Earlier this year, the ARIA’s drew attention for removing gendered categories for the first time in their history – a move that polarised the Australian industry but was ultimately accepted by relevant parties come awards night.
Now the UK equivalent, known as The BRITS has done the same thing and drawn the ire of Queen guitarist Brian May (amoung others).
Speaking with The Mirror in London, May labeled the move as “frightening”, noting that “it’s a decision that has been made without enough thought.”
“A lot of things work quite well and can be left alone. I get so sick of people trying to change things without thinking of the long-term consequences. Some of these things are an improvement, some of them are not.”
The Queen superstar continued; “For instance, Freddie (referring to late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury) came from Zanzibar, he wasn’t British, he wasn’t white as such – nobody cares, nobody ever, ever discussed it…he was a musician, he was our friend, he was our brother.
“We didn’t have to stop and think: ‘Ooh, now, should we work with him? Is he the right colour? Is he the right sexual proclivity?’ None of that happened, and now I find it frightening that you have to be so calculating about everything.”
