The absence of UK acts in the initial Sound Of list was more than addressed in 2004 with eight of the top ten artists hailing from within these waters. Sussex trio Keane lead the way, their lack of guitars doing little to deter the fans of Brit Award winning debut album Hopes and Fears or much loved singles Somewhere Only We Know and Everybody's Changing. The band has continued to impress with 2006's Under The Iron Sea again topping the UK charts and most recent release Perfect Symmetry going Platinum.
Another notable on the 2004 list were Mercury Prize winning Franz Ferdinand, who followed up on widespread critical praise by scooping MTV, Brit and NME accolades as well. Singles Take Me Out and The Dark Of The Matinée hit the UK top ten as the Scots won over audiences at the Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds festivals.
Also making the 2004 countdown were burgeoning soul singer Joss Stone, Londoners Razorlight and New York's Scissor Sisters, who came to prominence with Pink Floyd cover Comfortably Numb before singles Laura, Mary and Take your Mama helped their self-titled release beat Keane's Hopes and Fears to become best selling UK album of 2004.
