BandLab NME Awards 2022: Sam Fender, Little Simz, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, Billie Eilish, Rina Sawayama & CHVRCHES Lead Nominations. Jack Antonoff to Receive the Songwriter Award

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Today, NME has announced further details of the BandLab NME Awards 2022, including the unveiling of the full list of nominations, and the winner of this year’s Songwriter Award, ahead of the show taking place at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on Wednesday 2 March 2022.

NME have revealed the full list of nominations for 2022’s Awards with Sam Fender, Little Simz, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, Billie Eilish, Rina Sawayama and CHVRCHES amongst those leading the nominations with multiple nods each. NME can announce that Bleachers’ frontman, singer, songwriter and producer Jack Antonoff will be honoured with the Songwriter Award at this year’s event, following in the footsteps of 2020’s Songwriter of the Decade winner Robyn and historical winners including Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Bob Dylan, Paul Weller, Elvis Costello and many more. More prestigious honorary award winners will be announced in the weeks to come.

Celebrating the most brilliant people in music and pop culture right now, the BandLab NME Awards 2022 will be presented by the UK’s hottest comedian, actress and writer Daisy May Cooper and rapper, presenter and BBC Radio 1Xtra host Lady Leshurr, feature performances from some of the most thrilling musical acts around, big-name guests, and a raft of epic unpredictable moments. Fans have the chance to be in the thick of the action, with tickets on sale now via nme.com.

One of the most prolific artists on the planet, Jack Antonoff is undoubtedly a worthy winner of this year’s Songwriter Award. Following a landmark year, which saw Jack release Bleachers’ excellent third album ‘Take The Sadness Out of Saturday Night’, collaborate on releases with Taylor Swift, Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Clairo and more. 2021 also saw Jack receive his first NME cover and be shortlisted by the GRAMMYs for Producer of the Year. NME are thrilled to honour Jack with the award for his outstanding contributions to music over the past two decades. Bleachers are also nominated for the Best Live Act award for their phenomenal live shows.

Jack says: “Looking at the company of artists who have received this award and I am absolutely humbled. This one goes out to everyone who writes and knows that sacred place it comes from. If you know it, it’s a place you live in. This means the world to me.”

“To hear that Bleachers are also shortlisted for Best Live Act … well … that’s the shit. We play every show like the last night on earth. So this one means a hell of a lot to be recognized for it.”

The full list of nominations can be found below, including the previously announced winner of this year’s Innovation Award, trail-blazing pop superstar Halsey. 2022’s Awards sees the introduction of award categories that champion Southeast Asian talent, following 2020’s Australian categories and furthering NME’s global approach with dedicated editions in Australia and Asia. NME recently announced the winners of the Australia- and Asia-exclusive categories, who will go on to compete in the equivalent global categories at 2022’s Awards.

The NME Awards are shortlisted, debated and decided by the core NME team staking a claim for curation, critical voice and an immutable belief in the greatest artists in the world. A select number of awards will be voted for by the fans, including Hero Of The Year and Villain Of The Year. Fans will be able to cast their votes in February at nme.com/awards.

This year’s official charity partner will be Music Venue Trust, continuing NME’s long-standing relationship and work with the charity. Created in 2014 to protect, secure and improve the UK’s vital grassroots music venues, they represent over 900 venues across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What you need to know:

Where? O2 Academy Brixton

When? March 2, 2022

Why? You don’t want to miss out on the wildest night of the year.

How do I get in? Tickets available via nme.com

Visit nme.com/awards for more.

BANDLAB NME AWARDS 2022 NOMINATIONS

INNOVATION AWARD

Halsey

SONGWRITER AWARD

Jack Antonoff

BEST ALBUM IN THE WORLD

Genesis Owusu – ‘Smiling With No Teeth’

Ghetts – ‘Conflict Of Interest’

Halsey – ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’

Lana Del Rey – ‘Blue Banisters’

Little Simz – ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’

Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’

Self Esteem – ‘Prioritise Pleasure’

Subsonic Eye – ‘Nature Of Things’

Tyler, The Creator – ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’

Wolf Alice – ‘Blue Weekend’

BEST ALBUM BY A UK ARTIST

Ghetts – ‘Conflict Of Interest’

Little Simz – ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’

Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’

Self Esteem – ‘Prioritise Pleasure’

Wolf Alice – ‘Blue Weekend’

BEST SONG IN THE WORLD

BTS – ‘Butter’

Charli XCX – ‘Good Ones’

CHVRCHES & Robert Smith – ‘How Not To Drown’

Lorde – ‘Solar Power’

Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Good 4 U’

PinkPantheress – ‘Just For Me’

Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’

The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – ‘Stay’

Warren Hue – ‘Omomo Punk’

Wet Leg – ‘Chaise Longue’

BEST SONG BY A UK ARTIST

Charli XCX – ‘Good Ones’

CHVRCHES & Robert Smith – ‘How Not To Drown’

PinkPantheress – ‘Just For Me’

Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’

Wet Leg – ‘Chaise Longue’

BEST LIVE ACT: SUPPORTED BY GROLSCH

Bleachers

Bring Me The Horizon

IDLES

Little Simz

Megan Thee Stallion

Rina Sawayama

Self Esteem

Tomorrow x Together

Wizkid

Yungblud

BEST FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD

All Points East

Austin City Limits

Fuji Rock

Exit Festival

Green Man

Life Is Beautiful

Reading & Leeds

Riot Fest

TRNSMT

Wireless

BEST FESTIVAL IN THE UK: SUPPORTED BY WHITE CLAW

All Points East

Green Man

Reading & Leeds

TRNSMT

Wireless

BEST SMALL FESTIVAL

End Of The Road

Live At Leeds

Lost Village

Mighty Hoopla

Wide Awake 

BEST FESTIVAL HEADLINER

Billie Eilish

Liam Gallagher

Megan Thee Stallion

Wolf Alice

Tyler, The Creator

BEST BAND IN THE WORLD

Amyl & The Sniffers

Ben&Ben

Bring Me The Horizon

CHVRCHES

Fontaines DC

Glass Animals

HAIM

Måneskin

Nova Twins

Wolf Alice

BEST BAND FROM THE UK: SUPPORTED BY PIZZA EXPRESS

Bring Me The Horizon

CHVRCHES

Glass Animals

Nova Twins

Wolf Alice

BEST SOLO ACT IN THE WORLD

Arlo Parks

Billie Eilish

Burna Boy

Dave

Little Simz

Pyra

Rina Sawayama

Sam Fender

Tkay Maidza

The Weeknd

BEST SOLO ACT FROM THE UK

Arlo Parks

Dave

Little Simz

Rina Sawayama

Sam Fender

BEST NEW ACT IN THE WORLD: SUPPORTED BY CANO WATER

Bad Boy Chiller Crew

BERWYN 

Bree Runway

Inhaler

King Stingray 

Olivia Rodrigo

Shye

Tems

Wet Leg

Yard Act

BEST NEW ACT FROM THE UK: SUPPORTED BY MUSIC VENUE TRUST

Bad Boy Chiller Crew

BERWYN 

Bree Runway

Wet Leg

Yard Act

BEST MIXTAPE

Berwyn – ‘Tape 2/Fomalhaut’

Central Cee – ‘Wild West’

FKA twigs – ‘Caprisongs’

Holly Humberstone – ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’

PinkPantheress – ‘To hell with it’

BEST COLLABORATION

Baby Keem x Kendrick Lamar – ‘Family Ties’

Coldplay x BTS – ‘My Universe’’

FKA twigs x The Weeknd – ‘Tears In The Club’

Griff x Sigrid – ‘Head On Fire’

Rina Sawayama x Elton John – ‘Chosen Family’

BEST PRODUCER: SUPPORTED BY BANDLAB

Arca

Fred again..

India Jordan

Nia Archives

Travis Barker

BEST FILM

Last Night In Soho

Licorice Pizza

Promising Young Woman

Sound Of Metal

The Harder They Fall

BEST TV SERIES

Feel Good

It’s A Sin

Sex Education

Stath Lets Flats

We Are Lady Parts

BEST FILM ACTOR

Alana Haim

Benedict Cumberbatch

Jonathan Majors

Riz Ahmed

Thomasin McKenzie

BEST TV ACTOR

Aisling Bea

Mae Martin

Ncuti Gatwa

Olly Alexander

Zendaya

BEST REISSUE

OutKast – ‘ATLiens’

Nirvana – ‘Nevermind’

Radiohead – ‘Kid Amnesiae’

Taylor Swift – ‘Red’

The Beatles – ‘Let It Be’

BEST MUSIC FILM

Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry

If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power

The Sparks Brothers

Summer Of Soul

Oasis Knebworth 1996

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

Billie Eilish – ‘Happier Than Ever’

Foals – ‘Wake Me Up’

Lil Nas X – ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’

Taylor Swift – ‘All Too Well’

Wet Leg – ‘Chaise Longue’ 

BEST MUSIC BOOK

Bobby Gillespie – Tenement Kid

Dave Grohl – Dave Grohl: Storyteller

Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast) – Crying In H Mart

Questlove – Music Is History

Paul McCartney – The Lyrics

BEST PODCAST

Disgraceland

Grounded With Louis Theroux

Songs To Live By

Table Manners

Wheel Of Misfortune

GAME OF THE YEAR

Deathloop

Halo Infinite

Hitman 3

Metroid Dread

Unpacking

INDIE GAME OF THE YEAR

The Artful Escape

Cruelty Squad

The Forgotten City

Overboard!

Unpacking

BEST GAME DEVELOPMENT STUDIO

Arkane Studios

Black Matter

Double Fine

IO Interactive

Xbox Game Studios

BEST ONGOING GAME

Apex Legends

Escape From Tarkov

Final Fantasy XIV

Fortnite

Genshin Impact

BEST AUDIO IN A VIDEO GAME

The Artful Escape

Deathloop

Forza Horizon 5

Guardians of the Galaxy

Psychonauts 2

BEST ALBUM BY AN AUSTRALIAN ARTIST

Genesis Owusu – ‘Smiling With No Teeth’

BEST ALBUM BY AN ASIAN ARTIST

Subsonic Eye – ‘Nature Of Things’

BEST SONG BY AN AUSTRALIAN ARTIST

The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – ‘Stay’

BEST SONG BY AN ASIAN ARTIST

Warren Hue – ‘Omomo Punk’

BEST BAND FROM AUSTRALIA

Amyl & The Sniffers

BEST BAND FROM ASIA

Ben&Ben

BEST SOLO ACT FROM AUSTRALIA

Tkay Maidza

BEST SOLO ACT FROM ASIA

Pyra

BEST NEW ACT FROM AUSTRALIA

King Stingray

BEST NEW ACT FROM ASIA

Shye

About the BandLab NME Awards 2022:

Our award categories are designed to celebrate the best in music, entertainment and pop culture today. To reflect NME’s global reach and to champion artists from all around the world, we have divided the categories into two broad bands: Global and Regional. Artists who are nationals of Southeast Asian countries, Australia and the UK will be nominated in categories under their respective regions (Asia, Australia and the UK), and artists from outside the aforementioned regions will be nominated in the Global categories. Artists who are nominated for the Regional categories may also appear additionally in the Global categories. The editors and the management of NME Networks reserve the right to amend any categories and/or nominees, or remove any nominees and/or categories in light of new developments.

About NME:

Launched in London, UK, in 1952 as the New Musical Express, NME has grown into a global media powerhouse that creates and curates content, products and experiences essential to fans of music and pop culture today. NME brings together the best writers and photographers to provide a multi-platform editorial offering that is at the bleeding edge of what matters most across the globe — be it music, film, TV or gaming. Intent on shining a spotlight on the artists and stories coming out of the world’s most compelling music scenes via NME.com, NME also has dedicated editions for Australia and Asia, using its distinctive voice and point of view to champion and celebrate established and emerging homegrown talent.

About BandLab:

BandLab’s vision is simple: A future where there are no boundaries to making and sharing music. BandLab is the next-generation social music platform with over 40 million users on a mission to break down the technical, geographic, and creative barriers for musicians and fans. Free-to-use, the mobile-first cross-platform DAW and social network, unites the entire creator journey into one place, boasting a suite of features and tools for creators to make their music, earn a living and grow their audience.

About Music Venue Trust:

Music Venue Trust is a UK registered charity which acts to protect, secure and improve Grassroots Music Venues. Created in January 2014, Music Venue Trust aims to secure the long-term future of iconic Grassroots Music Venues such as Hull Adelphi, Exeter Cavern, Southampton Joiners, The 100 Club, Band on the Wall, Tunbridge Wells Forum etc. These venues have played a crucial role in the development of British music over the last 40 years, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills. The charity works to gain recognition of the essential role these venues fulfil, not only for artist development but also for the cultural and music industries, the economy and local communities. Music Venue Trust aims to preserve and improve venues, making them more efficient and improving the experience for performers and audiences. Long-term, it plans to acquire the freeholds of as many of these vital venues as possible.

For more information please contact:

NMEawards@insideout.agency