Picking up on one of Armanayas' comments, these awards should not be taken lightly. This very serious stuff, particularly for those at the beginning of their career. Over on Longdogs, Bob Barrows notes "...several musicians talked about their CD sales and gig signings quadrupling (and more) after winning or being nominated for these (and the Mercury) awards. So, despite the lack of attention I pay to awards when deciding on how I will spend my entertainment dollar, it seems that many people actually do pay attention, and it's quite a coup to be included in the nominations, and quite a blow to be left off." This is often the key to a much wider profile and, indeed, the difference between earning a living wage or not, for some artists.