BBC Music Sound Of 2015 Long List Revealed: Kwabs, James Bay & More Make Cut

Check out who the Beeb are tipping for big things in 2015 right here...

Monday, December 1, 2014 - 09:03

The BBC Music Sound Of 2015 long list has been announced.

MTV Brand New For 2015 acts James Bay, George The Poet, Years & Years and Sunset Sons are all in the running as well as Kwabs and Wolf Alice.

The list reflects a diverse range of new music acts, voted for by industry experts and annually compiled by BBC News, to highlight exciting new talent for the coming year.

View the lyrics

It's safe to say we made it
Along the path we tread so well
And the shades we use to paint it
Can't start to show our lives parallel

Eyes to the ground
We watch our feet
We're a little bruised and battle-worn
But the walls they built to keep us
Cannot shield our storm

Pre-We prayed for love
We prayed for love

We prayed for love
Someone in the distance
Who will listen
Listen to our breaking hearts

We prayed for love
Someone in the distance
Who will listen
Listen to our breaking hearts

The endless days of thunder
Seemed to leave us her without a chance
Feeling like a world around us
Is falling down like an avalanche
We look ahead you know our hearts
Are gunna lead us through another fight
The negative like string between us
Strong in our desire

Pre-We prayed for love
We prayed for love

We prayed for love
Someone in the distance
Who will listen
Listen to our breaking hearts

We prayed for love
Someone in the distance
Who will listen
Listen to our breaking hearts

Wherever the road takes us
The winds began to break up
Just stay by my side

Wherever the road takes us
The winds began to break up
Just stay by my side

We prayed for love
Someone in the distance
Who will listen
Listen to our breaking hearts

We prayed for love
Someone in the distance
Who will listen
Listen to our breaking hearts

Writer(s): ERIC APPAPOULAY, GEORGE MOORE, BEN DREW, KWABENA ADJEPONG Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

Around 140 influential music industry experts including DJs, critics, broadcasters and bloggers were asked to name their top three favourite new acts from any musical genre. The top 15, which this year includes 13 UK acts, are announced today.

The top five will be revealed next month, counting down one each day from Monday, January 5 with the BBC Music Sound Of 2015 winner announced on Friday, January 9.

View the lyrics

I must be tough
I must behave
I must keep fighting
Don't give it up
I want to keep us compromising (oh-uh)

Open your arms and pray
To the truth that you're denying
Give into the game
To the sense that you've been hiding

Where are you taking me?
I can't be blamed
I want you to want me again

Is it desire?
Or is it love that I'm feeling for you?
I want desire
'Cause your love only gets me abused

Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, oh, oh oh oh oh

Give me that rush
I want to show you what you've been missing
Am I enough?
To keep your other lovers hidden?

Where are you taking me?
I can't be blamed
I want you to want me again

Is it desire?
Or is it love that I'm feeling for you?
I want desire
'Cause your love only gets me abused

Is it desire (is it desire)
Or is it love that I'm feeling for you?
I want desire
I wanna see what you're willing to lose

Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, oh, oh oh oh oh

You know that you've got me
You've locked me down
You tell me you want me
You need it now

You know that you've got me
You've locked me down
You tell me you want me now

Is it desire? (is it desire)
Or is it love that I'm feeling for you?
I want desire (I want desire)
'Cause your love only gets me abused

Is it desire? (is it desire)
Or is it love that I'm feeling for you? (I'm feeling for you)
I want desire
I wanna see what you're willing to lose
Oh, what you're willing to lose

Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, oh, oh oh oh oh

Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, oh, oh oh oh oh

Writer(s): HULL THOMAS EDWARD PERCY, GOLDSWORTHY MICHAEL THOMAS, THORNTON OLIVER ALEXANDER, TURKMEN RESUL EMRE Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

Past winners include Ellie Goulding, Adele and last year's champ Sam Smith.

George Ergatoudis - head of music for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - stated: "If you want to embark on a journey into the future of music, BBC Music's Sound Of 2015 (list) is a brilliant starting point.

"With around 140 of the UK's key tastemakers taking part, the longlist is wide-ranging, including grime artists, singer-songwriters, an electro-pop band, a garage punk duo and a poet amongst others."

View the lyrics

Tried to keep you close to me
But life got in between
Tried to square not being there
But think that I should have been

Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes
Hold back the river so I
Can stop for a minute and see where you hide
Hold back the river, hold back

Once upon a different life
We rode our bikes into the sky
But now we crawl against the tide
Those distant days are flashing by

Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes
Hold back the river so I
Can stop for a minute and be by your side
Hold back the river, hold back

Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes
Hold back the river so I
Can stop for a minute and see where you hide
Hold back the river, hold back
Hold oho, oho, oho
Oho, oho, oho, oho

Lonely water, lonely water won't you let us wander
Let us hold each other
Lonely water, lonely water won't you let us wander
Let us hold each other

Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes
Hold back the river so I
Can stop for a minute and be by your side
Hold back the river, hold back

Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes
Hold back the river so I
Can stop for a minute and be by your side
Hold back the river, hold

Lonely water, lonely water won't you let us wander
Let us hold each other
Lonely water, lonely water won't you let us wander
Let us hold each other

Writer(s): James Bay, Iain Archer Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

He added: "It's a list full of talent and promise and I very much look forward to seeing how each artist's story unfolds over the coming year."

The BBC Music Sound Of 2015 longlist is as follows:

George The Poet

James Bay

Kwabs

Låpsley

Novelist

Rae Morris

Raury

Shamir

Shura