Should award shows not be mixed genres?

Did anyone catch the mobos this week???

How terrible were they!!??

Honestly, I think the mobos should be scrapped, same old nonsense year in, year out. The right artist is never awarded. And I like some of Jessie J's stuff and she is a very good singer... but ermm how is she winning best newcomer when she's been charting from early 2010? That award should've went to Wretch 32!

Music of black origin does need to be celebrated but sorry this award show is just utter bullsh*t!!

In general though, across music, I'm really disappointed by most music award shows, grammys and brits too. They never seem accurate. The show that is close to proper celebrating the best music over the previous year is the BET Hip Hop awards. And I'm wondering whether this is the trick, for an award show to be as specific as possible.

When was the last time you were happy or upset over an award show?

Thing is when they try to mix all the genres... people will complain as they'll base it all on sales and the poppy mainstream stuff will get all the accolades! As much as music is mixed these days, I was wondering if it's better to make awards more specific to genres... Rock award show, Pop, Indie, Soul, Heavy Metal etc therefore whoever tunes in knows what they're getting.

And for those into all types of music (including me) can always just tune into the different award shows and opens up competition and gives less power to the grammys... which is what ALL artists seem to be aiming for.

The Mobo awards no longer represent the best of black music. In attempting to appeal to a mass audience, the Mobos have diluted their unique selling point – raw, black musical talent.

Thoughts?

My issue with the MOBOs is that whilst it is attempting to promote it in a good light would it be acceptable in the year 2011 to have a MOWO (music of white origin) award show?

Hero wrote:My issue with the MOBOs is that whilst it is attempting to promote it in a good light would it be acceptable in the year 2011 to have a MOWO (music of white origin) award show?

yeah... discussed this with my friends, and being a black man myself, I think it is unfair, music has no colour.

There is the point that not much black artists are triumphant at the biggest shows, but black music in general does well and genres that originated from black culture sell well.

The mobos should be scrapped anyway.

Hero, shouldn't there just be awards specific to genre??

It's a bit like say BET (Black entertainment television) in America. Well it is just a channel, however when have you seen a black country singer? and country has its own awards.

I can see why something like BET and MOBO would be around.... say 25 years ago when only white people where on channels like MTV, but not now, it's 2011 and all races are involved in all genres.

And its exactly here where these people have gone wrong, putting race into it. It should just be specific to genre... because as the mobos showed there were a lot of white artists, and it was in Glasgow. As for the BET's... Eminems performed there but it's ridiculous how he hasn't won award for best rapper once!

I'm noticing that in this day and age, being white can be a disadvantage in some areas... although people would laugh it off and tell them to be serious. Not only are you judged on actions made by your race over a hundred years ago, you are now given the back seat to any other race for some jobs. Some companies would prefer a non-white employee so they can appear "diversified." Which is wrong.

Totally in agreement with you, years ago when there was discrimination in music then yes the MOBOs had a place to promote the huge influence that its artists have provided upon music but this day and age then you look at any top ten either here or in the US and it is predominately music of black origin.
There are other award shows like Q (which tend to be indie/stadium rock) and Kerrang (Rock), a rebranding of MOBOs as an RnB/Urban awards show I think would open it up to a wider audience.

The whole idea of the MOBO awards makes me laugh.

While their remit is to recognise RnB / Rap and "Urban" music in general, a lot of folks seem to have forgotten rock and metal originated with the BLACK American delta blues guitarists of the early 20th century (Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson etc.)

That said, music now has so many genres and sub-genres that if there weren't any categories or restrictions, award ceremonies could go on for days or weeks.

Think jay-z and Hero make very good points. Make it about the music - not peoples' colour. The MOBOs should be re-branded to reflect the type of music they recognise, not necessarily where it came from.