The Brits 2008 nominations - Kylie, Mika and Girls Aloud!

This is the full list of nominations for this year's Brit Awards 2008:

BEST BRITISH MALE

Jamie T

Mark Ronson

Mika

Newton Faulkner

Richard Hawley

BEST BRITISH FEMALE

Bat For Lashes

Kate Nash

KT Tunstall

Leona Lewis

PJ Harvey

BEST BRITISH GROUP

Arctic Monkeys

Editors

Girls Aloud

Kaiser Chiefs

Take That

BEST BRITISH ALBUM

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

Leona Lewis - Spirit

Mark Ronson - Version

Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion

Take That - Beautiful World

BEST BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH

Bat For Lashes

Kate Nash

Klaxons

Leona Lewis

Mika

BEST LIVE ACT

Arctic Monkeys

Kaiser Chiefs

Klaxons

Muse

Take That

BEST BRITISH SINGLE

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love

Mika - Grace Kelly

Take That - Shine

Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby

Sugababes - About You Now

Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse - Valerie

Kate Nash - Foundations

The Hoosiers - Worried About Ray

James Blunt - 1973

Mutya Buena - Real Girl

BEST INTERNATIONAL MALE

Bruce Springsteen

Kanye West

Michael Buble

Rufus Wainwright

Timbaland

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEMALE

Alicia Keys

Bjork

Feist

Kylie Minogue

Rihanna

BEST INTERNATIONAL GROUP

Arcade Fire

Eagles

Foo Fighters

Kings of Leon

White Stripes

BEST INTERNATIONAL ALBUM

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden

Foo Fighters - Echoes Silence Patience & Grace

Kings of Leon - Because Of The Times

Kylie Minogue - X

CRITICS' CHOICE AWARD

Adele

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC

Sir Paul McCartney

Me against the music

I was reading an article in the New York Times today about which music to listen to when you're exercising. Apparently, there is a scientific reason why some music is better to exercise to than others:

Generally speaking there is a science to choosing an effective exercise soundtrack, said Dr. Costas Karageorghis, an associate professor of sport psychology at Brunel University in England, who has studied the effects of music on physical performance for 20 years..

One of the most important elements, Dr. Karageorghis found, is a song’s tempo, which should be between 120 and 140 beats-per-minute, or B.P.M. That pace coincides with the range of most commercial dance music, and many rock songs are near that range, which leads people to develop “an aesthetic appreciation for that tempo,” he said. It also roughly corresponds to the average person’s heart rate during a routine workout — say, 20 minutes on an elliptical trainer by a person who is more casual exerciser than fitness warrior.

Dr. Karageorghis said “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa and “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg are around that range, as is the dance remix of “Umbrella” by Rihanna... For a high-intensity workout like a hard run, he suggested Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On.”

I got to thinking about my own choice of exercise music and here's a list my favourite tracks to sweat along with while on the cross trainer:

Charlotte Church Crazy Chick - this has the perfect tempo and rhythmn for me. It's also a bit badass so it gets the adrenalin pumping!

Girls Aloud Love Machine - more flirty girly sass

Madonna Ray of Light - I like to wig out to this one

John Paul Young Love is in the Air - it all gets a bit disco down at the gym sometimes..

Mylène Farmer Peut-être toi - Mylène's dance remixes are perfect for working out

Sheila B. Devotion Spacer - I used this one for a mellow warm up or cool down

Britney Spear Gimme More - for those moments when I get a bit bump 'n grindy on the cross trainer. Hey, there are some cute guys at my gym!

On my iPod this week - Suzanne Vega and Girls Aloud!

Suzanne Vega Tom's Diner (DNA mix) - "Duh duh duh du duh du du duh du du da duh da duh duh duh da!"

Cyndi Lauper Time After Time - I was watching Strictly Ballroom on the telly yet again and the dance sequence with this in the background served as a reminder of how beautiful this song is.

Neneh Cherry & Youssou N'Dour 7 Seconds - You know, I don't even know what prompted this download, but the song just popped into my head the other day.

Newton Faulkner Teardrop - Now, don't get me wrong, a white dude with dreadlocks is just plain wrong but I do like this acoustic version of the Massive Attack song. Faulkner needs a Justin Timberlake shaved head makeover though.

Girls Aloud Can't Speak French - Ah, my favourite song at the moment. An absolutely brilliant piece of catchy pop sung with typical insolence. I can't wait to see Nicola Roberts' magnificent sourpuss in the promo video!

On my iPod this week - vintage Madonna, Girls Aloud and Etienne Daho

Madonna Each Time You Break My Heart - you must remember this song from Nick Kamen which was co-written and produced by Madonna. Well, this is the original demo track which was leaked on the interweb merely twenty years or so after it was recorded. I forget where I got it from but I'm sure it's all legal and stuff. Well, I think so anyway.. Erm, oops!

Girls Aloud - Can't Speak French - from their new album Tangled, this just has to be their next single. It's impossibly catchy, cheeky and sexy. I love these girls.

David Sylvian - Forbidden Colours - This was originally on the Secrets of the Beehive album but subsequent reissues have seen it replaced with another song which is a pity as it's one of Sylvian's most beautiful songs. It was written with longtime collaborator Ryuichi Sakamoto for the film Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, it has a haunting melody and vocal.

The Blow Monkeys La Passionara - remember the Balearic beat from back in the late 80's? I still love that music and this track is a classic from the period.

Mutya Buena Fast Car - Mutya's cover version of the Tracey Chapman song for the Radio 1 Established 1967 album. Lots of great covers on this album but this is one of my favourites.

Etienne Daho L'invitation - there's a new Etienne Daho album out, whoot! This is the title track. More classic French pop from the oh so dreamy Mr Daho.

On my iPod this week - Kylie!

On my new silver iPod shuffle this week:

Kylie Minogue Sensitized - I loved this as soon as I heard it on Kylie TV special the other week. It makes clever use of a wonderful sample from Serge Gainsbourg's Bonnie and Clyde

David Sylvian Heartbeat - another sublime collaboration between Mr Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto

Girls Aloud Call The Shots - these girls just get better and better, a perfect pop record

Hayley Westenra Prayer - yes, I know it's not my usual sort of thing, but it's used on the soundtrack to the Nintendo Wii game Endless Ocean. I've been playing the game over the past two weeks and this song has stuck in my head and reminds me of my virual diving exploits

Robyn With Every Heartbeat - this is on endless rotation at the gym each time I go and it's yet another song that's driven itself into my head

Grace Jones Slave to the Rhythm - heeeeere's Grace!

Shayne Ward Breathless - what's not to like about our Shayne?

Tori Amos releases American Doll Posse

Tori Amos released her new album today, American Doll Posse. According to the blub, Tori has followed up 2005's 'The Beekeeper' with an album that some are describing as a return to the dark, harrowing feel of her early 90s work. Performed by a "posse" of five unique characters, all played by Amos and representing different facets of her personality, the album's subject matter flits from the outspokenly political to the deeply personal. Um, I'm not sure about these five personalities, it all sounds a bit like Sally Field in Sybil.

But what I do love is how much Tori looks like Girls Aloud's Nicola Roberts in some of the photos. Do you reckon Nicola inspired Tori's new look? I do hope so. Oh, don't get me started on Nicola, she's my favourite Girl Aloud. I mean, you want to be a pop singer so you get your wish and what do you do, mope around with a face like a slapped arse in all your videos and photo shoots. I love that. So sick of all these pop stars grinning for no good reason. Pop life is tough and Nicola shows it! She's such a badass.


Anyway, back to Tori. At first, I thought she was came across as another Kate Bush imitator but I've liked her more and more over the years and she's never been afraid to experiment and pretty much anything in music. I loved her cover of Depeche Mode's Enjoy The Silence. She's been into work a few times and, of course, she was just as super crazy just as you'd expect. She spent a ton of money so of course I turned a blind eye to her artistic temperament, but seriously, she was lovely.