There are the award shows everyone’s heard of; the Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, and Grammys are the big four, but there are also the Kid and Teen Choice Awards, and the Golden Globes. Then there are the award shows that are lesser-known, such as the American Music Awards (AMAs) and the BRITs. BRIT stands for British Record Industry Trust Show and is an annual event celebrating mostly British musicians (shocker). The event is usually held in February, but this year was put off due to COVID and was instead held on May 11th. Among the notable winners this year are Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Billie Eilish. In this article, I will present my case for why the BRITs is not only the most fun award show but the most enjoyable on television. 

The BRIT awards are hosted every year by a celebrity. In the past, they have been hosted by the likes of James Corden and Ant & Dec, but over the past few years comedian, Jack Whitehall has been at the helm. Jack causes all sorts of chaos with guests and makes generally funny comments throughout the night. In just one conversation with Harry Styles and Lizzo at the 2020 BRITs, Jack managed to flirt with Lizzo, have all three of them take shots of straight tequila, and spill red wine on Harry’s bright yellow suit. This kind of relaxed banter brings a more laid-back vibe to the show, making the audience feel comfortable and like they’re witnessing a conversation amongst old friends. This already gives the BRITs an edge over other awards shows like the Oscars which has a very professional, uptight, and black suit vibe, as the awards given out on that night are incredibly prestigious and important. Not that receiving a BRIT isn’t a big deal, but the Oscars are the Oscars. 

The BRIT awards knows how to have fun. The red carpet interviews are interesting and not just the obligatory “what are you wearing tonight?” routine. I’ve always found that British celebrity interviews are less awkward than American ones, and the BRITs are no exception to this idea. The fact that a lot of the people there know each other helps to make it more comfortable too. 

The BRITs have performances like any other music award show, but they are more varied and interesting. There are lights and choreography, with the performances varying from an artist sitting at a piano singing, to 20 people popping and locking, to a hit new hip-hop song. The budget for these performances is clearly quite high; this year Coldplay played live from a barge on the Thames river.

Another aspect of the BRITs that makes it better than other awards shows is its accessibility. Shows like the Grammys and Oscars are available on live TV, but with many people making the switch to streaming and throwing away their cable box, shows exclusive to certain television networks are hard to find if you don’t have that certain network’s app on your streaming device. The BRITs, however, are live-streamed on the BRITs official YouTube channel, completely free to anyone who has a Google account. There aren’t even ads; everytime the show takes a break, rather than going to ads, they cut to two people reflecting on past award ceremonies and comparing aspects of them to something that just happened.          

When it comes to the actual awards, the BRITs is pretty standard. They don’t always have the same awards each year; some awards include International Male and Female Solo Artist awards, as well as Best Album, Breakthrough Artist, Best British Single, British Group, International Group, Rising Star, and British Artist Video of the Year awards. 

The 2021 BRITs winners are as follows:

Mastercard Album: Dua Lipa- Future Nostalgia 

Female Solo Artist: Dua Lipa

Male Solo Artist: J Hus

British Group: Little Mix

Breakthrough Artist: Arlo Parks

British Single with Mastercard: Harry Styles- Watermelon Sugar

International Male Solo Artist: The Weeknd

International Female Solo Artist: Billie Eilish

International Group: HAIM

BRITs Rising Star: Griff

BRITs Global Icon: Taylor Swift

Little Mix made history as the first-ever girl-group to win the British Group award in the 41 years of the show. They expressed their frustration at the lack of female winners in their acceptance speech, with member Jade Thirlwall declaring “The fact that a girl band has never won this award really does speak volumes, so this award isn’t just for us, it’s for the Spice Girls, Sugababes, All Saints, Girls Aloud, all of the incredible female bands. This one’s for you!” Previous winners include Coldplay, Radiohead, and Oasis. 

Taylor Swift made history this year as she became not only the first female but also the first international winner of the Global Icon Award. Considered the BRITs highest honor, Taylor was awarded it for her “immense impact on music across the world and incredible repertoire and achievements to date.” Only three other artists have ever received this award; Elton John and David Bowie both received the award in 2016, and in 2017 it was gifted to Robbie Williams.

The BRIT Awards are not only the most accessible, least awkward, and funniest award show on television, but the overall most enjoyable. They bring fun, comfort, and some cool performances to viewers at home.