2008 saw the rise in the female solo artist as Duffy joined Adele at the top of the chart. Londoner Adele became the youngest ever act to be presented with the Sound Of accolade, aged just 19 when she was singled out for praise by the tastemaking panel. Her similarly titled album 19 topped UK charts as singles Hometown Glory, Chasing Pavements and Cold Shoulder received generous radio play. The album won the Tottenham singer a Critic's Choice nod from the Brit Awards, while her favourable reception on the other side of the Atlantic was cemented with Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Welsh singer Duffy fared equally well. Her debut Rockferry hit the top of the charts in eight European countries and reached number four in the US, selling in excess of six million copies globally. She also bagged a Grammy in addition to picking up a trio of Brit Awards for Best British Female, Album and Breakthrough Act.
Honourable mentions should also go to BBC Introducing supported duo The Tings Tings, who stormed the UK singles charts with That's Not My Name and Shut Up And Let Me Go, and New York groups Vampire Weekend and MGMT who occupied must-see slots on the summer festival line-ups off the back of critically acclaimed debut albums.
