Independent artists weren’t deemed worthy of a single award at last night’s BRITs in London as major labels cleaned up.
Sony Music acts ruled the roost, picking up five gongs over the course of the evening.
It was the first year that an independent artist didn’t collect a BRIT award since 2011. That year, Mumford & Sons – signed to Glassnote in the US but Universal in the UK – were the only victor to be able to claim indie affiliations.
In 2014, Arctic Monkeys, signed to UK independent Domino, won two awards. And in 2013, XL-signed Adele picked up Best British Single for Skyfall.
In 2012, Adele merited two awards: Best Album for 21 and Best Female Solo Artist.
Although 2011’s show saw no independent winners, it did showcase Adele’s comeback to the British public with her performance of Someone Like You.
At last night’s ceremony, though, no independent artists were given the limelight on stage.
Sony-signed victors included Best Female Solo Artist Paloma Faith and Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk, which picked up Best British Single. Meanwhile, the major’s Foo Fighters, One Direction and Pharrell Williams also collected gongs.
Sony may argue it should have claimed one more: Sam Smith won the ‘Global Success’ Award, despite One Direction being named the biggest-selling UK act of last year by the IFPI earlier this week.
The big BRITs winner last night was Ed Sheeran, who won British Male Solo Artist and British Album awards.
Smith, however, also took home two awards, including British Breakthrough Act.
The BRITs 2015: All The Winners
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
Ed Sheeran
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Paloma Faith
BRITISH GROUP
Royal Blood
MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM
Ed Sheeran – X
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Sam Smith
BEST BRITISH SINGLE
Mark Ronson f/Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
One Direction – “You And I”
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
Foo Fighters
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Taylor Swift
INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST
Pharrell Williams
CRITICS’ CHOICE
James Bay
BRITISH PRODUCER
Paul Epworth
GLOBAL SUCCESS AWARD
Sam SmithMusic Business Worldwide
