Some of the UK’s biggest managers were celebrated last night at the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Music Managers Forum (MMF)’s Artist & Manager Awards 2024.
Capping off the evening was the Pet Shop Boys and their manager Angela Becker being presented with the Artist & Manager Partnership Award to honour their hugely successful union. The group celebrated the 40th anniversary of their debut single, West End Girls, this year.
Speaking about the award, Neil Tennant paid tribute to Angela Becker’s work, saying, “At a time when we needed it, Angela brought into our lives: good advice, organisation, honesty and strategy to help us carry out some of our strange, spontaneous and wilful ideas. And to make this a reality. She has helped us flourish in those 16 years and we love her for it.”
Becker added: “Learning the language of your client’s hopes and fears will open doors to profound impact, ensuring your work echoes in the hearts of audiences long after. I am continually elevated and inspired by the pursuit of new ways to communicate Pet Shop Boy’s vision. As Hans Christian Andersen says, ‘Where words fail, music speaks.’”
Held at London’s Bloomsbury Big Top and hosted by BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Remi Burgz, the Artist & Manager awards saw many other top names celebrated.
Another globally successful duo was celebrated earlier in the evening, with Chase & Status and their manager, Sophie Kennard (co-founder Frame Artists), receiving the Artist & Manager Team Of The Year. Kennard is alongside co-founder Becci Abbott Black interviewed in the latest issue of Music Week. Subscribers can read the interview in full here.
Elsewhere, the Icon Award was presented to Paloma Faith by her long-time manager Innis Ferguson at Lateral Management, while Riverman Management founders Alex Weston and Dave McLean were awarded the highly-coveted title of Managers’ Manager in tribute to their 35 years working in music.
Barry Can’t Swim claimed the Breakthrough Artist Award, while Victoria de Juniac (VictoriaBDJ Management) received the breakthrough manager award for her work with Irish singer-songwriter Cian Ducrot.
The ceremony’s inaugural Secret Weapon Award, established to recognise a critical member of a management company who has made invaluable contributions behind the scenes, was won by Hope James at Atlas Artists, particularly her work for Rachel Chinouriri.
Sam Kelly and Ray Simpson from Cymande were presented with the Originator award and, with the blessing of her family, the 2024 Pioneer was awarded posthumously to Sophie. It was accepted by her mother, Pamela Long and sister Katy Grimstone.
The Fan Champion Award was given to Yungblud (Dom Harrison) Tommas Arnby, Adam Wood and the wider team at Special Projects Music.
The award for Writer/Producer Manager went to Milk & Honey’s Ant Hippsley, with the Team Achievement gong going to Finesse Foreva.
You can see the full list of winners below:
Artist & Manager Partnership (sponsored by PPL)
Pet Shop Boys & Angela Becker (Becker Brown)
Artist & Manager Team of the Year (sponsored by TuneCore)
Chase & Status & Sophie Kennard (Frame Artists)
Icon
Paloma Faith
Managers’ Manager
Riverman Management
Pioneer
Sophie (posthumous award)
Originator
Cymande
Fan Champion
Yungblud & Special Projects Music
Breakthrough Artist (sponsored by TikTok)
Barry Can’t Swim
Breakthrough Manager (sponsored by Amazon Music)
Victoria de Juniac (VictoriaBDJ Management)
Secret Weapon
Hope James (Atlas Artists)
Writer/Producer Manager
Ant Hippsley (Milk & Honey)
Team Achievement
Finesse Foreva
