Music

BBC's urban music station names Ed Sheeran UK's most influential artist

by Mohan Fitzgerald

BBC’s 1Xtra, self-proclaimed “black music network,” recently released their Power List of the “20 Most Important UK Artists In The Scene” —and was described by Wiley, veteran UK grime rapper, as the “saddest list in music history.”

Unfortunately, that probably isn’t far from the truth. Ed Sheeran topped the list, and was also joined by Sam Smith and Disclosure in the top five. The highest placing black artist was Tinie Tempah at No. 3. Wiley, coming in at No. 16 himself, was entirely unimpressed.

Undeniably one of the nation’s most influential hip-hop artists, he helped draw a wave of negative media attention to the list through a series of candid tweets.

In fairness, 1Xtra describes the list as “the Top 20 Most Important UK Artists In The Scene.” On the other hand, the vague “scene” in question is most likely to be assumed “the black and urban music scene”—words used by 1Xtra reps to promote the Power List prior to its release.

The organization claimed to consider above all record sales in their deliberations, so Ed Sheeran’s presence is maybe not surprising in its own right: he might be the UK’s hottest pop star, and his music has developed a distinctively “urban” quality as of late (see video below). Sure, he laid down a hook for Lupe Fiasco, but he’s also written music for Taylor Swift and One Direction.

Some of the flak may be undeserved, but 1Xtra’s Power List is unquestionably a disappointment. For one thing, Sheeran’s native county of Suffolk has a black population as small as 1.3%. Like Wiley, we’ve got nothing against the kid, but Ed Sheeran making black music is not tantamount to his influencing the culture; in fact, it’s almost certainly the other way around.