Voting closes:
Group of the Year
About the award:
Some of the music industry’s most prominent artists come in the form of groups. The Beatles, Boyzone, Westlife, and of course, One Direction are all names that spring to mind when someone mentions a group, and for many, they are a girl’s first look into the life of fandom. 2023 has again delivered on this front, bringing new artists to the fore whilst enabling some of our old faves to continue entertaining the masses.
The Nominees:
5 Seconds of Summer
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) have brought pure rock energy to pop music over the past 10 years and toured the world several times over. While rooted in pop punk DNA, 5SOS have pushed the boundaries of traditional alternative pop music, taking influencers from wide-spanning genres throughout their career which is reflected sonically in the unique music they make.
Their latest album 5SOS5, which was released in 2022, embarked on a new phase of their career. Written primarily in Joshua Tree, California, much of the record focuses on the magic that happens when just the four band members come together as one.
Coldplay
Formed in late 1997, Coldplay are a band that have stood the test of time, time and time again. One of the world’s most popular acts, their records have sold more than 100 million copies of their seven number one albums, featuring classic hits including Fix You, Yellow, Clocks, Viva La Lida and Paradise.
In 2022, the band released their ninth album, Music of The Spheres, and embarked on their worldwide tour by the same name. The group have made strides to ensure that the shows are the most sustainable they can be, adapting all tour operations to minimise emissions and partnering with BMW to deliver the first-ever mobile, rechargeable show battery.
Boygenius
Comprising Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, the trio became friends when their paths crossed during their respective and similarly paced rises to fame.
Work on respective solo output took precedence for a time, but in March 2023 the trio released their first full-length album. The trio embarked on a tour afterwards, playing to larger audiences than ever before and even selling out Madison Square Garden. In October they released a four-song EP titled The Rest, which saw them revisiting the kind of folkier, less-produced sound they started off playing. That November, The Record picked up seven Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year.
The 1975
Britain’s ever-evolving The 1975 balances hooky dance-rock and adult contemporary sophistication with arty forays into electronica and auto-tuned pop. The band’s self-titled debut album arrived in 2013 and brought them international stardom, topping the charts in the U.K. and reaching the Top 30 on the Billboard 200.
Towards the end of 2022, they released Being Funny In a Foreign Language and embarked on their At Their Very Best Tour in early 2023. They played London’s Finsbury Park in July of that same year, performing to an estimated 70,000 people with guests including Cigarettes After Sex and The Japanese House, with a further announcement of additional European dates following in 2024.
Wet Leg
Forming out of hazy scenes on their native Isle of Wight, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers found themselves at the summit of a Ferris wheel. They decided to start a band, and one which would release alternative hits including Wet Dream, Ur Mom, and Angelica.
Wet Leg only released their debut single, Chaise Longue, in June 2021, but its dry wit, Mean Girls nod and thumping indie-disco beat turned it into a runaway hit. The group headed out on tour in support of Harry Styles for his Love On Tour dates across Europe, hitting the mainstream as a result.
Busted
Impossible though it may seem, it’s been twenty years since Busted bounced into the charts with the irrepressible pop-punk energy of their debut single What I Go To School For. It kick-started a succession of hits for the trio, including Crashed The Wedding, Who’s David, Thunderbirds Are Go, You Said No and the Top 3 singles Year 3000, Air Hostess and Sleeping With The Light On.
In 2023, the band returned with a brand new album and string of sold-out UK-wide tour dates, much to the delight of fans who have followed the band closesly since their early days.
And the winner is…
Group of the Year
5SOS
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) have brought pure rock energy to pop music over the past 10 years and toured the world several times over. While rooted in pop punk DNA, 5SOS have pushed the boundaries of traditional alternative pop music, taking influencers from wide-spanning genres throughout their career which is reflected sonically in the unique music they make.
5SOS are your Group of The Year 2023.