The BBC has anounced who they think will be the top new stars in 2009...

[StaedlerMars]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7758169.stm

Which will have as effect that they will be the top new stars of 2009. A self fulfilling prophecy? I think so!

Anyways, what do you guys think of said artists? I personally haven't heard of any of them, but I'm no music guru.

[Christophe]

If anything, all of these bands drastically fail the Google Image Search Game.

Never has judging a book by its cover been so useful.

[De_El]

I have heard Passion Pit, and I don't get what the deal is. UNDERWHELMED

[Big Happy Captain]

ive only heard Lady GaGa, White Lies, and Kid Cudi. neither of those have impressed me, its just the same kind of stuff weve been listening to the last year in my opinion.

[Scandanavian War Machine]

never heard of 'em

[StaedlerMars]

See, that's what I thought. They're not that well known.

But because the BBC picked these guys, they're going to rocket up the charts.

I think that starting tomorrow, I'm going to listen to them one by one, and write down what I think.

[the_pied_piper]

I've heard 'White Lies' and 'Little Boots' and saw 'Florence and the Machine' live and i can't say any of them have made a lasting impression.

The problem with these predictions is some bigwig thinks its a good idea to make them seem more cool to the younger generation and they either use bands with a growing following no matter the genre or someone recommended elsewhere without any real research.

For the record, 'Florence and the Machine' have a song called 'Kiss With a Fist' which i would liken to some sort of 'Kate Nash' song; Pop with heavily accented vocals that people seem to tolerate at the moment.

[Ptommydski]

If anything, all of these bands drastically fail the Google Image Search Game.

Never has judging a book by its cover been so useful.

Even if you get past the pictures, the text summaries make you want to cry tears of blood.

Milo Cordell is son of 1960s pop producer Denny and runs the Merok label, which has released cutting-edge dance acts Klaxons and Crystal Castles.

Looking like extras from a psychedelic Star Wars...

Little Boots is the stage name of Victoria Hesketh, who left synth-rock girl group Dead Disco to pursue a solo pop path and has been guided by Hot Chip's Joe Goddard.

Accompanied by a harp and scary clowns on stage, her live shows have earned her a sizeable following over the past 12 months and her debut album has been produced by Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford, who helped shape the Klaxons' sound.

And so on and so on.

[David_Dovey]

Tommy what have you got against Hot Chip.

I quite like Kid Cudi's joint with Crooooooookers but I get the feeling that has more to do with my undying boner for Crookers and less with whoever the shit Kid Cudi is.

[Christophe]

These moody London rockers can expect to be compared to the likes of The Killers and Editors, with epic vocals and dark, swirling guitars, plus a synthesiser giving them a pop sheen.

Translates as...

Interpol Cover Band

[David_Dovey]

That translates as

Low-rent Joy Division cover band

Y'all saw it coming

[Gilead]

I want to give an award each year for "Best band that sounds almost, but not quite, exactly like Joy Division."

It will be a hotly contested category.

[Ptommydski]

The reward is being shot through both lungs.

[Gridgm]

See, that's what I thought. They're not that well known.
But because the BBC picked these guys, they're going to rocket up the charts.

i think you may be grossly over estimating the power of the bbc over the rest of the world

[StaedlerMars]

Maybe,

but since I'm in Britain, it's the british charts that I'm going to have to be putting up with.

That is, if their predictions from last year are anything to go by (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7163404.stm) I will probably be hearing more from these guys.

EDIT: grammar!

[Inlander]

So wait, when it comes to these things, does the Beeb have more or less credibility than the N.M.E.?

[Ptommydski]

As long as this bullshit doesn't make it to BBC Radio 4, I'm okay with it.

Thankfully R4 doesn't actually play music so it's all good.

[Daft pun]

Here's hoping Frankmusik makes it.

The rest is highly blogable filler.

[eddie]

So wait, when it comes to these things, does the Beeb have more or less credibility than the N.M.E.?

I don't think either of them have any

[ShreddingMyNotes]

One of the bands on my label, King Tut, made this list last year.  One thing I can say for certain is they certainly haven't rocketed up the charts.  They were Miranda Sawyer's top pick by far, even, and she was one of the best qualified judges in my opinion.

Anyway, you can hear them at www.myspace.com/kingtutband if you're interested.  They're pretty great.

[Hat]

I am not ashamed to admit that I have gotten my elbows out to Lady Ga Ga in a gay nightclub and I would not hesitate for a moment to do it again.

[pwhodges]

Thankfully R4 doesn't actually play music so it's all good.

Desert Island Discs

[David_Dovey]

Oh Brett.

[BookBookBook]

Thankfully R4 doesn't actually play music so it's all good.

Desert Island Discs

Clive Anderson had Keane on his Loose Ends programme last week.  They're music, aren't they?

On that Sound Of 2009 list, Mumford & Sons are pretty good.  Well worth a listen if you like melancholic folk.

[nufan]

Anyone who lives in England and watched those 4Music commercials back when it launced (you know the ones, where the oh-so-cool people smashed shit up in slow motion looking oh-so-cool while doing it) will have heard Florence and the Machine, as that was the song that backed it. And dear god it's shite. As for the rest, from the looks of it can't say I'm exactly looking forward to the year.

[eddie]

I remember that advert although the song has been completly forgotten.

[Nodaisho]

Well, I'm never going to hear any of it. Even if it does get to this side of the pond.

[Johnny C]

Okay I'm going to listen to the posted clips for every one of these bands.

The Big Pink: These guys regularly make mix CDs where the entire tracklist consists of Ride, Slowdive and MBV.
Dan Black: His video won't run but when the description consists of

Dan Black, former frontman with indie also-rans The Servant, is attracting attention as a leftfield singer-songwriter who uses samples and beats as his backdrop instead of guitars.

perhaps the content's non-functionality is a small blessing.
VV Brown: This is quite good, actually. If she took some cues from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and maybe made her sound a little less shiny (read: way less) then VV could really have something special here.
Empire of the Sun: Good music if it's 1986, you're desperately hoping that the year won't end and you literally reach orgasm when you hear a gated drum.
Florence & The Machine: Ah, okay. Now, here's the thing: Florence, unlike VV Brown, understands that good production and plastic production aren't necessarily the same thing. Instead, she has gone the creative route in terms of fucking up a good thing and as a result appears to love the shit out of clowns.
FrankMuzik: Won't work but again, the description makes him sound like a twat, so no loss.
King Cudi: Catchy and dancey and poppy but just occasionally a little weird and atonal. I might look up more of this stuff later.
Lady Gaga: I didn't need to listen to this song because it's all over the radio along with the even worse "Poker Face," but if it makes a difference "Just Dance" was boring the first time I heard it and has only become more boring since. Brett, if you got your elbows out to this song, might I suggest cutting your arms off at the shoulders?
Little Boots: Her use of that weird little synth is amazing but the piano sounds so damn jarring and really has no place in the song which makes it kind of agonizing that she's decided to structure most of the song around it. Still, this is good ass-shakin' music.
La Roux: The video player won't work but the description of it actually makes me really curious this time. Either the BBC have no clue how ballsy it is to invoke Prince when describing a band or La Roux are really fucking good.
Mumford & Suns: I'm gonna have to get used to a dude with a really prominent British accent singing Americana because I get the feeling that it'll be worth it. also BANJO SOLO
Passion Pit: Sounds like a grower too, for different reasons. The problem is that a bunch of this stuff should work but just doesn't; however, the stuff that does work (like that oddly poignant zig-zagging synth line that makes up the chorus) is really remarkable.
Master Shortie: I loathe the word "rockist" but I have to grudgingly admit that music like this is part of the reason the word was coined.
White Lies: Ah yeah we have a copy of their single in the office, there's a Crystal Castles remix as the B-side. The lead singer has a rich baritone and sings brooding lyrics over dark, dance-friendly post-punk. Gonna guess they believe their own hype.
The Temper Trap: Description reads like "Australian Coldplay," and I can't get their video to work so I'm loading up their Myspace. Turns out I was wrong. They're an Australian U2. They even use The Edge's Guitar Sound^TM. Not actually bad but kind of bland.

If these bands become huge it won't be a big surprise but it will be a little disappointing.

[Daft pun]

Frankmusik is amazing

[Nodaisho]

Eh, I don't like that kind of music.

[Johnny C]

ladies and gentlemen, 2009's next big thing:

[Inlander]

Oh fuck, it's that creepy-looking guy from the Sleepy Jackson. If he becomes the next big thing over there, can you please keep him? I'd sleep much easier.

[David_Dovey]

Yay finally someone else who thinks Luke Steele is a fucking git.

[Christophe]

When I watched Empire of the Sun's music video I swore that it had to be a Flight of the Conchords parody of electro or whatever the fuck it is.

[michaelicious]

I don't understand why people do the things they do.

[Inlander]

After watching the first 30 seconds of that video I am officially renaming this band Empire of the Massive Fucking Drug Habit.

[Tom]

ladies and gentlemen, 2009's next big thing:

This record, having listened to it several times becuase a friend advised me to do so, is horribly annoying.

[Inlander]

That's the problem with music made by people with (I libelously presume) massive drug habits: usually it's only enjoyable if the listener is also on massive amounts of drugs.

[Spluff]

That would rule out half the music made in the last 40 years.

[Jeans]

That's the problem with music made by people with (I libelously presume) massive drug habits: usually it's only enjoyable if the listener is also on massive amounts of drugs.

Husker Du, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Iggy And The Stooges - those are the first four that pop into my head. I can make a longer list if you want.

[Inlander]

Okay, fine: talentless hacks with massive drug habits.

[Alex C]

Wait, is this Luke Steele guy by any chance related to Mugatu? It would explain an awful lot.

[De_El]

This is actually kind of sad. After a cursory listen to five of these, they seem to be tolerable to actually pretty okay, but otherwise unremarkable, but given a big push from the over-hype machine I can easily see them becoming annoying and insufferable through overplay.   Like, it's not their fault that I'm probably going to hate them. 

[Christophe]

Somehow, somewhere, sometime, the two dudes in this picture thought that this was a good image for their band.

[Nodaisho]

Why are they on coruscant?

[Sam]

i kind of liked the kid cudi track, mainly because i recognize the bassline from some rave in a house i went to oh hey i just realized this is actually a remix! i listened to the original version and it's a lot spacier tying into the whole "lonely stoner" theme i guess.

the passion pit song is okay (on a positive note i could see him doing some amazing stuff in this vein), but that synth during the chorus gives me chills

magistrate of the stars or whatever they are called reminded of this DO: usually only junkies have balls big enough to pull off marching band jackets

[E. Spaceman]

I just remembered I'd seen this Little Boots lass somewhere.

She did a cover of Ready For The Floor using just a tenori

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=N6tLRCDqJ2c

[blanktom]

On a lighter note,

One of the bands on my label, King Tut, made this list last year.  One thing I can say for certain is they certainly haven't rocketed up the charts.  They were Miranda Sawyer's top pick by far, even, and she was one of the best qualified judges in my opinion.

Anyway, you can hear them at www.myspace.com/kingtutband if you're interested.  They're pretty great.

This band are pretty damn good if you like Four Tet and the Books.