2024 In British Music

This is a summary of the year 2024 in British music.

Events

January

*1 January – BBC One sees in the New Year with the concert '' Rick Astley Rocks New Year's Eve''. Rick Astley is joined by various guests, including Rylan Clark with whom he performs a rendition of the Dead of Alive track "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)".
*3 January – Data from the British Phonographic Industry shows that female artists enjoyed a record year in the UK Singles Chart, with female artists or groups topping the charts for 31 of 52 weeks, the most since the charts began in 1952.
*5 January – Indie rock band The Last Dinner Party are named the BBC Sound of 2024.
*6 January – Music researcher Colin Jagger launches an appeal to find the whereabouts of the original score of Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Utopia Limited'', which was sold in 1915 and is believed to be lost.
*7 January – At the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, Foy Vance and Ed Sheeran win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for "A Beautiful Game", written for the final episode of the TV series '' Ted Lasso''.
*8 January – Roger Daltrey announces he will step down as curator of the annual Teenage Cancer Trust gigs held at the Royal Albert Hall following the 2024 events.
*10 January – Stevie Spring is appointed Chair of the PRS for Music Board, succeeding Stephen Davidson, who will relinquish the role officially at the organisations' AGM.
*11 January – Royal Mail issues a set of 15 stamps featuring the Spice Girls to celebrate their 30th anniversary, the first time a set of UK stamps have been dedicated to a female pop group.
*22 January – Birmingham Royal Ballet announces simultaneously the departure of Koen Kessels as its music director on 30 June 2024, and the appointment of Paul Murphy as its next music director, effective 1 July 2024.
*24 January
** Research published by the Music Venues Trust highlights the number of live music venues closing due to financial pressure, with 125 abandoning live music in 2023, half of those closing completely.
** Raye is nominated for seven Brit Awards, setting a new record for the most nominations received by a single artist.
*29 January
** Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, J Hus and Doja Cat are confirmed as headline acts for the 2024 Wireless Festival, scheduled to take place from 12–14 July.
** Equity announces an interim agreement with English National Opera that forestalls previously declared intentions of industrial action.
*30 January – A report published by the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee highlights misogyny in the music industry.
*31 January
** The rock band Nothing but Thieves play an exclusive gig for Radio X listeners at London's O2 Forum Kentish Town.
** Adele announces plans to hold four concerts at a specially built stadium in Munich in August, something she describes as "a bit random, but still fabulous!".

February

*3 February – Seventeen grassroots music venues across Wales experiencing financial difficulties are offered £718,000 in Welsh Government funding to help keep them open.
*8 February – Kings Place announces the appointment of Sam McShane as its next artistic director, effective 20 May 2024.
*11 February – Oasis are nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside other artists including Sinéad O'Connor, Cher and Mariah Carey.
*15 February – The BBC reverses its plan to axe its in-house BBC Singers choir, with a new partnership between the ensemble and the Voces8 Foundation for future sustainability of the ensemble.
*16 February – Orchestra members, chorus members, and music staff of English National Opera (ENO) call off their previously intended industrial action for February, after agreement in principle by ENO management to revise their original plans for redunancy and re-engagement of the musicians.
*22 February – The London Philharmonic Choir announces that Neville Creed is to retire as its artistic director at the close of the 2024–2025 season, and subsequently to take the title of chorus director emeritus.
*23 February – Rapper Wiley, whose real name is Richard Cowie, is stripped of his MBE after sharing abusive and antisemitic social media posts.
*26 February – The Royal Mint unveils a collectable coin featuring George Michael.
*29 February – Manchester's Co-op Live arena, due to open in April, is chosen as the venue for the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards on 10 November.

March

*1 March
** ''Swing Fever'', an album of big band standards recorded by Jools Holland and Rod Stewart, reaches number one in the UK album chart, giving Holland his first number one album.
** Release of " Dizzy", Olly Alexander's UK entry for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.
** The annual Cân i Gymru (Song for Wales) contest is held in Swansea, and is won by Sara Davies with the song "Ti".
*2 March – The 2024 Brit Awards are take place at London's O2 Arena. Raye is the biggest winner of the night, winning six of the seven awards she was nominated for, and beating previous records set by Blue, Adele and Harry Styles at a single awards ceremony.
*4 March
** The BBC Concert Orchestra announces the appointment of Matthew Swann as its next Director, effective 27 March 2024.
** The Home Office grants visas to the Afghan Youth Orchestra, after public protest at the Home Office's prior refusal of their visa applications just before the start of their scheduled UK tour.
*5 March
** The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of Sarah Bardwell as its next managing director.
** Naxos Music Group and Klaus Heymann announce their acquisition of Chandos Records

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