2009 in British music

This is a summary of 2009 in music in the United Kingdom.

Events

4 February – The Official Charts Company launches the Specialist Classical Albums Chart, developed in consultation with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).^[1]
8 February – At the 51st Grammy Awards, Coldplay win three awards including Song of the Year for Viva La Vida and Adele wins two awards including Best New Artist.
2 March – Elton John announces his latest tour with Billy Joel. The duo's previous tour, in 2003, grossed $USD 45.8 million from only 24 sellouts according to Billboard Boxscore.^[2]
4 April – Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney perform together (for the first time since 2002) at the Radio City Music Hall for the David Lynch Foundation.
11 April – Susan Boyle's version of the song "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical Les Misérables on Britain's Got Talent becomes a worldwide sensation, as it is seen over 200 million times on YouTube and other video outlets.
16 May – Alexander Rybak wins the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, for Norway. Within a couple of days, his song, "Fairytale", reaches the top ten in charts in most of Europe, including a No. 10 entry in the UK Singles Chart. Jade Ewen finishes 5th for the UK with "It's My Time".^[3]
17 July, 18 & 21 – Paul McCartney performs three sold-out concerts at Citi Field to open the stadium with The Script. On 15 August 1965, The Beatles had performed the first concert at Shea Stadium and McCartney joined Billy Joel on stage for the last concert there. Joel joined McCartney again on the first night.
21 August – The Verve break up for the 3rd, and final time. The split is due to Simon Jones and Nick McCabe no longer on speaking terms with Richard Ashcroft, and their assertion that Ashcroft only reformed the band as a vehicle to relaunch his solo career.
22 August – Oasis perform what would turn out to be their final gig, at V Festival, Staffordshire. They were supposed to perform the following night there, but cancelled due to reports that Liam Gallagher had laryngitis.
28 August
- After another fight with his brother Liam, Noel Gallagher leaves Oasis. Initial reports shortly afterwards suggested that Oasis had broken up, but Liam denied this. The remaining members of Oasis eventually decide to discontinue the band name and start recording under a new name, Beady Eye.
- Greenbelt Festival opens in Cheltenham.
9 September – The entire catalogue of The Beatles is re-released as digital remasters with rare pictures, short documentaries, original and newly written liner notes with replicated original UK artwork for the first time since 1987.
- The Beatles: Rock Band is released.
16 September – Four of the Spice Girls reunite for dinner and drinks in London, the exception being Posh Spice, who was in Los Angeles. It was the first time all had reunited in public since their "Return of the Spice Girls Tour" in 2007/8.
21 September – Sugababes singer Keisha Buchanan leaves the group, surrounding days of speculation that arguments had occurred in the band. 2009 Eurovision song contest entrant Jade Ewen replaced her, leaving no members of the group's original lineup remaining.
11 October – Robbie Williams makes his first appearance on TV in over 3 years with "Bodies" on The X Factor.
12 October – Ash begin releasing the first of a run of 26 singles, known as the "A-Z Series", where they would release one single every fortnight, through digital download and 7" vinyl for a year. But despite much publicity and press attention, none of the singles reach the UK Top 40.
24 October – Lock Up play their final show.
25 October – Cheryl's début solo single "Fight For This Love" reaches number one.
13 December – Joe McElderry wins the sixth series of The X Factor UK. Olly Murs is named runner-up, while Stacey Solomon and Danyl Johnson finish in third and fourth place respectively.
20 December – Rage Against the Machine takes the Christmas number one slot in the United Kingdom with "Killing in the Name", after a massive Facebook campaign to prevent the winner of The X Factor from taking the slot once again.^[4]
26 December – Nowhere Boy, a biopic about the young John Lennon, is released in the UK.

UK Charts

Classical music

Richard Barrett – Mesopotamia, for 17 instruments and electronics
Harrison Birtwistle – The Corridor, scena for two singers and ensemble
John Brunning – Sahara (for guitar)
Howard Goodall – Enchanted Voices
John Tavener
- Tu ne sais pas, for mezzo-soprano, timpani and stings
- The Peace that Passeth Understanding (choral)
Mark-Anthony Turnage – Five Processionals, for clarinet, violin, cello & piano