Last Friday, BBC's 1Xtra revealed its 2014 "Power List," which apparently compiled the Top 20 Most Important UK Artists In The Scene from the past year. BBC's 1Xtra is the UK's "leading black music station," and the list has been promoted as the "Most Important UK Artists in the Black and Urban Music Scene." So, when Ed Sheeran topped the list, respectively followed by Disclosure, Tinie Tempah, Sam Smith and Rudimental, artists and fans were obviously pretty pissed.
It's the first "1Xtra Power List" ever published, and was compiled by suggestions from the 1Xtra audience and a panel of industry experts and 1Xtra DJs. Everything from sales statistics to the "quality of music" and impact across the wider industry were all considered in the voting process.
Here's the full 20:
1. Ed Sheeran
2. Disclosure
3. Tinie Tempah
4. Sam Smith
5. Rudimental
6. Emeli Sande
7. Naughty Boy
8. Katy B
9. Krept & Konan
10. Fuse ODG
11. Boy Better Know
12. Rita Ora
13. Lethal Bizzle
14. DJ Fresh
15. Jessie J
16. Wiley
17. Giggs
18. Laura Mvula
19. Wretch 32
20. Dizzee Rascal
UK grime artist Wiley took to Twitter to air out some of his grievances with the post, reportedly calling it the "saddest list" in music history, before explaining how black artists in the UK are getting bumped. "We influence a man and all of a sudden it turns he has influenced us," he tweeted. Meanwhile, BBC has been responding to the backlash, reportedly issuing statements about the criteria behind the list, while BBC's music manager, Austin Daboh, spoke out in defense of the list in a new piece on Noisey.
"We are a station that cares very deeply about black music," he said in a statement. "From Stylo G to Fekky these are all acts that were played, supported and guided by 1Xtra, often before anyone else cared. There is definitely a wider debate to be had around the mainstream support for black music. Legitimate concerns have been raised around the pressure some artists feel to compete commercially.”
We know Sheeran is working on a collaborative album with Game, and has been in the studio with everyone from Pharrell to Lupe Fiasco and more. But, simply working with rappers and performing acoustic covers of their songs (See below) aren't part of BBC's criteria. However, his album X remains the biggest selling album in the UK for a third week in a row.
People took to Twitter to voice their confusion and annoyance with the list:
Here's the latest from black music's foremost ambassador. https://t.co/Kj8cLpkPdr
1Xtra have called Ed Sheeran the 'most important act in black & urban music.' I believe this is what's called 'Extreme Kanye Baiting.'
NOT AN "ONION" STORY... Ed Sheeran named ‘most important act in black and urban music’. http://t.co/9iC1o28OJY
@edsheeran is a great artist . But he is not the most influential artist in uk black urban music . #Sorry lol.
