Top talent rewarded as shortlists are unveiled.

Music insiders gather at London's 24-club, as the industry gears up for the Music Week Awards on March 15

The behind-the-scenes campaigns which helped lift Lily Allen, Girls Aloud, Snow Patrol, Corinne Bailey Rae and Scissor Sisters to success are among those competing for gongs at next month's Music Week Awards.

All the projects received recognitions in the shortlists which were unveiled last Tuesday night at an announcement event staged at the 24 club, in London's West End.

The awards show will take place at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Thursday March 15.

One of the year's new categories will see Radio One's George Ergatoudis, Radio Two's Colin Martin, The One Network's Mark Findlay, Kerrrang! Radio's Emma Scrafton and Xfm's Mike Walsh all compete for the title of music programmer of the year.

In turn, Radio One, Radio Two, 6 Music, Radio City 96.7, Radio Clyde and 99.9 Radio Norwich will all compete to be named radio station of the year.

Of the other shortlists announced last week, Manchester's Piccadilly, Derby's Reveal Records, Nottingham's Selectadisc, London's Sister Ray and Rough Trade (Notting Hill) were nominated as independent store of the year, with HMV, Virgin and Fopp nominated as retail chain of the year.