance of her single 'S&M' on the night so as not to offend more sensitive-minded viewers watching the show live in their living rooms on terrestrial TV channel ITV1.

And naturally, Cee-Lo Green's live rendition of his UK No. 1 hit single to close the show was 'Forget You' rather than the fruitier version, despite it being after the 9PM watershed.

Where the wonderful Robyn should have won International Female Solo Artist, Rihanna claimed the prize, the Xx missed out on British Breakthrough to double winner and double No. 1 UK chart artist Tinie Tempah, and Justin Bieber scooped the award for International Breakthrough rather than the National or Temper Trap.

Thankfully, due to a change in the voting procedures this year, apparently more artists got to vote in who was going to win, so Arcade Fire landed two for International Album for 'The Suburbs' and International Group. But it was arguably six years too late -- 'Funeral' was released in 2005 after all.

But now, having headlined the likes of Reading Festival and sold copies by the skipload, they're a safe bet.

As Roger Daltrey wryly stated before handing over the award for Best British Album to safe indie-rock folk stars Mumford and Sons for 'Sigh No More' -- despite it being released in October 2009 -- "This is good to see about the British music industry -- still has enough money for a good booze up!"

The safeness of the awards was even shown by the fact that due to it being broadcast live on ITV1, it finished with military precision, bang on 10PM, right on time for the scheduled ad break before the news.


The full list of Brit Awards 2011 winners:

BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST

Plan B

BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST

Laura Marling

BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT

Tinie Tempah

BRITISH GROUP

Take That

BRITISH SINGLE

Tinie Tempah 'Pass Out'

BRITISH ALBUM

Mumford and Sons 'Sigh No More'

INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST

Cee Lo Green

INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST

Rihanna

INTERNATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH ACT

Justin Bieber

INTERNATIONAL GROUP

Arcade Fire

INTERNATIONAL ALBUM

Arcade Fire 'The Suburbs'

BRITISH PRODUCER

Markus Dravs

CRITICS' CHOICE

Jessie J