BBC Music Introducing facts for kids
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Type of site
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Music upload platform (UGC) |
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| Owner | BBC Music |
| Launched | June 2007 |
| Current status | Active |
BBC Music Introducing is a special program from BBC Radio. It helps new music artists in the UK who are not yet famous. It's a way for them to get their music heard. This program has many local radio shows across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
These shows help artists get played on big national radio stations. These include Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, Radio 3, 6 Music, and Asian Network. BBC Music Introducing also gives artists chances to play at big music festivals. Some of these are Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds.
The local shows happen every Saturday night. They play music from local artists. They also do interviews and live music sessions. They help artists find local concerts and festival spots. They also share new artists with other BBC stations.
Since it started in June 2007, BBC Music Introducing has helped many artists. Some famous names include Ed Sheeran, Florence and the Machine, and George Ezra.
Contents
How BBC Music Introducing Started
BBC Music Introducing began in 2007. Before that, many local BBC radio stations had their own music shows. These shows helped local artists share their music. Shows like The Box Office and The Download were very popular.
Because these shows were so successful, the BBC wanted to create a bigger plan. They wanted a clear way to support new music. So, these local shows became the first BBC Music Introducing programs.
In September 2010, all BBC local music shows joined the 'Introducing' brand. In the same year, BBC Music Introducing won an award. It was named the best new platform to find music. In May 2011, it won another big award for using many different platforms.
How Many Artists Does It Help?
Since January 2013, every BBC Local Radio station has a BBC Music Introducing show. These shows are on Saturday evenings. There are also shows in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
More than 190,000 artists have signed up on the BBC Music Introducing website. They have uploaded almost 1 million songs. These songs are played every week on the Introducing shows. Each station plays music that fits its local area. Every week, the platform gets over 5,000 new songs. Sometimes, it gets as many as 16,000 songs. That's a lot of new music for the BBC to listen to!
Famous Artists Who Got Their Start
BBC Music Introducing has helped many artists become famous.
Early Success Stories
- Florence and the Machine played at the SXSW festival in Texas in 2008.
- Ed Sheeran played at Glastonbury Festival for the first time in 2011. He played on the BBC Introducing stage.
- Two Door Cinema Club played at SXSW in 2009. They later headlined Glastonbury.
Other Artists Supported by Introducing
Many other well-known artists got a boost from BBC Music Introducing. These include Ellie Goulding, The 1975, Alt-J, Years & Years, Becky Hill, and London Grammar.
Eurovision Song Contest
BBC Music Introducing has also helped with the UK's selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2014, Molly Smitten-Downes was chosen for the competition. The UK's entry in 2023 also had support from the network. In October 2024, it was announced that BBC Introducing would help find the UK entry for 2025.
How the Platform Works
Radio Shows Across the UK
The 32 Introducing shows on BBC local radio are important. They show off all the new music found in each area. From these shows, artists can be sent to national BBC DJs. They can also be chosen to play on festival stages. Every week, the music teams for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra feature an Introducing artist.
Uploading Your Music
In February 2009, a special tool was launched. It's called Peel, named after the famous DJ John Peel. This tool lets artists upload their music directly to BBC Music Introducing producers.
When artists sign up, they enter their postcode. This helps BBC staff working on their nearest Introducing radio show. These local shows can then send the music to bigger stations. These include BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, BBC 6 Music, 1Xtra, or Asian Network.
All music sent to BBC Music Introducing is called User Generated Content (UGC). This means it's created by the users themselves.
Festival Stages
BBC Music Introducing has had its own stage at festivals since 2007. Over the years, Introducing has been at many big festivals. These include Glastonbury Festival, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Latitude Festival, and Radio 1's Big Weekend. They have also been at international festivals like South by Southwest.
In 2017, BBC Music Introducing also went to Creamfields and the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). For the first time, they focused only on DJs and electronic music.
Many artists who are now famous have played on the Introducing stages. Some of these are Ed Sheeran, George Ezra, Little Simz, Glass Animals, and Royal Blood.
Artist of the Year Award
| BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year Award | |
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| Presented by | BBC Music (formerly at BBC Music Awards) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| First awarded | 2014 |
| Currently held by | Myles Smith (2024) |
From 2014 to 2017, the BBC Music Awards celebrated the best British music. The BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year award was part of this. It goes to an artist who has made a big impact with help from BBC Music Introducing. This award has continued even after the main music awards ended.
Award Winners
Here are the artists who have won this award:
- 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
- 2024 – Myles Smith
10th Anniversary Celebration
On October 4, 2017, BBC Music Introducing turned ten years old. They celebrated with a big concert at the O2 Academy Brixton. It was broadcast live on BBC Radio 1. Many artists who got their start with Introducing performed. These included George Ezra, Jake Bugg, and Blossoms.
On October 7 and 8, 2017, BBC Music Introducing hosted Amplify. This was a large event with workshops and performances. Music industry experts gave talks. The event continued in 2018 as 'BBC Introducing Live'.
Radio Shows and Presenters
BBC Music Introducing has many different radio shows. They are on national and local stations.
National Shows
- BBC Introducing on Radio 1 Dance (with Jaguar)
- BBC Introducing on Radio 1 (with Jess Iszatt)
- The BBC Introducing Mixtape (with Emily Pilbeam on BBC Radio 6 Music)
- BBC Introducing on the Asian Network (with Jasmine Takhar)
- BBC Introducing on 1Xtra (with Theo Johnson)
Country-Specific Shows
- 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 Shows
There are many local BBC Music Introducing shows across the UK. Each show focuses on new music from its specific area. Some examples include:
- BBC Music Introducing in Beds, Herts & Bucks
- BBC Music Introducing in Cambridgeshire
- BBC Music Introducing in London
- BBC Music Introducing in Manchester
- BBC Music Introducing in The West Midlands
- BBC Music Introducing in West Yorkshire
