2007 in British music
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This is a summary of 2007 in music in the United Kingdom.
Events
- 1 January
- George Shearing is knighted for services to music in The Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame. Imogen Cooper, John Rutter and Rod Stewart are appointed a CBE.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/new-year-honours-list-2007|title=New Year honours list 2007|date=30 December 2006|website=The Guardian|access-date=17 November 2024}}
- Digital downloads are included without restrictions in the charts for the first time.{{cite magazine |first=Paul |last=Williams |title=New era for chart arrives |magazine=Music Week |page=1 |date=6 January 2007}}
- 30 January – Following rumours that The Police will reunite for a tour after 23 years to mark the 30th anniversary of the release of "Roxanne",[http://www.sputnikmusic.com/news.php?newsid=2304 The Police reunion?], Sputnikmusic, 1 March 2006[https://www.today.com/popculture/rumors-swirl-about-possible-police-reunion-wbna16469727 Rumors swirl about possible Police reunion], MSNBC. Retrieved 11 January 2006 the band announce that they will perform at the opening of the 49th annual Grammy Awards on 11 February{{cite web |url=http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/music/entertainment/music/police-reunite-open-grammy-awards-$1047088.htm |title=Police reunite to open Grammy awards |publisher=Inthenews |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616031128/http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/music/entertainment/music/police-reunite-open-grammy-awards-%241047088.htm |archivedate=16 June 2013 |accessdate=1 February 2007}} and subsequently announce The Police Reunion Tour.
- February – A lightning strike severely damages Llandaff Cathedral organ.{{cite web|url=https://www.nicholsonorgans.co.uk/pf/cardiff-llandaff/|title=Llandaff Cathedral|website=Nicholson & Co Ltd|access-date=17 November 2024}}
- 25 March – Elton John plays Madison Square Garden for the 60th time, to celebrate his 60th birthday. The concert sets the record for most performances by an artist at the venue. Longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin makes an appearance, as well as celebrities Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams and former President Bill Clinton. John performs songs from his back catalogue, including "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun" and "Roy Rogers".
- 7 April – Joss Stone's third studio album Introducing Joss Stone enters the U.S. Billboard 200, becoming the highest début entry by a British female solo artist on the U.S. chart; the record was previously held by Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, which had come in at number seven the previous week.
- 4 May – Peter Hook announces on XFM radio that he has left New Order and that he and Bernard Sumner are no longer working together.
- 12 May – At the Eurovision Song Contest, the UK is represented by Scooch, who finish in penultimate place in the final with "Flying the Flag (For You)".
- 30 May–5 June – The Peel Bay Festival takes place on the Isle of Man.
- 22 June-25 June – Glastonbury Festival, headlined by Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, and The Who on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Dame Shirley Bassey was also featured.{{cite web|url=http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/history/2007/|title=2007 (22–24 June)|work=History|publisher=Glastonbury Festival|accessdate=29 June 2011}}
- 26 June – The Verve announce their reunion on Jo Whiley's show on BBC Radio 1, and announce tour dates and plans for an album. This reunion would be short-lived, as they would split up again 2 years later.
- 28 June – The Spice Girls announce their reunion at the O2 in London in a press conference televised worldwide.
- 1 July – The Concert for Diana takes place at Wembley Stadium in London. Performers include Duran Duran, Elton John, Fergie, Joss Stone, Kanye West, Nelly Furtado, Rod Stewart, and Tom Jones.
- 4–11 August – The Three Choirs Festival is held at Gloucester, with a programme including Benjamin Britten's War Requiem and Mahler's Symphony No 8.{{Cite web |url=http://www.3choirs.org/gloucester2007/programme_saturday_11.php |title=3 Choirs Festival 2007: Programme. Retrieved 14 Oct 2012 |access-date=18 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819202034/http://www.3choirs.org/gloucester2007/programme_saturday_11.php |archive-date=19 August 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
- 24 August – Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival opens with a concert featuring Girls Aloud. Other artists appearing during the weekend include Rebecca Evans, Carlos Alvarez, and Michael Ball.{{Cite web |url=http://www.caernarfononline.co.uk/faenol/ |title=Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival 2007 |access-date=30 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113020859/http://www.caernarfononline.co.uk/faenol/ |archive-date=13 January 2013 |url-status=dead }}
- 22 September–29 September – The 35th North Wales International Music Festival is held at St Asaph.
- 1 October
- Genesis release the second of 5 planned box sets, Genesis 1983-1998.
- The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Donald Runnicles as its next Chief Conductor.
- Jonny Greenwood, guitarist of Radiohead, announces on the band's website that they will release the new album In Rainbows in ten days; consumers can pay whatever price they want.
- 2 December – The Spice Girls open their reunion tour in Vancouver, Canada.
- 10 December – Led Zeppelin reunite in London for their first show in 25 years.
- 15 December – Leon Jackson is named winner of the fourth series of The X Factor. Rhydian Roberts is named runner-up, while Same Difference and Niki Evans finish in third and fourth place respectively.
= UK Charts =
{{main|2007 in British music charts}}
Classical music
- Nigel Hess – Piano Concerto
Opera
- Tim Benjamin – The Corley Conspiracy (premièred 19 September)
- Jonathan Dove – The Adventures of Pinocchio (premièred 21 December)Hugh Canning, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080510144308/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/whats_on/listings/opera/article3122784.ece Review: The Adventures of Pinocchio], The Sunday Times, 6 January 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
- James MacMillan – The Sacrifice (premièred 22 September)
- Julian Wagstaff – The Turing Test (premièred 15 August)Rowena Smith, [https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2007/aug/16/edinburghfestival2007.edinburghfestival10 Review: The Turing Test], The Guardian, 16 August 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
Musical theatre
- Blair on Broadway, by Iain Hollingshead, with music by Timothy Muller{{cite news | last = Spencer | first = Charles | title = Blair legend moves on to next stage | work = The Daily Telegraph | date = 29 October 2007 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/27/nblair127.xml | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071027090549/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2007%2F10%2F27%2Fnblair127.xml | url-status = dead | archive-date = 27 October 2007 | access-date = 15 January 2008 }}
- TONY! The Blair Musical, by Chris Bush, with music by Ian McCluskey{{cite web|url=http://www.nsdf.org.uk/edinburgh/|title=Error – National Student Drama Festival|website=www.nsdf.org.uk|access-date=1 February 2021|archive-date=29 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829124224/https://www.nsdf.org.uk/edinburgh|url-status=dead}}
- Quadrophenia, with music by The Who{{cite web |title='Quadrophenia' at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama |url=http://www.theatre-wales.co.uk/news/newsdetail.asp?newsID=2058 |work=Theatre in Wales website |date=8 February 2007 |access-date=20 May 2009 }}
Musical films
- Across the Universe, with music by The Beatles{{cite web |last=Douglas |first=Edward |url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=37341 |title=Julie Taymor Soars Across the Universe |website=ComingSoon.net |date=18 September 2007 |access-date=20 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520104724/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=37341 |archive-date=20 May 2011 |url-status=live }}
Music awards
=Brit Awards=
=British Composer Awards=
- Chamber – Brian Ferneyhough: String Quartet No. 5
- Vocal – Oliver Knussen: Requiem – Songs for Sue
- Liturgical – Tarik O'Regan: Threshold of Night
- Stage works – Stephen McNeff: Tarka the Otter
- Choral – Julian Anderson: Heaven is Shy of Earth
- BBC Radio 3 Listeners' Award – Guto Puw: Oboe Concerto
=Ivor Novello Awards=
- Best song – "Elusive" – Scott Matthews
- Best contemporary song – "Rehab" – Amy Winehouse
- Best television soundtrack – The Virgin Queen (Martin Phipps)
- Best original film score – Ice Age: The Meltdown (John Powell)
- Best-selling UK single – "A Moment Like This" – Leona Lewis
- Outstanding Song Collection – Yusuf Islam
- Lifetime Achievement – Peter Gabriel
- Classical Music award – John Rutter
- PRS Outstanding Contribution to British Music – Norman Cook
- Songwriters of the Year – The Feeling
=Mercury Music Prize=
Deaths
- 14 February – Gareth Morris, flute player and educator, 86
- 22 February – Edgar Evans, operatic tenor, 94
- 23 February – Ian Wallace, drummer (King Crimson), 60
- 24 February – Bryan Balkwill, pianist and orchestral conductor, 84
- 28 February – Billy Thorpe, British-born Australian rock performer, 60
- 4 March – Richard Joseph, computer game composer, 53 (lung cancer){{cite web | url=http://www.remix64.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=4493 | title=Remix64.com forums | accessdate=2007-03-05}}
- 4 April – Brian Fahey, composer and arranger, 87
- 18 June – Bernard Manning, comedian and singer, 76
- 5 July – George Melly, jazz vocalist, 80
- 15 July – Kelly Johnson, guitarist (Girlschool), 49
- 10 August – Anthony Wilson, record executive (Factory Records), 57
- 1 October – Ronnie Hazlehurst, composer and conductor, 79
- 20 October – Paul Raven, bassist (Killing Joke) 46 (heart attack)
- 1 December – Anton Rodgers, actor and singer, 74
- 25 December – Pat Kirkwood, actress and singer, 86
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/ BBC Radio 1's Chart Show]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081216021132/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/ The Official United Kingdom Charts Company]
{{Music of the United Kingdom}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2007 in British Music}}