What Is The Worst Band/Album Of The Year?

The acts unfortunate enough to land a spot on the magazine’s worst band list are Beady Eye, Coldplay, Muse, One Direction and Viva Brother. Last year Jonas Brothers earned bragging rights for worst band.

Muse shouldn’t feel too bad though because the group is also nominated for the best British band award along with Arctic Monkeys, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Horrors and Kasabian. Muse lead vocalist Matt Bellamy is also up for hero of the year and hottest male. Last year Muse won best British band and Bellamy was crowned hottest male.

Beady Eye’s inclusion on the worst band list should give you a clue as to which Gallagher brother NME is siding with. Liam Gallagher, frontman for Beady Eye and former frontman of Oasis, is on the villain of the year list along with U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and last year’s villain of the year, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron.

That means Noel Gallagher, the former guitarist for Oasis, is nominated for hero of the year with Bellamy in addition to Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, and British comedian/actor Noel Fielding. Although Lady Gaga is up for villain of the year, last year she walked away with the gong for hero of the year.

NME really, really likes Noel Gallagher. He’s being recognized with NME’s Godlike Genius Award and his new band, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, is up for the best solo artist award and best album. Noel is also included in the category for “greatest music moment of the year” for launching his solo career with a press conference. Other notable music moments include Brian May joining My Chemical Romance onstage at Reading Festival; Kasabian’s epic London O2 Arena show; Pulp stealing the show at Glastonbury with its secret set; and the Stone Roses’ reuniting.

Last year Justin Bieber’s album My World earned the distinction of the worst release of the year. The Biebs has been nominated once again for his Christmas album, Under The Mistletoe. According to NME, the other totally awful albums of the year include Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, One Direction’s Up All Night and Viva Brother’s Famous First Words.

Competing with Noel Gallagher for best album of the year are Arctic Monkeys for Suck It And See, The Horrors for Skying, PJ Harvey for Let England Shake and The Vaccines for What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

Photo: AP Photo

Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration, New York City

For the full list of NME Award nominees, including best international band, best album artwork, best small festival, best music film and most dedicated fans, click here.

NME’s 2012 award show is being held Feb. 29 at O2 Academy Brixton. Tickets go on sale Feb. 1 through SeeTickets.com.