There seems to be a certain amount of 'turn-taking' with the awards. If you look at the nominee lists, some acts can't win that year because they have won too often recently, and so it's another's turn, or z is still a bit too green even though has emerged out of nowhere with a very good album. Even if the panel isn't conscious of thinking like this & the voters really do think that x for once is better than y or z could do with developing a bit more. Vague feeling that the pool of talent is a bit on the small side, hence the cycling of the same old names. But I have absolutely no problem with the concept of posh shindigs for folkies - why not; most of us get them through work, even if it's only a Christmas party, & very nice they are too.