The UK’s iconic broadcasting company, the BBC, has revealed their long-list for the 2025 edition of “Sound Of” which awards a pioneering artist every year. The award is given to an artist who rose to fame in 2025 and BBC believes has the most likelihood of achieving mainstream success.
Chappell Roan and Ezra Collective on BBC Sound of 2025 list https://t.co/cCUFmwZZvg
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) November 21, 2024
BBC’s “Sound of” first begun in 2003 and since has awarded the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Lady Gaga, Adele, PinkPantheress, RAYE, The Weeknd and HAIM. Last year, the title was won by The Last Dinner Party. This year, some eligibility rules were changed in order to fit more artists: previously, artists couldn’t be nominated if they had an album charting at number two or one in the UK, however now artist are eligible unless they have had more than one album charting in the UK top ten.
Here is the full list of nominees:
- Barry Can’t Swim
- Chappell Roan
- Confidence Man
- Doechii
- English Teacher
- Ezra Collective
- Good Neighbours
- KNEECAP
- gee
- Myles Smith
- Pozer
Perhaps the most known on a worldwide level out of the eleven contestants is Chappell Roan. The American singer has in fact taken over the world with a very swift rise to fame after releasing her debut album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess” in 2023. Her songs have gone viral on social media platforms, and she achieved two top 10 songs in UK charts (“Good Luck Babe” and “Hot To Go”) and her album peaked at number one.
While Chappell Roan has become a pop icon in less than a year, another strong contestant is English Teacher, the 2025 Mercury Prize winner. The Mercury Prize is awarded to the best British or Irish album of the year, and English Teacher was surely deserving of this title: their debut album “This Could Be Texas” peaked at number eight in the UK, and their tour around the country was sold out.
With English Teacher, another contestant for the Mercury Prize this year was Barry Can’t Swim. Originally from Scotland, Barry Can’t Swim is a DJ and electronic music producer. His debut album “Where Will We Land?” peaked at 12 on UK charts; furthermore, he will be headlining All Points East 2025 in London. But 2023’s Mercury Prize Winner has also been longlisted for the BBC award: Ezra Collective has recently headlined Wembley Arena and their latest album “Dance Like No One’s Watching” peaked at number seven in the UK.
Overall, this year’s competition for “Sound of 2025” is strong. The winner will be announced on January 10th after a top five countdown which will take place in the weeks prior to the announcement of the winner.
