Here are Chig’s predictions and preferences for tonight's Brit Awards.
(Published at 00:15)

Italics means it’s who I would choose for the Brit.
Bold means it’s who I think will win.
Sometimes, they are the same!

Please feel free to add your own comments, predictions or alternative winners.

British male solo artist
Antony and the Johnsons
Ian Brown
James Blunt
Robbie Williams
Will Young

A toughie. I love Antony & the Johnsons but he/they is/are hardly well known, despite the Mercury win. James Blunt dominated 2005 with a single that stayed around for ever and the best-selling album of the year. Robbie’s album was disappointing – surely he can’t win again? Will Young’s album is superb, and he may win, but I think it’ll be James Blunt. (The presence of Ian Brown in this list is a complete joke and just shows up the embarrassing shortage of British solo male talent in 2005.)


British female solo artist
Charlotte Church
Kate Bush
Katie Melua
KT Tunstall
Natasha Bedingfield

The Bedingfield is here to make up the numbers in this, the traditional ‘Annie Lennox Award’. How ironic that in a year when Eurythmics actually did some new stuff, she doesn’t get a nomination. The nostalgics get La Bush instead, but although long-awaited return was greeted with massive praise from fans, both the single and the album sold disappointingly in their first weeks and then dropped like stones from the chart. KT Tunstall is amazing and will probably appeal a lot to the industry voters. Katie Melua is okay if you like that kind of thing (and I love ‘Nine Million Bicycles’), but for me, this is an easy choice. Charlotte Church seems to sum up 2005. She was all over the press, she was in front of me and my camera lens at Cardiff Mardi Gras, where she also performed brilliantly, and her album is a superb selection of songs. Brit for Chav!


British album
Coldplay - X&Y
Gorillaz - Demon Days
James Blunt - Back To Bedlam
Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
Kate Bush – Aerial

Such a strong choice this year. They’re all good in their own way, but I’d marginally give it to the Kaiser Chiefs, with James Blunt in second. However, Gorillaz are cool and trendy, and they’re playing tomorrow, so they will win.


British group
Kaiser Chiefs
Coldplay
Hard-Fi
Franz Ferdinand
Gorillaz

I could live with any of these winning. This list shows that we have a much better selection of British bands than solo males! I’d love it to be Hard-Fi, but it may be too soon for them. Gorillaz again.


British rock act
Franz Ferdinand
Hard-Fi
Kaiser Chiefs
Kasabian
Oasis

Er, where are the rock acts? We used to call this lot ‘indie bands’. This whole list is an insult to real rock bands, but if we must… Anyone except Kasabian deserves it (not because I don’t like Kasabian, but they only had one hit in January, followed by a re-released single). I’d give it to Hard-Fi, and I think they might just get it.


British urban act
Craig David
Dizzee Rascal
Kano
Lemar
Ms Dynamite

Dizzee Rascal hasn’t released anything since he ruined the Band Aid 20 single in 2004, so his nomination is a complete joke. This one has Lemar’s name written all over it, if there's any justice in the world. Boom, boom!


Pop act
James Blunt
Katie Melua
Kelly Clarkson
Madonna
Westlife

Just look at that selection! Kelly Clarkson and James Blunt as pop acts?! Give me a break! Where are McFly and Girls Aloud? They’re the two pop acts who have dominated most in the last twelve months. McFly’s omission, with two number one singles, is a scandal. They should be winning this, not just nominated. I hope they protest by storming the stage, but they’re too polite. Westlife are Irish, hence not a British or UK act, so they shouldn’t be nominated anyway. Oh, stick a pin in it – Madonna!


British breakthrough act
Arctic Monkeys
James Blunt
Kaiser Chiefs
KT Tunstall
Magic Numbers

Dur! Arctic Monkeys.
(It's comments like this that come back to haunt you, but I'm sticking to my guns.)


International breakthrough act
Arcade Fire
Daniel Powter
Jack Johnson
John Legend
Pussycat Dolls

Not sure about this one, and have gone for Pussycat Dolls over Daniel Powter just by virtue of them having two number ones and him only one hit (due to record company stupidity and his second single being banned from charting, but that’s another story). I would love it to be Jack Johnson. His album is brilliant.


British live act
Oasis
KT Tunstall
Kaiser Chiefs
Coldplay
Franz Ferdinand

I think KT Tunstall might fight her way through the boys and come out with a surprise win here.


British single
Coldplay - Speed of Sound
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
Shayne Ward - That's My Goal
Sugababes - Push The Button
Tony Christie - (Is This The Way To) Amarillo

Let’s not let a single from the 1970s win, no matter how many wedding receptions it’s been played at. James Blunt’s was certainly the single of the Summer, but the Sugababes single is a classic too. Difficult decision. Shayne will win instead.


International male solo artist
Beck
Bruce Springsteen
Jack Johnson
John Legend
Kanyé West

Yes, Beck is still alive, apparently and his sole function these days is to fill in the gaps on this particular list, yet again. Jack Johnson would be a nice surprise, but it should be a clear win for Kanyé.


International female solo artist
Björk
Kelly Clarkson
Madonna
Mariah Carey
Missy Elliott

Madonna, of course. If Mariah ‘look at me, me, me singing for the children’ fucking Carey wins, I will…do something very nasty.


International group
Arcade Fire
Black Eyed Peas
Green Day
U2
White Stripes.

On the face of it, an easy win for the BEPs.


International album
Arcade Fire – Funeral
Green Day - American Idiot
Kanye - Late Registration
Madonna - Confessions On A Dancefloor
U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

Two of these albums (Green Day and U2) are from 2004, which makes this very difficult. Presumably we can discount Arcade Fire, so maybe Madonna really can do it. No, they’ll go with U2.


Oustanding contribution to music
Paul Weller

I’m unusually confident that Paul Weller may well win this. I’ve never been wrong with this category. I'm less confident of seeing a reunion for The Jam tonight, but that would be good.


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