do they really matter?

I literally have no idea who she is. Is she any good? Am I supposed to like her?

Well, she's "Critics Choice" so you've been warned.

a best british band list that doesn't include British Sea Power clearly has left the path of wisdom or am I being too literal ?

you've probably preserved your status as a connoisseur of all things musical, though you could argue that when they don't ask outside of the box, how is anything going to change? Trouble is, are there enough Mr. Hepworth's out there to affect such a change if they did, and as someone else said, do we care?

Is is time for, gulp, The Word Awards? Categories to include;

Survivor of 3 Word Covers Award.
Best HORA line of 2007.
Most imaginative Wiki-Prog Band.
Shyest Rock Virgin.
Most embarassing Randomizer.
Best career artist (20+ years, 10+ albums, minimum 2 critical career dips)

P.S. No chance you could have just asked to compere, and if so, who would have been your Sam Fox?

This "critics choice idea" almost seems like they saying "well we are bored with last year's acts let's include next years stars a year early" It's the sort of accounting that got Enron in trouble

I have never knowingly heard Adele.
Where would one be likely to hear her works being played?
Any Word awards should include last week's
"one man's sloop is another man's junk"

Just ignore them.
They're silly.
Always have been and always will be.
Nobody with an ounce of sense or taste has ever given a toss about music industry awards.

David, the fact that you were invited to participate - does that mean you are accepted in circles we can only dream about? Are you now an 'A' list celebrity?

Thank god you didnt play their game.

Actually, I have no interest in liking anything the vast majority of people like in this country - we are so dumbed down (for want of a better expression) that it is laughable.Interesting comments about Richard Thompson though, dont you think he has become more English since he left these shores as opposed to say Elvis Costello who has become more American?

I thought they'd stopped all that sort of thing, or is it going to be by show of hands at the party?

you did the right thing, no question.

Take That are nominated for best album for this years Brits and the album was released in 2006. What's the cutoff date? Surely it should have been 2007 albums only?

...stick up for Adele a bit here. I've only heard a couple of her songs (she gets played on Radio 1 and 6Music I know, and possibly Radio 2), and she's not bad. Granted, she's being given an amount of press disproportionate to her talent, but that's hardly her fault. If critics want to spot the "next big thing" by jumping on this Estuary English bandwagon (containing Kate Nash, Jack Penate et al), so be it.

She's not the future of music, I doubt she'll be around making groundbreaking albums in five years time, but give the girl a break. She's 19, she's got a decent voice, sings OK songs and, at the risk of sounding like a Grumpy Old Man(TM), she's better than most of the rubbish that's in the charts.

With regards to the Brits, they're a load of tossycock as everyone knows, but it's still good to see artists like Richard Hawley and the Arcade Fire get a mention. Point taken about the Rolling Stones though. Normally I'd argue it's because they've been around since the dawn of time, but it seems odd they've been ignored when the Eagles have two nominations. Maybe it's because the Stones didn't put out anything new in 2007.

David asks who you think deserves to be nominated, but it's the Brits, would you actually want your favourite artist to be recognised in such a way?

that everybody appears to care so much about this ridiculously meaningless 'Brit' thing. I've never watched it or paid any attention to it. Or the Mercury's either for that matter.