Yorkshire artists and students collaborate on first ever BBC Introducing vinyl

It is the first official BBC Introducing vinyl release and will launch on Record Store Day 2025.

Music production students accompanied 5 of the best BBC Introducing artists in the region to the iconic Abbey Road studios. They worked together in Studio 2, where the Beatles recorded most of their albums, and produced a "Live at Abbey Road" style album in just 2 days.

The resulting record features BBC Introducing York and Humberside favourites Beth McCarthy, Kindelan, Ruth Lyon, Wanderland and Sam Johnson Trio. It’s the first ever vinyl release under the iconic BBC Introducing brand which supports unsigned and under the radar acts, including famously launching the careers of George Ezra, Ed Sheeran and the 1975 among others.

Available in time for Record Store Day (Saturday 12 April), the UK’s annual celebration of independent record stores, the vinyl will be sold to raise funds for some of the country’s most disadvantaged children and young people through BBC Children in Need.

BBC Introducing have been working with York St John University since 2023 to offer music production students the opportunity to create recordings of local artists every month. Recorded at the University’s Creative Centre, these are then aired on BBC Radio York and BBC Radio Humberside – known as the Balcony Sessions.

The tracks have now been pressed by Vinyl Press UK, a new vinyl maker based at Monks Cross, York, into just 200 special edition records. These will be sold on Record Store Day at a unique, free album launch event at York St John University.

Jericho Keys, who presents BBC Introducing for BBC Radio York and BBC Radio Humberside, said: “The Balcony Sessions at York St John University have given students chance to gain real life experience they can add to their CVs as well as helping us develop bigger and better live sessions.”

He added: “The impact of this project has been incredible, supporting artists in the next steps of their career and student music producers to gain real life experience.”

Chris Johnson, Senior Lecturer in Music Production at York St John University said: “This project represents a fantastic and growing collaboration between York St John University and BBC Introducing, developed from a shared passion for creating opportunities to support original music.  

“We knew that the artists and the students on the Music Production course had the talent to shine in the most famous studio in the world. Even so, when we hit record and the artists started playing everyone in the control room Abbey Road was astonished with how good it was! This is a fabulous record, and it represents a taster of the massive pool of talent that makes up our Yorkshire music scene.

“We are donating the profits from the record sales to BBC Children in Need, and it is my hope that it finds its way to support music programmes for children who otherwise would not have the chance to engage in music making.”

Lucy Johnson, Managing Director of Vinyl Press UK in York who have created the vinyl said: "Vinyl has come back in such a big way as an integral part of sharing music and for early career bands, having merchandise to sell at gigs is a way of funding tours. It's also really important that this generation understand the importance of vinyl in the history of the music industry and it's incredible how it is being embraced once again. We are delighted to be involved with this project and all of the artists involved."

Beth McCarthy from York, is one of the BBC Introducing artists involved in the project and performed at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend last year. She said of the Abbey Road project: “It was the best day - such a crazy opportunity to be able to play in the same room as so many LEGENDS! Hopefully it means I get to be a legend one day too.”

The Abbey Road Project vinyl is available to buy at a free album launch event at York St John Creative Centre on Saturday 12 April which includes performances from some of the artists involved in the vinyl. A selected number of copies will also be available in Earworm vinyl store on Goodramgate in York.

You can find all details of the event and reserve your spot  via Eventbrite