Who's The Next Adele? The BBC Picks Their Sound Of 2014

george ezra

sampha

BANKS

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The BBC announced their Sound of 2014 winners this past week. Why should this matter to you? Well, the annual BBC list has the uncanny ability to hone in on who actually will be the hip pop stars of tomorrow. Past honorees include Adele, 50 Cent and Jessie J.  VH1's You Oughta Know artist HAIM nabbed the top Sound of 2013 prize. So who is the BBC betting on in 2014?

According to the BBC the charts are going to be dominated this year by powerful vocalists singing over thumping beats and infectious melodies.

British singer Sam Smith has nabbed the top spot on the list. The 21-year-old singer has wooed British music critics with his unforgettable falsetto. We first noticed him for his outstanding guest vocals on songs like "Latch" and "La La La." Runners up include bombastic vocalistic Ella Eyre, seductive American songstress BANKS, soul singer (and Drake collaborator) Sampha and strapping singer-songwriter George Ezra.

There are a lot of groups, lists and publications out there that attest to finding the "next big thing" in music, however the BBC's annual Sound of... poll stands apart because of its proven accuracy. Sure, past winners like Little Boots and The Bravery might not have hit it as big as Adele or 50 Cent, but the BBC also honors four other runners-up each year. Usually between numbers 1 and 5 is a star on the verge of taking over the world. In the past, those runners up have included Florence + The Machine, Frank Ocean and Franz Ferdinand.

So will 2014 be the year we're all obsessed with Sam Smith or will we be swooning over BANKS? Only time--and music fans--can tell.

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]