[Shaun]

Nominees
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

Fifteen rising music artists have been named on the longlist for the BBC Sound of 2014, which showcases some of the brightest new acts for the year ahead.

The list was compiled using tips from 170 tastemakers, who each named their favourite three emerging artists.

Californian trio Haim came out on top last year, with Adele, Ellie Goulding and Jessie J also among past winners.

This year's crop includes singers Sam Smith and Ella Eyre, who have both already featured on number one singles.

Smith, 21, from Cambridgeshire, lent his bittersweet soul voice to Naughty Boy's La La La, which topped the charts in June, as well as Disclosure's track Latch.

Brit School graduate Eyre, meanwhile, was a guest vocalist on Rudimental's hit Waiting All Night in April and has sung with Tinie Tempah and Bastille.

While those two already have a foothold on fame, the Sound of 2014 list also includes artists like Jungle, a mysterious West London electro-funk duo who have created an online buzz but have not yet revealed their identities.

The longlist will be narrowed down to a top five in the week of 6 January, with the winner to be named on 10 January.

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

One of the duos, Brighton's riff-heavy Royal Blood are the sole representatives of rock music. They have been likened to the White Stripes and Queens of the Stone Age and will support the Arctic Monkeys next summer.

Chicago's Chance The Rapper, who was named 2013's Hot MC by Rolling Stone magazine, is flying the flag for hip-hop. The 20-year-old - real name Chancelor Bennett - appeared as a guest vocalist on James Blake's Mercury Prize-winning album Overgrown.

BBC Radio 1 head of music George Ergatoudis said: "The most competitive area next year is going to be male singer-songwriters." There are three such singer-strummers in contention for Sound of 2014.

Nick Mulvey is a former member of Mercury-nominated jazz combo Portico Quartet and an aficionado of Cuban and African music. Now solo, the 26-year-old is signed to Communion Records, owned by Mumford and Sons' Ben Lovett.

The sound of Luke Sital-Singh, from Surrey, ranges from rousing Mumfords-style choruses to the simple songcraft of Damien Rice.

The gruff voice of Bristol's 19-year-old George Ezra, meanwhile, makes his folk-blues ballads particularly distinctive.

Of the other solo males, Uzoechi Osisioma Emenike (known as MNEK), from London, is moving in front of the microphone after making his name writing songs including Duke Dumont and A*M*E*'s club anthem Need U (100%).

And with a mellow soul voice that has already been heard on records by SBTRKT and Drake, Londoner Sampha is launching his solo career.

George Ergatoudis said one of the dominant styles for 2014 would be "indie R&B" - R&B made with an independent, experimental mindset.

Female vocalists Kelela - aka the sonically adventurous 30-year-old Los Angeles-based Kelela Mizanekristos - and the eerie-voiced Londoner FKA Twigs, who is signed to the label that launched the xx, fall into that bracket.

And Banks, the stage name of 25-year-old Jillian Banks, from Los Angeles, has gained a devoted fanbase with her moody, intimate R&B.

Elsewhere on the list, the sassy pop of Chloe Howl has seen her compared to Lily Allen and Katy B, while Say Lou Lou are Swedish-Australian twin sisters Miranda and Elektra Kilbey, who create dreamy electro-pop.

The tastemakers whose tips were used to compile the list included radio DJs and producers, TV presenters and producers, newspaper critics, magazine and website editors and respected bloggers.

They included Hattie Collins, music editor at i-D Magazine, who said: "One of the strengths of the Sound Of list is the democratic, diverse range of people that are invited to vote, with people from all musical mediums from the established rock critic to the upcoming urban blogger.

"This diversity is reflected in the 2014 longlist, which has a broad spectrum of emerging artists from a variety of scenes."

The successful acts cannot already be well-known to the UK public, for example through featuring in the final stages of a TV talent show or having already been a member of a successful band.

They must also not have been the lead artist on a UK top 20 single or album before 4 November 2013 - but guest vocalists are eligible.

Previous Winners
2013 - Haim
2012 - Michael Kiwanuka
2011 - Jessie J
2010 - Ellie Goulding
2009 - Little Boots
2008 - Adele
2007 - Mika
2006 - Corinne Bailey Rae
2005 - The Bravery
2004 - Keane
2003 - 50 Cent

Chance, Sam, MNEK

also heard a lot about FKA Twigs:

Youtube video

song's a bit meh and the video's just trying to be weird so idk, might like some other of her stuff.

and I chanced upon this song by Say Lou Lou on Popjustice and it's lovely

Youtube video

[reece(:]

Chloe Howl

[Black Dagger]

I was expecting an influx of Foxes, but after Clarity and Youth being hits, she might have not been eligible. Still my pick for Critics Choice at the Brits.

I was hoping NoNoNo would get nominated as well

Will give these a listen, the descriptions sound promising and Ella was fantastic on Waiting All Night, that was my jam.

[Black Dagger]

They must also not have been the lead artist on a UK top 20 single or album before 4 November 2013 - but guest vocalists are eligible.

Ah, Youth may have just caused her to miss out then.

[Shaun]

that or her glaring lack of charisma and talent

[reece(:]

Noo A*M*E or was she on last year's?

[Black Dagger]

I think she has a great voice, Youth was a bop!

A*M*E featured last year

[reece(:]

Ohhhh

From the list, Banks is a fave (This Is What It Feels Like ) and Sam Smith is great, I love that song he's just brought out with Disclosure and Nile Rodgers. Sampha has a great voice too.

[Black Dagger]

AlunaGeorge, A*M*E, Angel Haze, Arlissa, Chvrches, Haim, King Krule, Kodaline, Laura Mvula, Little Green Cars, Palma Violets, Peace, Savages, The Weeknd and Tom Odell

2013 list.. most of them had decent enough 2013s, a few floppy no-marks though. Poor Little Green Cars, I liked their song.

[reece(:]

I really like this song too..

Youtube video

[Black Dagger]

I'm not really into somebody this year, like the past few.

Maybe what they'll release will change it, George's song was pleasant enough, and I liked Ella on Rudimental.

[Iceman]

Chance

[King Gizzard]

is it really this time already

and the reading line up is out tomorrow, i swear it gets earlier every year

[King Gizzard]

omg I made a thread about FKA Twigs

[King Gizzard]

Really aren't many stand out names from that apart from Chance this year

[Loukas]

Sam Smith FTW

[Shaun]

can we just @ the Bravery beating Bloc Party and Kaiser Chiefs

and little boots beating gaga, florence, la roux, empire of the sun, passion pit and kid cudi :')

[Z]

That FKA Twigs video is freaky I don't know if that girl is the singer or if it's band or if there's something wrong with her but Jesus Christ her face! Looks like a wee fish.

[Shaun]

yeah she's a solo girl

[Z]

a solo fish

[Black Dagger]

Youtube video

I love this, I think I like him the most out of the solo boys, I have developed an irrational hate for Sam Smith idfk why either..

I have no idea who the top 5 will be, Haim surprised me being a big thing of 2013 so.

Sam Smith and Ella will probably be certs, but idfc for them, maybe Chance, maybe Simpha.. we'll see

[Black Dagger]

Did Michael Kiwanuka die? He got this, was in the running for Critics Choice and disappeared forever, icr if I liked him.

[Shaun]

album reached #4 apparently

stupid choice for winner above frank ocean and azealia though

[Z]

Originally Posted by Cameltoe and Wine

album reached #4 apparently

stupid choice for winner above frank ocean and azealia though

Sometimes the BBC are so hipster wannabe they choose the least mainstream new mainstream act to win. See: Little Boots

[Jords]

Shall listen to them all over the next week/2 weeks.

I know Sam Smith and quite like him, and Chance the Rapper but Im not overly fond from what Ive heard.