Shortlist for Critics’ Choice Award BRITs 2011

The buzz has begun for this year's Critics' Choice Award as the shortlist of contenders was announced today. The three acts honoured to be on the shortlist for this prestigious award that picks an act tipped for mainstream success in the forthcoming year are James Blake, Jessie J and The Vaccines. They will all now wait in anticipation for the 15th December when the winner will be announced alongside second and third place. In previous years the award has gone to Ellie Goulding, Florence and the Machine and Adele and if the success of these past winners is anything to go by then the 2011 winner has a very exciting year to look forward to!

This is the second year that the Critics' Choice Award will be presented in association with the international charity, War Child - a charity that has a deep relationship with the music industry and does great things in the work it does in protecting children living in the world's most dangerous war zones. The charity's annual War Child gig will be an official BRITs event held on the 15th at The O2's Indig02.

15th December is also the date that will seal the fate of all the other acts in contention for an award this year, as this is the date that the official voting for the 2011 Awards closes. The countdown is on.......