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BBC Sounds

For music and pop culture lovers looking for an authentic and light-hearted take on the week in music... with broadcasters and music fanatics Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw.

Sidetracked with Annie and Nick

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

Missy Elliott, Spotify’s Influence, and Crazy Frog

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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 

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

Taylor Swift’s Psyche, Bread, and Teaching Children About Vinyl

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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 

 
SONGS 

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

Robyn Rumours, Banned Music, and Bad Bunny (Again)

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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 

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

Sidetracked with Olivia Dean

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.
 
Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk
 
 
ALBUMS

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 
 
SONGS 
 
Selda Bağcan - İnce İnce Bir Kar Yağar

Bad Bunny, Bowie at The V&A, and Chicken Gate

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. 
 
Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 

SONGS 

 
HAIM – Take Me Back 

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 

 
ALBUMS 

Charli XCX – brat 

KPop Demon Hunters – Soundtrack from the Netflix Film 

Addison Rae – Addison 

HAIM – I Quit 

Wolf Alice – The Clearing 

CMAT – Euro-Country

K-Pop Demon Hunters, 90s Nostalgia, and the Coral Reef

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. 
Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk

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 
 
ALBUMS 

CMAT – Euro-Country 

Wolf Alice – The Clearing 

Blood Orange – Essex Honey 

Sabrina Carpenter – Man's Best Friend

CMAT is God, Invisible DJs, and a Taylor Swift Retraction

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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk

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

Chappell Roan, Notting Hill Carnival and Musical Midlife Crises

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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 

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

Sidetracked with Josh Homme

A look back on the biggest musical lessons of 2025 so far with the help of Sidetracked’s guests, including Cynthia Erivo sharing her theory on why we’re created with the ability to sing, Stevie Wonder pondering the concept of retirement, and James Blake standing up for Coldplay. Plus, Michael Eavis’s approach to birthday parties, Alana Haim’s bad habits and Sir Rod Stewart’s Glastonbury budget. 

Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 07970082700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk

Annie & Nick’s Mid-Year Review

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