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.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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