Earlier this year we announced the launch of Brit List, a Radio 1 initiative aimed at giving new, UK artists the best possible chance of long-term success at home and internationally. Our first six Brit List acts, Anne-Marie, Declan McKenna, JP Cooper, Sampha, Stormzy and The Amazons, all received a three-single playlist commitment, developing them to the Radio 1 ‘A list’ over the course of their debut campaigns.
In addition to this long-term playlist commitment, we have worked closely with each artist to craft other opportunities such as Live Lounge performances, an iPlayer documentary series, and – in partnership with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Music – three Brit List artists will embark on a short tour of North America later this year. All six artists were invited to perform at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, and happily five were able to join us, Stormzy on the main stage.
Launching Brit List was not just about committing to the artists themselves, but also about giving confidence to the wider market, in the hope of encouraging other radio, TV, streaming services and retailers to add their support. I’m happy to report that many of the six acts selected have seen just that – commercial radio going bigger and sooner than would otherwise have been the case, as well as TV and streaming editorial following suit. The Amazons have just landed a Top 10 for their eponymous debut album.
As the partnership with our first six artists continues, I’m thrilled now to open a submission window for a further three Brit List acts (with another three to come in the autumn). Read on for the submission guidelines, which are very similar to the first round in February. Note however that we have dropped the requirement that artists must not have an album in the market. All new British artists are now eligible as long as they are not widely known to the UK general public. Note also that the submission email address has changed.
Brit List aims to supercharge the campaigns of emerging British artists at just the right early tipping point in their career. Rather than propelling them from nought to twenty, as Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Introducing or the Sound Of poll do, Brit List is about accelerating emerging artists from twenty to one hundred. To that end, the next three successful applicants – like the first six – will have enjoyed some success already.
The guidelines are there to help you decide when to pitch. The submission window for the next three Brit List acts closes at 5pm on Friday 30th June.
Good luck!
Chris Price is Head of Music at Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 1 & 1Xtra.