BBC Music Introducing facts for kids

BBC Music Introducing is a special program from BBC Radio. It helps new music artists in the UK who are not yet famous or signed to a big record label. It's like a stepping stone for them!

This network has 32 local radio shows across England and the Channel Islands. There are also shows in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. These shows give artists a chance to be heard on bigger national stations like Radio 1, Radio 2, and Radio 6 Music.

BBC Music Introducing also helps artists play at big music events. They have their own stages at famous festivals like Glastonbury, Reading, and Latitude Festival.

Since it started in June 2007, Introducing has helped many artists become stars. Some famous names include Ed Sheeran, Florence and the Machine, Ellie Goulding, George Ezra, and James Bay.

How BBC Music Introducing Started

BBC Music Introducing began in 2007. Before that, many local BBC radio stations already had weekly shows for new local artists. Shows like The Box Office and The Download were very popular.

Because these local shows were doing so well, the BBC decided to create a bigger, more organized system. This new system was called 'Introducing'. In 2010, all these local music shows officially became part of BBC Music Introducing.

BBC Music Introducing quickly became recognized. In 2010, it won an award for being the best new way to find music at the BT Digital Music Awards. In 2011, it won another big award, the Gold award for Best Use of Multiplatform, at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.

Since 2013, every BBC Local Radio station in England and the Channel Islands has a BBC Music Introducing show on Saturday evenings. Shows also air in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Many artists use the Introducing platform. Over 190,000 artists have signed up, and almost a million songs have been uploaded! Each week, these songs are played on BBC radio shows, showing off the local music scene. The platform gets over 5,000 new songs every week. Sometimes, it gets as many as 16,000 songs!

Famous Artists Who Got Their Start

BBC Music Introducing has helped many artists become successful. One early success was Florence and The Machine. Introducing helped them play at the SXSW festival in Texas in 2008. Ed Sheeran played at Glastonbury Festival for the first time in 2011 on the BBC Introducing stage.

Other artists who got a boost from Introducing include Ellie Goulding, The 1975, Becky Hill, London Grammar, and Glass Animals.

In 2014 and 2015, BBC Music Introducing was even a way for artists to be chosen for the Eurovision Song Contest. Molly Smitten-Downes was picked for the 2014 contest through this platform.

How the Platform Works

Radio Shows Across the UK

The 32 Introducing shows on BBC local radio are like a hub for new music. They find great new artists in their area. From these local shows, artists can be sent to bigger BBC DJs to play on national radio. They can also be chosen to play on festival stages.

Every week, the music teams at BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra pick an Introducing artist to feature on their playlists. Some past featured artists include Tom Grennan, The Sherlocks, and Declan McKenna.

Upload Your Music

In 2009, BBC Music Introducing launched a special tool on its website. This tool lets artists upload their music directly to the BBC. It's named "Peel" after the famous DJ John Peel.

When artists sign up, they enter their postcode. This helps the BBC staff working on their nearest Introducing radio show find their music. If the local show likes the music, they can send it to bigger stations like BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, or BBC 6 Music.

All the music uploaded to BBC Music Introducing is called "User Generated Content" (UGC). This means it's created by the users themselves. The BBC encourages artists to read their rules for uploading music.

Playing at Festivals

BBC Music Introducing has had its own stage at festivals since 2007. Over the years, Introducing has been at many big events. These include Glastonbury Festival, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Latitude Festival, and Radio 1's Big Weekend. They've also been at international festivals like South by Southwest in the USA.

In 2017, Introducing even went to Creamfields and the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). This was special because they focused only on DJs and electronic music for the first time.

Many famous acts have played on the Introducing stages. Some of them are Ed Sheeran, George Ezra, Little Simz, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Royal Blood.

BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year Award

From 2014 to 2017, the BBC Music Awards celebrated the best British music. As part of these awards, the BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year award was created. This award goes to an artist who has made a big impact with help from BBC Music Introducing. Even though the main BBC Music Awards ended, this special Introducing award has continued.

Here are some of the winners:

• 2014 – Catfish and the Bottlemen
• 2015 – Jack Garratt
• 2016 – Izzy Bizu
• 2017 – Declan McKenna
• 2018 – Tom Grennan
• 2019 – Celeste
• 2020 – Arlo Parks
• 2021 – Self Esteem
• 2022 – Nia Archives
• 2023 – Olivia Dean

Celebrating 10 Years

On October 4, 2017, BBC Music Introducing celebrated its tenth birthday! They held a huge four-hour concert at the O2 Academy Brixton. It was broadcast live on BBC Radio 1. Famous DJs Annie Mac and Huw Stephens hosted the show.

Many artists who had been helped by Introducing performed. These included George Ezra, Everything Everything, Declan McKenna, Blossoms, and Jake Bugg. A grime artist named Yizzy also performed. He was the first winner of Introducing's Future Fund, which is a grant to help new artists.

A few days later, on October 7 and 8, BBC Music Introducing hosted a big event called Amplify. This was a conference with workshops and performances at ExCeL London. People from the music industry gave talks, including famous DJs like Huw Stephens and Annie Mac. This event continued in 2018 under the new name 'BBC Introducing Live'.

Programmes and Presenters

BBC Music Introducing has many different radio shows. Some are national, meaning they are heard across the whole UK. Others are specific to different countries or local areas.

National Programmes

• BBC Introducing on Radio 1 Dance (with Jaguar)
• BBC Introducing on Radio 1 (with Gemma Bradley)
• The BBC Introducing Mixtape (with Tom Robinson on BBC Radio 6 Music)
• BBC Introducing on the Asian Network (with Jasmine Takhar)
• BBC Introducing on 1Xtra (with Theo Johnson)

Country-Specific Programmes

• BBC Music Introducing with Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales)
• BBC Music Introducing with Bethan Elfyn (BBC Radio Wales)
• BBC Music Introducing in Scotland (with Phoebe I-H and Shereen Cutkelvin)
• BBC Music Introducing/Across the Line (radio show) in Northern Ireland (with Gemma Bradley)

Local and Regional Programmes

There are many local BBC Music Introducing shows across England and the Channel Islands. Each show focuses on new music from its specific area. Some examples include:

• BBC Music Introducing in London (with Jess Iszatt)
• BBC Music Introducing in Manchester (with Roesh)
• BBC Music Introducing in the North East (with Nick Roberts)
• BBC Music Introducing in The West (with James Threlfall)
• BBC Music Introducing in York and North Yorkshire (with Jericho Keys)