2019 in British music

See also: Timeline of musical events

List of years in British music
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This is a summary of the year 2019 in British music.

Events

• 3 January – The Royal College of Organists announces Hans Fagius and Nicolas Kynaston as the recipients of the RCO Medal for 2019.
• 10 January – The Brodsky Quartet announces the appointment of Gina McCormack as its new violinist, to replace the departing Daniel Rowland.
• 17 January – The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation announces Rebecca Saunders as the recipient of the Ernst von Siemens Musikpreis 2019, the second woman and the first female composer ever to be honoured with the award.
• 21 January – The Barbican Centre, London Symphony Orchestra, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama jointly unveil initial designs for the proposed privately-funded centre for music in the City of London.
• 24 January – Tasmin Little announces her intention to retire from classical music performance in the summer of 2020.
• 25 January
  • The BBC Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Dalia Stasevska as its next principal guest conductor, the first woman to be named to the post and the second female conductor ever to be given a titled post with a BBC orchestra.
  • The Ulster Orchestra announces the appointment of Daniele Rustioni as its next chief conductor, effective September 2019.
  • The city of Schwäbisch Gmünd announces John Rutter as the recipient of the Preis der Europäischen Kirchenmusik 2019.
• 20 February – Future Talent announces Sheku Kanneh-Mason as its newest Ambassador.
• 4 March – Scala Radio, a new classical radio station, begins transmission.
• 8 March
  • A British Phonographic Industry report indicates that with respect to music provision, state schools have seen a 21% decrease over the past 5 years, compared to a net increase of 7% in independent schools during the same period.
  • Birmingham Contemporary Music Group announces the appointment of Seb Huckle as its new executive director.
• 29 March-31 March – The BBC Radio 6 Music Festival takes place in Liverpool.
• 17 April
  • English National Opera announces the resignation of Daniel Kramer as its artistic director, effective at the end of July 2019.
  • The Court of Appeal unanimously upholds the earlier ruling by the High Court of Justice in the case of Christopher Goldscheider v. Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, in favour of Goldscheider.
• 22 April – The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams regains its position at number 1 in the Classic FM Top 300, revealed over the Easter weekend.
• 25 April – The Development Management Sub-Committee of the City of Edinburgh Council approves plans for the construction of Dunard Centre, the first purpose-built music and performance venue in Edinburgh in over 100 years.
• 29 April – The PRS Foundation announces that Vanessa Reed is to stand down as its executive director, effective with the summer of 2019.
• 7 May – BBC Radio 3 announces the musicians for its New Generation Artists scheme from 2019-2021:
  • Eric Lu, piano
  • Alexander Gadjiev, piano
  • Timothy Ridout, viola
  • Consone Quartet
  • Johan Dalene, violin
  • Rob Luft, jazz guitar
  • Ema Nikoslovska, mezzo-soprano
• 10 May – The Philharmonia Orchestra announces that Helen Sprott is to stand down as its managing director.
• 22 May
  • The Philharmonia Orchestra announces the appointment of Santtu-Matias Rouvali as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2021-2022 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.
  • The Benedetti Foundation announces the appointment of Michael Garvey as its first-ever executive director.
  • The BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) announces that Michael Garvey is to stand down as director of the BBC NOW and the BBC National Chorus of Wales.
• 7 June
  • Queen's Birthday Honours:
    • Stephen Cleobury, Ian Stoutzker, and David Pountney are each made a Knight Bachelor.
    • Jonathan Dove, Joanna MacGregor, Mitch Murray and Mark Padmore are each made a Commander of the Order of British Empire.
    • Elvis Costello, Kathryn Harries, Feargal Sharkey and Robin Ticciati are each made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
    • Mary Bevan, Sophie Bevan, Alfie Boe, Jacqui Dankworth, Andy Heath, Anna Meredith, and Timothy Reynish are each made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.
• 17 June – The Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) announces the appointments of Alexander Goehr and Sir David Pountney as honorary members of the RPS.
• 22 June – The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2019 competition results are announced:
  • Main Prize – Andrei Kymach
  • Song Prize – Mingjie Lei
  • Audience Prize – Katie Bray
• 24 June – Opera North announces the appointment of Garry Walker as its next music director, effective with the 2020-2021 season.
• 26 June – Opera Rara announces the appointment of Carlo Rizzi as its next artistic director, effective June 2020.
• 19 July – Karina Canellakis conducts the First Night of the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, the first female conductor ever to conduct the First Night.
• 25 July – The London Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of Edward Gardner as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2021-2022 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.
• 3 September – At the BBC Proms, Bernard Haitink conducts his 90th and final Prom, with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and pianist Emanuel Ax.
• 11 September – The BBC National Orchestra of Wales announces the appointment of Ryan Bancroft as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2020-2021 season, with an initial contract of 3 years.
• 16 September
  • The BBC announces the appointment of Lisa Tregale as the new Director of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the BBC National Chorus of Wales, effective in 2020. Tregale is the first woman to be named to the post.
  • Wigmore Hall awards Iestyn Davies the Wigmore Medal, after a concert at Wigmore Hall on his 40th birthday.
• 5 October – Lucia Lucas becomes the first transgender singer to perform with the English National Opera in London.

Television programmes

Jess Glynne

• 1 January – Jools' Annual Hootenanny features Marc Almond, George Ezra, Junior Giscombe, Jess Glynne and others.
• 24 February – Pappano's Greatest Arias, presented by Antonio Pappano
• 1 March – Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, documentary about Soft Cell
• 14 April – Janet Baker in her own words, documentary about Janet Baker

Artists and groups reformed

• Doves
• The Futureheads
• Lighthouse Family
• McFly
• Monaco
• Roxy Music
• Supergrass

Artists and groups disbanded

• Mallory Knox
• Otherkin
• The Searchers
• Spandau Ballet
• The Spook School
• Superfood
• Estrons

Classical works

• Thomas Adès – Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
• Sally Beamish – Nine Fragments (for string quartet)
• Michael Berkeley – Epitaphs of War
• Sir Harrison Birtwistle – Duet for 8 Strings (for viola and cello)
• Mark David Boden – Descent
• Jay Capperauld – Egalitair
• John Casken – Madonna of Silence (Trombone Concerto)
• Jonathan Dove
  • Accordion Concerto ('Northern Lights')
  • We Are One Fire
• David Fennessy - The Ground (commissioned by BBC; premièred on 12 January at Glasgow City Hall
• Helen Grime – Percussion Concerto
• Gavin Higgins – Book of Miracles (Trombone Concerto)
• Robin Holloway – Phaeton’s Journey: Son of the Sun (Trumpet Concerto)
• Dani Howard – Gates of Spring
• Emily Howard (music) and Michael Symmons Roberts (text) – The Anvil - An elegy for Peterloo
• Daniel Kidane – Woke
• John Woolrich – A Book of Inventions
• Nicholas Korth – Harmoniae Naturales VI
• Sir James MacMillan – Symphony No 5 ('Le grand Inconnu')
• Grace-Evangeline Mason – Midnight Spires
• Colin Matthews – Octet
• Tom Poster – The Turning Year
• André Previn and Tom Stoppard – Penelope
• Joby Talbot – A Sheen of Dew on Flowers
• Mark-Anthony Turnage – Massarosa (for bassoon and string quartet)
• Huw Watkins – The Moon
• Ryan Wigglesworth – Piano Concerto
• Scott Wilson – À Mezza Voce
• John Woolrich – A Book of Inventions

Opera

• Iain Bell and Mark Campbell – Stonewall
• Iain Bell and Emma Jenkins – The Women of Whitechapel
• Gavin Higgins and Francesca Simon – The Monstrous Child
• Dani Howard (music), Zoe Palmer and Rebecca Hurst (libretto) – Robin Hood
• Stuart MacRae and Louise Welsh – Anthropocene
• Gabriel Prokofiev and David Pountney – Elizabetta
• Philip Venables and Ted Huffman – Denis & Katya

Musical theatre

• Only Fools and Horses The Musical, by Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan, with additional music by Chas Hodges and John Sullivan

Musical films

• Blinded by the Light, starring Hayley Atwell and Kulvinder Ghir, with music by Bruce Springsteen.
• Cats, starring James Corden, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen and Judi Dench, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, due for release on 20 December.
• Rocketman, starring Taron Egerton, produced by Elton John, David Furnish and Matthew Vaughn

Film scores and incidental music

Film

• Steven Price - Wonder Park
• Vik Sharma & Graham Coxon - Fighting with My Family

Television

• David Arnold - [Good Omens (TV series)|Good Omens]]
• Ewen Henderson - Sanditon
• Dominik Scherrer - The Widow

British music awards

• Brit Awards – see 2019 Brit Awards

Charts and sales

Number-one singles

The singles chart includes a proportion for streaming.

Chart date (week ending)	Song	Artist(s)	Chart sales	References
3 January	"Sweet but Psycho"	Ava Max	65,000
10 January			71,000
17 January
24 January			70,721
31 January	"7 Rings"	Ariana Grande	126,240
7 February			86,143
14 February			71,909
21 February	"Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored"		84,701
28 February	"7 Rings"		61,891
7 March	"Someone You Loved"	Lewis Capaldi	57,698
14 March			65,216
21 March			62,336
28 March			65,177
4 April			66,725
11 April			63,990
18 April			69,076
25 April	"Old Town Road"	Lil Nas X	80,314
2 May			84,648
9 May	"Vossi Bop"	Stormzy	94,495
16 May			84,646
23 May	"I Don't Care"	Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber	123,825
30 May			98,270
6 June			83,477
13 June			78,206
20 June			67,959
27 June			65,420
4 July			65,002
11 July			63,836
18 July	"Señorita"	Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
25 July	"Beautiful People"	Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid
1 August	"Señorita"	Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello	68,000
8 August			62,000
15 August			59,000
22 August
29 August
5 September	"Take Me Back to London"	Ed Sheeran featuring Stormzy
12 September
19 September
26 September
3 October
10 October	"Dance Monkey"	Tones and I
17 October
24 October

Number-one albums

The albums chart includes a proportion for streaming.

Chart date (week ending)	Album	Artist(s)	Chart sales	References
3 January	The Greatest Showman	Various artists	40,901
10 January			30,364
17 January
24 January			26,879
31 January
7 February	Amo	Bring Me the Horizon	26,934
14 February	Encore	The Specials	18,199
21 February	Thank U, Next	Ariana Grande	65,214
28 February			31,404
7 March			21,659
14 March	What a Time to Be Alive	Tom Walker	36,679
21 March	Psychodrama	Dave	26,390
28 March	Singing to Strangers	Jack Savoretti	32,264
4 April	Coming Home to You	Michael Ball	18,039
11 April	When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?	Billie Eilish	48,410
18 April			23,982
25 April	Map of the Soul: Persona	BTS	26,498
2 May	When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?	Billie Eilish	15,134
9 May	Hurts 2B Human	Pink	48,861
16 May			16,713
23 May			11,582
30 May	Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent	Lewis Capaldi	89,506
6 June			39,741
13 June			29,429
20 June			27,590
27 June	Western Stars	Bruce Springsteen	52,290
4 July	Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent	Lewis Capaldi	19,003
11 July	Step Back in Time: The Definitive Collection	Kylie Minogue	31,980
18 July	Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent	Lewis Capaldi	18,491
25 July	No.6 Collaborations Project	Ed Sheeran	125,031
1 August			60,902
8 August			41,372
15 August			32,114
22 August	We Are Not Your Kind	Slipknot	31,828
29 August	No.6 Collaborations Project	Ed Sheeran	23,611
5 September	Lover	Taylor Swift	53,015
12 September	Norman Fucking Rockwell	Lana Del Rey	31,539
19 September	Hollywood's Bleeding	Post Malone	33,728
26 September	Hypersonic Missiles	Sam Fender	40,913
3 October	Why Me? Why Not.	Liam Gallagher	68,327
10 October	Abbey Road	The Beatles	34,680
17 October	Without Fear	Dermot Kennedy
24 October	Giants of All Sizes	Elbow

Number-one compilation albums

Chart date (week ending)	Album	Chart sales	References
3 January	Now 101
10 January
17 January
24 January
31 January
7 February
14 February	80s Soul Jams - Vol II
21 February	Now 101
28 February
7 March	Now 100 Hits - 80s
14 March	MTV Rocks - Indie Revolution
21 March	Now 101
28 March	Sing Your Heart Out 2019
4 April	Country Forever
11 April	Now 100 Hits - Power Ballards
18 April
25 April	Now 102
2 May
9 May
16 May
23 May
30 May
6 June
13 June	Now 100 Hits - Forgotten 80s
20 June
27 June
4 July	Now 102
11 July	Now Summer Party 19
18 July
25 July	Reggae Summer Soundsystem
1 August	Now 103
8 August
15 August
22 August
29 August
5 September
12 September
19 September
26 September
3 October
10 October
17 October
24 October

Deaths

File:Cadet December 2018.png

Cadet

Keith Flint

• 1 January – Dean Ford, singer, songwriter and musician with Marmalade, 72 (Parkinson's disease)
• 3 January – Donald Froud, orchestral administrator and French horn player, and first general manager of the Ulster Orchestra, 86
• 7 January – John Joubert, South Africa-born composer, 91
• 19 January – Ted McKenna, drummer (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band), 68 (cerebral haemorrhage)
• 28 January – Noel Rawsthorne, organist, 89
• 6 February – Gerald English, tenor, 93
• 9 February – Cadet, rapper, 28 (car accident)
• 25 February – Mark Hollis, 64, singer and songwriter (Talk Talk) (death reported on this date)
• 26 February – Andy Anderson, 68, rock drummer (cancer)
• 28 February – André Previn KBE, conductor (past principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), composer, and pianist, 89
• 1 March – Paul Williams, singer, 78
• 3 March – Peter Hurford, organist and composer, 88
• 4 March – Keith Flint, singer, musician (The Prodigy), 49
• 6 March – Grayston Burgess, countertenor and conductor, 86
• 26 March – Ranking Roger, ska musician, 56 (cancer)
• 27 March – Stephen Fitzpatrick, singer, musician (Her's), 24 (road accident)
• 8 April – Sue Revill, classical record company financial administrator, 63
• 15 April – Les Reed, songwriter, 83
• 22 April – Heather Harper, soprano, 88
• 27 April – Joseph Ward, 76, English tenor
• 30 April – Boon Gould, English musician (Level 42), 64.
• 28 May – Ralph Murphy, 75, British-born Canadian country musician, cancer.
• 3 July – Alan Rogan, 68, English guitar technician (The Who), cancer.
• 16 July – Johnny Clegg, 66, British-born South African singer and musician (Juluka, Savuka), pancreatic cancer.
• 1 August – Ian Gibbons, 67, English keyboardist (The Kinks), bladder cancer.
• 3 August – Joe Longthorne, 64, English singer and entertainer, throat cancer.
• 11 August – Freddy Bannister, 84, English rock concert promoter, cancer.
• 25 August – Jonathan Goldstein, 50, English composer, plane crash.
• 14 September – Julian Piper, 72, English blues guitarist.
• 18 September – Tony Mills, 57, English rock singer (Shy, TNT), pancreatic cancer.
• 19 September – Larry Wallis, 70, English musician (Pink Fairies, Motörhead).
• 6 October – Ginger Baker, 80, English drummer (Cream, Blind Faith, Ginger Baker's Air Force).
• 8 October – Molly Duncan, 74, saxophonist (Average White Band), cancer.

See also

• 2019 in British radio
• 2019 in British television
• 2019 in the United Kingdom