Manic Street Preachers

Manic Street Preachers, often known colloquially as "The Manics" (not "The Preachers") are a Welsh pop band, one of the biggest in Britain for a period in the late 1990s, known for their early wild exploits; the mysterious disappearance and possible suicide of Richey James Edwards (Richey James, as he preferred to be known); and for a progression of strong iconoclastic albums and energetic gigs. Politically they are staunch socialists, a stance inflected by their working class upbringing (they grew up during the Miners' strike of the '80s) and evidenced by their often highly politicised lyrics and their actions (they once dedicated an award to Arthur Scargill, leader of the National Union of Mineworkers and later the Socialist Labour Party). The band also played a highly publicised gig in Cuba.

Awards

• Best Album & "Best Group" - Brit awards, 1999
• Best Band In The World Today - Q Awards, 1998
• Best Album & "Best Group" - Brit awards, 1996
• Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Melody Maker
• Reader's Band of 1996 (Runner Up) & "Writers' Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996" - NME
• Writers' Best Live Band of 1996 - NME Brat Award
• "Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Vox
• Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Sunday Times
• "Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Sky
• Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 & Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Select
• Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Q Awards
• Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Music Week
• One of Writers' Top Ten Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Metal Hammer
• Writers' Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 (Runner Up) - Kerrang!
• One of Writers' Top Five Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Independent On Sunday
• Readers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - Hot Press
• Writers' Best Album (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Guardian
• One of The Writers' Best Albums (Everything Must Go) of 1996 - The Daily Telegraph