Music
07 Mar 19

Picture This Scoop Three Awards in the Hot Press Readers' Poll

The Athy band are on a roll following the release of their new album, MDRN LV.

Picture This are the big winners in the Hot Press Readers’ Poll – the ‘Hotties’ – for 2018. The band picked up the awards for Best Group, Track of the Year, and Best Live Act for from the last 12 months.

The news comes as Picture This are set to take on the 3Arena this month, with a record-breaking five performances at the venue. They’re second album, MDRN LV, went straight to No. 1 on the Irish Album Charts following its release in February.

Album of the Year for 2018 went to Gavin James, for his sophomore release Only Ticket Home. Featuring some of his biggest hits to date, including ‘Always’, ‘Glow’ and ‘Hearts On Fire’, Only Ticket Home was one of the top selling albums in Ireland, so it’s no wonder it (just about!) edged out The Academic’s Tales From The Backseat and Villagers’ The Art of Pretending To Swim, to make the top spot.

The winner in the Best Female Artist of 2018 went to the legendary Imelda May, who came in ahead of Lisa Hannigan, Emma Langford and Susan O’Neill, while the Best Male Artist was Hozier (who also won the award for Best Songwriter), with David Keenan coming in as a close second.

The Debut Album of the Year award went to The Academic, for Tales From The Backseat. The Dublin band edged out some truly fierce competitors, including Saint Sister (Shape of Silence), Wyvern Lingo (Wyvern Lingo), and Just Mustard (Wednesday), showing us once again why 2018 was a phenomenal year for new Irish music.

The Most Promising Act award went to Wild Youth, who have been packing out venues throughout the country and have just released their magnificent debut EP. They were closely followed by Dermot Kennedy and David Keenan, with the likes of Touts, Fontaines DC and Whenyoung all appearing the Top 10.
Best Electronic/Dance act of 2018 went to Irish synth-pop mainstays Le Galaxie. They came in ahead of Roisin Murphy, Le Boom, New Jackson and Arvo Party to take the top spot.

Best Rap/Hip-Hop act went to the somewhat surprising (but entirely deserving) choice of Tullamore trio Chasing Abbey. A summer of festival performances and some absolute banger hit singles has made this outfit one of the tightest, and most in-demand, acts in Ireland. They came in ahead of the likes of Versatile, Kojaque, Rejjie Snow and Paul Alwright.

Best Folk/Trad of 2018 went to the indomitable Christy Moore. It’s hard to argue when you’ve been in the business for 50+ years and your latest album (On The Road) STILL goes straight to the top of the Irish Album Charts! Elsewhere on the list, The Gloaming, Emma Langoford and Lisa O’Neill all land themselves in the Top 10.
The overall award for Best Musician went to U2’s The Edge. In many ways a force of nature, The Edge was pivotal in making the band’s latest album Songs of Experience their best in over a decade, as well as ensuring that their live shows through America, Europe and Ireland in 2018 were the spectacular events that fans have come to expect from U2. In second place was Josh McClorey, formerly of The Strypes, and Martin Hayes of The Gloaming.

Best Radio DJ for 2018 was Today FM’s Ian Dempsey. The long-running breakfast show host came in just ahead of close competitors Jenny Greene and Meghann Scully to take the top spot.

The award for the Best International Album went to Arctic Monkeys, for their latest release Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino. The album came in ahead of Bruce Springsteen On Broadway, St Vincent’s Masseduction, Jannelle Monae’s Dirty Computer, and Idles’ Joy As An Act of Resistance.

Elsewhere on our Readers’ Poll, Tommy Tiernan was No. 1 as Comedian of the Year, Red Dead Redemption 2 was voted as Best Game of the Year, Repealing the 8th took the top spot as Love of the Year, and Brexit – predictably – came in as 2018’s Loathe of the Year.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS FOR THE HOT PRESS READERS’ POLL:

Best Group