Annie and Nick are joined by friend, singer, fellow podcaster and icon, Jessie Ware. In between a long overdue catch up, they discuss Jessie’s new music, whether she has any plans to tour and how the album launch has changed since her first record. Plus, they ponder why the majority of songs focus on love or heartbreak, reveal the songs that devastate them the most, and Annie gives Jessie and Nick a necessary Irish vocab lesson.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected]

And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio.

Jessie Ware is releasing her 6th studio album ‘Superbloom’ on 10th April.

HOMEWORK: Listen to Jessie’s excellent new single, Ride (out on 20th February)

SONGS

Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah

Taylor Swift - Welcome to New York

Jessie Ware - Ride

Ennio Morricone- Main Theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Kendrick Lamar - Alright

Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

Toto – Georgy Porgy

Mary J. Blige - I’m Going Down

Madonna - Justify My Love

Donna Summer - Love to Love You Baby

Pet Shop Boys - What Have I Done to Deserve This?

Jessie Ware – Free Yourself

ALBUMS

Jessie Ware – Superbloom

Charli XCX – brat

Jessie Ware – Devotion

Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure?

Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!

Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music

Annie and Nick discuss Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl half-time show and have some pretty surprising opinions about it all – but what should other artists take from the performance? In other news, Taylor Swift released her music video for Opalite and some fans aren’t pleased with how she chose to do it; Rosalía is confirmed to perform at the Brit Awards, and Lana Del Rey has promised a new single is imminent.

And in very serious, breaking news: Harry Styles has responded to Nick’s hard-hitting questions about ballet flats.

HOMEWORK: Watch A$AP Rocky and FKA twigs’ on their respective episodes of Celebrity Substitute, and get in touch with details about the craziest thing you’ve done to get tickets to a gig.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected]

And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio.

The full 6 Music Festival line up can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q3zl2wn2xo

SONGS

Sasha Keable – Hold Up

Ezra Collective & Sasha Keable – Body Language

Rosalía - Berghain

Rosalía - Sauvignon Blanc

Rosalía - La Perla

Lana Del Rey - White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter

Lady Gaga – Die With a Smile

Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin – I Like It

Taylor Swift – Opalite

ALBUMS

Lana Del Rey - Stove

Rosalía - LUX

With the Grammys done and the Super Bowl Half Time show looming, Annie and Nick discuss the monumental week Bad Bunny is having. They also go through their other stand out moments from the emotionally charged ceremony, and what it means to them to see artists like Olivia Dean, FKA twigs, Lola Young and the Cure succeed amongst such fierce competitors.

Elsewhere, the UK version of SNL may not have a launch date just yet, but they do have a confirmed musical director – what could the show mean for music on the TV? Plus, in the name of journalism, Nick sends Harry Styles a very serious text.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected]

And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbZ16VG0mPTML0Aa/?igsh=aXdtYzA2czJrenRj

SONGS

Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline

Lola Young - Messy

Kendrick Lamar – Luther

HAAi (feat. Jon Hopkins, Obi Franky, ILĀ, & TRANS VOICES) - Satellite

ILĀ, Nature - Nightingale (feat. Anna Phoebe & Sam Lee)

ALBUMS

Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving

Bad Bunny - Debí Tirar Más Fotos

FKA Twigs - Eusexua

Justin Bieber - Swag

Jacob Alon - In Limerence

Gabriel Jacoby - gutta child

In a week so busy that Nick had to start making notes, he and Annie sit down to attempt to discuss some of the most important music stories, like the return of Arctic Monkeys, Victoria Beckham’s somewhat inappropriate chart success, and Robbie Williams beating a record previously held by the Beatles. In other news, Harry Styles fans are freaking out over Aperture – but what do Annie and Nick make of his new sound? And should we be worried about his feet?

Plus, Pitchfork are opening the reviewing floor to the public, Brandi Carlile is obsessed with CMAT, and music industry insiders are declaring the album dead.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email [email protected]

More information on the HELP(2) album here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4qqdy29d2o

New Yorker Article about the changing relevance of the album drop here:

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/why-albums-drop-and-movies-launch

HOMEWORK: Watch Geese on SNL and listen to Robbie Williams’ album Brit Pop.

SONGS

James Blake – Death of Love

James Blake – Limit To Your Love

Arctic Monkeys – Opening Night

Harry Styles – Aperture

Victoria Beckham – Not Such An Innocent Girl

Spice Girls – Viva Forever

Cruz Beckham – LICK THE TOAD

Madonna – Nobody Knows Me

ALBUMS

James Blake - CMYK

Various Artists for War Child Records - HELP(2)

Robbie Williams – BRITPOP

Tyler, The Creator – CHROMAKOPIA

Djo -The Crux

Bad Bunny - Debí Tirar Más Fotos

Perfume Genius – Glory

Wet Leg - moisturizer

Rosalía - LUX

FKA twigs – Eusexua

Madonna – American Life

The nominees for the BRIT Awards 2026 have been revealed and, in their signature chaotic fashion, Annie and Nick analyse the lists of names and ask: will Olivia Dean and Lola Young reign supreme? Could any moment rival Jarvis Cocker mooning Michael Jackson in 1996? And will Harry Styles perform his new music at the ceremony? Plus, Sidetracked favourite Jacob Alon has won the Critics’ Choice Award – and Annie and Nick have big feelings about it.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email [email protected]

HOMEWORK:

Listen to new music from Mitski, Jessie Ware, James Blake, KAVARI, and A$AP Rocky.

SONGS

Mitski – Where's My Phone?

KAVARI – IRON VEINS

The Roots – You Got Me

James Blake – Death of Love

Lola Young – Messy

Olivia Dean – Man I Need

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande – Defying Gravity

Gracie Abrams – That's So True

Disco Lines and Tinashe – No Broke Boys

Rosé and Bruno Mars – APT

Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile

Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

ALBUMS

A$AP Rocky – Don't Be Dumb

Jill Scott – To Whom This May Concern

Harry Styles – Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally

Lily Allen – West End Girl

Geese – Getting Killed

Jacob Alon – In Limerence

Harry Styles is teasing something new, with posters showing up in cities all over the world – but what does it all mean? Annie and Nick dissect the role Harry’s fan community is playing in the cryptic campaign. Elsewhere, Robyn has revealed her purpose in life and it’s a strong one, A$AP Rocky is braggadocious in the best ways, and in an unlikely twist, Annie has found herself drawn to a Bruno Mars song. Plus, Annie and Nick celebrate a big change for Sidetracked.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email [email protected]

HOMEWORK

Watch the following music videos: Talk To Me by Robyn; I Just Might by Bruno Mars, and Helicopter by A$AP Rocky.

SONGS

Wesley Joseph & Danny Brown – Peace Of Mind

A$AP Rocky – Helicopter

A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky

Robyn – Talk To Me

Robyn – Sexistential

Bruno Mars – I Just Might

Bruno Mars & Lady Gaga – Die With A Smile

Bruno Mars & Sexyy Red – Fat Juicy & Wet

Bruno Mars & Rosé - APT

Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk

HUNTR/X, Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami – Golden

ALBUMS

SAULT – Chapter 1

Wesley Joseph - Forever Ends Someday

Robyn - Sexistential

Harry Styles – Harry's House

George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

Talking Heads - 77

Television - Marquee Moon

The Saints - I'm Stranded

David Bowie - Let's Dance

In the first week of 2026, Annie and Nick have different thoughts about the new A$AP Rocky single, Gen Z are discovering Prince thanks to Stranger Things, and EsDeeKid has told The Chainsmokers exactly what he thinks of their 4 Raws remix. Elsewhere, Stormzy has used social media to express his thoughts about...social media and revealed how he's grown as an artist and as a person. Plus, Jill Scott is finally back with new music, vinyl is expensive, and Annie and Nick get sidetracked by hedgehogs.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email [email protected]

HOMEWORK: Watch Prince performing “Purple Rain” at 2007’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, and listen to Mandy, Indiana’s “Cursive”

SONGS

FAUZIA – The Way

Mandy, Indiana – URGH

Mandy, Indiana – Magazine

Mandy, Indiana – Cursive

A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky

JADE – Angel of My Dreams

Jill Scott – Beautiful People

Jill Scott - Exclusively

Prince – Purple Rain

Prince – When Doves Cry

Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

America - A Horse With No Name

EsDeeKid, Timothée Chalamet - 4 Raws

Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World

ALBUMS

A$AP Rocky – Don't Be Dumb

Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern,

Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1

Bob Marley and the Wailers – Exodus

Arctic Monkeys – AM

Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra – Promises

FKA twigs – Eusexua

What does 2026 have in store for the music industry? Annie and Nick look ahead to expected releases, rumoured returning artists, and an exciting list of confirmed festival line ups. Plus, BBC Music Correspondent Mark Savage joins them to share his expert predictions about which artists to look out for this year, and what music trends we can expect.

Annie and Nick review the standout moments from the past 12 months. From the Oasis tour to Lily Allen’s culture shifting album release, 2025 has been a major year for UK artists, and who could forget the impact of moments such as: an awkward secret being revealed at a Coldplay concert, Katy Perry going to space, and CMAT playing Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage for the first time. Plus, Annie and Nick attempt the impossible task of choosing just one album and song of the year each.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email [email protected]

SONGS

Taylor Swift – So High School

PinkPantheress – Illegal

HAIM – Relationships

Lola Young – Messy

Cameron Winter - Nausicaä (Love Will Be Revealed)

ELIZA – Anyone Else

Ave Maria

Jacon Alon – Liquid Gold 25

CMAT – The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station

Blood Orange - Mind Loaded

ALBUMS

Patti Smith – Horses

Björk – Cornucopia

Mavis Staples – Sad and Beautiful World

Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving

Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl

Charli XCX – brat

Lily Allen – West End Girl

Rosalía - LUX

CMAT – Euro-Country

Cameron Winter – Heavy Metal

Dave - The Boy Who Played the Harp

Blood Orange – Essex Honey

Geese – Getting Killed

Chronixx - Exile

Zadie Smith and Beth Ditto join Annie and Nick for the annual Sidetracked Christmas gathering, recorded at an Irish pub in North London.

They share nostalgia, gossip and gifts, and decide what makes a song a Christmas song – declaring which ones are truly the greatest. Plus, Annie, Nick, Zadie and Beth choose their musical highlights of the year.

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email [email protected]

SONGS

Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You

Judy Garland – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Darling Love – Winter Wonderland

Labi Siffre – Bless the Telephone

Pulp – Common People

Lola Young – Messy

Herman’s Hermits - I'm Henry the VIII, I Am

Dolly Parton – Hard Candy Christmas

ALBUMS

Blood Orange – Essex Honey

Rosalía - LUX

Mavis Staples – Sad And Beautiful World

Pulp - More

Van Morrison - Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast

Marcel Dadi – Dadi’s Folk

Ray Conniff – We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra - Christmas With Bert Kaempfert

T.S. Eliot – The Poems of T.S. Eliot