Sound of 2009 - review - UK Charts - BuzzJack Music Forum

Posted December 22, 200915 yr

1 – Little Boots: Despite topping the Sound of 2009 poll, had a somewhat disappointing year, with single New In Town only reaching #13 in June, and the album Hands initially plummeting after reaching #5. Second single Remedy reached #6 in August, but Earthquake missed the top 75 (peaking at #84).

2 – White Lies: Having already had a #52 single (Death) in 2008, White Lies scored their first top 40 hit in January with To Lose My Life (peaked at #34). The album of the same name reached #1 (but dropped down the chart relatively quickly). Follow-up single Farewell To The Fairground reached #33 in April (both songs curiously climbing 1 place in their 2nd week in the chart). A re-issue of Death reached #174.

3 – Florence & The Machine: Having reached #51 with Kiss With A Fist in August 2008 and #89 in December 2008 with Dog Days Are Over, Florence & The Machine received the Critics’ Choice award at the 2009 Brit Awards but did not achieve a breakthrough until July, when Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) peaked at #12, with the album Lungs spending 5 weeks at #2. Drumming Song peaked at #54 in September, and then a cover of You’ve Got The Love peaked at #16 in November.

4 – Empire Of The Sun: Debut single Walking On A Dream reached the top 10 in their native Australia, as well as in Ireland and Belgium. It only peaked at #64 in the UK (due to I-Tunes giving it away for free initially). The album of the same name peaked at #19 in the UK (and #6 in Australia), and follow-up single We Are The People reached UK #14. Walking On A Dream was later re-released but could only make #72.

5 – La Roux: Having reached #153 in 2008 with introductory single Quicksand, La Roux broke through in March 2009 with In For The Kill, which entered at #11 but eventually reached #2 (spending 4 weeks there). Follow-up hit Bulletproof reached #1 in June, with the album La Roux peaking at #2. I’m Not Your Toy reached #27 in October, but a re-issue of Quicksand failed to chart.

6 – Lady Gaga: Undoubtedly the star of 2009, Lady Gaga at one point had the two biggest-selling singles of the year, with Just Dance and Poker Face both spending 3 weeks at #1, and both reaching #1 in many other countries. She also reached #4 with Paparazzi and #19 with Love Game. All four singles were from the album The Fame, which also reached #1. The re-packaged The Fame Monster yielded a third #1 hit with Bad Romance, as well as several other charting album tracks (including the #30 hit Telephone). She also featured on Wale’s #12 hit Chillin.

7 – VV Brown: Album Travelling Like The Light was released in July (peaking at #30). The only hit single from it was Shark In The Water (which made #34). She also featured on the Young Soul Rebels single.

8 – Kid Cudi: Had a big hit at the start of the year with Day ‘N’ Nite (which reached #2). Follow-up Make Her Say reached #67 in September. He also featured on Kevin Rudolf’s Welcome To The World (which reached #77). Album Man On The Moon: The End Of Day was released in September, but did not chart in the UK (it did go top 5 in the US however).

9 – Passion Pit: Did not have any singles chart success (despite some Radio 1 airplay), but the album Manners peaked at #55.

10 – Dan Black: Had no solo chart success.

The shortlisted acts that didn’t make the final 10:

Big Pink: Having failed to chart with Too Young To Love (in 2008), Velvet, and Stop The World, Big Pink reached #27 in October with Dominos, from the album A Brief History Of Love, which reached #56.

Frankmusik: Having previously released 3 EP’s in 2007 and 2008, Frankmusik reached #26 with the single Better Off As Two in April. Follow-up single Confusion Girl reached #27 in August, with the album Complete Me reaching #13. He was also part of Young Soul Rebels.

Master Shortie: Has had no chart success.

Mumford & Sons: Album Sigh No More reached #11. Singles Little Lion Man and Winter Winds reached #24 (in October) and #47 (in December).

Temper Trap: Peaked at #6 in October with the single Sweet Disposition. Album Conditions reached #29.

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Comparison with previous years:

This is the first time that any of the top 10 artists failed to manage a top 75 hit (both Passion Pit and Dan Black missing out). However, the other 8 artists did manage top 40 hits (compared to 9 in 2008 and 7 in 2007). 6 of the top 10 managed top 20 hits (the most since 2005), 4 managed top 10 hits (one more than in 2008), and 3 managed top 5 hits (same as 2008). All 3 of those managed top 3 hits (same as 2008), with 2 of them managing #1 hits (just as in 2008). However, the 2009 artists managed 4 #1 hits between them, compared to just 2 in 2008.

2009 is the first year since 2005 in which the act who topped the list did not manage a top 3 single (2005’s top act were The Bravery, who peaked at #7).

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The ones that got away:

Chipmunk

JLS

Ke$ha

Paloma Faith

Pixie Lott

Wale

as well as Daniel Merriweather and Keri Hilson (both of whom had featured on several hits prior to 2009 but had not had any success in their own right).

NB: Tinchy Stryder was not eligible for this list, as he released an album in 2007.

December 22, 200915 yr

Pixie Lott had a bloody fantastic year and she didn't make the list?!

Anyway, thanks for that. "We are the people" was an amazing summer song for me :)

December 22, 200915 yr

interesting to see - La Roux and GaGa easily being the biggest of the two

I can't believe they missed Pixie and to some extent Agnes - they would have been in my 'sound of 2009' list had I done one :o

although having said that, the success of both did take me rather by surprise

December 22, 200915 yr

Was Agnes even planning a UK release this time last year? And no one really had a clue who Pixie was tbh. I and a few years mentioned her in a thread predicting who could be huge, thanks to Rich and BJSC, but really I didnt expect her to do anything. Interestingly her album hasnt done 150k yet, despite 2 #1 singles.

It was always obvious that GaGa would be the biggest out of that list and that she was only that low due to them wanting a UK act at #1. La Roux and Florence obviously did well, Boots was a dissapointment, shame if we wont get a second album. VV Brown, aswell shame she didnt do better.