The BBC’s Sound of 2018 long list has just been announced and is comprised of 16 acts that they believe will be making waves in the new year. In the past, they have shone a spotlight on the likes of Mumford & Sons and Dua Lipa, so it’s a pretty good barometer of what will soon be blowing up. We’ve analysed the list and picked out 9 tracks from the artists on the list that we think show potential for becoming the next big thing. Check out our choices below.
Yaeji – ‘raingurl’
Korean-American house-pop star-in-the-making, Yaeji, has already put out a couple of EPs in 2017, received to many plaudits, so it’s not much of a stretch to imagine her star rising further in 2018. Especially if she puts out an album. ‘raingurl’ is the perfect encapsulation of what she does well; goofy lyrics (“Mother Russia in my cup”), an unflappable attitude (“when the sweaty walls are banging I don’t fuck with family planning”), easily flipping between English and Korean, and to top it all off an absolutely pounding and irresistibly bouncy chorus.
Pale Waves – ‘New Year’s Eve’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkp0IZn8Awc
Imagine if the Haim sisters had grown up in Manchester instead of sunny California and you might get something close to Pale Waves. The foursome present themselves as a scrappy indie band, but their music tells a different story: glistening pop melodies and irrepressibly catchy hooks, all tinged with sadness. ‘New Year’s Eve’ is the perfect example of this with 80s-indebted synths reflecting back the loneliness of the song’s central plea: “I don’t want to be alone on New Year’s Eve.”
Sigrid – ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’
Swedish singer Sigrid signed with Island back in 2016, so could easily have been on this list last year. However, she has taken her time in releasing music, only having put out a handful of tracks in 2017. ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’, the title track from this year’s EP, is enough to prime listeners for what is sure to be a colossal album in the new year. In listening to ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ it’s easy to understand why Island snapped her up so early, the parallels between the likes of Florence & the Machine or Lorde are readily apparent in the song’s sailing, heroic chorus – surely set to be chanted along to by large crowds in the very near future.
Nilüfer Yanya – ‘Baby Luv’
In her singles released so far, London-based singer Nilüfer Yanya has proven to be chameleonic in her musical styles, flirting with indie, R&B and lo-fi. This broad palette is likely to be brought into her debut album, due for release next year, which is bound to be both lovable and cathartic thanks to her strong personality and fearless approach to expression. Her latest single ‘Baby Luv’ is, on the surface, a sweet song reminiscent of classic Lilly Allen, but much like that singer Yanya has claws and a bite swimming just under the surface, ready to cut when you least expect it.
Superorganism – ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D.’
Superorganism are so named because they’re an 8-piece brought together from all different corners of the world into one single-minded music making machine. In listening to Superorganism it’s quite astounding to think that they’ve managed to meld their musical proclivities together in such a playful, catchy and downright intriguing manner. ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D.’ is exactly what it says: a song that will tickle your brain in all the right places, with its skipping beats intertwining melodies and glitchy folktronica-like aesthetic. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if this ends up as the title track from their debut album, as the name is so perfect for their brand of music.
Rex Orange County – ‘Loving Is Easy’
Just because the BBC Sound of 2018 poll is meant to signpost the future of music, it doesn’t mean that the artists within it can’t make tunes reminiscent of past eras. That’s exactly the case with Rex Orange County, whose simplistic, breezy production harks back to the golden age of radio pop, belying his youthful 19 years. ‘Loving Is Easy’ is as classic sounding as its title suggest; a sprightly piano and wistful strings delightfully unfold into the perfect setting for guest vocalist Benny Sings to flutter in and steal your heart.
Billie Eilish – ‘Ocean Eyes’
Even younger than Rex Orange County is the nearly-17-year-old Billie Eilish. It’s astounding to hear someone so young produce music as cultured and stylish as Eilish, and it speaks to her voracious appetite for discovering new sounds and for expressing herself in a very distinct vision. ‘Ocean Eyes’ is a poetic ode to the depths of feeling that can come just from a look from the right person, and Eilish’s moody pop production is as deep and compelling as the titular features, drawing you easily into its current.
Not3s – ‘Addison Lee (Peng Ting Called Maddison)’
‘Addison Lee’ has already been something of a hit amongst the urban youth of London, who see the titular cabs roaming the streets all the time. It’s this easily relatable singing-from-the-streets vibe that Not3s has managed to effortlessly cultivate in his young career that has launched him into the consciousness of music lovers. Now with the nod from the Sound of 2018 his star is only set to rise all around the country – and maybe beyond, although Not3s is about as London as it gets, and no matter what level of success he reaches, we hope that never gets left behind.
ALMA – ‘Chasing Highs’
It’s likely that ALMA has already come into your sphere of musical appreciation at some point in 2017: she’s pretty hard to miss with that neon hair and punchy no-nonsense pop stylings. ‘Chasing Highs’ was already a fairly successful hit this year, and it’s immediately apparent why: big blocky club-ready synths, an anthemic singalong chorus and an artist who is immediately iconic in her appearance and style. If ALMA can maintain this into 2018, then it’s likely she will be one of the most ubiquitous faces of modern pop in the new year.
