Sound of...

Last updated

Sound of...
Awarded forMost promising new music talent
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented by BBC Radio 1
First awarded2003;21 years ago (2003)
Currently held by The Last Dinner Party (2024)
Website bbc.co.uk/soundof2024
Television/radio coverage
Network BBC

Sound of... is an annual BBC poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent. It was first conducted by the BBC News website in 2003, and is now widely covered by the corporation's online, radio and TV outlets, as well as other media. A 10-strong longlist is published each December, with a ranked shortlist and annual winner announced the following January.

Contents

Winners

2000s

YearWinnerRunner-upThirdFourthFifthSixthSeventhEighthNinthTenth
2003 [1] 50 Cent Electric Six Yeah Yeah Yeahs The Thrills Dizzee Rascal Interpol Audio Bullys Mario The Datsuns Sean Paul
2004 [2] Keane Franz Ferdinand Wiley Razorlight Joss Stone McFly Scissor Sisters The Ordinary Boys Tali Gemma Fox
2005 [3] The Bravery Bloc Party Kano The Game Kaiser Chiefs KT Tunstall The Dead 60s The Dears Tom Vek The Magic Numbers
2006 [4] Corinne Bailey Rae Clap Your Hands Say Yeah The Feeling Plan B gUiLLeMoTs Sway Chris Brown Marcos Hernandez Kubb The Automatic
2007 [5] MIKA The Twang Klaxons Sadie Ama Enter Shikari Air Traffic Cold War Kids Just Jack Ghosts The Rumble Strips
2008 [6] [lower-alpha 1] Adele Duffy The Ting Tings Glasvegas Foals Vampire Weekend Joe Lean & the Jing Jang Jong Black Kids MGMT Santigold
2009 [7] [lower-alpha 2] Little Boots White Lies Florence + the Machine Empire of the Sun La Roux Lady Gaga V V Brown Kid Cudi Passion Pit Dan Black

2010s

YearWinnerRunner-upThirdFourthFifthOther nominees
2010 [8] Ellie Goulding Marina and the Diamonds Delphic Hurts The Drums Daisy Dares You, Devlin, Everything Everything, Giggs, Gold Panda, Joy Orbison, Owl City, Rox, Stornoway, Two Door Cinema Club
2011 [9] Jessie J James Blake The Vaccines Jamie Woon Clare Maguire Anna Calvi, Daley, Esben and the Witch, Jai Paul, MONA, NERO, The Naked and Famous, Warpaint, Wretch 32, Yuck
2012 [10] Michael Kiwanuka Frank Ocean Azealia Banks Skrillex Niki & the Dove ASAP Rocky, Dot Rotten, Dry the River, Flux Pavilion, Friends, Jamie N Commons, Lianne La Havas, Ren Harvieu, Spector, Stooshe
2013 [11] HAIM AlunaGeorge Angel Haze Laura Mvula CHVRCHΞS A*M*E, Arlissa, King Krule, Kodaline, Little Green Cars, Palma Violets, Peace, Savages, The Weeknd, Tom Odell
2014 [12] Sam Smith Ella Eyre BANKS Sampha George Ezra Chance the Rapper, Chlöe Howl, FKA twigs, Jungle, Kelela, Luke Sital-Singh, MNEK, Nick Mulvey, Royal Blood, Say Lou Lou
2015 [13] Years & Years James Bay Stormzy Raury George the Poet Kwabs, Låpsley, Novelist, Rae Morris, Shamir, Shura, Slaves, SOAK, Sunset Sons, Wolf Alice
2016 [14] Jack Garratt Alessia Cara NAO Blossoms Mura Masa, WSTRN [lower-alpha 3] Billie Marten, Dua Lipa, Frances, Izzy Bizu, J Hus, Loyle Carner, Mabel, RAT BOY, Section Boyz
2017 [15] Ray BLK Rag'n'Bone Man Raye Jorja Smith Nadia Rose AJ Tracey, Anderson .Paak, CABBAGE, Dave, Declan McKenna, Maggie Rogers, Stefflon Don, The Amazons, The Japanese House, Tom Grennan
2018 [16] Sigrid Rex Orange County IAMDDB Khalid Pale Waves ALMA, Billie Eilish, Jade Bird, Lewis Capaldi, Nilüfer Yanya, Not3s, Sam Fender, Superorganism, Tom Walker, yaeji, Yxng Bane
2019 [17] Octavian King Princess Grace Carter slowthai ROSALÍA Dermot Kennedy, Ella Mai, FLOHIO, Mahalia, Sea Girls

2020s

YearWinnerRunner-upThirdFourthFifthOther nominees
2020 [18] Celeste easy life YUNGBLUD Joy Crookes Inhaler Arlo Parks, beabadoobee, Georgia, Joesef, Squid
2021 [19] Pa Salieu Holly Humberstone BERWYN Greentea Peng Griff Alfie Templeman, Bree Runway, Dutchavelli, girl in red, The Lathums
2022 [20] PinkPantheress Wet Leg Mimi Webb Lola Young Central Cee Baby Queen, ENNY, Priya Ragu, Tems, Yard Act
2023 [21] FLO Fred again.. Nia Archives Cat Burns Gabriels Asake, Biig Piig, DYLAN, piri & tommy, Rachel Chinouriri
2024 [22] The Last Dinner Party Olivia Dean Peggy Gou Tyla Elmiene Ayra Starr, Caity Baser, CMAT, Kenya Grace, Sekou

Notes

  1. ↑ The other nominees for the 2008 award, in place order from 11th to 20th, were Ida Maria, One Night Only, Alphabeat, Laura Marling, Cajun Dance Party, The Courteeners, Gabriella Cilmi, Late of the Pier, Black Mountain and Lil Wayne
  2. ↑ The other nominees for the 2009 award were Frankmusik, Master Shortie, Mumford & Sons, The Big Pink and The Temper Trap
  3. ↑ Both artists were announced in fifth place on 4 January 2016

Criticism

It has been commented upon that the Sound of... survey creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, because the BBC has a significant amount of control on who becomes a "breakthrough act". And by adding the nominated acts to their radio playlists, they are guaranteeing some level of fame.

Guardian critic Kitty Empire wrote in December 2007: "Many of us are editors commissioning, and journalists writing, our own ones-to-watch forecasts. In order not to look like idiots, we tend to tip acts with records coming out rather than some lad with a tin whistle we found on MySpace." [23]

The same issue was again raised in 2011, upon the publication of the longlist for the Sound of 2012. The Daily Telegraph's Joe Burgis wrote "the Sound of 2012 project faces criticism that it is too heavily weighted in favour of mainstream performers." [24]

The head of music at BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra response to the question was "The list will inspire debate for sure, but most importantly, it will lead to discovery of artists and musicians trying to stand out from the ever-expanding crowd, and that can only be a good thing". [24]

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References

  1. ↑ "Sound of 2003". BBC. 24 December 2002. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  2. ↑ "Sound of 2004". BBC. 9 January 2004. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  3. ↑ "Sound of 2005". BBC. 7 January 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  4. ↑ "Sound of 2006". BBC. 6 January 2006. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  5. ↑ "Sound of 2007". BBC. 5 January 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  6. ↑ "Sound of 2008". BBC. 4 January 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  7. ↑ "Sound of 2009". BBC. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  8. ↑ "Sound of 2010". BBC. 6 January 2010.
  9. ↑ "Sound of 2011". BBC. 8 January 2011.
  10. ↑ "Sound of 2012". BBC. 6 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "Sound of 2013". BBC. 4 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Sound of 2014". BBC. 10 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "Sound of 2015". BBC. 9 January 2015.
  14. ↑ "Sound of 2016". BBC. 8 January 2016.
  15. ↑ "Sound of 2017". BBC. 6 January 2017.
  16. ↑ "Sound of 2018". BBC. 12 January 2018.
  17. ↑ "Sound of 2019". BBC. 11 January 2019.
  18. ↑ "Sound of 2020". BBC. 9 January 2020.
  19. ↑ "Sound of 2021". BBC. 7 January 2021.
  20. ↑ "Sound of 2022". BBC. 6 January 2022.
  21. ↑ "Sound of 2023". BBC. 5 January 2023.
  22. ↑ "Sound of 2024". BBC. 5 January 2024.
  23. ↑ Empire, Kitty (7 December 2007). "Tipping the sound of 2008". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  24. 1 2 Burgis, Joe (6 December 2011). "BBC's Sound of 2012 list favours mainstream acts". London: The Telegraph . Retrieved 12 November 2012.
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