Potentially interesting future releases notwithstanding:

Album of the Year: Gorillaz - Demon Days. It's got a massive scope, it's incredibly ambitious, and it really pulls it off. Good tunes, lots of depth and some great guest spots push this to the top of the tree. Honourable mentions to Kaiser Chiefs, Hard Fi, Mylo and particularly Franz Ferdinand.

Single of the Year: Artic Monkeys - I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor. The UK indie scene is certainly in quite rude health at the moment. Arctic Monkeys look to be the band to really blow it all sky high again in 2006, with an album apparently due in February. On strength of word-of-mouth, their winter tour sold out almost immediately, and their debuy single hit no. 1 in the UK - no mean feat. Deservedly so, too. It's brilliant. Worthy of note here, Razorlight with Somewhere Else, The Foo Fighters' Best of You, Sebastian Tellier with La Ritournelle, Wake Up by Arcade Fire and The Magic Numbers' Love Me Like You.

Artist of the Year: Kaiser Chiefs. A great album, some brilliant live performances and an endearingly British quality. Super.

Best New Artist: Arctic Monkeys. Or, if I'm being fairer on those who have actually released something this year, The Magic Numbers. No doubt, if I'd ever actually bought her album, M.I.A would have a mention here.

Best Comeback Artist: For length of time away, Kate Bush. For return from relative doldrums, Oasis. I'm no huge fan of either, but both are pretty impressive comebacks. And the new Oasis single is lovely.

Best Tour: Rumour says U2. This survey says Arctic Monkeys are going to be better.

Where the fuck did that come from? Moment: Jamie Foxx feat. Kanye West. Don't know the name of the track. Don't know if I may even have imagined it. If I did, I'm a musical genius. If I didn't, he is.

Best 'Greatest of...' Compliation: Prodigy - Their Law or Basement Jaxx - The Singles.

To do this properly, I really need a list of what's actually been released this year. Curse my pathetic memory.

later,
Chris...

I could stay if you asked me,
So for God's sake don't ask me to stay