Xfm has launched its fourth annual New Music Award, with public votes being sought to help decide the Best British Debut Album of the Year.
The ten with the most votes will then be shortlisted with the overall winner selected by a panel of industry experts including Elbow's Craig Potter and Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder.
Xfm listeners can cast their votes for the award from today at www.xfm.co.uk/nma from a selection of albums released in 2010. Possible contenders for the accolade include 'The Boxer' by Kele, 'Tourist History' by Two Door Cinema Club, 'Acolyte' by Delphic, and Carl Barat's self-titled debut.
The winner will be announced on the evening of Wednesday 9th February. On the same night the station presents an Xfm New Music Award gig at The Borderline in Central London. Hosted by Xfm Breakfast's Dave Berry and a part of HMV's Next Big Thing Festival, the intimate invite-only event will feature performances from Wolfgang, Romance, and Luna Belle – acts hotly tipped as potential winners for next year's award.
Previous winners of the award are The Enemy with 'We’ll Live and Die in These Towns' (2007), Glasvegas with 'Glasvegas' (2008), and The xx with XX'(2009).
The judging panel for this year, chaired by Xfm's Deputy Programme Director and Head of Music Mike Walsh, also includes Brett Anderson from Suede, Peter Hook from Joy Division and New Order and Tim Burgess from The Charlatans.
Craig Potter of Elbow said: "We’ve always appreciated Xfm's support for Elbow, and new British bands in general, so I'm extremely happy to be invited to be a judge on an award that supports great British debut albums."
Voting closes at midday on Friday 28th January. The shortlist of the final ten will be announced on Xfm on Monday 31st January and the ultimate winner on Wednesday 9th February.
Posted on Monday, January 17th, 2011 at 1:23 pm by RadioToday UK