Tinie’s Big On Brit Nominations

Tinie Tempah has a good chance of winning one of this year’s Brit Awards, as the Plumstead-born rapper has been nominated in four categories.

He’s up for best single, best album, best breakthrough act and best male solo artist.

2010 Mercury Prize winner The xx, the joint-winner of last year’s European Talent Exchange Programme, has three nominations. It’s on the shortlist for best breakthrough act, best group and best album.

Also up for best album, generally regarded as the most prestigious of the Mercury gongs, are Tempah’s Disc-Overy, Mumford & Sons’ Sigh No More, Plan B’s The Defamation Of Strickland Banks and Take That’s Progress.

Mumford & Sons is also nominated for best breakthrough act and best band.

The prize of best international album will be fought out between Canadian band Arcade Fire and Americans including Cee-Lo Green, Eminem, Kings of Leon and Katy Perry.

The winners will be announced at the Brit Awards bash at London’s O2 Feb. 15, when acts including Tempah and Rihanna will perform.

With only two independent labels included in this year’s nominations, the Association of Independent Music couldn’t have chanced on a better time to announce it’s promoting its own awards.

Described as an antidote to the many awards events that reflect commercial rather than artistic achievements, AIM intends to recognise “the phenomenal talents of the independent sector.”

The inaugural AIM Awards will take place in London in October. More details will be announced in the spring.