Over the years I’ve written quite a few times about the vital connections between higher education and music. Among these essential articles have been handy lists of the biggest and brightest bands looking to break through to the musical higher ed big time. Those who have actually made it, whether or not they were tipped for the top here, have included these stadium-fillers:

REF Speedwagon – guilty pleasures for many – these brainy prog rockers are still churning them out.

TEF Will Eat Itself – hard to fathom and genuinely unpopular English folksters but unaccountably still going.

Four Star – highly rated cerebral popsters who seem to be able to name their price.

The Russell Group – swaggering, over-confident ageing southern sextet with a strong musical pedigree, extraordinary chart success over many, many years. Loyal following but polarising effect of their output is well-known.

Prospectus – drippy Essex-based shoegazer quintet who despite frequent predictions of their demise remain unaccountably popular.

Tenure Track – veteran US East coast art-school rockers.

Robbins Report – much-lauded and respected 60s revolutionary rockers – launched many imitators down the years (see The Dearing Enquiry and rather flash-in-the-pan Browne Review).

Cyber Security – this electronic trio have already managed to build a massive online following despite their wholly derivative sound.

Snowflakes – teen pop sensations who have reacted surprisingly positively to the negative publicity they’ve received.

Presidents of UUK – Classic soul four piece, still able to fill a big venue with fans who know what they want from the extensive back catalogue.

AI – believe the hype – the biggest new band of the last 18 months despite a questionable work ethic and being generally regarded as too clever for their own good (not to be confused with the extremely derivative Bards).

Not Yet Top of the Pops

And some of the acts we’ve lauded here before but are still teetering on the brink of sector stardom:

The Degree Apprentices – alternative indie guitar melodies from hard-working quartet whose popularity is difficult to gauge although they get plenty of positive press. These lads and lasses still have lots of work to do to live up to all the hype.

USS Express – gilt-edged pop with very expensive production values.

Designated Data Body – hard rock musos playing largely impenetrable noise to a small but dedicated fan base.

Unexplained Differences – intelligent and numerate chamber pop.

Graduate Outcomes – commercially minded pop from career musicians playing a long game.

The Registrars – impossibly cool, utterly essential indie quartet. Hugely under-rated but never quite managing to achieve the attention they consistently deny wanting but secretly crave.

Climate Emergency – fully acoustic outfit destined to make a big impact.

Charter and Statutes – influential British electronic music production duo.

These Data Futures – still waiting for the much-anticipated first album from this south west tech-rock trio who just can’t seem to get out of the studio.

The MOOCs – ultra hip techno duo yet to benefit from all the free downloads they’ve given away. Many beginning to question their likely longevity.

Convocation – North-Western Joy Division-lite misery droners.

We’re Gonna Make You a Star

Since the last scouting mission we’ve been scouring the nation’s students’ unions and university venues to find tomorrow’s higher ed stars. These then are the freshest new acts you’ve never heard of which we are tipping for future HE pop stardom:

Borderline First – Sadly not quite as good as they think they are.

Search Committee – Welsh guitar-led group struggling for recognition

KEF – all new industrial garage outfit who have already made a big splash but yet to release any material.

Ede & Ravenscroft – ambient electronica from this bizarrely dressed duo.

Apprenticeship Levy – remarkably unpopular yacht rock combo, not to be confused with The Degree Apprentices (see above)

Freedom of Speech – avant-garde new wave agitprop from this scruffy trio – there have been plenty of complaints about their live shows.

Extenuating Circumstances – surprisingly popular and influential Morrissey clone.

Humboldt Model – legendary and hugely influential Can-influenced German rock combo.

Turing – complex electro-pop with sophisticated overtones. Big on the continent already.

Eduroam – surprisingly accessible melodies from this shoe gazer outfit which have a striking ethereal flavour.

Senate Agenda – specialists in extremely long shows which are welcomed by their adoring fanbase.

Partial Performance – largely unacceptable to many.

How many will make it to the big higher ed stage? Time will tell.