Sidetracked with Annie and Nick

In a busy week for new music announcements, Annie and Nick look back and ahead. First though, Nick needs to talk about his newfound passion: Sumo Wrestling. Elsewhere, Rosalía and Dave have announced new music, and Lily Allen is dropping an album on Friday - which Annie and Nick have had a sneak preview of. In other news: what made this year’s Mercury Prize so much better than previous years? And of course, the sad news of D’Angelo’s death has allowed the world to pay tribute to his immense influence; Annie and Nick discuss their love for his music.

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

SONGS

Lily Allen – West End Girl

D’Angelo - Playa Playa

D’Angelo - Untitled (How Does It Feel)

Lauryn Hill & D’Angelo - Nothing Even Matters

ALBUMS

Dave – The Boy Who Played The Harp

Lily Allen – West End Girl

Rosalía - LUX

Sam Fender – People Watching

D’Angelo - Brown Sugar

D’Angelo - Voodoo

D’Angelo - Black Messiah

With a grassroots campaign against Spotify getting global attention, Annie and Nick ask if the platform faces any real existential threat – or is its grip on the market unbreakable?

Elsewhere, Drake’s lawsuit against Universal has been dismissed, Missy Elliot’s “Get Ur Freak On” has been declared the best song of the 21st century so far and FKA Twigs wants to help more women work in music. Plus, breaking news: Patti Smith is good, going out keeps you feeling young, and Crazy Frog sounds better with food.

SONGS

Patti Smith – Gloria

Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

Missy Elliott – Get Ur Freak On

Frank Ocean - Thinkin Bout You

Britney Spears - Toxic

Radiohead - Idioteque

Kendrick Lamar - Alright

Robyn - Dancing on My Own

Taylor Swift - All Too Well

The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Beyoncé feat. Jay Z - Crazy in Love

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps

RAYE – Where the Hell Is My Husband?

The Smiths – Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now

Axel F – Crazy Frog

ALBUMS

Chronixx – Exile

Annie and Nick attempt to wrap their heads around Taylor Swift’s sales stats, in the days after the release of her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl. And ask important questions such as: what motivates the most famous person in the world, did she really bake all that bread for breakfast radio hosts, and is she the female Ricky Martin?

Elsewhere, Mariah Carey may be on the verge of finally releasing the original version of her grunge album, Charli XCX is back in the studio, and Bad Bunny is fit. Plus, a twist: Nick has changed his mind about K-Pop Demon Hunters.

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

SONGS

Q-Tip – Vivrant Thing

Q-Tip – Breathe and Stop

Mustafa – Stay Alive

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

Lianne La Havas – Disarray

Danny Brown – Starburst

Taylor Swift – Actually Romantic

Charli XCX – Sympathy is a Knife

Aqua – Barbie Girl

Ace of Base - All That She Wants (Is Another Baby)

Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam

Patti Smith - Gloria

ALBUMS

Q-Tip – Amplified

Doja Cat – Vie

Chick – Someone's Ugly Daughter

Mariah Carey – Daydream

Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl

Taylor Swift – Folklore

Charli XCX – brat

Pink Pantheress – Fancy That

In a week that saw the terrorism case against Kneecap’s Mo Chara thrown out, and Bad Bunny announced as the performer at next year’s Super Bowl half-time show, Annie and Nick discuss the complex history of music and world events. Elsewhere, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have announced the birth of their third child Rocki Irish Mayers, and Robyn might be about to release a new album. Plus, Annie has some grammatical feedback for Nick, and many questions about Geese.

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

Olivia Dean – Man I Need

Bad Bunny - NUEVAYoL

ALBUMS

Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving

Geese – Getting Killed

Robyn – Honey

Bad Bunny - Debí Tirar Más Fotos

Olivia Dean is the first British Female Artist since Adele to have three singles in the top 10 simultaneously and her single Man I Need is the highest performing song on the Global Spotify Chart from a UK artist in 2025 so far. Annie and Nick welcome Olivia to the Sidetracked studio, on the eve of the release of her second album, The Art of Loving.

Olivia, Annie and Nick delve into the week in music: Cardi B’s long awaited second album, Frank Ocean addressing rumours of new music, and Miley Cyrus collaborating with Fleetwood Mac. Plus, the power of the comfort zone, British chocolate bars - and can AI write a convincing Olivia Dean song?

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

SONGS

Olivia Dean - Man I Need

Robbie Williams – Angels

Robbie Williams – Rock DJ

Cardi B, Lizzo – What's Goin On

4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?

Miley Cyrus, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood – Secrets

ALBUMS

Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving

Cardi B – Am I the Drama?

Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful

Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Are phone-free experiences the future? Annie and Nick discuss the importance of forging real connections after an effective stickers-on-phones policy. Elsewhere, 90,000 Bowie artefacts are being exhibited at London’s V&A museum and Bad Bunny puts his fan’s safety first by deciding not to tour in the US. Plus, Cardi B takes album sales into her own hands, the 2026 Coachella line-up is (already) here, and Annie and Nick discuss their Mercury Prize winner predictions.

Cardi B – Am I the Drama?

CMAT – EUROCOUNTRY

Jacob Alon – In Limerence

Pulp – More

Fontaine’s D.C. - Romance

Joe Webb - Hamstrings & Hurricanes

Martin Carthy - Transform Me Then Into A Fish

SL – Block Tales

What the hell happened in music this summer? Annie and Nick reflect back on a season to remember, from the Song of the Summer (or lack thereof) to their personal highlights from the past few months. Plus, Annie and Nick road test a new, and somewhat unhinged, feature...the Gigging Forecast! Similar to the shipping one but think more live events than high seas.

SONGS

Chappell Roan – The Subway

Jess Glynne – Hold My Hand

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

Goo Goo Dolls – Iris

Addison Rae – Headphones On

HAIM – Relationships

Olivia Dean – Man I Need

Charli XCX – brat

KPop Demon Hunters – Soundtrack from the Netflix Film

Addison Rae – Addison

HAIM – I Quit

Wolf Alice – The Clearing

CMAT – Euro-Country

Inspired by Annie’s recent driving epiphanies, Nick details how CMAT made a journey to Manchester a spiritual experience. In other news, Beyoncé and Jay Z might be moving to the Cotswolds, Cardi B continues to be the funniest person in the world, and Sabrina Carpenter’s interview with Gayle King gave us more questions than answers. And after an overwhelming response to a Sidetracked social clip about invisible DJs, Annie and Nick present the most compelling arguments for and against.

SONGS

CMAT - Lord, Let That Tesla Crash

CMAT - Ready

CMAT – Iceberg

CMAT – Coronation St.

CMAT – Sports Car (Radio 1 Live Lounge)

Wolf Alice – The Sofa

Wolf Alice – Just Two Girls

Oliver Sim – Obsession

Blood Orange feat. Caroline Polachek, Lorde, & Mustafa – Mind Loaded

Mazzy Star – Fade Into You

Sabrina Carpenter – Tears

TSHA - Revolution

CMAT – Euro-Country

Wolf Alice – The Clearing

Blood Orange – Essex Honey

Sabrina Carpenter – Man's Best Friend

From Chappell Roan’s Reading Festival set to Notting Hill Carnival, Annie and Nick discuss the August bank holiday weekend – and how enjoyable it is to sit down. Plus, the music that inspired several epiphanies for Annie on her drive back from Forwards Festival in Bristol. Elsewhere, Beth Ditto thinks Nick CAN sing, Annie gives her analysis of Taylor Swift’s album announcement, and a listener describes how a Fat Dog gig helped her let go on the dancefloor.

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

SONGS

Chappell Roan – The Subway

The Who – Baba O’Riley

Oliver Sim - Obsession

Soul Wax - New Earth Time

Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe!

Wolf Alice - The Sofa

Wolf Alice - Just Two Girls

ALBUMS

Natalie Bergman - My Home Is Not In This World

Jim Legxacy - Black British Music

Taylor Swift - The Life of a Showgirl

CMAT - Euro-Country

Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme joins Nick to discuss the week in music. It's been a tough week for All Points East, the festival was the focus of some savage reviews after Sault’s much anticipated show and now Doechii has cancelled her upcoming headline slot. Nick and Josh ask: where has it all gone wrong? Plus, Taylor Swift isn’t the only one with a new album coming out in October, Florence + The Machine are returning, and Josh recalls the time he tried and failed to match Florence Welch’s ethereal energy. Elsewhere, Lana Del Rey and Ethel Cain are in a feud, the Hives are back and better than ever, and Liam Gallagher’s been banned from throwing his tambourine into the crowd at Oasis gigs.

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

SONGS

The Hives – The Hives Forever Forever the Hives

Florence + The Machine – Everybody Scream

Big Freedia – Explode

Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash – Jackson  

Florence + The Machine & Josh Homme – Jackson (MTV Unplugged)

The Smiths – This Night Has Opened My Eyes

OutKast – Hey Ya!

Robyn – Dancing On My Own

New Order – Blue Monday

Radiohead – Let Down

Dean Martin – Mambo Italiano

ALBUMS/EPS

Queens of the Stone Age – Alive in the Catacombs

The Hives – The Hives Forever Forever the Hives

Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl

Oasis – Definitely Maybe

Florence + The Machine – Everybody Scream