Sound of 2014

The annual effort of movers & shakers to foretell greatness has now turned up its longlist of 15 names to watch in the coming year:

Banks
Chance The Rapper
Ella Eyre
George Ezra
FKA Twigs
Chloe Howl
Jungle
Kelela
MNEK
Nick Mulvey
Royal Blood
Sampha
Say Lou Lou
Luke Sital-Singh
Sam Smith

Since Ella Eyre & Sam Smith have already guested on #1 singles, it seems a bit dubious.

"The list is made up of seven solo male artists, five solo females and three duos. Bands are out of fashion."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25151475

Further corroboration comes from the shortlist for the Critic's Choice category for the 2014 Brit awards: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/brit-awards-2014-critics-choice-award-shortlists-chle-howl-ella-eyre-and-sam-smith-8984818.html

Ms Howl, Ms Eyre & Mr Smith are the hotly-tipped trio.

Apparently, Sam Smith won the nod for the Critic's Choice award. See 'La La La' for his biggest hit to date, a song I didn't really care for, and a video I found oddly disturbing, but in a creative way.

Sam Smith also got the nod to win this category too:

Smith wins

1. Sam Smith
2. Ella Eyre
3. BANKS
4. Sampha
5. George Ezra

So now the real test begins   

Smith seems to be the only success so far. Eyre, Ezra and Royal Blood have all made attempts but with little response. At least MNEK did OK on that Gorgon City record.

Smith's success goes from strength to strength as his debut album shot in at #2 in the US chart, behind Lana Del Rey, and selling over 160,000 copies   It had already been #1 in the UK.

Ezra's latest single entered the UK top 10, and his album is out here next week.

Sam Smith was easily the most successful act from these lists in many years. In the UK, he was probably 2nd only to Ed Sheeran in terms of sales and success.

Of the others, George Ezra had an impressive year and will probably hold up well in future years. The rest fell by the wayside, bar the odd exception (Ella Eyre, MNEK).