Sidetracked with Annie and Nick

Nick is joined by one of his favourite singers, Elmiene, while Annie is away. Fresh from releasing his debut album ‘sounds for someone’, Elmiene tells Nick what it’s like to work with Raphael Saadiq, how Benji B and Virgil Abloh helped him get his big break, and why it all links back to BBC Bitesize. They also discuss the news of Kanye West’s upcoming return to the UK, and how conflicted lots of his former fans feel about it. Plus, Celine Dion’s iconic comeback announcement inspires a conversation about Cornwall, and Rosalía’s food poisoning nightmare raises some serious questions. Get in touch with Sidetracked! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio. HOMEWORK: Listen to Elmiene’s debut album ‘sounds for someone’ and tell us your thoughts. SONGS D'Angelo – Untitled (How Does It Feel) Elmiene – Golden Elmiene – Light By The Window Eric Clapton – Layla Solange – Cranes in the Sky Wesley Joseph – Peace of Mind Wesley Joseph – Pluto Baby Kanye West – Through the Wire Kanye West – Heartless ALBUMS Elmiene – sounds for someone Ye – Bully Rosalía - LUX

It’s the inaugural Sidetracked Album Club: Annie and Nick travel down memory lane to 2005 after listening back to LCD Soundsystem’s debut album and answer questions like: What was life like then, how much have things changed, and does the music still hold up? Elsewhere, Nick is preparing for 6 Music Festival (which will see him DJ with Beth Ditto), Annie reflects on some excellent gig crowds and Courtney Love is on a very relatable Geese journey. Plus, Annie and Nick review SNL UK’s first episode, and a listener gets in touch about Lily Allen’s West End Girl shows, inspiring a conversation around the ethics of enjoying music about someone’s deeply personal pain. HOMEWORK: Send in your ideas for the next Album Club choice.Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio.SONGSLCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge LCD Soundsystem - Tribulations LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk Is Playing at My House LCD Soundsystem - Too Much Love LCD Soundsystem - Tired LCD Soundsystem - YeahThe Rapture - House of Jealous Lovers The Killers - Mr. Brightside Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out Scissor Sisters - Comfortably Numb Geese - TrinidadHot Hot Heat - Bandages ALBUMSLCD Soundsystem - LCD SoundsystemRobyn - Sexistential RAYE - This Music May Contain Hope Elmiene – sounds for someone Courtney Barnett - Creature of HabitThe Killers - Hot Fuss Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters Green Day - American Idiot Kasabian - Kasabian Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & The Lash

David Byrne leaves Annie wanting to know more about his live show while Nick avoids any Rosalía Lux Live spoilers. Plus, Annie and Nick discuss the intimate production behind James Blake’s new album and how too many opinions can hold an artist back. Speaking of opinions, there have been many about Jack Harlow’s new album, “Monica,” and Annie and Nick explore what puts the soul into neo-soul. Meanwhile, Morrissey has been left in a “catatonic” state and Live Nation executives give people new reasons to be angry, as Annie and Nick try to wrap their heads around their recent settlement with the US Department of Justice. Finally, Annie and Nick are paid a visit by Gail Mortley, an opera singer and singing teacher who kindly takes them through the importance of opera, instructions for our diaphragms, and a few vocal exercises for all burgeoning divas to follow - with Nick turning from reluctant singer to essential pillar of “Gail and the Gail-ettes.” HOMEWORK: Don’t forget to listen to LCD Soundsystem’s self-titled debut album and send us your thoughts ahead of our first ever album club discussion. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio. SONGS James Blake - Doesn’t Just Happen (feat Dave) James Blake - Rest of Your Life James Blake - Days Go By ALBUMS Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska Jack Harlow – Monica James Blake - Trying Times Various Artists for War Child Records – HELP(2) LIVE MUSIC Altin Gün David Byrne – Who's in the Sky? David Byrne - Stop Making Sense, film directed by Jonathan Demme Rosalía Lux Live OPERAS O Mio Babbino Caro from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini

Harry Styles has had a big week with the release of “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.” and even if he doesn’t pay attention to reviews, there’s a vital one in this episode. Annie and Nick discuss the new album, as well as a myriad of other new releases including War Child Records’ compilation album HELP (2), Yebba, and Eliza. Elsewhere, Timothée Chalamet has made a massive error by dismissing ballet and opera, but one good to come from it is Annie wants to learn how to sing classical music – and she takes some inspiration from Madonna to show how ready she is for the challenge. And Nick recently revealed the song that made him cry as a 10-year-old and now he has some scientific answers as to why music can inspire such intense emotional reactions. HOMEWORK: Listen to the HELP (2) album and/or get in touch if you think you can teach Annie and Nick to sing opera. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio. SONGS Harry Styles – Are You Listening Yet? Harry Styles – Coming Up Roses Harry Styles – Dance No More Ezra Collective & Green Tea Peng – Helicopters Wet Leg – Obvious Fontaine’s D.C. – Black Boys on Mopeds Arooj Aftab – Lilac Wine Flying Lotus – Antelope Onigiri Eliza – Pleasure Boy Fever Ray – The Lake (Cinematic) Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) ALBUMS Harry Styles – Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. (aka KISSTO/KATTDO) Yebba – Jean Various Artists for War Child Records – HELP(2) ELIZA – The Darkening Green Flying Lotus – BIG MAMA OPERAS La Traviata Carmen 7 Deaths of Maria Callas Akhnaten Rigoletto Tristan und Isolde

So the BRITs was fun...Annie and Nick review the 2026 event, which took place in Manchester for the very first time. How did Nick feel about Rosalía bringing on Björk? Did Annie think it worked as a TV show? And find out why our red-carpet interview with Self Esteem may have secured her a new, unexpected job. Elsewhere in the world of music, Rihanna has shared footage of her in an actual recording studio, Mitski has a brilliant new album, and Soulseek users are being trolled by an AI Homer Simpson. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio. HOMEWORK: The Sidetracked Album Club has officially started and March’s pick is LCD Soundsystem’s self-titled debut album. We’ll discuss it at the end of the month. SONGS Sam Fender & Olivia Dean – Rein Me In Rosalía - Berghain Harry Styles - Aperture Hozier – Take Me to Church Underworld – Born Slippy Mary J. Blige – I’m Going Down ALBUMS Mitski - Nothing's About to Happen to Me Altin Gün - Garip Harry Styles – Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem

With just days to go before the 2026 BRIT Awards, Annie and Nick discuss their plans for the night and whether there’s a more optimistic feeling around this year’s event. Plus, Spotify have revealed some stats around the royalties they paid UK artists in 2025 and the number of times global audiences played those artists – breaking news: Olivia Dean is really popular. Elsewhere, Lana Del Rey is back and seems more in control of her art than ever before, Annie is lamenting the decline of rap groups, and Nick has a Mary J Blige update. And one listener has a brilliant idea for people who want to appreciate albums as an artform. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio. SONGS Eminem – My Name Is Kanye West – I Wonder Labi Siffre – Cannock Chase Labi Siffre – Bless the Telephone Lola Young – Messy Lana Del Rey – White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter Yebba – Yellow Eyes The Scythe – THE SCYTHE The Scythe – LIT EFFECT Max Winter – Candlelight Radiohead – High and Dry ALBUMS Yebba – Dawn Yebba – Jean A Tribe Called Quest – Beats, Rhymes &Life cktrl – spirit The Scythe – Strictly 4 The Scythe Charli XCX – brat Charli XCX – Wuthering Heights Radiohead – The Bends

Annie and Nick are joined by friend, singer, fellow podcaster and icon, Jessie Ware. In between a long overdue catch up, they discuss Jessie’s new music, whether she has any plans to tour and how the album launch has changed since her first record. Plus, they ponder why the majority of songs focus on love or heartbreak, reveal the songs that devastate them the most, and Annie gives Jessie and Nick a necessary Irish vocab lesson. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio. Jessie Ware is releasing her 6th studio album ‘Superbloom’ on 10th April. HOMEWORK: Listen to Jessie’s excellent new single, Ride (out on 20th February) SONGS Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah Taylor Swift - Welcome to New York Jessie Ware - Ride Ennio Morricone- Main Theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Kendrick Lamar - Alright Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You Toto – Georgy Porgy Mary J. Blige - I’m Going Down Madonna - Justify My Love Donna Summer - Love to Love You Baby Pet Shop Boys - What Have I Done to Deserve This? Jessie Ware – Free Yourself ALBUMS Jessie Ware – Superbloom Charli XCX – brat Jessie Ware – Devotion Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure? Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good! Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music

Annie and Nick discuss Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl half-time show and have some pretty surprising opinions about it all – but what should other artists take from the performance? In other news, Taylor Swift released her music video for Opalite and some fans aren’t pleased with how she chose to do it; Rosalía is confirmed to perform at the Brit Awards, and Lana Del Rey has promised a new single is imminent. And in very serious, breaking news: Harry Styles has responded to Nick’s hard-hitting questions about ballet flats. HOMEWORK: Watch A$AP Rocky and FKA twigs’ on their respective episodes of Celebrity Substitute, and get in touch with details about the craziest thing you’ve done to get tickets to a gig. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio. The full 6 Music Festival line up can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q3zl2wn2xo SONGS Sasha Keable – Hold Up Ezra Collective & Sasha Keable – Body Language Rosalía - Berghain Rosalía - Sauvignon Blanc Rosalía - La Perla Lana Del Rey - White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter Lady Gaga – Die With a Smile Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin – I Like It Taylor Swift – Opalite ALBUMS Lana Del Rey - Stove Rosalía - LUX

With the Grammys done and the Super Bowl Half Time show looming, Annie and Nick discuss the monumental week Bad Bunny is having. They also go through their other stand out moments from the emotionally charged ceremony, and what it means to them to see artists like Olivia Dean, FKA twigs, Lola Young and the Cure succeed amongst such fierce competitors. Elsewhere, the UK version of SNL may not have a launch date just yet, but they do have a confirmed musical director – what could the show mean for music on the TV? Plus, in the name of journalism, Nick sends Harry Styles a very serious text. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected] And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbZ16VG0mPTML0Aa/?igsh=aXdtYzA2czJrenRj SONGS Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline Lola Young - Messy Kendrick Lamar – Luther HAAi (feat. Jon Hopkins, Obi Franky, ILĀ, & TRANS VOICES) - Satellite ILĀ, Nature - Nightingale (feat. Anna Phoebe & Sam Lee) ALBUMS Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving Bad Bunny - Debí Tirar Más Fotos FKA Twigs - Eusexua Justin Bieber - Swag Jacob Alon - In Limerence Gabriel Jacoby - gutta child

In a week so busy that Nick had to start making notes, he and Annie sit down to attempt to discuss some of the most important music stories, like the return of Arctic Monkeys, Victoria Beckham’s somewhat inappropriate chart success, and Robbie Williams beating a record previously held by the Beatles. In other news, Harry Styles fans are freaking out over Aperture – but what do Annie and Nick make of his new sound? And should we be worried about his feet? Plus, Pitchfork are opening the reviewing floor to the public, Brandi Carlile is obsessed with CMAT, and music industry insiders are declaring the album dead. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email [email protected] More information on the HELP(2) album here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4qqdy29d2o New Yorker Article about the changing relevance of the album drop here: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/why-albums-drop-and-movies-launch HOMEWORK: Watch Geese on SNL and listen to Robbie Williams’ album Brit Pop. SONGS James Blake – Death of Love James Blake – Limit To Your Love Arctic Monkeys – Opening Night Harry Styles – Aperture Victoria Beckham – Not Such An Innocent Girl Spice Girls – Viva Forever Cruz Beckham – LICK THE TOAD Madonna – Nobody Knows Me ALBUMS James Blake - CMYK Various Artists for War Child Records - HELP(2) Robbie Williams – BRITPOP Tyler, The Creator – CHROMAKOPIA Djo -The Crux Bad Bunny - Debí Tirar Más Fotos Perfume Genius – Glory Wet Leg - moisturizer Rosalía - LUX FKA twigs – Eusexua Madonna – American Life

The nominees for the BRIT Awards 2026 have been revealed and, in their signature chaotic fashion, Annie and Nick analyse the lists of names and ask: will Olivia Dean and Lola Young reign supreme? Could any moment rival Jarvis Cocker mooning Michael Jackson in 1996? And will Harry Styles perform his new music at the ceremony? Plus, Sidetracked favourite Jacob Alon has won the Critics’ Choice Award – and Annie and Nick have big feelings about it. Elsewhere, the Japanese PM has gone viral for her heavy metal drumming – should more world leaders use music in meetings with their peers? And Mitski is back with a brilliant new single; Lily Allen has shared the best response to Brooklyn Beckham’s explosive Instagram Stories statement, and Nick isn’t sure about Heated Rivalry.Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email [email protected] Full details of BRIT Awards 2026 Nominations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgjwnx70pjwo/HOMEWORK:Listen to new music from Mitski, Jessie Ware, James Blake, KAVARI, and A$AP Rocky.SONGSMitski – Where's My Phone?KAVARI – IRON VEINSThe Roots – You Got MeJames Blake – Death of LoveLola Young – MessyOlivia Dean – Man I NeedCynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande – Defying GravityGracie Abrams – That's So TrueDisco Lines and Tinashe – No Broke BoysRosé and Bruno Mars – APTLady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die With a SmileChappell Roan – Pink Pony ClubTaylor Swift – The Fate of OpheliaALBUMSA$AP Rocky – Don't Be DumbJill Scott – To Whom This May ConcernHarry Styles – Kiss All the Time. Disco, OccasionallyLily Allen – West End GirlGeese – Getting KilledJacob Alon – In Limerence

Harry Styles is teasing something new, with posters showing up in cities all over the world – but what does it all mean? Annie and Nick dissect the role Harry’s fan community is playing in the cryptic campaign. Elsewhere, Robyn has revealed her purpose in life and it’s a strong one, A$AP Rocky is braggadocious in the best ways, and in an unlikely twist, Annie has found herself drawn to a Bruno Mars song. Plus, Annie and Nick celebrate a big change for Sidetracked. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email [email protected] HOMEWORK Watch the following music videos: Talk To Me by Robyn; I Just Might by Bruno Mars, and Helicopter by A$AP Rocky. SONGS Wesley Joseph & Danny Brown – Peace Of Mind A$AP Rocky – Helicopter A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky Robyn – Talk To Me Robyn – Sexistential Bruno Mars – I Just Might Bruno Mars & Lady Gaga – Die With A Smile Bruno Mars & Sexyy Red – Fat Juicy & Wet Bruno Mars & Rosé - APT Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk HUNTR/X, Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami – Golden ALBUMS SAULT – Chapter 1 Wesley Joseph - Forever Ends Someday Robyn - Sexistential Harry Styles – Harry's House George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 Marvin Gaye - What's Going On Miles Davis - Kind of Blue Talking Heads - 77 Television - Marquee Moon The Saints - I'm Stranded David Bowie - Let's Dance

In the first week of 2026, Annie and Nick have different thoughts about the new A$AP Rocky single, Gen Z are discovering Prince thanks to Stranger Things, and EsDeeKid has told The Chainsmokers exactly what he thinks of their 4 Raws remix. Elsewhere, Stormzy has used social media to express his thoughts about...social media and revealed how he's grown as an artist and as a person. Plus, Jill Scott is finally back with new music, vinyl is expensive, and Annie and Nick get sidetracked by hedgehogs. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email [email protected] HOMEWORK: Watch Prince performing “Purple Rain” at 2007’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, and listen to Mandy, Indiana’s “Cursive” SONGS FAUZIA – The Way Mandy, Indiana – URGH Mandy, Indiana – Magazine Mandy, Indiana – Cursive A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky JADE – Angel of My Dreams Jill Scott – Beautiful People Jill Scott - Exclusively Prince – Purple Rain Prince – When Doves Cry Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) America - A Horse With No Name EsDeeKid, Timothée Chalamet - 4 RawsTears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the WorldALBUMS A$AP Rocky – Don't Be Dumb Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern, Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 Bob Marley and the Wailers – Exodus Arctic Monkeys – AM Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn HillFloating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra – Promises FKA twigs – Eusexua

What does 2026 have in store for the music industry? Annie and Nick look ahead to expected releases, rumoured returning artists, and an exciting list of confirmed festival line ups. Plus, BBC Music Correspondent Mark Savage joins them to share his expert predictions about which artists to look out for this year, and what music trends we can expect. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email [email protected]