The Indie Scene Staff Picks of 2025
Here’s all of our favourite gigs, albums and singles from this year.
2025 has been one hell of a year, but the one constant, as always, is good music. Our staff here at The Indie Scene write and shoot because that’s exactly what we love, so who better than to listen to recommendations from than those whose worlds revolve around music?
If you’re after new music to listen to, or simply want to see what we’ve been playing this year, then here’s a comprehensive list of our favourite songs, albums, and gigs of the year. From a sweaty Amyl & The Sniffers set at Leeds Festival to a fifteen-year wait to see — and shoot! — Osees, we’ve had a hell of a lot of fun at live shows this year.
Kamala Adams — Editor-in-Chief
I created The Indie Scene out of a love for music and discovering the next best song, and I wouldn’t be able to do any of that without this team of amazing, passionate music lovers. We each have our unique tastes; some of us love psych-y, crunchy rock, others are deep into tried and tested indie bangers (who can blame them?), and we have others (hello, Jacob and Michael!) who love metal but also find themselves partial to some good pop music. The duality of man, if you will.
Favourite Song of 2025: be mine by strongboi
I truly couldn’t rack up 50 streams of be mine by strongboi (that’s equivalent to three hours) and not put it as the best single of the year. Released just after Valentine’s Day, this track by the Alice Phoebe Lou project might be one of the best love songs ever released. The duo have just released their new EP, ep 1, and are simply having fun with it.
Special mentions: Say Something Mean by Henry Grace, I Only Feel Love When It’s Missing by Small Forward and Letters From The Day by Wasia Project.
I couldn’t resist — so I made a playlist of my favourites all in one place. Give it a listen, and see what you’ve missed this year.
Favourite Album of 2025: The Crux by Djo
2023 saw Joe Keery – aka Djo – reach super stardom with hit track End of Beginning going viral quite literally everywhere, and the wig no longer be able to hide his identity. The Crux revealed Djo as a whole new character entirely, with hugely addictive tracks like Link, Delete Ya and Lonesome Is A State of Mind creating one hell of a break-up album. As if that wasn’t enough for the actor and musician, he finished filming the final season of Stranger Things in December of 2024 and returned to his roots by rejoining the band he originally left – Post Animal – and working on their latest release, Iron, which is another incredible album released this year.
Special mentions: The Clearing by Wolf Alice, Iron by Post Animal and Getting Killed by Geese.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Wolf Alice at First Direct Arena in Leeds — December 5th
Maybe it’s because it’s the last gig I went to, or maybe it’s the fact my best friend (Chloe, our Deputy Editor) and I patiently waited ten years to see the London band in the flesh, but there was something magnetic about Wolf Alice’s performance in Leeds. It felt intimate, somehow, despite being in an arena. When compared to their previous nights at The O2 in London, this seemed fairly small in comparison.
I had mentally prepared myself to cry at the greatest love song of all time – Don’t Delete The Kisses, my most-streamed song since I downloaded Spotify by about 1 thousand and 200 minutes – but found myself in full-on tears about halfway through Bros, when I turned to said best friend and let the lyrics truly soak in: “Oh, I’m so lucky, you are my best friend / Oh, there’s no one, there’s no one who knows me like you do”. Music is very special – and getting to experience it with the one person who truly knows you inside out makes it even better.
Read my full review of Wolf Alice’s show in Leeds here.
Special mentions: Role Model at Eventim Apollo, Chappell Roan and Amyl & The Sniffers at Leeds Festival, Djo at O2 Forum Kentish Town and Jalen Ngonda at Eventim Apollo.
Chloe Woods — Deputy Editor
Favourite Song of 2025: Aquarium Cowgirl by Babe Rainbow
A catchy single from Babe Rainbow’s sixth studio album Slipper imp and shakaerator, Aquarium Cowgirl soundtracked summer 2025 for me. It oozes their signature sun-soaked psychedelic style and the surf-rock guitars and whimsical lyrics transport you back to hot summer days.
Favourite Album of 2025: Deadbeat by Tame Impala
Deadbeat saw Kevin Parker put down the guitar (mostly) and focus on the synths, as he explored a new direction of EDM-infused psychedelia. As someone with a love for both psychedelic and dance music (and Tame Impala), I correctly predicted this album would be right up my street. End of Summer, Ethereal Connection and Dracula are standouts for me, and I have no doubt seeing him live will be one the highlights of 2026.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Wolf Alice at First Direct Arena in Leeds — December 5th
My best friend and I had waited over a decade to see one of our favourite bands live and yet Wolf Alice still somehow exceeded expectations. The stage setup was one of the best I’ve ever seen, with dazzling tinsel curtains and a giant glitter ball that complemented the band’s captivating energy. They played a perfect mixture of old and new songs, but it was Bros that really brought back the nostalgia, being the song that my best friend and I used to sing to each other in college. A decade later, singing the lyrics to each other arm in arm was a special moment that had us both in tears and truly encapsulated the power of live music.
Olivia Ross — Music Editor
Favourite Song of 2025: 909 by Legss
Whether stomping through town or furiously typing on my laptop, 909 has soundtracked much of my year. The propulsive bass, the charging vocals, the erratic yet relatable lyrics, Legss manage to find the melodrama in the everyday on this explosive piece of punk-rock. Telling the story of a neurotic character who’s hooked on talk radio, it’s a track that demands headphones and full volume, and that’s probably how you’ll find me for a good while yet.
Special mentions: The Sofa by Wolf Alice, Barbed Wire by Cardinals, Jacky by Bleech 9:3 and Rabbit Run by IDLES.
Favourite Album of 2025: Lust for Life, Or: ‘How to Thread the Needle and Come Out the Other Side to Tell the Story’ by Courting
I have to stay true to my listening stats and pick Courting’s Lust for Life… as my favourite album, since I apparently listened to it a concerning number of times this year (you don’t want to know). From the very moment Rollback Intro’s charismatic strings begin, and Stealth Rollback’s rave-like energy bashes into your brain at whiplash speed, it’s hard not to be hooked. With nods to everything from dance-punk and pop-rock to shoegaze and electronica, it’s an incredibly cohesive record, showing off Courting’s rare ability to move seamlessly between soundscapes. There’s no excess, no posturing and most importantly, no skips. So unfortunately, if you know me, it’s an album I’ll continue to gush over.
Special mentions: viagr aboys by Viagra Boys and Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Wolf Alice at OVO Hydro in Glasgow — December 7th
Choosing Wolf Alice as my favourite gig of the year isn’t due to a lack of original thought. I genuinely can’t think of another live show that’s taken me on such an emotional rollercoaster – in the best possible way. Formidable Cool, You’re a Germ and Smile had me on a euphoric high while The Sofa and Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love) – two tracks that mean a lot to me – made me well up a little… OK, a lot. And even though I sadly had to leave before Don’t Delete The Kisses (boo, ScotRail), I still left the show feeling like I’d witnessed a band finally and deservedly hitting the big leagues.
Special mention: Biffy Clyro at TRNSMT Festival – they played Stingin’ Belle WITH BAGPIPES, and I almost keeled over.
Adam Edwards — Photographer
Favourite Song of 2025: Hills of Mexico by The Shipbuilders
Merseyside’s current best band trailed a few singles ahead of the release of their fantastic second album, This Blue Earth, and this was the best of them all. An earnest and barnstorming folk-rock song, with the ‘Builders sound turned up to the max, and a guitar riff guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Really just very good.
Favourite Album of 2025: Private Music by Deftones
Their first album since those mad days of 2020, Deftones returned in fine fashion. Released to almost universal acclaim, Private Music provides more of what 2020’s Ohms gave us; it’s magnificently and decadently produced, so it sounds amazing; it moves to its own, sometimes unexpected, beats and rhythms; and it continues the band’s story as the best around to play heavy music quite softly. It’s been 25 years since their best-selling album, yet Deftones somehow continue to go from strength to strength.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Osees at O2 Ritz in Manchester — June 16th
I’ve been trying to catch Osees (Thee Oh Sees, OCs, etc, etc) live for about fifteen years and never managed to make it work. To say that my expectations were high when I finally bagged a ticket to catch them in Manchester is an understatement. Fortunately, for me and everyone in the venue, Osees don’t underwhelm. Two drummers, and a frontman that seems to occasionally sing two vocal parts at once (while brandishing his guitar like a machine gun), set the tone — an incredible, non-stop, mind-melting psych rock masterclass. I do not want to wait fifteen years to see them again!
Mateusz Walesiak — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Anxiety by Doechii
With Doechii’s debut album coming out last year, we got to see her musical talents shine through her live performances, as well as her late-night show appearances.
This year, she treated us with a new single that samples Somebody That I Used To Know, taking over social media straight away. Any song from her is always a pleasure to listen to, including this one. Doechii is truly an artist to keep an eye on in the coming years. She is building up to be a powerhouse of her field, which I’m sure she will achieve in no time at all.
Favourite Album of 2025: Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You by Ethel Cain
The newest album from one of my favourite artists. A prequel to Preacher’s Daughter which brings back the feeling of Ethel’s first album. With many standouts such as Dust Bowl, Ethel Cain brings back the energy that fans first fell in love with.
Although Perverts was a great album, that also came out this past year, giving us a wonderful insight into the artist’s more experimental side, Willoughby Tucker is a return to an earlier era which gently brings us back into the world of the character of Ethel Cain and their bittersweet experience of the Mid-West. Worth a listen any time you need a gorgeous, melancholic hit to your day.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Cliffords at YES in Manchester — November 5th
A very personal gig. Cliffords are a small band from Cork, Ireland. Their music is a collection, yet to be a full album, of songs that explore the ups and downs of life in their own beautiful, bittersweet style. For me, the lead singer, Iona, is what brings the band’s sound into the spotlight. She keeps her Irish accent in her songs, which means her sound is much more genuine and meaningful.
Pink Room itself is a part of Yes’ many gig spaces, and it’s most unique due to the actual “pinkness” of the space. I was lucky to experience Tanzana as their opener, who themselves were a great band from Glasgow. When Cliffords took to the stage, they brought with them an unmatched energy, which lasted through their whole set. The gig was hugely fun and concluded with a meeting of the band, who signed the vinyl I had bought earlier, and were very genuine when I was talking to them about their UK and Ireland tour.
Amy Lyall — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Never Know by The Kooks
I somewhat rediscovered The Kooks this year and have enjoyed listening to their older stuff as well as new tunes from their Never/Know album. The title track is what sparked this. It is a song about having no regrets and living in the moment, accompanied by a colourful pop sound and some opening whistles, which for me carry an eerie echo to ‘never knowing’ what is waiting around the corner.
Special mentions: It’s Amazing to be Young by Fontaines D.C. and Second Best by The Last Dinner Party.
Favourite Album of 2025: The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean
The Art of Loving is a no-brainer number one album for me and was to be expected, as Olivia’s debut album Messy still gets played on a regular basis. She is consistently my most listened to artist and this year songs such as Lady Lady (which I first heard at her Paris gig this summer), I’ve Seen It, and Let Alone the One You Love have been added to my list of personal favourites. Her comforting, soulful sound and crafted lyrics are addictive. Roll on the album tour next April!
Favourite Gig of 2025: Biffy Clyro at TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow — July 12th
Biffy Clyro headlined Saturday at TRNSMT this year, on that scorching summer weekend. Something about wrestling to the front of a Scottish crowd on home turf made the show extra special, and, when the bagpipes came out for Stingin’ Belle, the set secured its place in my top spot for 2025. Magical stuff.
Special mentions: Olivia Dean at l’Olympia, Still Woozy and Chappell Roan at Rock en Seine.
Louella Venus — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Anticipate by El Michels Affair & Clairo
Anticipate was released in early June, and it softly echoes the repercussions of Clairo’s 3rd studio album, Charm, released a year prior. This song soundtracked my summer; through aeroplane flights, flings and a soft summer limerence that lasted as long as the sun did. A year prior, Charm completely consumed me to the point where I now have a Charm tattoo (see photo). The lurking subtlety of Clairo and Co.’s production has an addictive, warm quality that I still fondly listen to despite the wintry months that close this year.
Special mentions: The Sofa by Wolf Alice, Subway by Chappell Roan, Cross Your Mind by Shelly and LOVER GIRL by Megan Thee Stallion.
Favourite Album of 2025: Fancy That by PinkPantheress
Fancy That is a collation of songs released in May that is a must-have, alongside 2024’s BRAT. Much of this summer’s music felt like an echo of many iconic releases from last year. This was particularly reminiscent to me during Charli XCX’s Lido Fest in June, where I was lucky enough to hear Stateside live, when PinkPantheress was a surprise guest during The Dare’s set. This performance really catapulted me into having Fancy That on repeat. Furthermore, her remix album, Fancy Some More?, refreshed my love for her unique pop sound, released five months later.
Special mentions: Dog Eared by Billie Marten, The Clearing by Wolf Alice, Addison by Addison Rae, ALIAS is ME by Shygirl.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Addison Rae at O2 Academy Brixton in London — August 30th
My list would not be complete without mentioning Addison Rae, who has shaped many new genres by merging her sound with her brand and opening up the 2010s nostalgia of fashion and lifestyle. These trend cycles of 2014 filters and teal clothing are no longer cringe or cheugy because Addison Rae said so. This concert was a beautiful cabaret performance of glamourous girlishness that had yet to be reintroduced in the 2020’s, until the summer of ‘25.
Special Mentions: Charli XCX at Lido Fest, Clairo at Eventim Apollo and Tyler, The Creator at The O2 Arena.
Madeleine Wrigley — Photographer
Favourite Song of 2025: Delete Ya by Djo
Being my top-streamed song this year, Joe Keery’s second single from his third album, The Crux, went triple platinum in my ears on my walks to and from lectures this year. It was hard for me to pick a single from this album to be my choice since Potion and Basic Being Basic are also up there, but for me Delete Ya is the perfect listen for when you want a catchy earworm all day.
Special mentions: Everybody Scream by Florence + The Machine, Tears by Sabrina Carpenter and Appetite by Arthur Hill.
Favourite Album of 2025: People Watching by Sam Fender
Released on February 21st, Sam Fender opened this year with a banger album that didn’t leave my On Repeat playlist once. With a song for every occasion, People Watching feels very nostalgia-driven for the time I spend in the North East each year, as well as feeling like Fender’s most inward-facing album to date. Seeing him live in Wythenshawe Park in August, the crowd’s liveliness and the power in their voices on every lyric and beat stood out to me. The top three from this album for me are People Watching, Remember My Name and Arms Length.
Special mentions: Don’t Tell The Dog by James Marriott and Songs for The Spine by The Royston Club.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Oasis at Heaton Park in Manchester — July
It wouldn’t be fair not to discuss Oasis’s major comeback to live music. My first time seeing them live, surrounded by adoring fans and my family, wearing wellies and Adidas jeans. Arm in arm, singing every song was a memory I will forever cherish. Being from Manchester and growing up close to Heaton Park, it was a very full-circle moment for me.
Manchester will forever be the home to the best artists and bands. Knowing how important Oasis is to indie music, my family and Manchester in general, I feel very honoured to have won the Ticketmaster battle. You felt the emotions of the crowd during Don’t Look Back in Anger as twenty-two bees were animated on the screens, as every Mancunion knows the power that song holds in a city so brought together by disaster.
I knew I was going to sob my way through the set, so I wore waterproof mascara — even that didn’t work… Hearing Half The World Away live healed a part of me, and managed to finally put to bed the mourning feeling I have had since 2020. What an honour to see a band so iconic on their home turf.
Special Mentions: Djo at O2 Victoria Warehouse, Fontaines D.C. at Wythenshawe Park, Chappell Roan at Leeds Festival and Mumford and Sons at Co-op Live.
Alexander Quinn — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Everybody Scream by Florence + The Machine
Raw, gothic and feral in the best possible way, Everybody Scream arrives with zero interest in restraint. Arriving post-Dance Fever, it’s a delicious contradiction: not what you expect from Florence Welch, yet somehow everything you want. All pounding drums, shadowy atmospherics and that unmistakable voice sounding like it’s clawing its way out of the dark. It’s catharsis by design. The kind of track built to be screamed back en masse. I can already picture it echoing around the sold-out O2 Arena next year, thousands of voices howling in collective release.
Special mentions: Real Thing by Drugdealer ft. Weyes Blood, Inventing by Matilda Mann, L.Y.A.T.T. by Art School Girlfriend, Bittersweet by Cliffords and Wolf River by Etta Marcus.
Favourite Album of 2025: Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You by Ethel Cain
I genuinely daren’t admit how many times this album has been on rotation, or the emotional trauma it’s quietly inflicted along the way. A continuation and prequel to the Preacher’s Daughter universe, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You deepens the Ethel Cain mythology with devastating patience. Tracks like Janie, Nettles, Dust Bowl and Tempest unfold like fractured memories. Heavy with dread, longing and unresolved grief.
At its core sits Waco, Texas: a 15-minute slow burn that refuses spectacle in favour of immersion. It drifts, circles and accumulates, letting its narrative reveal itself gradually rather than hitting you over the head. By the time it reaches its end, you’re not so much devastated as quietly undone. Pulled fully into Cain’s world and left there, alone with it. It’s an astonishing piece of storytelling, and the emotional centre of an album that lingers long after the final note fades.
Special mentions: Everybody Scream by Florence + The Machine, From the Pyre by The Last Dinner Party, Virgin by Lorde, No Hard Feelings by The Beaches and A Complicated Women by Self Esteem.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Self Esteem at The Duke of York’s Theatre in London — April 20th
Part gig, part theatrical art piece, Self Esteem’s week-long residency at the Duke of York’s Theatre blurred live music and theatrical performance into something thrillingly intimate and confrontational. Performed ahead of A Complicated Women, the show felt raw and unfinished in the best way, as if we were being let in on something still forming. Every beat, movement and monologue was deliberate, demanding attention rather than applause. In a traditional gig setting this could have overwhelmed, but here it thrived. The theatre amplifies every vulnerability and power move in equal measure. This felt like a full-circle moment, made even sweeter by the knowledge she’ll return to this very stage in 2026 for the 50th anniversary revival of Teeth ’n’ Smiles. A rare, thrilling glimpse of an artist stepping confidently into her next era.
Special mentions: Ethel Cain at Eventim Apollo, Alanis Morissette at Blackweir Fields, Marika Hackman at Union Chapel, Soda Blonde at Camden Assembly and Fickle Friends at Village Underground.
Amari Jennings — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Supernova by Jane Remover
184 streams. 184 streams of this track is what I amassed this year, according to last.fm (according to Spotify, that number would be 160 streams, but I do adore my last.fm stats, so I’m biased towards that). Even then, using the sheer number of streams I got out of this track from May 22nd of this year onward, anything else to me as the single of the year for me isn’t an option.
This track is an absolute killer from start to finish. Categorised as a few different genres, I think experimental hip-hop is my favourite categorisation of this track as a whole. The production is addictive, the way Jane comes into the track (and Jane is sliding on this beat, mind you) and just sets the tone and the scene for what you’re about to get is impeccable, the way funeral — the featured artist on the track — comes in and does his thing and bows out, making for a feature that adds to the track without overstaying the welcome. Everything is just elevated by one another here, making for something with some incredible replayability.
Favourite Album of 2025: Revengeseekerz by Jane Remover
Jane Remover goes back to back. This was an instance of timing and curiosity mixing to create a new fan. From January 1st, when JRJRJR came out, and a dear friend of mine sent me the track, I was hooked. It was something unique to my ears. I had not really heard much of Jane’s work from what she had made before that track. After hearing JRJRJR, I was itching for the album to come out. Dancing with your eyes closed soon came, and despite it taking time to really grow on me, I ended up loving the track, thus fueling my need for this album to come out even more.
I hyped myself up waiting and waiting for this to come out. My hype was quelled, and I was able to take a listen on April 12th. I think one main sticking point of an album is each song getting appreciated at different points in the year, and I took ample time doing so. This has some of the most insane production and some of the most unique aspects to music I’ve heard. It got to the point that one of the main tracks I love, Dreamflasher, is tattooed on me. Just an unbelievable body of work from top to bottom.
Special mention: year of the slug by Caroline Rose.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Caroline Rose at Will’s Pub in Orlando — March 6th
This one holds sentimental value to me. It’s not every day or even in every lifetime you get to meet an artist you really genuinely care about in the smallest of settings and come out with two signed vinyl records and a picture to remember it by. I took the bus and walked 45 minutes from the bus stop to the gig in Dr Martens and stood for two hours, entranced by the vocals that came out from one Caroline Rose. It was an album that I was not familiar with at the time because it was not getting released on streaming services. This was a Bandcamp exclusive album that I got a vinyl copy of signed by them at one of their first gigs on their smaller venues tour.
I met some very cool people there and even got recognised for wearing merch from five years ago by their manager. I had been a fan for six years, so the link was there, and it just worked out so wonderfully that it will forever sit as a core memory. I went entirely on my own and had one of the most wonderful nights you can possibly imagine as a result. The bonus? Got driven home by a complete stranger-turned-friend throughout the concert. I can’t even rate the night because any rating system would get the hinges blown off. It’s an experience that just shows how important music is to me as a whole. That experience is still fresh in my mind nine months later.
Sinéad O’Carroll — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Running/Planning by CMAT
I couldn’t not mention CMAT in this year’s favourites, and whilst this technically was my second listened to song on my Spotify Wrapped, garnering 70 listens, it is a song that hooked me by the bridge alone. Released at the very start of the year and the first single for her third album EURO-COUNTRY, it was my kryptonite after waiting nearly a year since the last release. The song pulls me in as soon as the beat drops and the violin wails, similarly to Stay For Something, I think this will be featured in all my Spotify Wrapped’s from now on.
Special mentions: The Sofa by Wolf Alice, Shy Girl by Haute & Freddy, Love Me Different by Hayley Williams and Egg by Djo.
Favourite Album of 2025: The Crux by Djo
There really was only one answer: this album trumped all other releases I listened to throughout the year. I knew it was one I had to secure on vinyl after the very first listen. It was this album that also got my dad on Djo’s music, who became very jealous that he wasn’t invited to see him in concert with me. Personal favourites on the album have to be Back On You, Egg and Potion. Not only were fans treated to this exceptionally polished third album, but he also returned later in the year to drop a deluxe edition including even more incredible tracks.
Special mentions: Mayhem by Lady Gaga, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams, The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean and Lotus by Little Simz.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Beyoncé at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London — June 14th
It was so tough to narrow down my favourite concert as I am a concert fiend, but there is something so special about a Beyoncé gig, especially after seeing Act I: Renaissance. I had to follow it up with Act II. From the setlist, the stage layout, costume changes, and overall energy, it goes down as one of the best I have seen.
As a diehard Lady Gaga fan, I will happily allow Beyoncé to take over this spot this year. Experiencing these past two Beyoncé concerts, also with my best friend, was such a joy, and we are impatiently waiting for Act III to be announced. The vibe from the crowd was so fun, and everyone was in their best country outfits, from cowboy boots to hats. Another obvious reason why this concert has become my favourite is due to her voice; she is so much better than the recordings, but also, she has a way of making a massive stadium like Tottenham Hotspur’s feel like the most intimate setting.
Special mentions: Lady Gaga at The O2 Arena, CMAT at Truck Festival, Kirk Franklin at All Points East, Lorde at The O2, Mahalia Presents at Jazz Café and FLO at O2 Brixton Academy.
Abdul Samad Majid — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Old Words, New Mess by Leo Walrus
OWNM is a beautiful single release from London-based Leo Walrus. A warm, nostalgic, dreamy tune sang by the dulce voice of Leo Walrus. An instant classic for any lovers of the 60s/70s, with sweet guitar slides and perfect harmonies. Leo’s sweet and earnest vocals are broken up with a cool psych instrumental break reminiscent of modern legends like King Krule and Mac DeMarco.
Special mentions: Sweet Tooth by Wicked Lips and Selenge by Celine Dessberg.
Favourite Album of 2025: Animaru by Mei Semones
Mei is shooting like a star with her debut album Animaru. Receiving acclaim from legends like Flea comes as no surprise when you hear her combination of originality and virtuosity. Mei has become one of the top young rising stars of 2025, and this is only her first LP. If you follow her on social media, you can see how consistent and prolific she is, posting short videos of new songs and covers all the time. The world has become a little more exciting and multilingual with this blazing star’s arrival. A legend is born.
Favourite Gig of 2025: John Roseboro at Moth Club in London — May 20th
Seeing John Roseboro live is incomparable. This NY-based, boundary pushing, effortlessly charismatic artist comes forth once in an aeon. I’ve seen John play live several times, his authentic stage presence and genius musicality create an experience for audience members no one can deny. Soulful poetry brings to life beautiful compositions as John tells the stories and games of life. Such earnest and real musicians are few and far between, do not miss the opportunity to see John live.
Katie Riley — Photographer
Favourite Song of 2025: stick by Jim Legxacy
Jim Legxacy’s stick arrived not with fanfare but with the steady conviction of an artist sure of his place, and his impact. Part of the rollout for his highly anticipated black british music project, stick feels like a declaration. In a year where genre boundaries are increasingly blurred, Jim makes the case for a sound that’s at once personal, expansive, and unmistakably of the moment.
What sets stick apart is its lean, vivid design: compressed vocals, an earworm refrain, and verses that carry both swagger and vulnerability. James’ lyricism pulls from memory and motion. Accompanied by a grainy, intimate video directed by Rohan Dil that nods to nostalgia and raw storytelling, the track feels like a direct line into Jame’s world — unvarnished, unpredictable, and magnetic. Jim Legxacy is shaping not just sounds, but narratives, carving out a space where Black British experiences feel both audible and urgent
Favourite Album of 2025: Malik by Venna
Malik feels like a debut that comes from years of quiet confidence rather than sudden momentum. As a saxophonist stepping into a fuller artistic spotlight, Venna doesn’t rush to prove himself — instead, the album unfolds patiently, letting mood, texture and feeling do the heavy lifting. Drifting between jazz, soul, R&B and hip-hop influences, it never feels like it’s trying to tick boxes or chase a sound.
The album was released on my birthday, which perhaps makes my attachment to it slightly swayed, but it also feels fitting. There’s something reflective and open about Malik: music that encourages you to slow down and sit with it. Venna’s saxophone isn’t there to dominate or impress; it moves through the record like a guide, shaping the emotional tone without ever overwhelming it. For a debut, Malik is remarkably assured. It doesn’t shout for attention, but it leaves a lasting impression, marking Venna out as an artist who understands not just how to play beautifully, but how to create space for feeling, collaboration and growth. It’s an album that rewards time and one that stayed with me long after the first listen.
It’d be hard not to single out +Star101, Mr Popular and Indigo as standouts — tracks that encapsulate the record’s warmth, complexity and breadth.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Little Simz at The O2 Arena in London — October 17th
If I’m honest, I might be hugely biased — I’ve been a long-term fan of Little Simz — but nothing this year came close to the scale, energy and intention of her headline show at The O2. From the moment she stepped on stage, she filled the entire arena with ease, commanding the room in a way that felt powerful yet deeply personal.
It didn’t just feel like a big gig; it felt like a moment. The show was ambitious and brilliantly paced, moving between cinematic performances and moments that felt almost conversational. The DJ set injected a completely different kind of energy into the night, transforming the arena into something closer to a club, while the special guests only added to the sense that this was a celebration rather than a standard headline show.
Watching Simz take up that much space — creatively and physically — felt earned, intentional and long overdue. Biased or not, it was impossible to leave without feeling like you’d witnessed something genuinely special.
Jacob Wingate-Bishop — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: People Watching by Sam Fender
When people ask me who my favourite songwriter of the moment is — which happens less than I’d like, admittedly — I always say Sam Fender. He’s the 21st-century answer to Bob Dylan, and I will not be convinced otherwise. At barely 30 years old, the North Shields musician has put to punchy songs the feeling of an entire country: the rampant underfunding of vital public services by successive governments, growing up in a deprived area, homelessness, addiction, death and societal decay.
It reminds me of a video I saw once, between B.B. King and Bono of U2 — who collaborated on the latter’s 1988 album, Rattle and Hum — where King tells Bono that he shouldn’t be able to write so meticulously about heartbreak and pain, given his youth at the time. Fender is of the same cloth. And People Watching, the title track from his latest album, is proof. He pens so poignantly his experience as a young man in Newcastle, idly watching people endure the problems of each day. It tackles the loss of a loved one, and the crumbling state of the National Health Service — “The place was fallin' to bits / Understaffed and overruled by callous hands…”. And then, in the same verse, a heartbreaking confession from this young singer, “…And the beauty of youth had left my breaking heart”. It’s the quiet desolation and despair of Springsteen’s Nebraska reimagined in modern-day Britain, and it sounds incredible.
Special mentions: Guiding Lights by Ghost, Disconnect by Teenage Waitress, Boy Crazy by Kesha and The Subway by Chappell Roan.
Favourite Album of 2025: Skeletá by Ghost
I don’t care if you like the direction frontman Tobias Forge (and man behind the evil pope mask) has taken Ghost in the past few years. The heavy metal days of Meliora are gone, and there’s little evidence it’ll come back from the grave. But where Impera teased a more ‘80s AOR sound, Skeletá crashed onto the scene in sparkling chrome and skin-tight leather. It’s an album that reminded us why we love the ‘80s rock scene so much, and remains possibly the best glam metal album of the 2020s.
There’s scarcely a track worth skipping here, from deliciously poppy singles Satanized and Lachryma to something a little heavier, a little more Ghost, in opener Peacefield and De Profundis Borealis. Forge went full Leppard with Missilia Amori and dystopian deep cut Marks of the Evil One. But it’s haunting ballad Guiding Lights that really steals the show, instantly becoming one of Ghost’s most beautiful efforts since He Is.
Every track in my Spotify top five this year stemmed from Skeletá. I played that album to death when it came out in April, and I still do today. Killer riffs, explosive choruses, and the ringing chimes of doom; it’s still every inch Ghost and a whole lot of fun. When you take into account Ghost’s insane live performances — which get bigger and better on every tour — there could only really be one winner for me.
Special mentions: People Watching by Sam Fender, Rude by Spiritual Cramp, . (…) by Kesha and Mayhem by Lady Gaga.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Simple Minds at Southampton Summer Sessions — June 29th
Southampton’s iteration of the iconic ‘Summer Sessions’ has only been around for a couple of years, but has already boasted a slew of legendary artists from across the last 50 years. The likes of Placebo, Nile Rodgers + Chic, Rag’n’Bone Man, The Human League, and The Stranglers (who very nearly took the top spot) have graced the city’s Guildhall Square — and 2026’s line-up promises musical nirvana with greats like Billy Ocean, OMD and Garbage.
But it was ‘80s new wave megastars Simple Minds that truly blew me away this year. I’d brushed up on my knowledge ahead of the brisk June night — I’d studied their recent setlists ahead of time, compiled a Spotify playlist, committed deep cuts to memory, the usual - but all the same, original members Jim Kerr (vocals) and Charlie Burchill (guitar) were on hypnotising form. The opening bassline of Waterfront — my favourite of theirs — was the perfect introduction to a gig. Then came a true glut of definitive new wave and classic pop hits: Promised You a Miracle, Glittering Prize, Sanctify Yourself, All The Things She Said.
The zenith of this treasured ode to ‘80s pop was a performance of the group’s instrumental track, Theme for Great Cities, from 1981’s Sister Feelings Call. A cinematic arrangement of keyboards and pulsing art-rock, the five-minute track roared from the stage as the sun began to set. Moments like this remind me of the genuinely timeless nature of music; I bet some of the older folk in the crowd that night felt the same thing, decades before.
And what better way to end a night than Don’t You (Forget About Me) and Alive and Kicking? The wistful old man in me was gutted at the absence of Belfast Child, and more recent cut Midnight Walking (off 2014’s Big Music) would have fit right in with its synthesised beat and new wave influences. All the same, the Glaswegian pop rockers proved that the genre absolutely still has an audience, and feels ahead of its time 40-odd years after its belle epoque.
Special mentions: The Stranglers at Southampton Summer Sessions and The Darkness at Portsmouth Guildhall.
Billie Wheeler — Photographer
Favourite Song of 2025: Be Good To Yourself by overpass
This year has been filled with a lot of firsts and a lot of failures, as it’s been the year that I finally decided to take steps towards working in my dream industry.
This track was released in February, featuring on their brand new EP Dependent, and I discovered it midway through 2025. It just stuck with me and helped me carry on with the constant trips outside of my comfort zone. It was found through some random perusing of Spotify, and I almost had the chance to hear it live in Bournemouth at one of The Wombats’ shows, but they had to cancel. I will definitely try to catch them next year!
Special mentions: The Patch Where Nothing Grows by The Royston Club, moody by Royel Otis, OGRE by hard life, The Subway by Chappell Roan, Can’t Say No by The Wombats and Bloom Baby Bloom by Wolf Alice.
Favourite Album of 2025: Oh! The Ocean by The Wombats
For anyone who knows me, there is no shocked expression in the room with this one. Arguably one of the group’s best projects to date, it’s a high-flying rollercoaster of emotion hiding behind such a simple name, withholding the famous metaphorical satire that the band does best. The Wombats’ tracks are the type where you have to listen to them a handful of times to really understand the meaning behind the metaphors, but once you do, you feel read like a book.
Special mentions: onion by hard life, (my world is an) oyster by chloe moriondo and Honeybee by BØRNS.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Beth McCarthy at O2 Kentish Town — November 30th
I had been trying to see Beth McCarthy live for around two years by this point, with a roadblock in the way every single time so, when I finally got to see them live, I was ecstatic and believed it was nothing short of a miracle. Her stage presence and performance were unmatched and the vibes were immaculate. I couldn’t have asked for a better show to see them live at (and photograph too!) If you get the chance to see her live in 2026, take it and have the time of your life!
Special mentions: The Wombats x3 (as expected) at The O2 Arena, Hitchin Priory (with Razorlight) and Bournemouth International Centre, hard life at O2 Academy Brixton, chloe moriondo at O2 Academy Islington, Peach Pit at O2 Academy Brixton and Kaiser Chiefs at Alexandra Palace Park.
Jacob Ainsworth — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Spike Island by Pulp
Everyone’s favourite Steel City sex-obsessive came back in 2025 with a bona fide summer anthem in the shape of Spike Island. This wasn’t just a Britpop group getting back together for a paycheque (cough, cough), this was one of those oh-so rare sublime reinventions of a pop group.
Special mentions: Bonnet Of Pins by Matt Berninger, Over The Coals by Shaking Hand and Running/Planning by CMAT.
Favourite Album of 2025: Luminal by Brian Eno and Beatie Wolfe
Luminal is like a warm hug. It really is as simple as that.
Special mentions: For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) by Japanese Breakfast, EURO-COUNTRY by CMAT and Quietism by Momus.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Wet Man at AATMA in Manchester — May 29th
Is it insufferable to have a set from a show I promoted? Yes, but I don’t care. Wet Man is just that good. An undiscovered gem. A synth-pop art-karaoke amalgamation of Iggy Pop and Soft Cell. I genuinely have never seen such an infectious stage presence from a man in skinny jeans with no backing band. Erratic, irate and mutton-chopped, Wet Man would often stop songs halfway through (“I’m bored now”) before barrelling into another karaoke track of Kraftwerk-does-the-two-step. I’m still baffled by the whole thing. It was seminal. I still don’t know why he squirted suncream out on stage. All I know is I didn’t mind having to apologise to the venue staff afterwards.
Special mentions: Sextile at The White Hotel, my bloody valentine at Aviva Studios and Chameleons at Albert Hall.
Michael Lickorish — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Caramel by Sleep Token
When Spotify told me I had listened to this song 42 times this year, I definitely believed it. Undoubtedly impossible for me to disagree that this genre-blending masterpiece would be my song of the year.
Released as the second single for Sleep Token’s fourth studio album Even In Arcadia, it gave a morbid outlook of the fame Sleep Token have mustered in the last couple of years. Vessel’s lyrics portray a very vulnerable figure towards the overbearing nature of the fandom they have and uses the song as a cry to those who take being adoring fans too far.
The amalgamation of styles perfectly moulds with an opening soft prog tone leading into pop-reggaeton verses, flowing into a very catchy chorus. Sleep Token leaned back into their more typical metalcore style with brutal black metal vocals sprinkled in for their breakdown, a reminder that those who say Sleep Token are “not metal” do have very strong hardcore elements that hit very hard.
Vessels’ vocal style can be marmite to people, but his range can not be argued with. To me, Caramel is a song that, if people asked, “What is Sleep Token?” this would be what I’d play. And do not just take my word for it, as this song has claimed top spot in the New York Times’ song of 2025.
Special mentions: It Smells Like Fudge Axe in Here by Hot Mulligan, Cellophane by DON BROCO, End Of You by Poppy, Amy Lee and Courtney LaPlante and Gethsemane by Sleep Token.
Favourite Album of 2025: The Sound The Body Makes When It’s Still by Hot Mulligan
2025 gave the world, in my opinion, one of the most complete Midwest Emo albums that has ever been produced. Hot Mulligan’s fourth studio album was always compelling, taking you from the jovial two stepping tunes like And A Big Load with its fast hi hat action to more sombre and mellow tracks like the intro track Moving to Bed Bug Island, a very uncharacteristic song and a bold way to open the album but was a perfect way to set the tone of the record.
Any album that has a song titled Monica Lewinskibidi deserves an album of the year nominee by itself. The album takes you to places you would not expect from a Midwest Emo album, and definitely not something I thought was possible from a Hot Mulligan album, taking their most positive attributes and offering something unique. If the genre has often evaded you, please take time for yourself and experience this in all of its sixteen-track glory.
Special mentions: Even In Arcadia by Sleep Token, Tsunami Sea by Spiritbox, I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me by Lorna Shore and NEVER ENOUGH by Turnstile.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Pendulum at Tribes Unite in Milton Keynes — August 9th
An act I have been dying to see in forever and having the opportunity to see them in my hometown in a very historic venue was just perfect.
A friend and I attended; they had no idea who they were before the gig, and left obsessed and wanting more. The Bowl provided a stage and an atmosphere which resonated perfectly with the music being played, an open-air venue with the night sky in play, allowing awesome light shows that worked hand in hand with the high octane anthemsm, with banger after banger after banger.
All killer No filler, moshpits and two steps with a sprinkle of nostalgia. Highlights include the very popular Watercolour and tracks from their new album, Intertia (Halo and Napalm). Pendulum proved they are legends in the drum and bass game with brilliant crowd interaction, seamless transitions between songs and, overall, this was a show of wonder and magnitude. They were the headline act of the Tribes Unite Festival and topped off a very enjoyable event. I loved everything about this, and the gig for me goes down as one of my all-time favourites.
Special mentions: Yungblud at Bludfest and Hot Mulligan at OVO Arena Wembley.
Daisy Bourgoin — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Dracula by Tame Impala
Despite only doing a deep dive into their discography this year, Tame Impala soundtracked my 2025 — topping my Spotify Wrapped and never really leaving my turntable. So, it only feels right to have Dracula as my single of the year.
Dropping just in time for Halloween, it’s almost impossible not to dance to this track, and it really takes me back to the charm of some of their old albums, like Lonerism. This song (along with Loser) made me really excited for the release of Deadbeat, and even after hearing the full album, Dracula still sticks out to me as one of the highlights.
Special mentions: FIGHT SIMULATOR by Osees, Second Sleep by Magdalena Bay and The Happy Dictator by Gorillaz.
Favourite Album of 2025: moisturizer by Wet Leg
I first saw Wet Leg in 2021, opening Green Man Festival and instantly loved their self-titled debut album when it released in 2022. Three years later, they dropped catch these fists, a punchy new single which seemed to appear almost out of thin air after their lengthy hiatus. Closely followed by CPR and then davina mccall, these singles showcased an entirely different Wet Leg, one which leaned into a more post-punk inspired sound, one which I absolutely loved.
The morning the album dropped (July 11th), I sat and listened to the album in full while eating breakfast, and I then listened to it all the way through again. I rarely find myself so captivated by an album that I listen to it multiple times when it’s first released, but it’s safe to say moisturizer had me in a chokehold.
My favourite song from the record changes constantly, but jennifer’s body and pokemon have really stuck with me since the album’s initial release, and I only appreciate them more with each listen!
I was lucky enough to see them headline the Friday at Green Man Festival this year, and it was amazing to see how much they’ve grown since the last time I saw them perform. The songs from moisturizer harness a particularly incredible sound when performed live, and screaming the lyrics to mangetout with my sister at the barrier that night only makes this album even more special to me!
Special mentions: Cutthroat by shame, ABOMINATION REVEALED AT LAST by Osees and A Matter of Time by Laufey.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Gorillaz at Copper Box Arena in London — August 30th
Taking a trip to see their incredible ‘House of Kong’ exhibition before the concert, I was absolutely ecstatic when I managed to secure tickets to see Gorillaz — and to see my favourite album of theirs performed in full!
Demon Days was absolutely amazing live, and the detail within the performance made it that much better. From Damon Albarn emerging dressed as a priest, to having a children’s choir come out to sing Dirty Harry, and the incredible illustrations behind the band to add a visual element to the concert, everything was perfect.
It was my first time at the Copper Box Arena, and I was surprised at how small it felt, even with so many fans packed in, but I thought that this actually made it better. It felt like a much more intimate show, and to this day, it may be the best gig I have ever had the pleasure of attending.
Special mentions: shame at Chalk, Lana Del Rey at Wembley Stadium and The Brian Jonestown Massacre at The Dome.
Amelia Thompson — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Spike Island by Pulp
Spike Island is my song of the year for a really simple reason: it became part of my everyday life. When Pulp first released it, my dad played it on repeat: what started as something on in the background quickly turned into one of my favourite songs. There’s something really special about a band like Pulp releasing new music for the first time in 20 years and sounding so natural, not forced or overdone. The track feels familiar but still exciting, and it’s ended up soundtracking a lot of 2025 for me. Because of that, it’s undoubtedly my song of the year.
Honourable mention: Running/Planning by CMAT.
Favourite Album of 2025: Blindness by The Murder Capital
Blindness became my album of the year almost instantly, which is impressive considering it only came out two months into 2025. From the first time I heard it, I had a feeling it wouldn’t just be my favourite release from The Murder Capital, but one of my favourites of the year overall.
There’s an urgency to the record that pulls you in straight away, balancing emotion with a real sense of control. It feels confident and free, like a band fully trusting their instincts. I kept coming back to it throughout the year, and each listen only deepened that connection, which is exactly why Blindness stands out to me.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Loyle Carner at O2 City Hall in Newcastle
I saw Loyle Carner across two nights at Newcastle’s O2 City Hall — my third time seeing my favourite artist — and it was easily my gig of the year.
It felt like everything music has ever meant to me was collapsing into one space over two perfect nights. Loyle isn’t just an artist I admire; his music is tied to my family, my writing, and some of my earliest emotional reference points.
From Rejjie Snow opening the show to a setlist that traced my own growth alongside his, the whole experience felt unexpectedly full-circle. The performances were intimate, generous and completely sincere, turning a packed venue into something that felt shared and safe. I left both nights knowing I’d witnessed something rare, both a great gig and a memory I’ll carry for years.
Honourable mention: Fat Dog at Boiler Shop.
Dan Brown — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Everything Is Peaceful Love by Bon Iver
To describe 2025 as tumultuous would be an understatement, yet Bon Iver’s shimmering vocal beauty and poignant musicianship shone through, most piercingly with Everything Is Peaceful Love. An anthem of hope which ebbs and flows through buoyant lyrical prophecies and tidy production flourishes. Once play is pressed, hearts swells and pupils dilate, as Justin Vernon’s musical whimsy can’t help but convince you all will be okay.
Favourite Album of 2025: Getting Killed by Geese
Geese’s 2025 revelation is one that the cynic in me wants to proclaim as too long a time coming. They achieved cult stardom through my headphones back in 2023 and, despite a criminal two years elapsing, it was never in doubt that their next offering would be a game-changer. In Getting Killed, the noughties-born New York natives took the music industry by storm, leaving any doubters in their wake with a honking masterpiece that seems poised to define modern-day indie rock going forward.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Father John Misty at O2 Academy Leeds — June 22nd
It takes a special kind of performer to sweep an audience member off their feet, let alone one who wasn’t scheduled for attendance until the morning of said set. On the Leeds leg of his latest tour, Father John Misty spearheaded a suave soirée of distinguished performance, backed by a collective of supremely talented musicians. A spectacle that only a handful were lucky to behold, that an even bigger handful should be clamouring to catch next.
Morgan Mainwaring — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Au Pays Du Cocaine by Geese
Favourite Album of 2025: NEVER ENOUGH by Turnstile
Favourite Gig of 2025: Turnstile at Alexandra Palace in London — November 5th
Emma Stewart — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Vodka Cranberry by Conan Gray
Vodka Cranberry by Conan Gray somehow still managed to hit — despite me being in a very happy, healthy relationship. There’s something almost annoying about how accurately it captures emotional distance and quiet heartbreak, like a song that reminds you you’re not immune to a bit of unnecessary yearning just because your life is going well. Proof that sometimes a pop song just wants to ruin your day a little, and succeeds.
Favourite Album of 2025: The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean
The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean soundtracked my year in the most effortless way. It’s warm, soulful and quietly self-assured, the kind of album that feels best with a glass of wine in hand and sunshine on your face.
There’s a real ease to it, but also depth, with songs that reflect on love, independence and emotional growth without ever feeling heavy. It rewards slow listening and feels made for moments where you just want to sit, breathe and let the music carry you for a while.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Noah Kahan at BST Hyde Park — July 4th
Noah Kahan at BST Hyde Park was one of those rare sets that felt genuinely grounding. Hearing songs about isolation, healing and self-reflection sung back by a crowd at sunset made everything feel bigger and smaller at the same time. It was emotional without being overwhelming, and a reminder of how powerful live music can be when it meets you exactly where you are.
Rachelle Townley — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Goner by Goodnight Louisa
Goodnight Louisa is the synth noir project of Edinburgh-based artist Louise McCraw. Her music explores themes of being human, vulnerability, and the complexities of relationships. McCraw’s sound is characterised by icy beats, shimmering synths, and strut-worthy melodies, often incorporating elements of dark electronic and synth pop.
Definitely my top pick of the year, once it came on, it never got turned off. Also told everyone else in the office to listen to it. Banger.
Favourite Album of 2025: LUX by Rosalía
Not much to say about this one other than put your headphones on and experience the monumental moment that is LUX. I was gagged the whole way through, as a classical lover who meddles unashamedly with many a pop princess, this was an outstanding record.
It genuinely felt as though I was playing something I’ll pass down through the generations. This is a huge achievement from Rosalía, and I appreciate artists bringing classical music to the mainstream.
Key Song: Magnolias.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Daffo at The George Tavern in London and The Great Escape in Brighton
I wasn’t following them or anything, but I caught Daffo once at the George Tavern this year, then a week later at the Great Escape before the Comic Sans set. I discovered their music online and have been obsessed ever since. The vocal slides, the raw lyrics, and just the person behind it all, you always keep coming back.
Daffo makes you feel like you’re part of some heartwarming, overly honest community, and this shines true most at their gigs. Love.
Nikhil Davé — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: Jacy by Anxious
The single I have chosen is Jacy by Anxious. It was part of one of my most anticipated albums of 2025, released by a band that have had a grip on my ears since early 2022. Anxious have consistently been a huge standout band in my eyes, constantly pushing the status quo and developing their own sound within the pop punk space.
Favourite Album of 2025: Pantheon by Dance Gavin Dance
Dance Gavin Dance are musical chameleons, constantly changing and pushing the boundaries of what metalcore/post-hardcore can provide. Following the departure of their previous vocalist and the entrance of Andrew Wells, long-time collaborator and first-time frontman for the band, I was compelled to see how their sound would evolve. Suffice to say, I was not disappointed, the album felt like the most polished that the quartet have produced. I would highly recommend a listen.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Black Foxxes at 2000Trees
This category is the hardest to choose from. 2025 has been filled with standout gigs across the year for me. Not a single one has been a letdown; the one I would have to choose as my favourite is Black Foxxes set at 2000Trees this past July.
The band started off playing their regular songs, and at the end — which made this the best set I had seen — they played a fifteen-minute purely instrumental song which hasn’t been released. This was filled with pure emotion, and the stage presence the band exhibited throughout made the performance incredibly emotional.
For anyone who hasn’t heard of Black Foxxes before, I hope this encourages you to give them a listen. They are one of the most raw, emotionally charged, and talented artists of this era.
Kanika Phillip — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: A Couple Minutes by Olivia Dean
Favourite Album of 2025: Exile by Chronixx
Favourite Gig of 2025: Joe Kay in London
Adam Stewart — Writer
Favourite Song of 2025: catch these fists by Wet Leg
Special mentions: EURO-COUNTRY by CMAT, Basic Being Basic by Djo, My Old Ways by Tame Impala, Down To Be Wrong by HAIM and Taxes by Geese.
Favourite Album of 2025: Getting Killed by Geese
Special mentions: moisturizer by Wet Leg, EURO-COUNTRY by CMAT, The Crux by Djo, Virgin by Lorde, hopefully ! by Loyle Carner.
Favourite Gig of 2025: Fontaines D.C. at InMusic Festival in Zagreb
Special mentions: Sherelle B2B Clipz at All Points East, The Streets at InMusic Festival, CMAT at O2 City Hall Newcastle and The Last Dinner Party at Kendall Calling.
