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Are UK artists bouncing back so far in 2025? – Music Week

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2024 was a challenging year for UK artists at home and abroad. 
But there are signs of a turnaround in 2025. In the latest edition of Music Week, label presidents have shared their optimism about the new generation of British stars. 
British talent was largely absent from the IFPI global rankings and Spotify Wrapped for last year, despite the impact of Grammy-winning stars such as Charli XCX.
The Atlantic artist was one of the few UK acts to top the UK singles chart in 2024, along with Chase & Status and Stormzy on their Backbone collaboration and Wham!’s perennial Last Christmas.
In the first quarter of 2025, Lola Young flew the flag for British talent by topping the overall singles rankings. UK dance act Chrystal made No.5 in Q1 with The Days
Myles Smith secured two Top 10 hits in 2024 with Nice To Meet You and Stargazing, both of which make the overall Top 40 for Q1 in 2025 (No.19 and No.22 respectively). His new single, My First Heartbreak, is set to debut in the weekly Top 75 this week. Dance act Bl3ss’ track Kisses was No.38 in Q1. 
Despite the UK success stories, domestic acts continue to face intense competition. While Young was No.1, Q1’s overall Top 20 is dominated by US acts including Sabrina Carpenter (three entries), Teddy Swims (three), Bruno Mars (two) and Chappell Roan (two), as well as Gracie Abrams, Billie Eilish and Gigi Perez.
So far this year, Lola Young is the only UK artist to have a No.1 single. Alex Warren has held the top spot for the last six weeks.
The position is better on albums with British artists claiming nine of the 17 chart-toppers so far. Sam Fender secured the fastest selling album of the year so far with People Watching.
Five UK acts made the overall Top 10 albums for Q1 – Sam Fender, Ed Sheeran, Central Cee, Elton John and the Anglo-American veterans Fleetwood Mac – compared to just two in the first quarter of 2024 (both catalogue titles). Charli XCX’s Brat was just outside the overall Top 10 in Q1 2025.
Here, BPI CEO Dr Jo Twist assesses whether there are grounds for optimism…
Are there promising signs for UK talent in Q1? 
“It certainly feels like there are encouraging green shoots, as well as more established artists making a welcome return. It’s always important to remember that music tends to be cyclical and that we are going through a period of transition. The success of Charli and Central Cee, for example, the emergence of Lola and Myles Smith, among others, has captured the imagination, and we know too that success of this kind can act as a catalyst that gets fans and the media excited and inspires yet more talent to break through.  
“So we can be optimistic, but we need to remain mindful of just how competitive it is for British artists right now, and of the structural challenges presented by the global streaming economy. It’s important that we avoid complacency.”
What does some of this success say about long-term development of British talent by UK labels?
“We talk about the passion of labels – but what we really we mean is the passion of highly dedicated and innovative individuals who work there and have the accumulated knowledge and expertise spanning A&R, digital marketing, and other vital disciplines, that helps them nurture and develop talented artists and realise their creative, cultural and commercial potential – at home and on the world stage. 
“When we talk about human artistry, this creative process from teams is part of that. Record labels, whether they are one of hundreds of dynamic indies that are thriving around the UK or are part of our world-leading major companies, have a relentless commitment to the talent they work with and support, and they back this with significant investment in the face of considerable risk – well over £2 billion in the five years between 2018 and 2023. So long as you have this level of commitment and skill, then great new talent and brilliant new music will never be far away.”    
The BRITs caught perfectly the moment an exciting new generation of diverse talent really burst through and confirmed their arrival
Dr Jo Twist
New and established UK artists made an impression at the BRITs this year – how do you think that can help the impact and momentum for UK talent?
“We were delighted with this year’s BRIT Awards with Mastercard. It was a fantastic show reflecting a brilliant year in music, with strong TV audience ratings, and record-breaking digital engagement that was up by nearly 50% on 2024. My congratulations to Damian Christian, the BRITs Committee, and to everyone involved in making it happen! Importantly, it caught perfectly the moment an exciting new generation of diverse talent really burst through and confirmed their arrival: Myles recognised as the BRITs Rising Star, but also picking up three other nominations; The Last Dinner Party building on last year’s Rising Star success to land the award for Best New Artist; and Lola Young delivering on all her promise – and all three giving exceptional performances. It was great to see Jade underline her arrival also as a big solo star, Sam Fender reinforce his credentials as a great young rock artist, and Ezra Collective (with Jorja Smith) build on their Mercury Prize success as they increasingly connect with the mainstream.  
“And of course Charli XCX deservedly led the headlines with her haul of five awards, having defined so much of the past 12 months in music. Their success has not only created impetus for their own careers, but it will inspire others and, as critically, has also given British music a timely boost. This year’s BRITs did exactly what the event is there to do: to celebrate exceptional achievement, give a platform to new talent, connect with fans, and galvanise our music industry around key issues and opportunities.”
Despite the huge success of tracks by Lola Young, Myles Smith, Sam Fender, Bl3ss, there are fewer UK acts in the overall singles top 20 compared to Q1 2024. What do you attribute this too – and should we be concerned?
“I actually think there is plenty to be encouraged by – Lola Young had a No.1 with Messy for four weeks across January/February, while Chrystal reached No.4 with The Days around the same time, and Myles Smith, Central Cee (both with 21 Savage and with Dave), and Cynthia Erivo all had Top 10 hits. Albums-wise, Robbie Williams, Central Cee and Sam Fender each claimed the top spot, with Sam Fender enjoying the biggest opening week for a UK solo artist since Harry Styles’ Harry’s House in May 2022. 
“However, we must continue to be vigilant, and as an industry, whilst feeling encouraged, we must also recognise that it takes time for talent to be nurtured and come through, and that they and their labels face growing challenges in the hyper competitive global music economy.  This is one of our priorities at the BPI – how we can best support pathways into our industry, including through expanded creative arts education, and how, through our public affairs and innovation work, we can help to encourage growth and exports by creating a policy and investment environment in which music businesses and the artists signed to them can thrive and deliver economic and cultural benefits.” 
When you contrast the UK with France, their charts are dominated by domestic acts. Is there a case for any kind of quota system – like France’s language quota for broadcast – for UK music on the radio? 
“Having become used to enduring British chart success in the UK and around the world, we of course would like nothing more than to see this exceptional level of achievement continue, and let’s not forget that the UK remains the third-largest recorded music market in the world and its second-biggest net exporter – showing that we excel in not only succeeding here but internationally.  “But this success should surely be earned on the strength of our music and should ultimately be also based on a recognition that fans should be free to decide what music and artists to listen to and enjoy – our music ecosystem is based on enabling choice, after all. And to the point on quotas, it shouldn’t be overlooked that a strong public service remit in support of promoting British culture already lies with the BBC and shapes its content.”
Looking at the international picture, the UK maintained its No.3 position in the IFPI rankings – but in terms of exports there were no UK artists in their Artist Of The Year rankings, none in the top 20 overall albums and just Artemas in the top 20 singles. Amid increasing competition, how does the UK reclaim its position on the global stage?  
“There are signs our industry must heed, and it’s clear that we have to persuade government that it needs to back its own music and creative industries in a range of ways, rather than undermine them, such as by devaluing copyright in order to defer to global big tech and AI companies, at the very moment our artists face rising global competition.  
“The Music Export Growth Scheme, for example, has been a great success, generating around £14 in exports for every £1 received from government, and we need more innovative and imaginative initiatives like that, as well as targeted support for grass roots venues, and more creative arts education in schools and in specialist colleges, among other measures.”
Subscribers can read the full report here.
PHOTO: BRITS 2025 Lola Young (John Marshall – JM Enternational)
 
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