Mika, Take That Lead Brit Award Nominations

The Brit Awards (the U.K.'s version of the Grammys) announced their nominations this morning, with British boy-band revivalists Take That (a.k.a. Robbie Williams' old group) and piano-pop crooner Mika leading the way with four nominations each. For the non-Anglophiles out there, here is Rock Daily's handy guide to the nominated artists you might not know. The awards will be handed out on February 20th.

Leona Lewis: Also nominated for four awards, Lewis had several gigantic hit singles in England after winning the third season of the American Idol-esque show X-Factor. Her debut album Spirit will be released in the U.S. in March.

Richard Hawley: A former member of Nineties indie stalwarts the Longpigs and Britpop legends Pulp, Hawley's fifth solo album Lady's Bridge reached number six on the U.K. charts.

Newton Faulkner: If Prince was an English hippie who was obsessed with Bobby McFerrin-esque percussion and had long cinnamon dreadlocks, you'd have Faulkner. His album Hand Built By Robots peaked at Number One on the U.K. charts.

Bat For Lashes: Natasha Khan plays exquisite chamber pop that includes string quartets, zithers and lyrics about magical horses. Though her album had a minor breakout here, Fur and Gold was a minor phenomenon across the pond.

Jamie T: Equal parts rock, rap and bedroom folk, Jamie T’s debut album Panic Prevention is a jittery, eclectic concept album about his own panic attacks. Because of his high-strung nature, he has gained a reputation as a damaged genius in his home country.

Related Stories:
• Rolling Stone's 10 Artists to Watch: Mika
• Paul McCartney to Receive Special Brit Award
• Breaking Artist: Bat for Lashes

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Song Stories

“(We're Not) The Jet Set”

George Jones and Tammy Wynette | 1973

George Jones and Tammy Wynette were still married when they recorded the tongue-in-cheek "(We're Not) The Jet Set." The lyrics, written by Nashville songwriter Bobby Braddock, who also penned Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today," make fun of the good life by declaring, "We're not the Jet Set/We're the old Chevrolet set." Braddock recalled that while writing the song, he needed the name of a city that evened out the rhyme he had with "Riviera" and "Missourah." “I got out a Rand McNally atlas," he said. "In the first part are the maps. The last part is an alphabetical listing of cities. I wanted a rustic, small-time sound. I went to the listing for Missouri. And I found 'Festus.' I loved the sound of it."

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