The BBC has a Sound Of 2008 poll, which tags the artists mostly likely to succeed in the coming year, according to 150 or so British rock journos. The list has had some success as a predictor, with Mika as last year’s winner, Corrine Bailey Rae taking the prize in 2006, as well as the Beatles in 1963, and Edward Elgar in 1899. It might be worth checking out some of the names at the top of the list, like Adele, who is apparently our less frightening replacement for Amy Winehouse. But the really disturbing news is that many of these journalists are apparently taking their cues from the charts over at Hype Machine.
The list:
1. Adele
2. Duffy
3. The Ting Tings
4. Glasvegas
5. Foals
6. Vampire Weekend
7. Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong
8. Black Kids
9. MGMT
10. Santogold
As previously reported in Idolator, the Black Kids hype has to stop somewhere. Should we have quarantined ourselves, only allowing Black Kids blog posts to be served to American audiences, or restricted further to those who have already visited Pitchfork in the last year? I count on England to provide me with its own healthy diet of bands that I’ll enjoy for six months or so, then promptly forget. (Although not the Cribs, for whom my love is real and will last 4ever.) When they start importing our lousy acts to fawn over, and allow those bands to make ridiculous statements like “People would be less interested in us if we were doing something they had heard before”–thanks a lot for the laughs, Vampire Weekend–what are the American consumers of XFM and overpriced British music mag imports to do? I want my Anglophilia to be pure and free of bloggo tampering, thanks.
In other news, missing the main list, but landing at number 20, as a “one to watch”: Lil’ Wayne.
Sound of 2008: The Top 10 [BBC News]
I @Labtheque:
I thought “Billlly Squier.”
@DanGibson: You’re doing great on all fronts. Seriously, you should guest edit every day.
@slowburn: I still have some pretty lousy stuff in the queue, so hold the compliments.
test, dammit!
Adele? Boy, those Brits are still obsessed with finding another Dusty Springfield but keep coming up with Didos.
I would just like to take a second to commend Idolator for the complete lack of any mention of B****** S***** lately, especially today. Keep up the good work.
@GovernmentNames: For a few seconds I was wondering why you were censoring “bullshit”.
Combining the top 3 yields the true winner: Adele Duffy and her Ting Tings
@GovernmentNames: On a news day like this, it’s a challenge.
Are you serious about the Edward Elgar in 1899 thing or is that a joke? It’s even better if it’s serious. Who knew the next big thing from across the pond was getting hype way back in the 19th century?
As for Black Kids, yes, the hype machine is redunk. But c’mon, “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You” is still a great song, no?
The Brits love em because they are awesome.
What everyone on this list has in common is that they are nearly all major / big indie label priorities for 2008. Of course they are going to big and generate column inches - a shit load of money is being put behind them. That’s not to say that they aren’t any good (Les Artistes and That’s Not My Name are two of 2007’s classics)but let’s not confuse investment with talent.