(Sound) As a large machine mashes the cotton into a solid brick a bit smaller than a train car, Pitt says her crop is destined for one of the world's most popular fashion items.

VOA: standard.2009.12.12

It was getting close to midnight in London, and there were no dancers, no waves, no Miami Sound Machine blasting through the August sky.

WSJ: 2012 London Olympics: Jason Gay: A Farewell to Queens of the Beach, Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor

There seems to be a grave worry here that 2.5 seconds of downtime between beach volleyball points would put 15, 000 people to sleep, so there's been a never-ending blast of music Miami Sound Machine, Maroon 5, Usher, Yakety Sax (better known as the theme to "The Benny Hill Show").

WSJ: 2012 London Olympics: Jason Gay: A Farewell to Queens of the Beach, Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor

Other artists in the top five in previous years include Frank Ocean (Sound of 2012), The Vaccines (Sound of 2011), Marina and the Diamonds (Sound of 2010), Florence and the Machine (Sound of 2009), Foals (Sound of 2008) and Plan B (Sound of 2006).

BBC: Haim top BBC Sound of 2013 list