2007 in British music

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 awarded the CBE.
  • Digital downloads are included without restrictions in the charts for the first time.
• 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", the band announce that they will perform at the opening of the 49th annual Grammy Awards on 11 February and subsequently announce The Police Reunion Tour.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

UK Charts

Main article: 2007 in British music charts

Classical music

• Nigel Hess – Piano Concerto

Opera

• Tim Benjamin - The Corley Conspiracy (premièred 19 September)

Music 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

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

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)
• 4 April — Brian Fahey, composer and arranger, 87
• 5 July — George Melly, jazz vocalist, 80
• 15 July — Kelly Johnson, guitarist (Girlschool), 49
• 10 August — Anthony Wilson, record executive (Factory Records), 57
• 20 October — Paul Raven, bassist (Killing Joke) 46 (heart attack)
• 25 December — Pat Kirkwood, actress and singer, 86

External links

• BBC Radio 1's Chart Show
• The Official United Kingdom Charts Company