A Quick Look At Some BBC Sound of 2010 Longlisters

The BBC recently released their “Sound of 2010” longlist, in which they highlight 15 artists who haven’t released an album yet who will make it big in 2010. Last year they were pretty dead on, highlighting artists like Little Boots, La Roux, Passion Pit, and some other stellar groups that dominated the year and hit it off.

The list is an interesting one – based on insider input, music blog opinion, and general intuition about up-and-coming artists. It’s a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, as BBC attention is often what can put an artist over the edge of popularity, but influence aside it’s intriguing to hear who people think will blow up in the next 12 months.

Some of the artists on this year’s list are somewhat predictable, especially if you’re plugged into the blog world – Ellie Goulding, Marina + The Diamonds, Joy Orbison. Others, though, were new to me. I checked out a few, and some of them really stood out. Here are tracks from two of the other longlisters vying for the top 5 spots, Owl City and Daisy Dares You. Perhaps more to come in the next couple weeks from The Drums, Giggs, and other longlisters.

Owl City is a kid from Minnesota who apparently has been all over the radio recently (in Boston at least). Since I don’t generally tune into the airwaves, I was oblivious. He does his best Postal Service impression, passably well – the song, despite not seeming particularly deep, is poppy, catchy, and pretty infectious. Definitely harkens me back to a few years ago when Ben Gibbard owned my ears for a good chunk of time. It’s tough to view this as more than a derivative track, a cheap copy of a stellar original. I’m not sold that Owl City will be more than a one (hit) wonder – not sure his spot on this list is warranted.

Owl City – Fireflies (YSI) (filesavr)

The other track that wormed its way into my noggin is a Daisy Dares You track of the same name. I read somewhere (and correct me if this is wrong) that the singer, presumably Daisy, is 15 years old. If that is the case, someone’s going to have to pick up the remnants of my brain, post-explosion. That’s insane. Pretty sure when I was 15 I was too busy trading baseball cards and trying to grow a moustache to make music. Kids these days. Anywho, the song itself is pretty catchy and fun. It’s a lighthearted romp, although I’m not 100% sure there’s room for another voice like this in the pop world currently, particularly with Ellie Goulding better-positioned to make a chart run. Nevertheless, it’s a really enjoyable track.

Daisy Dares You – Daisy Dares You (YSI) (filesavr)