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.^[1]
- Digital downloads are included without restrictions in the charts for the first time.^[2]
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",^[3]^[4] the band announce that they will perform at the opening of the 49th annual Grammy Awards on 11 February^[5] and subsequently announce The Police Reunion Tour.
February – A lightning strike severely damages Llandaff Cathedral organ.^[6]
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.^[7]
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.^[8]
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.^[9]
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

Classical music

Nigel Hess – Piano Concerto

Opera

Tim Benjamin – The Corley Conspiracy (premièred 19 September)
Jonathan Dove – The Adventures of Pinocchio (premièred 21 December)^[10]
James MacMillan – The Sacrifice (premièred 22 September)
Julian Wagstaff – The Turing Test (premièred 15 August)^[11]

Musical theatre

Blair on Broadway, by Iain Hollingshead, with music by Timothy Muller^[12]
TONY! The Blair Musical, by Chris Bush, with music by Ian McCluskey^[13]
Quadrophenia, with music by The Who^[14]

Musical films

Across the Universe, with music by The Beatles^[15]

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

^[16]

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

^[17]

Mercury Music Prize

Klaxons – Myths of the Near Future

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)^[18]
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

References

^ "New Year honours list 2007". The Guardian. 30 December 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
^ Williams, Paul (6 January 2007). "New era for chart arrives". Music Week. p. 1.
^ The Police reunion?, Sputnikmusic, 1 March 2006
^ Rumors swirl about possible Police reunion, MSNBC. Retrieved 11 January 2006
^ "Police reunite to open Grammy awards". Inthenews. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2007.
^ "Llandaff Cathedral". Nicholson & Co Ltd. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
^ "2007 (22–24 June)". History. Glastonbury Festival. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
^ "3 Choirs Festival 2007: Programme. Retrieved 14 Oct 2012". Archived from the original on 19 August 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
^ "Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival 2007". Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
^ Hugh Canning, Review: The Adventures of Pinocchio, The Sunday Times, 6 January 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
^ Rowena Smith, Review: The Turing Test, The Guardian, 16 August 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
^ Spencer, Charles (29 October 2007). "Blair legend moves on to next stage". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^ "Error – National Student Drama Festival". www.nsdf.org.uk. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
^ "'Quadrophenia' at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama". Theatre in Wales website. 8 February 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
^ Douglas, Edward (18 September 2007). "Julie Taymor Soars Across the Universe". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
^ "British Composer Awards: Winners announced. Accessed 30 January 2013" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
^ BBC News: Ivor Novello winners 2007. Accessed 30 January 2013
^ "Remix64.com forums". Retrieved 5 March 2007.

External links

[1] "New Year honours list 2007". The Guardian. 30 December 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2024.

[2] Williams, Paul (6 January 2007). "New era for chart arrives". Music Week. p. 1.

[3] The Police reunion?, Sputnikmusic, 1 March 2006

[4] Rumors swirl about possible Police reunion, MSNBC. Retrieved 11 January 2006

[5] "Police reunite to open Grammy awards". Inthenews. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2007.

[6] "Llandaff Cathedral". Nicholson & Co Ltd. Retrieved 17 November 2024.

[7] "2007 (22–24 June)". History. Glastonbury Festival. Retrieved 29 June 2011.

[8] "3 Choirs Festival 2007: Programme. Retrieved 14 Oct 2012". Archived from the original on 19 August 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2015.

[9] "Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival 2007". Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.

[10] Hugh Canning, Review: The Adventures of Pinocchio, The Sunday Times, 6 January 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008.

[11] Rowena Smith, Review: The Turing Test, The Guardian, 16 August 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2021.

[12] Spencer, Charles (29 October 2007). "Blair legend moves on to next stage". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2008.

[13] "Error – National Student Drama Festival". www.nsdf.org.uk. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2021.

[14] "'Quadrophenia' at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama". Theatre in Wales website. 8 February 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2009.

[15] Douglas, Edward (18 September 2007). "Julie Taymor Soars Across the Universe". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2007.

[16] "British Composer Awards: Winners announced. Accessed 30 January 2013" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2013.

[17] BBC News: Ivor Novello winners 2007. Accessed 30 January 2013

[18] "Remix64.com forums". Retrieved 5 March 2007.

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Events

UK Charts

Classical music

Opera

Musical theatre

Musical films

Music awards

Brit Awards

British Composer Awards

Ivor Novello Awards

Mercury Music Prize

Deaths

See also

References

External links