Sidetracked with Annie and Nick

Annie and Nick reflect on the year in music with the help of your voicenotes. What was it like meeting Debbie Harry backstage at Glastonbury and why was Annie mistaken for Harry Styles? Plus, Shakira’s jam, Kylie’s ‘Padam’ and the most unexpected moments of 2023.

It’s Christmas! 50 years on, Noddy Holder shares his key ingredients for a successful Christmas Number 1, but does reaching the festive top spot set you up life? Drama, performance and passion – Olly Alexander promises to bring all three to Eurovision 2024 and he shares a snippet of the song with Annie and Nick. Plus, Nick gives his hot take on SAULT’s first ever gig and the saga of the flying socks continues.

Sidetracked is all about taking a look at the things Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw have loved (and perhaps more importantly not loved) from the world of music. A week in music, a week in Annie and Nick’s lives, this is the destination for music and pop culture lovers looking for an authentic and light-hearted take on the week’s most compelling stories… getting seriously sidetracked along the way.

Sidetracked is a BBC Audio Production for BBC Sounds – new episodes drop every Thursday.

Lily Allen has the biggest Christmas song of the 21st century by a British artist but does she regret getting Nick to delete it 10 years ago? Ashes to ashes, socks to socks – Tate McRae is the latest popstar to be hit by something thrown on stage. Plus, life lessons from Adele and what to expect from SAULT’s first ever gig.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas (Number 1) - Cher’s thrown her hat into the ring. What do people listening to music in Berkeley have in common? Plus, Annie and Nick remember the brilliance of Shane MacGowan and please can everyone stop sharing their most listened to songs of the year?

As Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ hits the big screen, Annie and Nick discuss whether concert films are the future of live music. Why can’t we get hold of Dolly Parton and who would win in a fight between Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi? Plus, Annie has joined a choir and there’s a scientific reason why the noughties are back.

Why André 3000’s flute album proves that music still needs rule breakers. Elsewhere, Annie shares her crowd surfing tactics, Drake’s back sooner than we expected and Madonna attempts to get 20,000 people to fart on demand. Plus, why people are stealing Mike Skinner's trainers.

Diddy is in town – what’s it like to party with a mogul? Plus, is Dua Lipa the perfect popstar and why should we care about the Grammys?

Annie and Nick celebrate Missy Elliott’s brilliance as she enters the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Plus, auditioning for Coldplay’s next single and is it too early to defrost Mariah Carey?

Being a billionaire – Taylor’s version. Meanwhile Eminem has been busy making pasta sauce and a man called Elliot has discovered an interview with The Beatles that hasn’t been heard for 60 years. Plus, listener Jo from Sunderland is back from Las Vegas – she put Annie’s theory to the test… is Legoland better than the Sphere?

Who’s performing at Glastonbury 2024? Emily Eavis joins from Worthy Farm as Annie and Nick try to get the goss on next year’s headliners. Plus, the new West End run of Cabaret has had a hefty injection of pop and is Eric Cantona bigger than The Rolling Stones?