Robert Smith and Jordan Rakei are among the latest names confirmed for next month’s Artist & Manager Awards. Smith will receive the Fan Champion Award; Rakei has been chosen for The Artists’ Voice Award. The ceremony takes place at Bloomsbury Big Top in London on November 18, with the Featured Artists Coalition and Music Managers Forum organising it.

Jordan Rakei and Robert Smith pictured separately
Jordan Rakei and Robert Smith in separate photographs. Photos: Press / Aaron Law.

For Smith, the recognition follows a fight familiar to anyone who bought tickets for The Cure’s North American tour. He objected to the service fees being charged, and many fans subsequently received money back from Ticketmaster. The organisers also cite his stand against dynamic pricing and his support for the FanFair Alliance’s work on resale.

The refunds are a useful measure of what his intervention achieved: some concertgoers paid less than they would have done without it. The wider campaign has a different aim. It asks the UK Government to cap resale prices, changing the conditions for future purchases. That remains a demand described in the announcement, not a new rule created by this award. The distinction matters to fans budgeting for the next show as well as remembering the last one.

Rakei is being recognised for sharing what goes on behind a music career. Label relationships, money worries and the demands of creative work have all featured in his public discussions. His contributions to Rhythm Section’s Future Proof masterclass and videos explaining his songwriting and production are among the examples cited by the organisers.

There is also a musical side to that exchange. His Late Night Tales compilation featured artists including Alfa Mist and Moreton. His Abbey Road residency put collaboration at its centre, with the Between Us EP bringing together guests including Jalen Ngonda, Nubya Garcia and Femi Koleoso. These are specific ways of bringing other musicians into the picture alongside talking about his own experience.

Put the two honours together and the connection is practical. Smith has challenged the price of entry for listeners. Rakei has given other musicians a look at the choices behind the work they hope to do. Neither award is for a best-selling record or a particular performance. They recognise what an artist’s platform can make possible for someone else, whether that person is buying a ticket or trying to sustain a career.

The Entrepreneur Award will go to Quietus Management following its transition to employee ownership. Meanwhile, Manager of the Year remains undecided. Connor Hunnisett, Emily Braham, Owain Davies and Phoebe Abu-Gold are shortlisted, and that result will be announced on the night. Smith and Rakei’s categories already have named recipients; the management shortlist still has four contenders.