Thanks to Freddy Headey for spelling out how the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards work: different system in Scotland for the MG ALBA Trad Awards, where ANYONE with any interest in folk music (and the various other categories) can submit nominations so long as they do it on the correct form, which is easily obtainable from the Hands Up for Trad website.
And Mo, we DO have a category for "Best dance band" - as well as other for "Best Pipe band", "Best tutor", "Biggest contribution to Folk/Trad in the media", "Up and coming", "Best venue", "Folk Club of the Year", "Best Festival" and of course, "Best Gaelic Singer".
As I understand a panel sorts through all the nominations, then issues a voting form with 4 people/bands to choose from, which again can be filled in by anyone: but at that point the hard CANVASSING of votes starts, so this is where I do start to have doubts about the validity of the awards: i.e. how many friends do you have? And no doubt some people will submit more than one voting form from different computers!