2011 in British music

Events

• 1 January – Musicians honoured in the Queen's New Year Honours list include mezzo-soprano Felicity Palmer and composer Howard Goodall, Richard Thompson and Annie Lennox.
• 14 April – On his sixtieth birthday, Julian Lloyd Webber gives the première of American composer Eric Whitacre's "The River Cam", written specially for the occasion.
• 29 April – The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton includes original music by Paul Mealor and John Rutter as well as traditional works by British composers such as Hubert Parry's setting of the anthem "I was glad" and William Walton's "Crown Imperial".
• 10–12 June – The Download Festival 2011 takes place at Donington Park. The main stage is headlined by Def Leppard, System of a Down and Linkin Park, the second stage by Pendulum, Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie, the Pepsi Max stage by Danzig, Funeral for a Friend and Frank Turner, the Red Bull Bedroom Jam stage by Modestep, Dangerous! and H.E.A.T., and the Jägermeister Acoustic stage by Skindred, Bowling for Soup and Dave McPherson.
• 11 June – Musicians honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours list include Bryan Ferry, broadcaster Bob Harris and jazz singer Claire Martin.
• 6 September – PJ Harvey wins the Mercury Prize for her album Let England Shake, becoming the first artist to win the accolade twice.
• 10 September – Edward Gardner conducts the Last Night of the Proms for the first time. The programme includes works by Béla Bartók and Franz Liszt as well as the traditional Elgar, and the soloist for "Rule Britannia" was Susan Bullock. A highlight is the première of Peter Maxwell Davies's Musica benevolens.
• 9 October – Sir Paul McCartney marries Nancy Shevell.
• 18 October – Ian Brown, John Squire, Mani and Reni announce the reformation of the Stone Roses at London's Soho Hotel.
• 11 December – Little Mix emerge as winners of the 2011 X Factor series. They are the first group to win in the programme's eight-year history. Marcus Collins is named runner-up, while Amelia Lily and Misha B finish in third and fourth place, respectively.

Publications

• Ian Bostridge – ''A Singer's Notebook''

Classical music

New works

• Karl Jenkins – The Bards of Wales
• Paul Mealor – Ubi Caritas et Amor
• Graham Waterhouse – Rhapsodie Macabre
• Eric Whitacre – ''The River Cam''

Opera

• Peter Maxwell Davies – Kommilitonen!
• Jonathan Dove – Mansfield Park
• Mark-Anthony Turnage – ''Anna Nicole''

Albums

• Nicola Benedetti – Italia
• Alfie Boe – Alfie
• Bond – Play
• Katherine Jenkins – Daydream
• Paul Lewis – Schubert: Piano Sonatas
• Julian Lloyd Webber – ''The Art of Julian Lloyd Webber''

Field recordings

• Chris Watson – ''El Tren Fantasma''

Film and incidental music

• Lorne Balfe – Ironclad
• Neil Brand – Underground
• Jonny Greenwood – ''We Need to Talk About Kevin''

British music awards

BRIT Awards

• British Male Solo Artist: Plan B
• British Female Solo Artist: Laura Marling
• British Breakthrough Act: Tinie Tempah
• British Group: Take That
• MasterCard British Album: Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons
• British Single: "Pass Out" – Tinie Tempah
• International Male Solo Artist: Cee Lo Green
• International Female Solo Artist: Rihanna
• International Breakthrough Act: Justin Bieber
• International Group: Arcade Fire
• International Album: The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
• British Producer: Markus Dravs
• Critics' Choice: Jessie J

Classical BRIT Awards

• Male Artist of the Year: Antonio Pappano
• Female Artist of the Year: Alison Balsom
• Newcomer Award: Vilde Frang
• Composer of the Year: Arvo Pärt
• Critics' Award: Tasmin Little
• Artist of the Decade: Il Divo
• Album of the Year: Moonlight Serenade – André Rieu and His Johann Strauss Orchestra
• Outstanding Contribution to Music: John Barry

Ivor Novello Awards

• Best Song Musically and Lyrically: "Becoming a Jackal" – Villagers
• Best Contemporary Song: "Pass Out" – Tinie Tempah
• Album Award: The Defamation of Strickland Banks – Plan B
• Best Original Film Score: How to Train Your Dragon
• Best Original Video Game Score: Napoleon: Total War
• Best Television Soundtrack: Any Human Heart
• Songwriter of the Year: Benjamin Drew
• Most Performed Work: "She Said" – Plan B
• Classical Music Award: Michael Nyman
• Inspiration Award: Dizzee Rascal
• Outstanding Song Collection: Steve Winwood
• Outstanding Contribution to British Music: Paul Rodgers
• International Achievement: Matthew Bellamy, Dominic Howard & Christopher Wolstenholme
• Special International Award: Stephen Sondheim

Mercury Prize

Popjustice £20 Music Prize

British Composer Awards

• Instrumental Solo or Duo: Sonata for Cello & Piano – William Sweeney
• Chamber: String Quartet No. 2 – Anthony Payne
• Vocal: Five Larkin Songs – Huw Watkins
• Choral: Allele – Michael Zev Gordon
• Wind Band or Brass Band: In Pitch Black – Lucy Pankhurst
• Orchestral: Fantasias – Julian Anderson
• Stage Works: A Ring A Lamp A Thing – Orlando Gough
• Liturgical: Bell Mass – Julian Anderson
• Contemporary Jazz Composition: The Green Seagull – Tommy Evans
• Community or Educational Project: Consider the Lilies – John Barber
• Making Music Award: I can't find brumm... – Richard Bullen
• International Award: La Mattina – Bent Sørensen
• Outreach: PK – Graham Fitkin

The Record of the Year

Charts and sales

Best-selling singles of 2011

Best-selling albums of 2011

Platinum records

Deaths

• 4 January
• *Mick Karn – English multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter, 52
• *Gerry Rafferty – Scottish singer-songwriter, 63
• 14 January – Trish Keenan, singer, 42.
• 16 January – Steve Prestwich, British-born Australian drummer and songwriter, 56
• 26 January – Eddie Mordue, saxophonist, 83
• 28 January
• *Raymond Cohen, violinist, 91
• *Dame Margaret Price, operatic soprano, 69
• 30 January – John Barry, British film composer, 77
• 31 January – Mark Ryan, guitarist, 51
• 3 February – Tony Levin, jazz drummer, 71
• 6 February
• *Gary Moore, guitarist and songwriter, 58
• *James Watson, trumpeter, 59
• 14 February – George Shearing, jazz pianist, 91
• 27 February – Margaret Eliot, music teacher, 97
• 8 March – Richard Campbell, cellist, 55
• 15 March
• *Smiley Culture, reggae singer and DJ, 48
• *Keith Fordyce, radio DJ and TV presenter, 82
• 17 March – J. B. Steane, music critic, 83
• 18 March – Jet Harris, guitarist, 71
• 20 March – Johnny Pearson, pianist, arranger and TV composer, 85
• 29 March – Robert Tear, operatic tenor, 72
• 31 March – Ishbel MacAskill, Scottish Gaelic singer and heritage campaigner, 70
• 25 April – Poly Styrene – singer,, 53
• 29 April – David Mason, trumpeter, 85
• 7 May – Big George, arranger, 53
• 19 May – Kathy Kirby, singer, 72
• 29 May – Simon Brint, musician, composer, actor and comedian, 60
• 10 June – Kenny Hawkes, DJ and music producer, 42
• 22 June
• *Cyril Ornadel, conductor and composer, 86
• *Mike Waterson, folk singer, 70
• 24 June – Goff Richards, English composer, 66
• 9 July – Würzel, guitarist, 61
• 14 July – Eric Delaney, percussionist and bandleader, 87
• 15 July – Cuddly Dudley, rock and roll singer, 87
• 23 July – Amy Winehouse, singer, musician, 27
• 3 August – Andrew McDermott, singer, 45
• 15 August – Betty Thatcher, lyricist, 67
• 10 September – Graham Collier, jazz bassist, 74
• 21 September – John Du Cann, guitarist, 66
• 2 October – David Bedford, composer, 74
• 5 October – Bert Jansch, singer, musician, 67
• 15 October – Betty Driver, singer and actress, 91
• 18 October – Bob Brunning, blues musician, 68
• 21 October – Edmundo Ros, Trinidadian band leader, 100
• 28 October – Beryl Davis, singer, 87
• 29 October – Sir Jimmy Savile, DJ, 84
• 6 November – Gordon Beck, jazz pianist and composer, 75
• 24 November – Ross MacManus, trumpeter, 84
• 26 November – Keef Hartley, drummer and bandleader, 67
• 6 December – Tony Fell, music publisher, 79
• 12 December – John Gardner, composer, 94