# Brit Awards 1997

Brit Awards 1997 was the 17th edition of the Brit Awards, an annual pop music awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. It was organised by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 24 February 1997 at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London.

## Performances

| Artist(s) | Song(s) |
| Bee Gees | "To Love Somebody" "Massachusetts" "Words" "How Deep Is Your Love" "Jive Talkin'" "Stayin' Alive" "You Should Be Dancing" |
| Diana Ross featuring Jamiroquai | "Upside Down" |
| The Fugees | "Killing Me Softly with His Song" |
| Manic Street Preachers | "A Design for Life" |
| Mark Morrison | "Return of the Mack" |
| Prince | "Emancipation" |
| Sheryl Crow | "Everyday Is a Winding Road" |
| Skunk Anansie | "Teenage Kicks" |
| Spice Girls | "Wannabe" "Who Do You Think You Are" |

## Winners and nominees

| British Album of the Year (presented by Zoë Ball) | British Producer of the Year (presented by Sharleen Spiteri) |
| Manic Street Preachers – Everything Must Go Kula Shaker – K Lighthouse Family – Ocean Drive George Michael – Older Ocean Colour Scene – Moseley Shoals | John Leckie Absolute, Richard Stannard and Matt Rowe Hugh Jones Mike Hedges Tricky |
| British Single of the Year (presented by Caroline Aherne) | British Video of the Year (presented by Frank Skinner) |
| Spice Girls – "Wannabe" Babybird – "You're Gorgeous" Kula Shaker – "Tattva" Lighthouse Family – "Lifted" Manic Street Preachers – "A Design for Life" George Michael – "Fastlove" Mark Morrison – "Return of the Mack" Oasis – "Don't Look Back in Anger" The Prodigy – "Firestarter" Underworld – "Born Slippy" | Spice Girls – "Say You'll Be There" The Chemical Brothers – "Setting Sun" Dodgy – "Good Enough" Jamiroquai – "Virtual Insanity" Manic Street Preachers – "A Design for Life" George Michael – "Fastlove" Orbital – "The Box" The Prodigy – "Breathe" The Prodigy – "Firestarter" Spice Girls – "Wannabe" |
| British Male Solo Artist (presented by Elton John) | British Female Solo Artist (presented by Naomi Campbell) |
| George Michael Mark Morrison Mick Hucknall Sting Tricky | Gabrielle Dina Carroll Donna Lewis Eddi Reader Louise |
| British Group (presented by Colin Jackson and Vinnie Jones) | British Breakthrough Act (presented by Jo Whiley) |
| Manic Street Preachers Kula Shaker Lightning Seeds Ocean Colour Scene Spice Girls | Kula Shaker Alisha's Attic Ash Babybird The Bluetones Lighthouse Family Longpigs Mansun Mark Morrison Skunk Anansie Space Spice Girls |
| British Dance Act (presented by Samantha Fox) | Soundtrack/Cast Recording (presented by Lenny Henry) |
| The Prodigy The Chemical Brothers Jamiroquai Mark Morrison Underworld | Trainspotting Dangerous Minds Evita La Passione Mission: Impossible |
| International Male Solo Artist (presented by Snoop Dogg) | International Female Solo Artist (presented by Eddie Izzard) |
| Beck Babyface Bryan Adams Prince Robert Miles | Sheryl Crow Celine Dion Joan Osborne Neneh Cherry Toni Braxton |
| International Group (presented by Lennox Lewis) | International Breakthrough Act (presented by Gary Barlow and Louise Redknapp) |
| The Fugees Boyzone The Presidents of the United States of America R.E.M. The Smashing Pumpkins | Robert Miles Fun Lovin Criminals Joan Osborne The Presidents of the United States of America The Tony Rich Project |

### Outstanding Contribution to Music

* Bee Gees

## Multiple nominations and awards

The following artists received multiple awards and/or nominations.
Artists that received multiple nominations :
| Nominations | Artist |
| 5 | Spice Girls |
| 4 (5) | George Michael |
| 4 (5) | Kula Shaker |
| 4 (5) | Manic Street Preachers |
| 4 (5) | Mark Morrison |
| 4 (5) | The Prodigy |
| 3 | Lighthouse Family |
| 2 (9) | Babybird |
| 2 (9) | The Chemical Brothers |
| 2 (9) | Jamiroquai |
| 2 (9) | Joan Osborne |
| 2 (9) | Ocean Colour Scene |
| 2 (9) | The Presidents of the United States of America |
| 2 (9) | Robert Miles |
| 2 (9) | Tricky |
| 2 (9) | Underworld |
Artists that received multiple awards :
| Awards | Artist |
| 2 (2) | Manic Street Preachers |
| 2 (2) | Spice Girls |

## Notable moments
### Geri Halliwell's Union Jack dress and wardrobe malfunction

Ginger Spice, Geri Halliwell, wore the Union Jack dress whilst performing onstage with the group. Spicemania was at its height in the UK and the Spice Girls had just cracked the US as well, reaching number 1 with their debut single and album. Geri Halliwell captured the zeitgeist and became pin-up girl for Cool Britannia.
Halliwell was originally going to wear an all-black dress, but she thought it was too boring so her sister sewed on a Union Jack tea-towel, with a 'peace' sign on the back, so as to not offend anyone. It was worn during the Spice Girls' performance of their number one song "Who Do You Think You Are". Later on she sold her dress in a charity auction to Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas for a record £41,320, giving Halliwell the Guinness World Record for the most expensive piece of pop star clothing ever sold. The performance won Most Memorable Performance Of 30 Years at the 2010 Brit Awards.
As well her famous Union Jack dress; Geri Halliwell wore a lengthy cut top red dress during the show. When walking up to the stage to collect their award; Geri Halliwell's right breast slipped out from her dress in front of cameras and host Ben Elton.

### Melanie C and Liam Gallagher

Prior to the ceremony, Oasis member Liam Gallagher stated in the British media that he wasn't going to the Brit Awards because if he bumped into the Spice Girls, he would "smack them". In response to this, as the Spice Girls received the award for Best British Single, during their acceptance speech, Sporty Spice Mel C challenged Gallagher by saying "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough".