The BBC has defended 1Xtra Power List after criticism
- Published
Stephen Smith looks at the background while recording artist XO and Telegraph music critic Neil McCormick discuss the row
The BBC has defended Radio 1Xtra's Power List, saying it's "committed to supporting new and developing artists".
The response follows criticism of the top 20, which set out to reflect the most important UK artists relevant to the 1Xtra audience, being topped by Ed Sheeran.
Grime MC Wiley is amongst those to have criticised the list.
The rapper, who was number 16 on the list, accused the music industry of being "backwards".
He also wrote, external that black artists had been "bumped" and while he didn't actually mention Ed Sheeran's skin colour others on Twitter did.
The top five also included Rudimental, Sam Smith, Tinie Tempah and Disclosure.
Wiley has 10 top 20 UK singles including Heatwave which went to number one in 2012
Austin Daboh BBC Radio 1Xtra's music manager said: "Every single day of the week, every single hour of the day we support black artists and other races that make black music sounds.
"I think that anyone who wants to bring race into the discussion is probably a little bit misguided."
Listeners helped vote for some of the names on the Power List, with the final order being chosen by DJs and music industry experts.
Sales, social network followers, radio plays and quality of music were just some of the criteria they voted on.
Wiley has posted more comments about the Power List on Twitter
In a statement 1Xtra said it continues to be committed to supporting new black and urban music.
Austin added: "The top 20 changed numerous times during the three and a half hours that we were locked in that room together.
"At one point there was debate about whether Tinie Tempah should be number one, there was talk about Emile Sande, should Lethal B [Lethal Bizzle] be higher up the list?"
Wiley wrote #Thisisnotarant following more comments about 1Xtra's Power List
Critics will ask what's the point of a having a specialist station where the top 5 on their power list can be heard so easily elsewhere?
But Austin said that without 1Xtra, those acts wouldn't make it to the other stations in the first place.
"Ed Sheeran's another example of who 1Xtra found, we helped nurture," he added.
"Maybe his journey onto eventually the Radio 1 playlist and other big playlists around the world might have been a little bit slower if it wasn't for 1Xtra's support."
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