The 2019 Music Week Awards are now in the record books as the best of the best were honoured at the biggest night in the music industry calendar.
Held at Battersea Evolution, the event was the most well-attended Music Week Awards yet, attracting a 1,300-strong crowd to the venue on Thursday (May 9).
On a night of well-deserved winners and memorable moments, here are some of the best quotes from a magical evening.
1. "Mind blown. You turn up to these things, and you see people that win the Strat and [you think] there’s no way you’re gonna be on the list, no fucking way. To everyone in the room, to the winners, I know how it feels, to the people who didn’t get anything, I know how it feels. And hopefully I will see you all again."
Darcus Beese, president, Island Records: Winner – The Strat
2. "I’ve got a few words of wisdom to the young people out there, there’s a lot of c***s in the music industry, my tip is make sure you don’t employ any of them. Because if you do, you’re fucked. I’ve always surrounded myself with good people.”
Damian Christian, director of promotions, Atlantic Records: Winner – Promotions Team
3. “We are the people that are talking to customers over the counter and doing the grassroots hard line stuff and we bloody love what we do, but it’s graft and it’s really hard graft and thank you for recognising it.”
Natasha Youngs, co-founder, Resident, Brighton: Winner – Independent Music Retailer
4. “I really wasn’t expecting this because I thought this was the 6 Music Award!”
Ben Cooper, controller, BBC Radio 1: Winner – Radio Station
5. “I want to say to anyone out there that’s a young girl that wants to do the job that we do, keep coming, we need more of us!”
Lauren Laverne, presenter, BBC Radio 6 Music: Winner – Radio Show
6. "Underneath all the noise and chatter on social media and the tabloid sensationalism, never let fake news get in the way of the actual facts. The final RAJARs for Radio 2’s drive-time programme showed that we’d put on 280,000 listeners. Funny that!”
Jo Whiley, BBC Radio 2: Music Week Awards 2019 host
7. "The general recognition of venues like us means a lot. We lose a lot of money doing it so it’s good to get something back at the end."
Nick Stewart, owner/manager, Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh: Winner – Grassroots Venue, Spirit Of The Scene
8. “It’s been an incredible journey and we really appreciate your support. A lot has changed for the good but the fight is not yet over.”
Richard Davies, founder, Twickets: Winner – Ticketing Company
9. “We are and always will be about putting our songwriters first.”
Tom Foster, head of film & TV Europe, Universal Music Publishing Group: Winner – Publisher
10. "It's Britney, bitch!"
Kirsten Sharp, streaming marketing manager, Sony Music: Winner – Catalogue Marketing Campaign
