2025 was a year where reunions, anniversaries and nostalgia threatened to cast a shadow over new music and breaking artists ... it didn't though.
The year also saw artists (recording, releasing and touring at all levels) speak out to highlight how difficult it was to make it all financially viable and sustainable and for the importance of small and independent venues throughout the country.
- Credit to Myles Smith for making an impassioned speech while accepting his Rising Star award at The Brit Awards in March.
"To the biggest venues in the country and around the world - if artists selling out your arenas and your stadiums started in grassroots venues, what are you doing to keep them alive? Stick with artists. Moments, they fade, but careers last forever."
- Credit to Coldplay for donating 10% of earnings from their UK tour to the Music Venture Trust to support small venues.
- And to Sam Fender who donated his £25,000 prize for winning the Mercury to the MVT. Well played to both. They have set a bar for others to follow.
- And (of course) to Glasgow - a city blessed with so many small venues, the places I predominantly go to experience music - The Old Hairdressers, Mono, Stereo, McChuills, upstairs in The Doublet ... Saint Luke's and The Barrowland tend to be as big as I usually go.
The cost of everything has gone up. Musicians, roadies, sound engineers, lighting operators, merch managers, bus drivers ... all need to be paid. Then there are food and hotel costs. Touring isn't cheap.
A few musicians I know said that their hometown shows tend to help them break even on touring smaller venues in the UK and Europe. Merchandise is a saviour. Never feel guilty about buying a t-shirt! Although the cost of gig going has risen!
So, as always, there are challenges. And as always, there is creativity - new bands and artists breaking through, artists who can't stop writing and recording and veteran artists finding a new generation of fans falling for them.
Back to my albums of the 2025 though. Albums that need to be toured, artists that need venues of all sizes to take them (ideally) to places that want them to play. Whether that is to 200 people or 13,000.
Here are my 6 favourite albums of the year, plus a further 11 that I have enjoyed. As always, I'm sure other end of year lists will send me off to check albums I might have missed over the course of the year.
I've also created a playlist with one song from each album - check it HERE
2025 - 6 favourite albums
Snocaps by Snocaps
Twin sisters Allison and Katie Crutchfield are twin sisters who decided to form a new band to get back to working together like they did in their teens (they were 15 when their first band The Ackleys played their first show) and early twenties (P.S. Eliot).
Katie now records as Grammy nominated Waxahatachee and her Tigers Blood album was one of my albums of 2024. Allison records with her band Swearin' who I need to check out.
Getting Killed by Geese
In Limerence by Jacob Alon
Waves by Frank Popp Ensemble
The Cords by The Cords
Strong debut album by teenage sisters Eva and Grace, first blogged on HERE in January 2024. The Cords have gained huge support among the Glasgow indie community and have bagged a great record label in Slumberland. I look forward to seeing and hearing what they do next. Raw guitars, a beautiful voice with a natural knack for melodies and cool playful and primitive beats - joyful.
Playlist - When You Said Goodbye
Unclouded by Melody's Echo Chamber
11 more albums I have enjoyed through 2025
Anxious by Nell Smith
Posthumous release by a young singer songwriter who was bursting with creative ideas. A lovely album, tinged with sadness and thoughts of wondering what she could have gone on to do.
Playlist - Billions of People
We Are Love by The Charlatans
Love Chant by The Lemonheads
Double Infinity by Big Thief
A gorgeous album. Whether hushed and sparse, or lovingly layered. A special band.
Playlist - All Night All Day
Pinball Wanderer by Andy Bell
Andy Bell has it all going on. Before he embarked on rehearsals and then a mammoth tour with Oasis, he released Pinball Wandered (great title!) at the end of February. Bell has been releasing a steady stream of albums under his own name and his alter ego GLOK for more electronic ventures. In addition to recording a touring with a reformed Ride, Bell pretty much has the creative musicians life nailed! This is dreamy, trancey, psychedelic pop. Lovely!
Playlist - I'm In Love w/ Dot Allison
Idlewild by Idlewild
A supremely confident and consistent album by a band who have always played by their own rules.
Playlist - End With Sunrise
Loner by Barry Can't Swim
Bleeds by Wednesday
The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift
It's A Beautiful Place by Water From Your Eyes
An album I discovered via Spotify algorithms kicking in. I love it. The album has experimental jams and then gems like Playing Classics.
Playlist - Playing Classics
41 Longfield Street Late 80's by Kieran Hebden and William Tyler
This album is really dreamy and chilled and it soundtracked a drive home from an overnight in Anstruther. My youngest daughter Rosie slept in the passenger seat as I drove West towards the sunset. The perfect soundtrack.
Playlist - If I Had A Boat
