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BBC News Online: Entertainment

Tuesday, 1 February, 2000, 17:13 GMT

Blur's award hat-trick

Rock band Blur lifted three titles at the NME Premier Awards to crown a successful comeback year.

Nominated for four awards, they won best single and best video, plus the prized title of best band.

Blur last won best band in 1995 when they were riding high on the huge success of their Parklife album when the NME magazine's awards were known as the Brats. This year they saw off competition from last year's winners Manic Street Preachers.

They released their comeback album 13 in March 1999, which included the eight-minute gospel-edged track Tender, named best single at the NME awards.

The promo for Coffee and TV - which featured an animated milk carton - picked up the best video title.

Prestigious awards

The titles were handed out at a star-studded ceremony at London's Mermaid Theatre, hosted by Radio 1 DJs Steve Lamacq and Mary Anne Hobbs.

The Chemical Brothers, who picked up four Brit nominations on Monday, were named best dance act ahead of Fatboy Slim - although he did not go empty-handed after being named best DJ.

Readers voted hotly-tipped guitar band Muse as best new act, while Super Furry Animals were honoured as best live act.

Happy Mondays veteran Shaun Ryder was named Godlike Genius at the ceremony for his services to music.

But it was down to the act that shaped modern pop and rock, The Beatles, to be declared best band ever in a poll of readers of the influential music paper. Sir Paul McCartney turned up to pick up the award.

Confusingly, in some categories separate awards were decided by both readers and NME staff.

The NME writers chose Travis as their artist of the year, Terris as the brightest hope, while Windowlicker by Aphex Twin was named single of the year.

Death In Vegas were the NME's dance act of the year, Mogwai were live act of the year and Supergrass picked up the Radio 1 Evening Session's session of the year title.

The best album category was one area where readers and writers alike agreed - both voted for The Soft Bulletin by American band The Flaming Lips.

Presenter Lamacq was also rewarded with his show The Evening Session being named best radio show.

Winners of the 2000 NME Premier Awards

Readers' poll

Best New Artist
Muse

Best Live Act
Super Furry Animals

Best Single
Tender - Blur

Best Album
The Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips

Best Band
Blur

Best Dance Act
The Chemical Brothers

Best TV Show
The Royle Family

Best Radio Show
Radio 1 Evening Session

Best Musical Event
Glastonbury Festival

Best DJ
Fatboy Slim

Best Band Ever
The Beatles

Best Video
Coffee and TV - Blur

NME writers' poll

Brightest Hope
Terris

Single Of The Year
Windowlicker - Aphex Twin

Album Of The Year
The Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips

Dance Act Of The Year
Death In Vegas

Radio 1 Evening Session's Session Of The Year
Supergrass

Artist Of The Year
Travis

Godlike Genius Award For Services To Music
Shaun Ryder

Related to this story:
From despair to success (12 Feb 99 | Brit Awards)
Manics win at NME awards (26 Jan 99 | Entertainment)
Dance sounds dominate Brits list (31 Jan 00 | Entertainment)
British pop's annual awards (17 Feb 99 | Brit Awards)

Internet Links: NME BBC Radio 1 Manic Street Preachers Official site Blur
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