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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.
| Sound of... | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Most promising new music talent |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Presented by | BBC Radio 1 |
| First awarded | 2003 |
| Currently held by | The Last Dinner Party (2024) |
| Website | bbc |
| Television/radio coverage | |
| Network | BBC |
2000s
2010s
2020s
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Other 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 |
| 2025 | Barry Can't Swim, Chappell Roan, Confidence Man, Doechii, English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Good Neighbours, KNEECAP, Mk.gee, Myles Smith, Pozer |
Notes
- 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
- The other nominees for the 2009 award were Frankmusik, Master Shortie, Mumford & Sons, The Big Pink and The Temper Trap
More than 130 critics, editors and broadcasters took part in the Sound of 2009 survey,[23] which was won by electro-pop singer Little Boots.[24] For the first time, a longlist of 15 acts from the 2009 poll was published by the BBC on 5 December 2008.[25] The other five acts on the longlist were Frankmusik, Master Shortie, Mumford & Sons, The Big Pink and The Temper Trap.
The longlist for the Sound of 2010 poll was revealed on 7 December 2009.[26] The acts nominated were Daisy Dares You, Delphic, Devlin, Ellie Goulding, Everything Everything, Giggs, Gold Panda, Hurts, Joy Orbison, Marina and the Diamonds, Owl City, Rox, Stornoway, The Drums and Two Door Cinema Club. On 8 January 2010, Ellie Goulding was announced as the winner. She has since gone to reach No. 1 with her debut album Lights.[27]
The longlist for the Sound of 2011 poll was revealed on 6 December 2010.[28] The acts nominated were Anna Calvi, Clare Maguire, Daley, Esben and the Witch, Jai Paul, James Blake, Jamie Woon, Jessie J, MONA, NERO, The Naked and Famous, The Vaccines, Warpaint, Wretch 32 and Yuck. On 7 January 2011, Jessie J was announced as the winner.[29]
The longlist for the Sound of 2012 poll was revealed on 5 December 2011.[30] The acts nominated were ASAP Rocky, Azealia Banks, Dot Rotten, Dry The River, Flux Pavilion, Frank Ocean, Friends, Jamie N Commons, Lianne La Havas, Michael Kiwanuka, Niki & the Dove, Ren Harvieu, Skrillex, Spector and Stooshe. On 6 January 2012, Michael Kiwanuka was announced as the winner.[31]
The longlist for the Sound of 2013 poll was revealed on 9 December 2012.[32] The acts nominated were AlunaGeorge, A*M*E, Angel Haze, Arlissa, CHVRCHΞS, HAIM, King Krule, Kodaline, Laura Mvula, Little Green Cars, Palma Violets, Peace, Savages, the Weeknd and Tom Odell. On 4 January 2013, HAIM were announced as the winners on Radio 1 by Huw Stephens.[33]
The longlist for the Sound of 2014 poll was revealed on 2 December 2013.[34] The acts nominated were Banks, Chance the Rapper, Chlöe Howl, Ella Eyre, George Ezra, FKA twigs, Jungle, Kelela, Luke Sital-Singh, MNEK, Nick Mulvey, Royal Blood, Sam Smith, Sampha and Say Lou Lou. On 10 January 2014, Sam Smith was announced as the winner on Radio 1 by Nick Grimshaw.[35]
The longlist for the Sound of 2015 poll was revealed on 1 December 2014.[36] The acts nominated were George the Poet, James Bay, Kwabs, Låpsley, Novelist, Rae Morris, Raury, Shamir, Shura, Slaves, SOAK, Stormzy, Sunset Sons, Wolf Alice and Years & Years. On 9 January 2015, Years & Years were announced as the winners on Radio 1 by Huw Stephens.[37]
The longlist for the Sound of 2016 poll was revealed on 30 November 2015.[38] The acts nominated were Alessia Cara, Billie Marten, Blossoms, Dua Lipa, Frances, Izzy Bizu, Jack Garratt, J Hus, Loyle Carner, Mabel, Mura Masa, NAO, RAT BOY, Section Boyz and WSTRN. On 8 January 2016, Jack Garratt was announced as the winner.[39]
The longlist for the Sound of 2017 poll was revealed on 28 November 2016.[40] The acts nominated were AJ Tracey, Anderson .Paak, CABBAGE, Dave, Declan McKenna, Jorja Smith, Maggie Rogers, Nadia Rose, Rag'n'Bone Man, Ray BLK, Raye, Stefflon Don, The Amazons, The Japanese House and Tom Grennan. On 6 January 2017, Ray BLK was announced as the winner on Radio 1 by Clara Amfo.[41]
The longlist for the Sound of 2018 was revealed on 27 November 2017.[42] The acts nominated were ALMA, Billie Eilish, IAMDDB, Jade Bird, Khalid, Lewis Capaldi, Nilüfer Yanya, Not3s, Pale Waves, Rex Orange County, Sam Fender, Sigrid, Superorganism, Tom Walker, yaeji and Yxng Bane. On 12 January 2018, Sigrid was announced as the winner on Radio 1 by Clara Amfo.[43]
The longlist for the Sound of 2019 was revealed on 10 December 2018.[44] The acts nominated were Dermot Kennedy, Ella Mai, FLOHIO, Grace Carter, King Princess, Mahalia, Octavian, ROSALÍA, Sea Girls and slowthai. This is the first longlist since the Sound of 2007 to feature only 10 acts. On 11 January 2019, Octavian was announced as the winner by Annie Mac, making him the first rapper to win the longlist since 50 Cent in 2003.[45] He was also the first winner since 2009 to be signed not with Universal Music Group, with which all winners of Sound of... since 2010 were signed at the time of awarding - Octavian is signed with Black Butter, which is partially owned by Universal's competitor, Sony Music.
The longlist for the Sound of 2020 was revealed on 12 December 2019.[46] The acts nominated were Arlo Parks, beabadoobee, Celeste, easy life, Georgia, Inhaler, Joesef, Joy Crookes, Squid and YUNGBLUD. On 9 January 2020, Celeste was announced as the winner.[47]
The longlist for the Sound of 2021 was revealed on 7 December 2020.[48] The acts nominated were Alfie Templeman, BERWYN, Bree Runway, Dutchavelli, girl in red, Greentea Peng, Griff, Holly Humberstone, Pa Salieu and The Lathums. On 7 January 2021, Pa Salieu was announced as the winner on Radio 1 by Annie Mac.[49]
The longlist for the Sound of 2022 was revealed on 6 December 2021.[50] The acts nominated were Baby Queen, Central Cee, ENNY, Lola Young, Mimi Webb, PinkPantheress, Priya Ragu, Tems, Wet Leg, and Yard Act. On 6 January 2022, PinkPantheress was announced as the winner by Jack Saunders.[51]
The longlist for the Sound of 2023 was revealed on December 5, 2022.[52] The acts nominated were Asake, Biig Piig, Cat Burns, DYLAN, FLO, Fred again.., Gabriels, Nia Archives, piri & tommy and Rachel Chinouriri. On 5 January 2023, FLO were announced as the winners by Stormzy and Jack Saunders, making them the first female group to win the longlist since HAIM in 2013.[53]
The longlist for the Sound of 2024 was revealed on 4 December 2023.[54] The acts nominated were Ayra Starr, Caity Baser, CMAT, Elmiene, Kenya Grace, Olivia Dean, Peggy Gou, Sekou, The Last Dinner Party, and Tyla. On 5 January 2024, The Last Dinner Party were announced as the winners by Florence Welch and Jack Saunders.[55]
The longlist for the Sound of 2025 was revealed on 21 November 2024.[56] The acts nominated were Barry Can't Swim, Chappell Roan, Confidence Man, Doechii, English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Good Neighbours, KNEECAP, Mk.gee, Myles Smith, and Pozer. The winner will be revealed on 10 January 2025.
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."[57]
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."[58]
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".[58]
Upon the publication of the Sound of 2025 longlist, Clash's Robin Murray criticised the longlist that comprises artists who have already achieved success such as festival headliners and Mercury Prize winners instead of new artists who haven't had a breakthrough.[59]
This was due to a change in the eligibility criteria, which states that artists could not have had more than two UK top 10 albums or two UK top 10 singles by 30 September 2024.
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