2000s
2009 in British Music
Lady Gaga's arrival, The xx's quiet revolution, and the streaming era stirs.
The Story of 2009
The decade ended with British music in transition. Susan Boyle's 'I Dreamed a Dream' was the year's biggest-selling album, the Britain's Got Talent sensation selling millions worldwide. It was the year the old industry model broke – album sales were declining, digital was taking over, and the charts were increasingly unpredictable. Lady Gaga's 'The Fame' dominated globally. The X Factor was at its peak – Alexandra Burke's 'Hallelujah', Joe McElderry – the show was a chart force. But the underground was more interesting. Disclosure were forming, future garage was bubbling. The xx's self-titled debut won the Mercury Prize, a minimalist masterpiece of whispered vocals and sparse beats. Florence + the Machine's 'Lungs' was huge, 'Dog Days Are Over' and 'Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)' making Florence Welch a star. Friendly Fires were making indie-dance. Mumford & Sons released 'Sigh No More', the start of folk-rock's brief mainstream moment. But the most significant development: Spotify launched in the UK, fundamentally changing how people consumed music.
Key Events
Lady Gaga releases The Fame Monster — pop maximalism at its peak
The xx release xx — a minimalist masterpiece that influences a decade
Susan Boyle's debut becomes the year's biggest-seller worldwide
Dominant Genres
Notable Trends
- →Streaming services begin to reshape listening habits
- →The album as event begins to fade — singles culture returns
- →British pop goes global on an industrial scale
Key Artists of 2009
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