The usual deluge of end of year 'best of' lists has arrived on cue and, accordingly, attention has begun to shift to the artists likely to populate these lists next year.
The BBC's 'Sound Of...' list has arguably become the definitive tastemaker list, perhaps because it aggregates the predictions of 200 journalists and assorted other 'industry professionals'. This year's longlist has just been announced and is typically diverse.
Two Irish acts, Kodaline and Little Green Cars, have both made the cut.
Little Green Cars are one of the most promising Irish outfits to have emerged in a while and, although they're perhaps unlikely to come top of this list, they've certainly got the chops to conquer next summer's festival circuit.
In terms of the act I'm most excited about on the list, it's got to be
Angel Haze. The Michigan-born rapper's mixtapes have helped to establish her as a formidable force and there's an underlying intelligence and wit in her rhymes that should give her an edge over her contemporaries.
I'm also glad to see Sierra Leone-born singer
A*M*E, who has been championed by the likes of Popjustice this year, make the list. I love that her brash pop sound is wrapped up in a great sense of fun and, at the risk of sounding like an X Factor cliché, she seems like she has 'the whole package'.
The full list is as follows:
- AlunaGeorge
- A*M*E
- Angel Haze
- Arlissa
- Chvrches
- HAIM
- King Krule
- Kodaline
- Laura Mvula
- Little Green Cars
- Palma Violets
- Peace
- Savages
- The Weeknd
- Tom Odell
For a comprehensive rundown of the longlisted acts, check out
this BBC feature:
