Beyond the Grooves Award 2024
It's that time of year again, it seems to have come around so fast this year. The award that everyone wants to win, forget the Brits and Grammys!
This year follows a slightly different format. I'm going to list who was nominated for each award, and then reveal the winners.
Apart from song of the year and album of the year, which follow a slightly different format.
The awards are as follows.
Song of the Year:
Album of the Year:
British Male:
British Female:
British Group:
International Group:
International Breakthrough
Breakthrough Act:
Now the admin is out of the way. Let's make a start.
British Male:
There were three nominees for this award. One former winner, an artist who has had his biggest year yet, and an artist who has had a return to his best.
The nominees
Sam Fender
Jamie Webster
Jake Bugg
Jamie Webster released his third solo album "10 for the People" and carried on where he'd left off. Writing anthems for the everyman, but also showing a new vulnerable side to his songwriting, especially on songs like "Lovers in the Supermarket" its his best collection of songs since his debut record. He also played his biggest show of his career in his home city. Headlining Sefton Park in July.
Jake Bugg released his sixth album, "A Modern Day Distraction" and it's his best in over a decade. Returning to what made fans fall in love with him. It relights the flame that for many had burnt out after the release of his second record. Lead single "Zombieland" see's Bugg return to the Nottingham streets he grew up on and observes the poverty and broken dreams he left behind.
It's his best work in a long time, and ensures that Bugg isn't going anywhwere. In a career of what could have been, he has ensured that he has won the naysayers over.
However, neither Jamie or Jake has won this years award. A certain Mr Sam Fender takes it for a second year running.
In a year that was relativley quiet until recently, Sam still managed to prove his importance to British guitar music. He sold out an arena tour in minutes, headlined another festival in Boardmasters, announced Stadium shows for next year and released one of his best songs in "People Watching".
Next year could be the biggest yet for Sam. Glastonbury headline rumours are getting more traction, and with the announcement of his biggest shows to date it is easy to see why.
So congratulations Sam for the second year running, you are a Beyond the Grooves Award Winner.
British Female:
There are three nominations for this award to.
A group, a British Icon, and arguably the biggest artist of 2024.
The nominees are:
The Last Dinner Party:
Florence & the Machine
Charli XCX;
The Last Dinner Party won this award last year, and since then have released their brilliant debut album "Prelude to Ecstasy" with the brilliant singles "Caesar on the TV Screen" and "My Lady of Mercy". It hasn't been all plain sailing for the band though with controversy about their shows, both with the band cancelling without explanation and some men being made to feel unwelcome due to overzealous security. However in terms of the music, they offer a rather unique voice in British guitar music today, flamboyant fun and totally unique.
Florence has been celebrating 15 years since the release of her debut album, including a Royal Albert Hall show for BBC Proms. Playing at Wembley with Taylor Swift after helping her on the album "Tortured Poets Department". Although not releasing any new music, she has had a busy year.
The winner however is.
It had to be her. Charli XCX has had a monumental year. Every musical outlet has named her album "Brat" as the best album of the year. The album was a cultural sensation, leading to a whole movement and all of us to have a Brat summer.
Her Boiler Room Set, I’m so Julia”, the Lorde remix, the ‘Apple’ dance…, Kamala Harris. It transcended music, it created social media trends, led to some craxy remixes, some unexpected covers and even infiltrated the US election.
After years of attempting to be a pop star, Charli turned her back on the pop sound, instead embracing clubs, the dancefloor and pushing her own limits. Unexpectedly it made her arguably the biggest pop star in the world. These songs are pop masterpieces but also see XCX at her most raw and at times vulnerable. Ripping up the rule book on pop music. Charli is going her own way.
This record has been everywhere but it doesn't feel dated or formulaic, it's one of the most unique records in recent memory.
When picking these awards this one was the easiest. Not picking Charli would have been wrong.
British Group:
Four Nominees for this one. All four bands releasing new albums in 2024.
The nominees are:
Red Rum Club
Wunderhorse
Blossoms
Courteeners
Red Rum Club released their record early on in the year, now four albums in, and an experienced live outfit. The songs are perfectly crafted indie gems, after a sell out UK tour and some huge support slots, supporting Jamie Webster and Blossoms, and heading into arenas with fellow scousers The Wombats next year. The lads deserve a nomination.
Wunderhorse, released a second album "Midas" and the whispers that Britain may have it's next great guitar band quickly became a full blown discussion. A band confident in who they are, and what their sound is. The album captured the sound of the live room, dark, visceral. Wunderhorse are enigmatic force and this record proves they aren't going anywhere. Things are only getting bigger.
Courteeners released a kalediscopic seventh record, four and a half years since the last album it has been a long time coming. It's a comeback album and showed fans a different side to the band. More pop driven, with political undertones and sees Liam Fray take a sledgehammer to his former Mancunian gobby ego. As the NME say "These aren’t songs by parka monkeys drinking Dark Fruits in the landfill of indie; they add up to a colourful sky that stretches way beyond Manchester. There’s confidence, and then there’s this."
However the winners are.
In their biggest year to date Blossoms have done quite a lot. Played their largest show to date in Manchester's Wythenshawe Park backed up by an all star indie line up. Released their fifth album, the bands first on an indie label. Oh and they wrote one of the best songs of the year about an 8ft fiberglass Gorilla called "Gary".
The band are operating at their very best, they had to win this award.
British Breakthrough:
This award is given out to the best new artist, and in previous years has been won by The Royston Club, Wunderhorse and Red Rum Club.
This years nominees are:
The Clause
The K's
The Dream Machine.
The boys from Birmingham have had a huge year. The Clause released "Weekend Millionaire" a collection of five songs, with the title track being one of my favourite songs of this year. The reliability alongside the sing along nature of "Weekend Millionaire" makes it one of the best songs of the year. It's something we can all relate to, tackling friendships falling apart, the nature of the world at the moment, young lust, young love, the ecstasy and agony that comes with a heavy weekend. A song that will go on to soundtrack plenty more heavy weekends, and lead the indie faithful to the dancefloor. This year has been huge for the band, and next year has the potential to be even bigger. Here's hoping they release a debut record.
Scouse psychedelics The Dream Machine released their second record this year. Having never heard of them and seeing them talked about on social media. I gave them a listen, Liverpool has got a great collection of musicians at the min, and The Dream Machine are no exception. "Small Time Monsters" is a brilliant album with some of this years underrated gems, "Frankenstein" and "My Father's Son" are particular stand outs.
The winner is...
The boys from Earlestown released one of the best albums of the year, and one of the best debut albums in recent memory. A real statement of intent by a band who have done more than cut their teeth, these songs have been played live up and down the country thousands of times, and this record does them justice.
Its distinct and moving, fueled by Jamie Boyle's politically charged, stories of small town Northern England and a backing band that would make the indie giants jealous. Having seen the band live this year there is only one way they are heading, they have got it all. Indie anthems, acoustic ballads, and a devoted army of loyal fans built up through years of touring and in more recent times festival appearances and high profile support slots.
This album won't just be remembered as a great album it has the potential to ignite the next generation of guitar music fans. The K's are only just getting started. Congratulations boys.
International Group:
The nominees for this award are as follows:
Fontaines DC:
The Black Keys:
The Killers:
The Black Keys released their twelfth album "Ohio Players" this year which featured guest musicians including Beck and Noel Gallagher, which saw the band continue with their familiar sound but embrace collaborations. As well as the release of a new album the band headed out on a sell out UK and European tour. Making it one of the bands busiest years in recent memory.
It's been 20 years since The Killers burst onto the scene with "Hot Fuss" and they celebrated this anniversary with a greatest hits album "Rebel Diamonds" a sell out tour of the same name, a new song "Bright Lights" and a Las Vegas residency. I went to see The Killers on the "Rebel Diamonds" tour and 20 years in, the band proved that they are still one of the best live bands in the world I'm not sure where they head next but I'm excited to find out.
The winner however is...
It has been a monumental year for the boys from Ireland. The band released fourth album "Romance" an album that oozes confidence and saw the band make some unexpected changes and turns. It leaves fans asking questions and sees the band create a world full of dread, despair but also a lot of hope.
The band created one of the best guitar albums in recent memory and their best work to date. It's jaw dropping, these songs have been on heavy rotation in mine and countless other playlist since it's release. From the breathless trip-hop of "Starburster" to the Cure inspired "Favourite".
It's also the album that saw the band make a lot of changes, their dress sense, the setlist, the venues they are playing. It's got a whole lot bolder, and a whole lot bigger. The band are an arena band now, and next summer they have penciled in their biggest live dates yet. Five years and four albums in Fontaines DC may have crowned themselves as the most important band in the world today.
International Breakthrough
It's been quite a good year for Breakthrough acts particularity in Ireland. As these nominees show. The nominees for International Breakthrough are...
Kneecap:
Sprints:
NewDad:
Sprints have come off the back of quite a big scene in Ireland with bands like the aforementioned Fontaines DC and The Murder Capital breaking through in recent memory, however their must be something in the water, or the Guinness in the emerald Isle as they keep producing brilliant bands, Sprints marry intricate alt-rock with fierce bursts of noise-punk and grunge, the four-piece (comprising vocalist Karla Chubb, guitarist Colm O’Reilly, bassist Sam McCann and drummer Jack Callan) create a sound that feels familiar to those acquainted with the works of the previously mentioned bands. However it is firmly their sound reflective and dynamic, these are a band to keep your eye on.
Kneecap. Have had a huge year, a feature film with Michael Fassbender that documents a slightly exaggerated version of the bands history. A sell out show at Brixton Academy, that saw Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher in the audience supporting the band, and the release of their debut album "Fine Art". A bold and brilliant hip-hop album where the band with a few friends speak their mind on a variety of subjects both in English and Gaelic. The album is a concept album that takes place in a fake pub "The Rutz" which acts as the setting that ties the stories together. Although the "The Rutz" is fake these stories are very real and describe working class life in Belfast a city still licking it's wounds after decades of sectarian violence.
The winner is..
NewDad have crafted some of the best songs of 2024, and I have to admit I was late to the party. The bands debut album "Madra" was released right at the start of the year, and it's beautiful.
A shoegaze, Wolf Alice inspired masterpiece, beneath the polished serene sound sees doubt, uncertainty and frustration within the lyrics. It's a rewarding listen and is a guitar record unlike any of the others this year.
With instrumentation to die for, and some of the best lyrics I've heard. This debut record is another great record to come out of Ireland and is a breath of fresh air for guitar music.
I may have been late to the party, but believe me this award is deserved. NewDad know what they are doing, who they are and where they are going. They will likely see you at the top.
Song of the Year
The eagle eyed among you will know that I have already revealed my Song of the Year. My top 10 songs of the year can be found in the blog post below.
https://www.beyond-the-grooves.co.uk/blog/you-were-my-favourite-for-a-long-time
The 50 nominations for Song of the Year can be found in this Spotify playlist.
What are your songs of the year?
Album of the Year:
We've had some brilliant records this year, and most of them have been mentioned in this post, picking this award was the hardest on this list. I narrowed it down to two. One by a band from Stockport and one by a band from Dublin.
Both of these albums have been on heavy rotation since their releases, for different reasons. Both are really ecletic records with different styles and sounds. One is the sound of a band at their most fun and the other is the sound of a band operating at the peak of their powers.
I feel that I also need to give credit to Courteeners at this point. "Pink Cactus Cafe" is a great album and a real return to form for the band. After four years away I know myself and many others were a little apprehensive about what they would return with. However it's safe to say that I am not disappointed. The album is a far cry from "St Jude" but that is a good thing, Courteeners are 16 years older, and cannot re-write that album again, seeing the band work with other musicians on this album is pleasing as it has worked to great effect. Particularly on "First Name Terms" and "The Beginning of the End".
Well deserving of it's third place on this list.
Now I have made two graphics for the next two records. It has been so difficult to split them, at times they have both been first and second place. However I think I've done it.
"Romance" has been played a lot since it's release in August. In my opinion it is up there with Fontaines best work. On a par with the bands debut "Dogrel". In terms of streams this record and in particular the singles have been some of my most played songs this year. "Favourite" was my most played and "Desire" was right up there, these songs have been constantly played. However some of the album tracks in particular "Horseness Is The Whatness" and "Death Kink" have not been played as much.
I cannot take anything away from this record though. Fontaines DC are an exceptional band "Romance" proved that to a new audience, a lot of us already knew it though. A spectacular record, and very very unlucky to miss out. On the top spot.
So your winner is, the lads from Stockport have done it. "Gary" is the bands most fun album to date, an infectious collection of indie bangers.
Its a tight knitted ten song record that takes everything that makes Blossoms great, and condenses it into half an hour. "Gary" the title track is an indie banger, and has already become one of the bands most well loved hits. Written about a gorilla statue stolen from a garden centre in Scotland. It's Blossoms having fun, this was never meant to be an avant garde masterpiece, these are songs to sing and dance to. Witty, catchy and wholesome. Its the albums centre piece.
"I Like Your Look" heavilly takes influence from Wham and Blondies "Rapture", "Nightclub" has elements of Jungle due to the aid Josh Lloyd-Watson. This too has become a live classic.
"Perfect Me" is the best thing the band have ever done in my opinion, it's the albums most catchy track and gives every band member their moment in the sun. It's old school Blossoms and nearly didn't make the album! It has since become one of the albums most well recieved tracks.
This record is brilliant, the whole release was classic Blossoms, with the band now on an indie label. It feels like they have really let their hair down, ten years in Blossoms are still sound tracking the indie kids party.
Thank you for reading
Jack x