2007 in British Music

The Story of 2007

Amy Winehouse dominated the year, and British soul had its moment. 'Back to Black' was everywhere, Winehouse's beehive and winged eyeliner as iconic as her music. 'Rehab', 'You Know I'm No Good' and the title track made her a global phenomenon. Her Glastonbury set was triumphant, her personal struggles increasingly public. The year was also defined by the resurgence of British pop. Take That reformed and released 'Beautiful World', their comeback making them bigger than ever. Leona Lewis won The X Factor and released 'Bleeding Love', a global number one. Mika's 'Life in Cartoon Motion' was joyful, 'Grace Kelly' the year's most exuberant pop single. Klaxons' 'Myths of the Near Future' won the Mercury Prize and launched 'new rave', a brief but bright scene. Radiohead released 'In Rainbows' on a pay-what-you-want model, upending the industry's assumptions about digital distribution. Arctic Monkeys' 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' was a worthy follow-up, 'Fluorescent Adolescent' their best single. British music was commercially thriving, critically acclaimed and globally dominant.