Editors' Picks

Cody Fry’s latest album, ‘Pictures of Mountains’, was one of the greatest musical achievements of the decade. It illustrated a side to pop that has only existed in imagination, a feat which Cody Fry made seem so easy. One of the highlights from that album, where the record takes its first turn, was the song ‘Photograph’. An orchestral ballad that slowly unveils itself layer after layer, telling the heart-wrenching story of one’s desire to live in their favorites moments forever. That song, touching so many, has been reimagined with Clair de Lune as a prelude, which only emphasizes the beauty of the original song, not only in theme but also as it stands strongly alongside one of the greatest classical pieces ever composed.

Once upon a time, Hak Baker was a member of the UK grime outfit B.O.M.B squad, but after some time away, he has come back to being a solo artist. His latest release is a great showcase of the undoubted talent he has.

Paramore has blessed us once again with a new album release titled This is Why. The band capitalizes on a softer sound, sounding elegant and smooth all the while maintaining the edge Paramore has been known for all their career. The penultimate song from the record, titled ‘Crave’, is not only a brilliant single on its own, but a wonderful way to prepare the album’s sendoff.

After seven studio albums, the British based rock band are clearly still thirsty for more success, as their creativity grows from strength to strength. Their first EP from 2004 catapulted You and Me at Six to mainstream audiences and now they have a huge loyal fanbase. With the band now in their early 30s, you can imagine that they themselves were influenced by the explosion of guitar music of the 90s, and you won’t be surprised that this song is a celebration of that. 

US rockers Paramore are back with their first studio album in almost six years. But trust us when we say, “This is Why” has been well and truly worth the wait. They may have taken an extended break during COVID lockdowns but have emerged stronger than ever with an album that grabs your attention from the very first track and does not let go.

Jessie Ware has a powerful and unique sound that she has developed over her years in the industry. Now, at the age of 40, she has amassed a core following and carries a wonderful reputation as a performer. Whilst older than some of her famous alumni school mates, she can say (or more so they can) they attended the same school as Florence Welch and Jack Penate, and some may argue she has had the most illustrious career to date. 

Ellie Goulding has been a feature of the UK music scene since 2009, with a fantastic collection of releases and accolades to put her in the pop royalty bracket of the UK music scene. Her latest release is a little overdue, but her fans will love the texture and composition of her new tracks, and Like a Saviour has the key ingredients to become a favourite for many of her fans. 

Many a good country star has hailed from Tennessee, and Morgan Wallen is the latest to be gracing the airwaves. We first met Morgan Wallen as a contestant on the 2014 version of The Voice. After this exposure he then signed to Panacea Records and began to embark on a successful career as a solo musician. 

Canadian songstress Shania Twain has launched a brilliant comeback album, her first offering in almost six years. “Queen of Me” has now been released and has absolutely been worth the wait. Twain’s delightful vocals sound even better than ever, as she continues to dance that line so effortlessly between country and pop.

Caroline Polachek has been a long standing member of the music scene since her emergence with Chairlight and their first EP in 2007. Many releases later and her huge amount of critical acclaim, Blood and Butter is the latest release in a long line of successful tunes. 

Ella Mai first experienced a taste of the spotlight as part of her trio Arize on the 11th season of the X Factor. The band didn’t last long after their 2014 dash with fame, but it gave a good platform for Ella Mai to build her reputation from. Now with a string of releases behind her, she is building a strong following of loyal fans. 

Jake Shears brought about much joy and fun to the music industry with the music of the Scissor Sisters, but now is venturing out on his own. With a distinctive vocal range and experience of writing some dance floor fillers, he is bound to leap from hit to hit with his new releases. 

Joan are a pop duo, hailing from Little Rock in Arkansas. They have released a series of tracks since their formation in 2017, and Nervous is their latest offering. 

Demob Happy has been around now for a number of years. Forming first in 2008, and they have been developing their sound and stage presence ever since. Originally from Newcastle, they have relocated down to Brighton to help their opportunities, which is certainly paying dividends as their fan base continues to grow. 

After stunning fans back in November with Atum: A Rock Opera Act One, the Smashing Pumpkins have outdone themselves with the follow-up, Act Two. It has been well-known since September 2022 that the intention was for Atum to be a three-part release, staggered between November 2022 and April 2023. Act One blew everyone’s minds with 11 wonderful tracks, masterfully constructed and proving that the Pumpkins are better than ever. 

Maisie Peters is a young woman with a plan. She started releasing her own material at the tender age of 17, having already been seen on our TV screens at 15 performing some of her own songs. She has been given some good live performing opportunities too, opening for Niall Horan on a recent tour, as well as Ed Sheeran, so we can assume that the future is looking very very bright for Maisie Peters. 

Macklemore is a well established artist, with a portfolio now stretching across decades! At 39, he has continued to have a thirst for creativity and this song is testament to someone who has gathered a wisdom of writing and ability to showcase true rap talent in a unique way. 

It has been 10 years since Conor Maynard was catapulted into the public eye, with his critically acclaimed single release of ‘I can’t say no’. Since then he has released a strong catalogue of tracks and has even tried his hand at musical theater. Before the pandemic hit, he could be seen in the Broadway production of Kinky Books! His latest track, ‘If I Ever’ is sure to please his fanbase and I would imagine it to attract new listeners to some of Maynard’s back catalogue. 

Lola Young is a young new performer, who is already attracting a healthy fanbase with over 41K followers on her Instagram page. Originating from South London, she is carving out a strong reputation as one of the UKs most exciting new up and coming artists. 

There are a handful of global artists that could adopt the mantel of being a music superstar, but Pink is sure one that should definitely be considered. She is now in her 23rd year as an established artist and has gained a huge fanbase in every corner of the world after releasing an extensive catalogue of critically acclaimed hits. 

Adam Lambert is flamboyant, extravagant and truly unique as an artist. Cutting his teeth with Queen in recent years has made him one of the most exceptional performers in the world. He had big shoes to fill, in Freddie Mercury, but instead of trying to copy him, he has forged a fantastic fresh feel and has developed his own confidence as a singer and performer. 

For a young musician, Arlo Parks has already crammed lots into her career, and her latest song stands her in good stead to make progress on the UK charts, with success already seen in other parts of the world, this track will help her expand her fanbase in her home country. 

The Hertford born singer songwriter has been at the forefront of the British music scene for 8 years, after his hit single Budapest catapulted him into stardom. His distinctive voice and excellent song writing skills have meant we have heard many more hits from his creative mind and the Sweetest Human Being Alive is his latest offering. 

Metallica have pulled off what is seemingly impossible. Keeping a secret from their legions of fans. They have unleashed a surprise single that nobody saw coming. “Screaming Suicide” has landed and is truly mind-blowing. The track is the second from their upcoming “72 Seasons” LP which is due to hit on 14 April. 

Billy Locket has a longer career in music than you might think. He began releasing material as far back as 2011, but the UK based singer songwriter is maturing into a name that many people will be becoming familiar with. A quick search of recent live shows tell us that not only can Billy Lockett write a good tune, he is a pretty talented live performer and pianist too! 

Andy Grammar was discovered busking in Santa Monica, and the rest has been a growing catalog of successful live and studio work. His debut album was released in 2011 and there have been regular releases ever since. 

Mimi Webb signed to Epic Records at the tender age of 18, and now 4 years into her journey is growing from strength to strength. The British born singer-songwriter is developing an impressive list of releases and Red Flags, her latest offering is set to add to her collection of critically acclaimed work. 

Blake Rose is a 25 year old singer songwriter from Perth, Australia. He first came to our attention as a 21 year old singer songwriter, receiving rave reviews for his debut work. His latest release, Use Me, is another example of a rare songwriting talent who will no doubt be producing other creative pieces for years to come. 

JW Francis has had an interesting life before his music career. He was born in Oklahoma, lived in Paris, New York and is now a recent signing to Sunday Best Recordings. He delightfully refers to himself as ‘bedroom pop’, and there is a complete innocence to his music and production that really appealed to me. 

Each Christmas, the UK draws a huge media feature on the John Lewis advert, so much so that for many families, this feeds into their traditions. In 2012 it was this advert that launched Gabrielle Aplin into stardom with her cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s, The Power of Love. Prior to this, she was growing a fanbase as an acoustic singer songwriter from Wiltshire. 

Who would have thought Iggy Pop is 75? The aging rocker is still releasing new music and sounding great in the process, with his trademark look and stage presence. 

M Huncho is a 29 year old rapper and trap music star from London. If you have ever seen a picture of him, you will notice he always wears a mask! Apparently this is to keep his life outside of music as normal as possible. Whatever the reason, it gives a real sense of mystery about the man. 

The partnership of Cheats Codes, an LA based DJ trio and Dolly Parton is quite a surprise and I would love to know more about how the collaboration came about. The country legend, who has been an international treasure for over 50 years, is still being creative and adding her unique voice to diverse projects. 

Ava Max is a 28 year old American singer songwriter, who has been in the public domain for a lot longer than you might imagine. She broke onto the scene in 2016 and has been growing her fanbase ever since. 

RuPaul needs little introduction. The 62 year old has been a household name for a long time. For this track he has teamed up with mixer, rapper and producer Skeltal Ki, a lesser known artist, but one that certainly provides a lot of interest to the music!