BBC Sound of 2015: Years & Years top poll previously won by Sam Smith and Adele

The London-based trio beat Brits Critics' Choice winner James Bay to the title

London-based electropop trio Years & Years (Years & Years)

Electro pop band Years & Years have topped the annual BBC Music Sound of 2015 list of rising stars to watch out for.

The London –based trio’s frontman, Olly Alexander, used to play Jakob in Channel 4 drama Skins, while the group has recently supported the likes of Clean Bandit and Sam Smith.

Bassist Mikey Goldsworthy, keyboardist Emre Turkmen and Alexander have performed at UK festivals including Bestival, Latitude and The Great Escape, and their new single “King” hit Radio 1’s airwaves earlier this week.

“We can’t really get our heads round it, Olly nearly passed out when we found out, it was so surreal and emotional,” the band said.

“It feels like it means we’ve got a real shot, which means the world to us. People are going to listen to what we’re going to do and we’ve just got to not muck it up. We’ve got to make the most of it and deliver.”

Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens has been revealing the top five acts in a countdown on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show this week.

Brits Critics’ Choice winner James Bay came runner-up to Years & Years, followed by unsigned grime artist Stormzy in third.

Singer-songwriter Raury came fourth, with Cambridge graduate and spoken word artist George the Poet in fifth.

“Years & Years have already and will continue to capture imaginations with their electronic melodies and lively on stage sets,” said Stephens.

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“They are a young band with loads of ideas and a clear vision of the music they want to make, and that will take them far this year.”

This year’s BBC Music Sound of 2015 was voted for by 140 influential music industry experts including DJs, critics and bloggers.

The list began in 2003, with previous winners including Sam Smith, Haim, Adele and Ellie Goulding.