As a long season of new artist tips lists reaches its conclusion, Music Week has analysed the polls to find out once and for all who really is the most exciting emerging act for 2017.
Aggregating data from the BBC Sound Of 2017 poll, Google Play Music, Apple Music, the BRITs, MTV, TicketWeb, Vevo, The Independent, NME, DIY, Gigwise, London In Stereo and Radio X reveals that Rag’N’Bone Man, Declan McKenna and AJ Tracey come out joint top of the list.
The remainder of the Top 5 in the poll of polls is as follows:
2. Raye, Jorja Smith, The Amazons, Nadia Rose
3. Cabbage, The Japanese House, Dave, Tom Grennan, Will Joseph Cook
4. Ray Blk, JP Cooper, Dream Wife
5. Creeper, Stefflon Don, Bonzai, The Big Moon, Estrons
While it is no surprise that Rag’N’Bone Man – who was announced as the winner of the BRITs Critics’ Choice Award in December – tops the list, there has been relatively little fanfare around AJ Tracey, a west London MC who releases music via his own My Team Paid label, and Declan McKenna, the Hertfordshire teenager set to release his James Ford-produced debut later this year. Click to read Music Week interviews with McKenna and Tracey.
The figures also position Ray Blk, awarded first place in the BBC list last week, behind Raye, Jorja Smith and Nadia Rose, while The Amazons finish higher than fellow rock band Creeper.
Elsewhere, the list shines a light on minimal indie act The Japanese House (who featured in the BBC list), as well as Atlantic-signed Kent singer/songwriter Will Joseph Cook (click here to read Music Week’s profile) and Brighton trio Dream Wife. The list also tells us that it may be worth keeping tabs on Stefflon Don, Bonzai, The Big Moon and Estrons.
Of the artists featured in the Top 5, Rag’N’Bone Man – who releases debut album Human on February 10 – has so far performed best in the charts, with current single Human currently sitting on 307,676 sales and a highest chart position of No.2. According to Official Charts Company figures, JP Cooper’s biggest-selling single is last year’s September Song, which has figures of 107,311.
Music Week’s own selection of new artists to look out for in 2017 appears in this week’s edition, or for the online version, click here.
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