Brit Music Scene

‘The Resistance’ Gives Muse International Success

Posted: 01 Oct 2009 04:45 PM PDT

A quick look at the Muse category would tell you just quite how big a fan of the band I am. And it’s not just me that thinks so, with their popularity growing both in the UK and beyond. In fact, Muse’s new album, The Resistance, is selling well around the world and proving the band are ready to become as big a phenomenon worldwide as they already are in Europe.

Muse have been with us since 1994, having been founded in their hometown of Teignmouth, Devon that year. And they’ve enjoyed mild success in the UK ever since the release of Showbiz in 1999. Muse have spent the last decade gaining new fans by the bucketload but international renown has been harder to come by.

Until now.

It seems that The Resistance is the album which has really put Muse on the international map. Black Holes and Revelations only managed to top the charts in seven countries, while The Resistance has already achieved that feat in 18, including, of course, the UK.

According to Digital Spy, Warner Music’s Matthieu Lauriot-Prevost told Music Week:

“When you compute the declining market that is really amazing. It is more than we were dreaming about. We have a schedule for the band for the next 18 months. It feels like it could be a big, big record.”

“Our goal is to take the band to the next level in every territory: where they are platinum, take them to double platinum, where they are gold take then to platinum. The sky is the limit.”

Big plans indeed, and why not? Muse are fantastic live, and anyone who has seen them even as a support act abroad cannot fail to come away impressed. And their ambitious and eminently classy records should be able to transcend borders and please everyone’s ears.

The UK has long coveted Muse, but it looks as though the rest of the world is also starting to wake up to their glory.

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

2009 Mobo Awards Winners – JLS and N-Dubz Clean Up

Posted: 01 Oct 2009 09:39 AM PDT

The Mobo (Music Of Black Origin) Awards are a strange one because they only recognize music that has its roots in one culture. Unlike every other big awards ceremony in the UK which celebrate music in all its forms no matter where it derived from. Having said that, it could be argued that all music has black roots so the Mobo Awards actually don’t exclude anyone.

This year’s Mobo Awards were held at the SECC in Glasgow. The night saw some deserving winners but some sadly overlooked artists missing out, especially Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder, both of whom have had incredible success over the past 12 months.

2009 Mobo Awards Winners

Best UK Act: N-Dubz
Best Newcomer: JLS
Best Song: ‘Beat Again’ – JLS
Best Album: ‘Uncle B’ – N-Dubz
Best DJ: Trevor Nelson
Best Hip Hop: Chipmunk
Best R&B: Keri Hilson
Best International: Beyoncé
Best Video: ‘Single Ladies’ – Beyoncé
Best Reggae: Sean Paul
Best Jazz: Yolanda Brown
Best Gospel: Victizzle
Best African Act: Nneka

JLS, runners-up of The X Factor, N-Dubz, and Beyonce all won big, taking home two Mobo Awards. However, Beyonce isn’t British and couldn’t be bothered to turn up on the night so we’ll ignore her. Except to say that I suspect Kanye West will be happy to see she won Best Video for Single Ladies. Then again, Taylor Swift wasn’t nominated.

As well as the controversy surrounding the winners (and who missed out), there were also sound problems which upset both Tinchy Stryder and Kelly Rowland. The latter bemoaned the problem on her Twitter page straight after the show.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene