Brits 2011 - The Winners!

An amazing thing happened last night at the Brit awards. Some talented musicians actually won!

 First up is the wonderful Laura Marling who won Best British Female against pop-princess Cheryl Cole and radio-favourite Paloma Faith and very much an anti-establishment outsider. An excellent second album I Speak Because I Can is worthy of an award that normally goes to the likes of Amy Winehouse, Dido and Annie Lennox.

Just as surprising is British Album Of The Year which went to Mumford & Sons for Sigh No More (yes, it came out in 2009 but only fifteen months ago so it was still counted). A brilliant album from a wonderful band.

International Group and Album went, unsurprisingly, to Arcade Fire who simply cannot stop winning awards. The Suburbs is still an engaging listen and continues to delight.

Lastly Take That bagged British Group, an award that would have gone to Coldplay or Radiohead if they had been around. Only Mumford & Sons provided any meaningful competition but Robbie and the boys need the publicity.

Those winners in full:

British Male Solo Artist

Mark Ronson
Paul Weller
Plan B
Robert Plant
Tinie Tempah

British Female Solo Artist

Cheryl Cole
Ellie Goulding
Laura Marling
Paloma Faith
Rumer

British Breakthrough Act

Ellie Goulding
Mumford and Sons
Rumer Warner
Tinie Tempah
The XX

British Group

Biffy Clyro
Gorillaz
Mumford and Sons
Take That
The XX

British Single

Alexandra Burke featuring Pitbull - All Night Long
Cheryl Cole - Parachute
Florence and the Machine - You've Got the Love
Matt Cardle - When We Collide
Olly Murs - Please Don't Let Me Go
Plan B - She Said
Scouting for Girls - This Ain't A Love Song
Taio Cruz - Dynamite
Tinie Tempah - Pass Out
The Wanted - All Time Low

British Album of the Year

Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
Plan B - The Defamation of Strickland Banks
Take That - Progress
Tinie Tempah - Disc-­Overy
The XX - XX

International Male Solo Artist

Bruce Springsteen
Cee Lo Green
David Guetta
Eminem
Kanye West

International Female Solo Artist

Alicia Keys
Katy Perry
Kylie Minogue
Rihanna
Robyn

International Breakthrough Act

Bruno Mars
Glee Cast
Justin Bieber
The National
The Temper Trap

International Group

Arcade Fire
Black Eyed Peas
Kings of Leon
The Script
Vampire Weekend

International Album

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer
Eminem - Recovery
Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown

British Producer

Ethan Johns
John Leckie
Markus Dravs
Mike Pela
Stuart Price