As someone who can, and frequently does, bang on about the importance of listening to new music, berating people for being locked in the past and listening to the same music they’ve been listening to since childhood – you know, like me before BBC 6 Music came along – last night’s Brit Awards came as a shock to the system. Not that I watched, due to my visceral dislike of any form of awards show, but part of me was vaguely interested. I knew the names of a good few of the nominees in some categories so I felt I would be able to impress Da Yoot with how hip I was. But when it came to last night’s BIG WINNER, I was clueless.
I was listening to the radio when the news came through. “And tonight’s BIG WINNER is Ray who has won six Brits.” Hmm, I thought. Ray who? Never heard of him. What sort of music does he play? Luckily, I uttered the words silently, which was just as well given that Ray is actually Raye, Rachel Agatha Keen to be precise. She’s a pop/R&B singer from Tooting and obviously incredibly famous in the eyes of everyone except me. I don’t suppose she will lose any sleep if she ever finds out I had never heard of her, but it’s entirely possible that I will gain some additional sleep having now heard her music. However, seeing some of the other results was a salutary reminder that I’m not the fount of new music knowledge that I thought I was.
Take the best song of the year category. Here are the nominations:
- Calvin Harris/Ellie Goulding – Miracle
- cassö/RAYE/D-Block Europe – Prada
- Central Cee – Let Go
- Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter
- Dua Lipa – Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)
- Ed Sheeran – Eyes Closed
- J Hus ft Drake – Who Told You
- Kenya Grace – Strangers
- Lewis Capaldi – Wish You The Best
- PinkPantheress – Boy’s a liar
- Rudimental/Charlotte Plank/Vibe Chemistry – Dancing Is Healing
- Stormzy ft. Debbie – Firebabe
- Switch Disco & Ella Henderson – REACT
- Venbee & Goddard – Messy In Heaven
“And the winner is … Raye ft 0070 Shake with her song Escapism.”
Woah! What? Suddenly, I am my grandfather, knowing nothing of the pop music scene, as we called it back in the day. Not that I am suggesting, as I am sure he would have done, that they are all talentless and what they play isn’t music at all, because that would be nonsense. No. It’s music for young people and quite obviously there is no reason why I should like it or know anything about it. Still, good luck to Raye.
It was brought home to me yet again that actually I know far less about music, old or new, than I thought I did. I have no idea what is in the charts, never mind what the number one single is because I don’t listen to Radio 1, which is the music station for young folk who like to keep abreast of popular tunes; basically people aged between 18 to 24 with perhaps a bit of leeway on either side. It is not for the Werther’s Original generation.
I was talking with someone last week about music and we got on to the subject of Taylor Swift, who is arguably the biggest star in the world at the moment and a stellar, generational talent. But could I think of the name of a single song she has ever made? Not one. In fact, I could say the same about any number of modern superstars including the likes of Ed Sheeran (apart from Shape of You, which I absolutely loathe), Lewis Capaldi, Ellie Goulding and, frankly, most famous contemporary superstars.
At least some of the musicians I like won awards, like the mighty boygenius who deservedly won best international group and Jungle who won group of the year and plenty of others got nominations, so maybe some of my street cred remains, but frankly so what if it doesn’t?
If you like something, then to you it’s good and that’s all that matters. I might not know much about Raye, nor do I particularly want to, but millions do. If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.
