Dot Music (November 25, 1997)

FLEETWOOD MAC TO TOP THE BILL AT BRITS 1998

Fleetwood Mac, currently enjoying their third career comeback after hitting the US number one spot with The Dance, will be honoured with the outstanding contribution award at next year's Brits. The group, who join the Bee Gees, David Bowie and Elton John among others as recipients of the prestigious award, will also perform several of their biggest hits live at the London Arena event on February 9.

Paul Conroy, in charge of his first Brits since taking over the chairman's role from Paul Burger, says, "Although they've been in the business a very long time, Fleetwood Mac haven't ceased selling records and their new album's success in the US demonstrates they are still very current."

The award is traditionally announced after Christmas, but Conroy brought it forward as part of his strategy to generate interest in the Brits earlier and give Fleetwood Mac's record company, Warner, time to prepare a marketing campaign to tie in with the event. "I think last year, when the Bee Gees won, it showed that the award can have enormous impact on sales," he says.

Other changes to the voting procedure mean some of the year's biggest releases, timed for the Christmas market, will now be eligible as the awards' qualifying period has been extended by an extra two weeks. It now runs from August 11 1996 to November 17 1997.

Qualifying rules for the newcomer category have also been relaxed, allowing acts who have had low-key releases in previous years to enter ­ as long as their early releases did not enter the Top 75. For the second year running viewers of The Box will be invited to phone in votes for the best British video and listeners to more than 65 commercial radio stations will vote for the best British single.

Sony, which released the 150,000-selling Brits album last year, will compile the Brit Awards '98 title to be launched on January 26. However, Warner Music Vision is taking over the video compilation from Wienerworld.

Initial Film & TV will again produce the awards for Carlton, which will screen the event the following evening.

Thanks to Lisa W. for posting this to the Ledge.