Since 2006, Radio 1 has brought us some pretty amazing Live Lounge performances. For those people who have somehow escaped this (which I very much doubt there are any), this is when some of the biggest names in music showcase some of the biggest hits around. The concept being that they perform an acoustic track of their own, and then cover a track by a different artist. I always remember hearing the first Live Lounge back in 2006, it was the year that I had finished comprehensive school and had started uni. Since then, I have been hooked.
On November 11th, the hotly anticipated compilation album is due to be released. This will be the 11th album in the collection and let’s be real, it’s full of some absolutely stonking covers.
This year, we’ve been treated to performances from Justin Bieber, Bastille and many more. Speaking about the Live Lounge, Radio 1 presenter Clara Amfo said “We’ve had so many great artists in the Live Lounge over the last year. It remains genuinely existing to see what tracks they’re going to take on and the results are always truly memorable”. You’re not wrong there!
What I love about the Live Lounge is that it really showcases artists talent. These stripped back versions make their performances totally raw. It’s always interesting to see artists cover songs that are in totally the opposite style from what they usually sing. This shows how versatile these artists really are.
There’s been loads to choose from and it’s been difficult choosing just one from each year. Some of them I couldn’t find videos for which is a shame. Here’s some of my favourite performances since Radio 1’s Live Lounge began.
2006 – Arctic Monkeys
2007 – Amy Winehouse
2008 – Sam Sparro
2009 – The Script
2010 – McFly
2011 – The Saturdays
2012 – Olly Murs
2013 – Little Mix
2014 – Maroon 5
2015 – Ed Sheeran
2016 – Justin Bieber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ46FTPdd_E
What’s been your favourite Live Lounge performance over the years? Don’t forget to pre-order the latest album now.
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