This is a summary of 2012 in music in the United Kingdom. In 2012, dance music continued to dominate the charts.
1 January - Musicians honoured in the Queen's New Year Honours list include conductor Antonio Pappano (knighthood), record producer Steve Lillywhite (CBE), composer and conductor Rev Ronald Corp (OBE) and Ralph Allwood (MBE), former director of music at Eton College.4 June - A Diamond Jubilee Concert is held outside Buckingham Palace on The Mall, London, organised by BBC Events as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Performers include Gary Barlow, Robbie Williams, Grace Jones, Alfie Boe, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and Stevie Wonder.16 June - Musicians honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours list include Gary Barlow (OBE), violinist Tasmin Little (OBE) and Gareth Malone (OBE).27 July - On the opening day of the 2012 Summer Olympics, at 8.15, Martin Creed's controversial work "All The Bells", is performed by the bells of London.12 August - The 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, also known by the title "A Symphony of British music", takes place at London's Olympic Stadium. Performers include Take That, One Direction, The Spice Girls, Madness, George Michael, Julian Lloyd Webber, Pet Shop Boys, Ray Davies, Annie Lennox, Kaiser Chiefs and Emeli Sandé.Spice Girls911Atomic KittenB*B*WitchedFiveHoneyzLiberty XSix By SevenKitchens Of DistinctionPeter Maxwell Davies - Symphony No. 9Howard Goodall - Every Purpose Under the Heaven (The King James Bible Oratorio)Karl Jenkins - The PeacemakersPhilip Ledger - This Holy Child (cantata)Philip Moore - "I will lift up mine eyes"George Benjamin - Written on SkinStephen Crowe - The Francis Bacon OperaNeil Hannon - Sevastopol,The 2012 BRIT Awards were held on 21 February 2012 at The O2 Arena, London and hosted by James Corden. The most notable winners were Adele and Ed Sheeran, both winning two awards.
British Male Solo Artist: Ed SheeranBritish Female Solo Artist: AdeleBritish Breakthrough Act: Ed SheeranBritish Group: ColdplayBritish Single: "What Makes You Beautiful" – One DirectionMasterCard British Album: 21 – AdeleInternational Male Solo Artist: Bruno MarsInternational Female Solo Artist: RihannaInternational Group: Foo FightersInternational Breakthrough Act: Lana Del ReyBritish Producer: Ethan JohnsCritics' Choice: Emeli SandéOutstanding Contribution to Music: BlurThe 57th Ivor Novello Awards were held on 17 May 2012 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.
Best Contemporary Song: "Video Games" – Lana Del Rey (written by Lana Del Rey and Justin Parker)PRS for Music Most Performed Work: "Rolling in the Deep" – Adele (written by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth)Best Television Soundtrack: The Shadow Line (composed by Martin Phipps)The Ivors Jazz Award: Stan TraceyAlbum Award: Let England Shake – PJ Harvey (written by PJ Harvey)Outstanding Song Collection: Gary KempThe Ivors Inspiration Award: Siouxsie SiouxBest Original Film Score: The First Grader (composed by Alex Heffes)PRS for Music Outstanding Contribution to British Music: Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams (Take That)Best Song Musically and Lyrically: "The A Team" – Ed Sheeran (written by Ed Sheeran)Lifetime Achievement: Mark KnopflerSongwriter of the Year: Adele AdkinsPRS for Music Special International Award: Jimmy WebbBASCA Fellowship: Andrew Lloyd WebberThe 2012 Classic BRIT Awards were held on 2 October 2012 at the Royal Albert Hall, London and were hosted by Myleene Klass.
Female Artist: Nicola Benedetti (Italia)MasterCard Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award: Miloš Karadaglić (Latino)Composer: John Williams (War Horse, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn)International Artist of the Year in association with Raymond Weil: Andrea BocelliCritics' Award: Benjamin Grosvenor (Chopin/Liszt/Ravel)Male Artist: Vasily Petrenko (Shostakovich/Symphony No. 1 & 3, Shostakovich/Symphony No. 6 & 12, Shostakovich/Symphony No. 2 & 15, Rachmaninov/Piano Concertos 1 & 4, Rachmaninov/Symphony No. 3)Classic BRITs Single of the Year in association with iTunes: "Wherever You Are" – Military Wives with Gareth MaloneLifetime Achievement Award: John WilliamsClassic FM Album of the Year in association with MasterCard: And The Waltz Goes On – André RieuThe 2012 Barclaycard Mercury Prize was awarded on 1 November 2012 to Alt-J for their album An Awesome Wave.
The 2012 Popjustice £20 Music Prize was awarded on 1 November 2012 to Will Young for his single "Jealousy".
The 10th British Composer Awards were held on 3 December 2012 at Goldsmiths' Hall, London and hosted by Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Andrew McGregor.
Instrumental Solo or Duo: Learning Self-Modulation – Christian MasonChamber: The Four Quarters – Thomas AdèsVocal: No Man's Land – Colin MatthewsChoral: Airplane Cantata – Gabriel JacksonWind Band or Brass Band: A Symphony of Colours – Simon DobsonOrchestral: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra – Harrison BirtwistleStage Works: DESH – Jocelyn PookLiturgical: Missa Brevis – Francis GrierSonic Art: The Ethometric Museum – Ray LeeContemporary Jazz Composition: Sailing to Byzantium – Christine TobinCommunity or Educational Project: The Chimpanzees of Happytown – Paul RissmannMaking Music Award: Mesmerism for Piano and Chamber Orchestra – Emily HowardInternational Award: Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra – Thomas LarcherThe 2012 Record of the Year was awarded to "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra. This was the final year that The Record of the Year was awarded.
3 January - Bob Weston, Fleetwood Mac guitarist (aged 64)4 January - Kerry McGregor, The X Factor third series contestant (aged 37; bladder cancer)11 January - David Whitaker, English composer and conductor (aged 81)27 January - Ted Dicks, composer (aged 83)6 February - Jim King, (Family) (aged 69)9 February - Joe Moretti, Scottish-South African guitarist and songwriter (Nero and the Gladiators) (aged 73)15 February - Clive Shakespeare, English-Australian guitarist, songwriter, and producer (Sherbet) (aged 62)21 February - John Charles Winter, organist (aged 88)29 February - Davy Jones, singer, percussionist of The Monkees (aged 66)1 March - Peter Graeme, oboist (aged 90)20 April - Bert Weedon, guitarist (aged 91)14 May - Derek Hammond-Stroud, operatic baritone (aged 86)20 May - Robin Gibb, singer, songwriter The Bee Gees (aged 62)3 June - Andy Hamilton, Jamaican-born jazz saxophonist and composer (aged 94)17 June - Brian Hibbard, singer and actor (The Flying Pickets) (aged 65)10 July - Lol Coxhill, saxophonist (aged 79)16 July - Jon Lord, musician (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) and classical composer (aged 71)23 July - Graham Jackson, conductor (aged 45)17 August - Lou Martin, keyboard player (aged 63)31 August - Max Bygraves, singer and variety performer (aged 89)2 September - John C. Marshall, jazz musician (aged 71)4 September - Ian Parrott, composer and academic, 9615 September - George Hurst, British conductor, 862 October - Big Jim Sullivan, guitarist (aged 71)12 October - Geraldine Mucha, composer, 9518 November - Sir Philip Ledger, composer and academic, 7426 October - Jo Dunne, guitarist (We've Got A Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It) (aged 43)6 November - Clive Dunn, British actor/singer (aged 92)18 November - Stan Greig, pianist, drummer, and bandleader (aged 82)20 November - Michael Dunford (Renaissance)24 November - Ian Campbell, folk musician (aged 79)4 December - Jonathan Harvey, composer (aged 73) 
