In a comment on Murphy’s personal facebook, the 50-year-old said “Please don’t call me a terf [trans exclusionary radical feminist]. But puberty blockers ARE FUCKED, absolutely desolate, big Pharma laughing all the way to the bank. Little mixed up kids are vulnerable and need to be protected, that’s just true.”

After receiving backlash from fans, Murphy took to Twitter in response to the comments saying “I have been thrown into a very public discourse in an arena I’m uncomfortable in and deeply unsuitable for. I cannot apologise enough for being the reason for this eruption of damaging and potentially dangerous social-media fire and brimstone. To witness the ramifications of my actions and the divisions it has caused is heartbreaking.”

pic.twitter.com/CljLn95Ytd

— Róisín Murphy (@roisinmurphy) August 29, 2023

BBC Radio 6 Music had scheduled to play 5 hours of the former Moloko singer’s songs, interviews and concert highlights as part of the station’s Artist Collection series between midnight and 5am on Monday September 18th.

This programme has since been replaced with a show about Mercury prize-winning rapper Little Simz, with the BBC claiming this rescheduling decision was to align with poetry, rap and spoken word programming that’s due to air in the same week.

A BBC spokesperson denied allegations that Murphy’s scheduled programme was replaced due to the recent controversial comments in a conversation with The Independent, saying “The Artist Collections from our archive are regularly on rotation and frequently change to reflect station-wide initiatives as they get confirmed. 

Little Simz was scheduled to reflect 6 Music’s Way With Words programming, which celebrates poetry, rap and spoken word, and airs the following week, tying in with National Poetry Day.

Later…With Jools Holland first aired on 8th October 1992 and was initially intended to be a spin-off from the BBC 2 arts programme The Late Show, which in turn found popularity after the cancellation of The Old Grey Whistle Test. With over 60 series and over 450 episodes, Later…With Jools Holland is considered an institution within music and British culture. The programme soon became a favourite among die-hard music fans due to its variety of guests and ability to bring up-and-coming acts to the living rooms of the British public.

Many popular artists owe their blossoming careers to their UK television debuts courtesy of Later…With Jools Holland, the long list includes Amy Winehouse, Adele, Arctic Monkeys, Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, Kings of Leon, Kanye West, Metallica, Mary J Blige, Norah Jones, Taylor Swift, Stormzy and The Weeknd, plus numerous others. Please see below for a couple of Live…With Jools Holland‘s most iconic performances.

Speaking on the show’s upcoming anniversary, former Squeeze band member Holland has given the following statement, “It’s unbelievable that this year sees my show reach its thirtieth birthday. It’s a testament to the great power of music that we are still going strong , and are now the longest running international music show on earth . I’m delighted and honoured that we’re going to celebrate this monumental milestone with a special one-off event in the fabulous Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith the scene of so many legendary musical moments.”

Executive Producer Alison Howe has also given a statement,  “Later…reaching its 30th birthday is testament to Jools, all the incredible musicians who have supported us and our crew whose love and commitment of showcasing live music for the audience is unmatched. With our upcoming series, this special show and our 30th Annual Hootenanny, it’s going to be an incredible three months of live music.”

Director of Music, BBC Lorna Clarke states, “The BBC’s commitment to live music remains strong and in a year which has seen the return of live music performance, I’m hugely proud that after 30 incredible years, Later…with Jools Holland is still busy unearthing the superstars of tomorrow as well as featuring some of the world’s best-loved musicians, all to entertain the music-loving BBC viewers at home.”

A new series of the regular format of Later…With Jools Holland is also set to kick off this autumn, series 61 will be aired on 1st October 2022. The upcoming series will be available to watch on BBC Two and digitally via BBC iPlayer. Scheduled to appear with Holland are an array of guests from various eras and genres, confirmed to appear include Self Esteem, The 1975, Victoria Canal, Loyle Carner, Ural Thomas, Marcus Mumford, Burna Boy, The Big Moon, Phoenix and PVA.

Tickets for Later…With Jools Holland at 30 went on sale Friday 23rd September 2022 and can be purchased via this link.

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The Mercury Prize Award ceremony and competition take place each year to celebrate British and Irish music. Each year, 12 albums are shortlisted to contend for the accolade; these albums are chosen from a range of genres and incorporate new and established artists. The list is then presented to a panel of judges consisting of industry professionals who proceed with the lengthy decision process. On the day of the ceremony the panel then meets again to choose the album of the year, and the winner is awarded the Mercury Music Prize which consists of a cash prize and a trophy. Most importantly, the winning artist receives the awareness, visibility, commercial success and professional respect which follow the confirmed win. 

The following statement further describes the prize’s importance within popular music, “It is the music equivalent to the Booker Prize for literature and the Turner Prize for art. The main objectives of the Prize are to recognise and celebrate artistic achievement, provide a snapshot of the year in music and to help introduce new albums from a range of music genres to a wider audience.”

This year’s shortlisted twelve ‘Albums Of The Year’ will be confirmed on Thursday 28th July 2022, and updates concerning this year’s nominees can be found on social media channels. Music fans can also stay informed using the Mercury Prize’s new headline sponsor, FREE NOW, Europe’s leading Mobility Super App. The event’s existing partner Bowers & Wilkins will continue to act as the Mercury Prize’s official audio partner.

The Mercury Music Prize has been a signal of achievement and talent since its inception 30 years ago. The accolade and event were created in association with the British Phonographic Industry. The first event took place in 1992 and was originally produced to contend with the Brit Awards, the first Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Primal Scream for their third studio album Screamadelica.

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Throughout the award’s long and storied history, the prize has been awarded to 29 different albums but only one artist has won twice. English singer-songwriter PJ Harvey famously won the Mercury Prize in 2001 for Stories From the City and again in 2011 for her eighth studio album Let England Shake. Many debut albums have been awarded the prize including An Awesome Wave by Alt-J and Psychodrama by Dave. Last year’s winner was also a debut album, Arlo Parks took home the 2021 Mercury Prize award for Collapsed In Sunbeams. The 21-year-old singer’s album was chosen from the 12 shortlisted albums. Other 2021 nominees included Mogwai’s As The Love Continues and Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice.

Coverage of the event will be provided by BBC Music, the long-time broadcast partner will document this year’s Mercury Music Prize via radio and television.

The legendary rock band have taken to their Instagram to announce the news to fans.

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The broadcasting conglobate have planned a series of concerts for this year featuring various artists, the iconic welsh band are the third act announced to perform. Due to the limited sized audience available at the concert, from 11th September 2021, the performance will be available to view on BBC iPlayer and on BBC Sounds. The special gig’s highlights will also be broadcasted on BBC Radio 2 the next evening from 7 pm-9 pm.

The Brit award winners will perform at Cardiff’s famed venue, St David’s Hall, home to the annual concert Welsh Proms Cardiff. James Dean Bradfield, frontman of the ‘A Design For Life’ rockers, has spoken on the importance and symbolisation of the group’s performance at St David’s Hall. “We are really excited to be playing St David’s Hall in Cardiff on August 12th for Radio 2 Live. I’ve seen bands and artists including The Waterboys, Echo and the Bunnymen, John Grant and Gary Numan perform on stage there, and myself and Nicky Wire busked outside of it in the mid 80s. Hopefully we can add to the musical memories we have experienced there.”

Head of Radio 2, Helen Thomas has also expressed the station’s excitement for the new concert series. Thomas states the purpose of the new series, Radio 2 Live, whilst confirming the other two acts included within the station’s productions. “New for 2021 and beyond, Radio 2 Live will take the spirit of our very special radio station around the UK. Manic Street Preachers delivered an incredible performance for Radio 2 Live at Hyde Park in 2018, so we’re thrilled to be bringing them to Cardiff to perform an intimate set for their fans in Wales. Listeners and viewers can watch these exclusive performances from the Manic Street Preachers, Texas and Steps on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer in September.”

Other acts included within the exciting new series are 90’s pop band Steps and Glasgow rock band Texas, the Scottish group known for their long-standing music career and multiple hit songs. Steps are set to perform in Manchester on 10th August 2021, famed for their ‘5,6,7,8’ hit, the group have released the following statement expressing their excitement and stating what ticket-holders can expect from their performance. “We are beyond excited to be performing for Radio 2 Live in Manchester. It will be our first live performance in front of an audience in over three years and we cannot wait. It’ll be a great chance to play some of our latest singles and Steps classics and get warmed up ahead of our UK arena tour this November.”

BBC radio presenter Zoe Ball announced via her breakfast show the date and venue for Texas’ performance in partnership with BBC’s concert series, Radio 2 Live. Texas is confirmed to perform at St Luke’s on 4th August 2021, located within the band’s hometown. The front-woman of Texas, Sharleen Spiteri, has conveyed her thoughts concerning the group’s hometown show. “I’m always excited to play in Glasgow, our hometown! And I’m thrilled to be performing for the first time at St. Luke’s for Radio 2 Live.”

The head of Music for Radio 2, Jeff Smith, has provided the following statement concerning the new concert series’ mission statement whilst expressing his joy to be organising live performances once again. “Radio 2 is committed to bringing live music performance to its listeners as we know how much they love to listen and watch their favourite artists perform the songs they adore. Over the past year, Radio 2 House Music has done a brilliant job with performances from Joan Armatrading, Kelly Clarkson, Rag’n’Bone Man and many more, but now it’s time to get back to live performance in front of an audience. Radio 2 Live is going to feature incredible sets from major artists, in front of what I’m sure will be a very excited audience of Radio 2 listeners.”

In order to attend the event, fans are invited to register by the BBC’s website, the lucky ticket holders will then be chosen via a ballot. Click here to register and be in the running to see Manic Street Preachers, Steps and Texas live.

The BBC #SoundOf2021 longlist is here!

Get to know the artists tipped for big things next year ⬇️@alfietempleman@berwynberwyn_@breerunway@dutchavelli1@_girlinred_@greentea_peng@wiffygriffy@HolHumberstone@TheLathums@KING_SALIEU

Find out more: https://t.co/9xxxAGfdJV pic.twitter.com/WhDS6BDpaz

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) December 7, 2020

Since the inception of the ‘Sound of…’ prize back in 2003, the BBC’s adjudicating panellists have honed a soothsaying knack for uncovering future stars. Previous winners of the award include 50 Cent (2003); Keane (2004); Adele (2008); Jessie J (2011); and Haim (2013). All is not lost for the long-listed artists who fail to scoop the top prize though: previous ‘unsuccessful’ nominated acts include Dizzee Rascal (2003); Scissor Sisters (2004); Lady Gaga (2009); Marina and the Diamonds (2010); Azealia Banks (2012); Chvrches (2013); George Ezra (2014); Stormzy (2015); Dua Lipa (2016); and Billie Eilish (2018).

The Sound of 2020 award winner was Celeste, who has gone on to secure further gongs this year at the Brits, BET and NME awards. The Saltdean-raised vocalist saw off stiff competition from the likes of Yungblud and Arlo Parks to claim the prize last year; telling BBC News she was “thrilled and so excited” with the win.

The full list of acts long-listed for the Sound of 2021, which will be awarded in a ceremony on January 7th, is as follows:

Alfie Templeman. Multi-instrumentalist Alfie Templeman’s fourth EP, Happiness In Liquid Form, reached number 22 in the UK Indie charts earlier this year. The Bedfordshire product, who only turns 18 in January, has been praised by DIY for his “boundless enthusiasm” which “bursts out in indie songs equally informed by R&B and bedroom pop.”

Berwyn. Trinidad-born, Romford-raised singer and rapper Berwyn Du Bois also features on Amazon Music’s One To Watch list for 2021. His debut mixtape Demotape/Vega was hailed by Pilerats as a “potent, defining record” and “a message on how even the ones with the world pitted against them can succeed.”

Bree Runway. Hackney’s Bree Runway has been described by NME as “a versatile pop star-in-waiting“, with her November mixtape 2000and4Eva acclaimed by Clash as “a bold, dynamic and cohesive body of work“. The genre-bending artist, who has also been nominated for the Video of The Year award at this week’s MOBOs for her track Apeshit, has also spoken out powerfully on the issue of colourism.

Dutchavelli. Dutchavelli’s debut mixtape Dutch from the 5th stormed to number 8 in the UK Albums chart last month. The Birmingham-born rapper also scored two top 40 singles as a lead artist (Bando Diaries and Cool With Me, featuring fellow West Midlander M1llionz); while he and Stormzy also popped up on Tion Wayne’s top ten hit I Dunno in May.

Girl In Red. Norwegian indie pop merchant Girl In Red – also known as Marie Ulven – has been described by the New York Times as “one of the most astute and exciting singer-songwriters working in the world of guitar music, with a laser like melodic instinct that verges on the primal and lyrics that capture the sweat of real life.” The Scandinavian songstress recently scored a hit in the UK indie charts with her single Two Queens in a King Sized Bed.

Greentea Peng. South Londoner Greentea Peng – who featured on The Streets’ summer single I Wish You Loved You As Much As You Love Him – was celebrated in Wonderland magazine earlier this year for “preaching honesty, self-confidence, and hope in the future.” The singer – real name Aria Wells – recently announced a European tour which kicks off in Berlin next April.

Griff. Hertfordshire artist Sarah Griffiths (Griff) was nominated for an Ivor Novello Rising Star Award in July. The vocalist, whose 2019 debut single Mirror Talk was described by Vice as “vulnerable, emotional, sincere and empowering“, is set to gain a new audience with her single Love Is A Compass, which is used on Disney’s 2020 Christmas advert.

Holly Humberstone. Lincolnshire singer Holly Humberstone’s quietly intense, otherworldly vocals evoke the stylings of Lorde, Phoebe Brid and Lana Del Rey. Her 2020 debut EP Falling Asleep At The Wheel was praised by NME for its “staggering emotional clarity and gut-wrenching tales of pain and catharsis.”

Pa Salieu. Gambian-British rapper Pa Salieu’s debut mixtape Send Them to Coventry was described by Pitchfork as an “extraordinarily assured first offering from a young artist capable of surprising at every turn“, and an “invitation to a place and people unduly ignored.” Salieu’s unique fusion of West Midlands grime and African influences have seen him labelled a “compelling new voice” on the British music scene.

The Lathums. Wiganers The Lathums cite the rock and pop of the 50s and 60s as key musical influences, and fiercely resist being pigeon-holed as an indie band. In an interview with Far Out in October, frontman Alex Moore said “I just feel like we’re so different to everybody and we’re not like anybody else…We are a band and a guitar band but I don’t think there’s been anything like us.” Their EP compilation Memories We Make reached the top 20 in the UK Albums Chart this year, and the Lancashire outfit’s livestreamed gig at Blackpool Tower Circus this year saw them become the first act to play at the iconic venue since Madness in the 1990s.

#TimsTwitterListeningParty pic.twitter.com/8O0GkRf0Se

— Tim’s Listening Party (@LlSTENlNG_PARTY) August 28, 2020

#TimsTwitterListeningParties have only gained in popularity throughout the duration of lockdown. Tim Burgess initially brought them back at the height of isolation, and they proved to be one of the best ways that social media could be used as a force for good. There have been at least 400 Listening Parties – at least one almost every night since March 23 2020, when they kicked off with the Charlatans’ Some Friendly. 

The premise is that everyone puts an album on at the same time and then a commentary is produced by a number of people who were responsible for putting the album together. These range from the informative to the hilarious, and Bonehead always cries when he comes to the end of hosting a Listening Party. At the same time, you can ask questions or share opinions in real time.

It’s also worth noting that there is a degree of excitement that you get when you know that all over the world people are listening to the same album at the same time. In the absence of live music, knowing that everyone is going to put on a great song at the same time feels like a unifying event. Each Listening Party is then available forever at https://timstwitterlisteningparty.com/, where the tweets are archived in the order that they were sent out.

Digging even deeper into archive for this one — original demos, all sorts https://t.co/u9AJYCAbgz

— Sports Team (@SportsTeam_) August 28, 2020

The 2020 Mercury Prize nominees were announced earlier this month. Other than the ones listed above, they are Charli XCX, Kano, Michael Kiwanuka, Dua Lipa and Stormzy. This year, for the first time ever, there are more female solo artist nominees than male.

This is Laura Marling’s fourth Mercury Prize nomination, so she comes in at joint second for the most nominations ever, alongside PJ Harvey and Arctic Monkeys. The group who have been nominated most in the Prize’s 29-year history are Radiohead, who have had five albums up for the Prize. Stormzy’s Heavy Is the Head, on the other hand, is the grime star’s first ever nomination. Everything you need to know about the 2020 Prize is here.

Like everything, the Mercury Prize has had to do a little adapting this year. What you can expect on the day of the awards is a whole lot of great TV and radio coverage from the Mercury Prize partner BBC Music, in place of a live event. This isn’t completely confirmed yet, but in the meantime, you can get involved in the Listening Parties to get excited! Times and dates are below.

Wednesday 2 September 2020
8pm – Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter
9pm – Moses Boyd – Dark Matter

Thursday 3 September
7pm – Georgia – Seeking Thrills
8pm – Anna Meredith – Fibs
9pm – Porridge Radio – Every Bad

Wednesday 9 September
8pm – Lanterns on the Lake – Spook the Herd

Thursday 10 September
9pm – Sports Team – Deep Down Happy