The BBC’s annual poll of most-promising artists arrives around again with an air of inevitability and if you follow blogs and music closely, a sense of deja vu. The longlist was released today with 15 names (with 7 of them having featured here before) and is probably a fairly well-rounded new bands list. Already established artists like Marina and the Diamonds appear with more leftfield choices like Joy Orbison. For an alternative, try Neon Gold’s own list, of which I am digging Freelance Whales at the moment.
Here’s the list:
Daisy Dares You, Delphic, Devlin, The Drums, Everything Everything, Giggs, Gold Panda, Ellie Goulding, Hurts, Joy Orbison, Marina & the Diamonds, Owl City, Rox, Stornoway, Two Door Cinema Club.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
Neon Gold weren’t the only list to take a punt with Freelance Whales, plugdey-plug-plug-plug: http://www.raggedwords.com/artists/tips-for-2010.
Those boys, on the most part, have some seriously heartbreaking tunes. Just signed to Frenchkiss too.
Nice list Padraic.
Weird that Owl City is there, it seems he’s already become massive…
Surprised (in a good way) that Joy Orbison is there, and I like the Everything Everything and Drums singles (though I’ve not heard anything as good from the latter).
Not sure about everyone else yet, but the Drums and Delphic are fairly poor. Are these the same bands as the last few years, but with different names??
Freelance Whales are amazing, I’m glad you like them. Their album is superb.