So what did the summer of 2011 mean for music?
The summer has finally drawn to a close and it has been a summer of ups and downs for music fans everywhere. From the huge success of British artists breaking America like Adele to the sad death of Amy Winehouse. Here are some of my highlights of the summer…
10. Beyonce becomes first female to Headline Glastonbury
Beyonce
The announcement of Beyonce headlining Glastonbury brought as many raised eyebrows as when her other half Jay z was announced a few years earlier. I headed to her set with very little expectations, however by the end of the set me and my mates were stood side by side with our hands in the air, singing along to almost every single song. We were not the only ones, she attracted a huge crowd and received massive critical acclaim. She also became the first female to ever headline the main stage, let alone close the festival! I will be the first to bite my tongue and admit I was too quick to judge.
9. Rolling stones announce 50th anniversary gigs are unlikely.
I love The Stones as much as the next person, they changed music as much as The Beatles did, but do we really need to see 4 wrinkly old men crawl around a stage trying to recapture their best years? To quote Jack Black in High Fidelity; “Is it better to burn out or fade away?”
8. Ed Sheeran takes over England!
There’s not much to say about this one, first he was nowhere then you turn around and he’s absolutely everywhere. The best way to sum-up his meteoric rise was that he was booked last October for a very little fee to play 8 gigs at Glastonbury. Every single one of those gigs was packed out, tickets for his tour are like gold dust. God knows how much he would charge now!
Ed Sheeran
7. DJ fresh becomes first Dubstep artist to reach number 1.
Dubstep has absolutely exploded in the U.K and it was great to see that one of the most influential people on the scene was the first to reach number 1 for the genre. DJ Fresh hit the top spot with ‘Louder’, and I don’t think a better song could of reached it first.
6. Noel Gallagher announces his return to music
Possibly the worst kept secret in music was that Noel Gallagher was recording a solo album. This summer he finally admitted his recordings and announced two new album releases’. After the dismal efforts of Beady Eye to recapture the glory days of Oasis, many hardcore fans needed Noel to pull something out of the bag and with his first single, ‘The death of you and me’, he really did. It’s a classic Noel Gallagher track and I for one cannot wait to hear the rest of the album.
5. Arctic Monkeys come home
Arctic Monkeys
Armed with some huge songs on their new album, the Sheffield band returned home and unleashed some good old fashioned rock and roll. After some questionable performances at their last big outdoors gigs, many were nervous that they could perform to such a high level that their fans expect. However they played it out perfectly, bringing back favourites that they haven’t played for years and mixing in just the right amount of new stuff. Finally they have proven they can be a stadium band.
4. PJ Harvey wins second Mercury Music Prize
PJ Harvey became the first artist to ever win two mercury prizes and with her latest album ‘Let England Shake’ It was fully deserved too, a truly imaginative and euphoric album about the troubles in the middle east, she beat some huge talent but there were little arguments to her scooping the prize.
3. Mumford and sons finally start playing some new material!
After what seems like an eternity of Mumford and Sons playing the same songs, they have finally started to showcase some new material and boy does it sound good. This band have the potential to be one of the bands of the generation and if their new material is as good as expected, they could take over the world. Expect to see them Headlining Festivals next summer.
2. Westlife announce Hiatus
Thank god! This technically didn’t happen in the summer but I just thought it needed to be mentioned that we can have a break from this warbling rubbish, then again now we have to put up with One Direction!
Westlife
1. Pulp return to Glastonbury
Pulp made a triumphant return to Glastonbury this summer with a secret set. The whole park stage was filled to the brim with people queuing for up to 6 hours to make sure they got a spot at the set. Jarvis and co were out to give something back to the festival that made them. It was one of the most inspiring sets of music and encapsulated everything that Glastonbury’s about. Jarvis was on form, even inviting the entire crowd to a 4 am campfire at the stone circle. They managed to do what Radiohead failed to do on the previous day and proved why they should of been headlining. Leaving the set with a little tease, “who knows when well be back, 2013?”
And here’s a few predictions for the next year!
5. Liam Gallagher will decide Beady Eye is a flop and go solo, and fail at that too.
4. Pete Doherty will somehow survive another year….. Again.
3. People will finally realise that Lady Gaga is not innovative and cool, and is actually just a remodelling of Grace Jones and Madonna. (One can hope)
2. People will finally tire of X factor. (It already feels like it’s on its last legs, with the desperate attempts to be “down with the kids” by hiring Tulisa.)
1. Radiohead will finally release something people actually want to listen to, rather than the nonsensical drivel they have put us through for the past 3 years!
Pete Linney – Platform Online
Tags: 2011, Arctic Monkeys, beyonce, DJ Fresh, ed sheeran, gallagher, glastobury, lady gaga, liam, louder, mumford and sons, noel, nottingham, oasis, pete doherty, PJ Harvey, platform, pulp, Radiohead, rolling stones, summer, westlife, x factor
