Let it never again be said that ripping songs from the radio died with the dawn of the MP3: this afternoon, DJ Zane Lowe of BBC’s Radio 1 dropped a rip of the long-awaited Converse track from Gorillaz, James Murphy, and Andre 3000, "DoYaThing," on Soundcloud (via Pitchfork).

It sounds like great timing for Gorillaz’ Damon Albarn: Fresh off Blur’s Outstanding Contribution to Music honor at the Brit Awards last night (coupled with the recent announcement of Blur’s headlining gig at the 2012 Summer Olympics’ "Best of British" show), he’s adopted a more optimistic timbre than his usually spaced-out, higher-than-a-kite vocals. Even Murphy turns up a happy falsetto for the choruses (can’t help but be reminded that his out-of-the-LCD-Soundsystem-ashes project, Special Disco Version, just announced their appearance at this summer’s Governor’s Ball). As predicted, Stacks’ fast-spitting verse essentially lays the rest of the song to waste. And we know Albarn means to tease us when he asks repeatedly, "Can we get an OutKast album now?” Seriously.

Hear "DoYaThing" at Listen Before You Buy. It’s out tomorrow as a free download via Converse.

The U.K. press is well-known for its ruthlessness, but last night at the Brit Awards, which took place at London’s O2 Arena, they came off as far more forgiving than our own media. Not only did Adele, who naturally won top accolades for British Female Solo Artist and Mastercard British Album of the Year, get away with what M.I.A. could not in the U.S., but the Awards’ prize for International Breakthrough Act went to the American media’s favorite whipping girl, Lana Del Rey.

The Adele stunt in question occurred when the ludicrously successful singer, who just owned the Grammys, was giving her acceptance speech for British Album of the Year. According to the Telegraph, onstage host James Corden cut off her speech to introduce Blur (who were awarded an Outstanding Contribution to Music honor that night). The superstar, in retaliation, gave the finger to what she later called "the suits" of the awards ceremony. But, just to show up NBC and the NFL, who threatened M.I.A. after her similar Superbowl flip-off with a hefty fine, the Brit Awards organizers actually apologized to Adele instead, saying in a statement, "We send our deepest apologies to Adele that her big moment was cut short due to the live show over-running." Just goes to show that if you sell enough records and are amazingly charming, you can get away with anything.

Del Rey, on the other hand, beat out Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, Aloe Blacc, and Foster the People to take home the breakthrough prize. Will.i.am presenting the prize, combined with the announcer pronouncing "gangster…. Nancy Sinatra," is totally enough to watch the video of her victory below, but the fact that Del Rey poignantly and bluntly thanks her British fans — "Without the support of everyone in the U.K., I’d be lost" — well, no kidding.

Blur’s honor came with a set 1 billion times longer than any Grammy performance. Before launching into renditions of “Parklife,” “Girls and Boys,” “Song 2,” “Tender,” and “This Is a Low,” the pioneering Britpop act’s frontman Damon Albarn said, “The last time we were here was 17 years ago… it had a profound impact on our lives.” Watch the speech below, as well as those five songs.

Other winners included Brit sensation Ed Sheeran (whose brand of beatboxing/acoustic guitar music hasn’t translated to U.S. audiences just yet), Coldplay, and One Direction, who won British Male Solo Artist, British Group, and British Single, respectively. Bruno Mars, Rihanna, and the Foo Fighters won the International Male, Female, and Group awards. See the full list of winners, and watch Adele stick it to the man after the Blur concert:

Blur Wins Outstanding Contribution to Music Award:

“Parklife”:

“Girls and Boys” / “Song 2″:

“Tender”:

“This Is a Low”:

Brit Awards 2012 Winners:
British Male Solo Artist – Ed Sheeran

British Female Solo Artist – Adele

British Breakthrough Act – Ed Sheeran

British Group – Coldplay

British Single – One Direction/What Makes You Beautiful

British Producer – Ethan Johns

Mastercard British Album Of The Year – Adele, 21

International Male Solo Artist – Bruno Mars

International Female Solo Artist – Rihanna

International Group – Foo Fighters

International Breakthrough Act – Lana Del Rey

Outstanding Contribution To Music Award – Blur

Critics’ Choice – Emeli Sande

It didn’t take Adele long to return triumphant from the breakup that inspired the British singer’s industry-buoying 21, so of course she’s wasting no time coming back from throat surgery. The “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You” belter will sing at the Brit Awards — England’s equivalent of the Grammys — in London on February 21, event organizers have announced. But the 23-year-old force of nature might be back onstage even sooner than that — odds are good she’ll perform at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on February 12, unnamed sources told the Hollywood Reporter.

Adele, who was also nominated for six Grammys, leads
this year’s crop of Brit Awards nominees. She’ll be facing off for Best British Female
Solo Artist, along with Best British Album of the Year for 21 and Best British
Single of the Year for “Someone Like You.” After the nominations were announced last
night, she tweeted, “fucking happy, thank you for the nods xx.” Vocal cord surgery
forced the singer to scrap a sold-out U.S. tour last fall.

Coldplay, also tapped to perform at the Brit Awards, earned nods for Best British Group
and Best Album of the Year for Mylo Xyloto. Rihanna and Florence + the Machine
are also among nominated artists set to perform, as well as Bruno Mars and British singer-
songwriter Ed Sheeran.

How did Rihanna and Bruno Mars get spots onstage for awards that supposedly
recognize British talent? The ceremony has several international categories, where
the nominees also include Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Foo Fighters, Jay-Z and Kanye West, Nicki
Minaj, Feist, Bon Iver, Foster the People, and Lana Del Rey. Arctic Monkeys, Kate Bush,
Jessie J, Laura Marling, James Blake, Elbow, and Kasabian are among homegrown U.K.
artists vying for awards at the event.

As previously announced, Blur will receive a lifetime achievement award
at this year’s Brits. Damon Albarn and the boys will also be performing. Modern
life? Still rubbish.

Blur won’t just be taking home a prize at the Brit Awards in February. The Damon Albarn-led Britpoppers will also be performing, bass player Alex James has revealed.

In an interview with British station XFM, James said the band will play at the ceremony, where Blur will receive an Outstanding Contribution to Music award. “I saw the guys this week, we had a Christmas cuppa,” he’s quoted as saying. “We’re going to play, which is brilliant, it’s like putting the Blues Brothers back together.”

James stayed coy, however, about whether Blur will play any additional live shows next year. “Well, let’s hope,” he said, adding, “I wish I could tell you more. I’m sure it will happen one day but I don’t know when. It’s quite nice to keep it special.” Blur last performed live in 2009, including sets at Glastonbury and London’s Hyde Park.

The Brit Awards are set for February 21 at London’s O2 Arena. Last year’s event included live performances from Adele, Arcade Fire, Cee Lo Green, Rihanna, Mumford & Sons, and others. Among previous winners of the Outstanding Contribution Music award are Paul McCartney, U2, Oasis, Queen, Van Morrison, and Fleetwood Mac, so while it’s not quite like being knighted, Blur will be in some lofty company.

Now the question becomes what song(s) Blur will play. The Brit Awards’ official press release understandably singles out their U.K. hits, including not only global smash “Song 2″ and occasional American MTV clip “Girls & Boys,” but also distinctly English sensations “Country House” and “There’s No Other Way.” It’d be a kick to see guitarist Graham Coxon take the lead on 1999 sleeper hit “Coffee and TV,” though, or to catch a performance of the most recent new Blur song, 2010 Record Store Day single “Fool’s Day.” Here’s an understated live rendition of an underrated favorite from 1993′s Modern Life Is Rubbish, the languid, loop-based “Blue Jeans,” followed by a music video for that album’s much more frenzied lead single, “Popscene”: