Artists who defined 2025
December 2025
All stories
HAIM: "Sometimes you pick yourself up and have a fucking adventure"
From secret Glasto sets to dry-cleaner album shoots and the wildest dating stories imaginable, the HAIM sisters embraced a year of saying “fuck it” - and made their most freeing record yet.
By Dork
A lovingly compiled guide to whatever ‘the talent’ decided counted as a highlight this year
What made your 2025?
By Dork
You voted, we counted: Here are the Dork Readers' Poll 2025 winners
Consider this the official receipt for 2025.
By Dork
Dork's Top 9 EPs and mixtapes of 2025 (because that's what we had room for in the magazine layout)
These EPs and mixtapes are where 2025’s most exciting voices sharpened their sound and upped the stakes.
By Dork
Dork's albums of the year 2025: 1 - Hayley Williams - Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Whether you're raising a toast or just raising an eyebrow, here's our countdown of the albums that shaped 2025.
By Dork
5SOS's Michael Clifford has released a surprise solo track, 'Carry You Away (Demo)'
His debut solo album 'SIDEQUEST' dropped in July through Hopeless Records.
By Felicity Newton
November 2025
All stories
'The Crux Deluxe' is Joe Keery cleaning out his emotional sock drawer: messy, slightly unhinged and absolutely worth it
Joe Keery lets DJO run wild on 'The Crux Deluxe'. Playful and unguarded, it marks the close of one chapter and the start of another.
By Ali Shutler
Sex Mask's new EP 'Body Broker' is here: "It's a diss album to my dad and everyone who's wronged me"
With ‘Body Broker’ out now, the Melbourne band unpack the feelings behind the songs, the live rush, and the debut album already lined up for next year.
By Felicity Newton
ELIZA, post-pop and perfectly placed
No longer chasing hits, she’s chasing truth - and her new music carries the confidence of someone who knows what she wants.
By Martyn Young
Meet Heidi Curtis, the North East artist finally stepping into the spotlight
From North Shields open mics to arena support slots, Heidi Curtis has taken the long road to her first release — and ‘Undone’ signals a striking new chapter for a rising talent.
By Finlay Holden
South Arcade are ready to ‘PLAY!’
Call it alt-pop, call it post-emo, call it whatever you want: South Arcade are doing it their way.
By Harry Shaw
FOCUS Wales has unveiled the first wave of artists for 2026, including shame, Fat Dog and more
Early bird tickets are now available.
By Felicity Newton
October 2025
All stories
The Last Dinner Party are playing with fire and having a blast
Their debut made them overnight icons. Their follow-up sees them digging deeper into grief, glamour, fury and friendship. ‘From The Pyre’ isn’t a reinvention of The Last Dinner Party: it’s them, turned all the way up.
By Ali Shutler
Sigrid's new album finds her louder, funnier and bolder than ever
Twelve years into her career, Sigrid is still obsessed with music – but this time, she's doing things her way.
By Ciaran Picker
The Belair Lip Bombs are ready to go off (again)
After years of late nights, day jobs, and relentless touring, The Belair Lip Bombs' new album 'Again' feels like the start of something huge.
By Ciaran Picker
Witch Fever are done with forgiveness
With new record 'FEVEREATEN', Witch Fever evolve from punk fury to gothic grandeur.
By Linsey Teggert
From heartache to healing: Nell Mescal breaks down her brilliantly brutal EP
Nell Mescal’s second EP, ‘The Closest We’ll Get’, charts a messy, moving journey through limbo-love and self-preservation.
By Dork
Baby Dave goes on a hunt for fancy fizzy water for his new single 'San Pellegrino'
He's not long released a new album with his band Soft Play.
By Sam Taylor
September 2025
All stories
Creeper cheat death (again) with their most ambitious era yet
The cult goth-punks return with ‘Sanguivore II’, a bombastic vampire sequel about love, damnation and the music industry.
By Jack Press
No silence, no surrender: Sprints are taking their shot
In a world that often seems to demand silence, Sprints are getting louder. Their second album is a statement of purpose, a release of tension and a reminder that sometimes just existing is a political act.
By Steven Loftin
No filter: Zara Larsson is ready to have fun on her terms
With new album 'Midnight Sun', pop powerhouse Zara Larsson is stepping out of the algorithm and into the light.
By Ali Shutler
HUNNY wants you to forget everything you thought you knew
Jason Yarger is embracing uncertainty, cheerleader chants and the chance to sound like anything on new album 'SPIRIT!'.
By Steven Loftin
"I just needed to become myself": Joy Crookes finds new purpose on 'Juniper'
Four years after 'Skin', Joy Crookes is back with a record shaped by grief, growth and the fruits of her labia.
By Ali Shutler
Ella Eyre embraces questionable choices with her new single 'hell yeah'
Intimate, candlelit shows are set for UK venues in December.
By Sam Taylor
August 2025
All stories
From burnout to blow-up: Nova Twins aren't holding anything back
After a year of sleepless touring and mental exhaustion, Nova Twins were thrown back into their bedrooms with a looming deadline. The result? Something raw, real and very, very loud.
By Ciaran Picker
Slow Crush are ready to change everything
With a new album, a new label, and a saxophone (yes, really), shoegaze’s heaviest dreamers are heading into uncharted territory.
By Steven Loftin
Leigh-Anne is in her no-fucks, full-love era
At 2025's Reading Festival, Leigh-Anne opens up about independence, identity and her next chapter.
By Ali Shutler
Bilmuri just want to have fun
Johnny Franck’s emo party-rock beast is finally stepping into the spotlight.
By Ali Shutler
"Sometimes, it's ok to be pissed off": Nieve Ella is done playing it safe
At 2025's Reading Festival, the indie-pop firestarter reflects on a summer of sweaty gigs and fan epiphanies
By Ali Shutler
ENHYPEN set Manchester alight with a show that's all bite, no filler
On the rare occasion a K-pop group books a tour date outside of London, they make it count. ENHYPEN do that and then some. Before they even step on stage at Manchester’s AO Arena, the energy is already at a 10, with the fans packing it out roaring at eardrum-rattling decibels as music videos play on the big screens. Obviously, this is par for the course at K-pop concerts, but it’s exceptionally noticeable tonight.
By Abigail Firth
July 2025
All stories
Finding June: De'Wayne's third act starts here
Spiritual awakenings, falsetto funk and sliding into Lenny Kravitz's DMs.
By Steven Loftin
New name, new album, new era: hard life return from the edge
Matravers’ sharp-tongued comeback is less about bitterness and more about surviving the fallout.
By Finlay Holden
Tom A. Smith: New era, same energy
With a freshly-inked deal with Fiction and more new music on the way, Sunderland’s indie upstart is stepping into his boldest chapter yet.
By Felicity Newton
UNIVERSITY: "We proper hate what a lot of music is doing right now"
With their debut album ‘McCartney, It’ll Be OK’, UNIVERSITY are gleefully dismantling expectations through unhinged jams and creative freedom.
By Steven Loftin
Øya 2025: Seven artists worth turning up early for
Whether you’re front row or hillside lounging, don’t sleep on these sets: you’ll be bragging about them for years.
By Aurora Henni Krogh
Frost Children have released a new EDM single, 'What is Forever For'
Frost Children announce their third album 'SISTER' and share new EDM single with a self-directed video featuring Angelina Hoffman.
By Sam Taylor
June 2025
All stories
DORK x 2000TREES: letlive.'s unexpected resurrection finds power in healing
Seven years after their abrupt farewell, the post-hardcore revolutionaries find freedom in starting fresh.
By Alexander Bradley
Hot Milk turn fear into fury: "This album is about everything I'm scared of"
On their raw and rebellious new album 'Corporation P.O.P.', the Manchester duo dig deep into social commentary while keeping their signature wit.
By Ali Shutler
Gordi: On melting, mending and making music that feels
On new album 'Like Plasticine', Gordi confronts grief, queerness, and post-pandemic transformation with songwriting that stretches and reshapes emotion into sound.
By Felicity Newton
KuleeAngee: Sweat, studio parties and spiritual squelch-pop
From session gigs and shared hangovers to dancefloor euphoria and acid house anthems, Scottish duo KuleeAngee are turning instinct into musical magic.
By Felicity Newton
Wall of Death: Shame take the fastest route on their transformative new album 'Cutthroat'
With no time for melancholy, the band embrace speed and spectacle for their most energetic and optimistic record to date.
By Jake Hawkes
Olivia Rodrigo transforms Hyde Park into pop's new kingdom
When you're one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, headlining major festivals across the globe with a catalogue of anthems that fans have cherished since their release, a boiling summer day in Hyde Park proves the perfect setting to celebrate. When it comes to defining an era, Olivia Rodrigo has become that voice. A modern pop icon crafting a hall-of-fame career that crosses generations while doing things her way. Moulding pop into a mix of crunching rock, infectious hooks and raw personality, Hyde Park has hosted legendary moments that cement artists' place in history. Tonight, Olivia Rodrigo joins them in a way only she can.
By Jamie Muir
May 2025
All stories
The Maccabees: How time changed everything (and nothing at all)
After stepping away at their peak in 2017, The Maccabees return to the stage in 2025 for All Points East with renewed perspective and the same magnetic chemistry that made them indie legends.
By Steven Loftin
Level up with Shura: Video games, vulnerability and finding joy in the darkness
With her new album 'I Got Too Sad For My Friends', Shura invites us into a world where vulnerability becomes strength and sadness makes space for joy.
By Felicity Newton
From Dublin to London: Kissing On Camera find their voice
With their debut EP 'Baby Names', the Dublin-born, London-based band transform displacement into five tracks of fuzzy emo catharsis.
By Harry Shaw
House of Protection: The supergroup duo demolishing heavy music's rulebook
With Download and Reading & Leeds on the horizon, and a new EP out now, House of Protection discuss creative freedom, breakneck pace, and why sometimes the best way forward is to blow up the blueprint.
By Harry Shaw
3 shows in 24 hours: The Snuts chronicle their weekend at Middlesbrough, Neighbourhood and Live At Leeds: In The Park
The band give us a peak behind the scenes of their packed weekend. What's one more job to do, eh?
By Dork
Muse are going to headline Portugal's NOS Alive festival alongside Nine Inch Nails
Muse and Nine Inch Nails will headline Portugal's NOS Alive festival on July 12th, alongside other major acts performing across three days.
By Sam Taylor
April 2025
All stories
Employed To Serve: "We wanted to make an empowering record; it's a battle cry"
As global chaos reigns, Employed To Serve return with ‘Fallen Star’, a rallying cry for inclusivity that proves metal’s power to unite rather than divide.
By Ciaran Picker
Bristol's newest noise merchants MOULD break down their explosive new EP, 'Almost Feels Like Purpose'
The up-and-coming trio guide us through their new EP.
By Dork
DBA!: Liverpool's underground experimentalists find beauty in the basement
From a nightclub drain to festival stages, the Merseyside trio channel raw creativity and introspection on debut EP 'skip! worried'.
By Harry Shaw
DORK x DOT TO DOT: Westside Cowboy: "Don't think, just enjoy it - it's music for everyone"
Manchester's self-proclaimed Britainicana pioneers transform friendly jam sessions into one of the UK's most intriguing new sounds.
By Felicity Newton
Wishy turn album extras into essential listening with their 'Planet Popstar' EP
What started as tracks left off 'Triple Seven' has evolved into a bold new direction for the rising dream-pop experimentalists.
By Felicity Newton
Turnstile have released 'Seein' Stars' and 'Birds', featuring Blood Orange's Devonté Hynes and Paramore's Hayley Williams
Turnstile releases dual music video for two tracks from their upcoming album 'Never Enough', featuring collaborations with Blood Orange and Paramore.
By Sam Taylor
March 2025
All stories
Breaking her own rules: Camila Cabello is learning to trust her instincts
With her most experimental album yet dividing opinion, pop's fearless innovator discusses creative risks, mental health, and chasing understanding.
By Ali Shutler
The Darkness: How Britain's glam rock rebels learnt to stop chasing helicopters
From unexpected outsiders to rock veterans, The Darkness channel two decades of experience into their most honest album yet.
By Steven Loftin
Deafheaven: "We do what we want because our whole ethos is honesty"
From 'Infinite Granite''s bold departure to their new album 'Lonely People With Power', metal's boundary-pushers keep moving forward.
By Jack Press
Orchards: "We wanted to experience what life is, heal, then make something meaningful"
The Brighton three-piece turn heartbreak into blissful indie-pop on their cathartic new album 'Bicker'
By Linsey Teggert
Sam Akpro's 'Evenfall': Where post-punk meets electronic dreamscapes
The South London artist has journeyed from skateboarding culture to crafting 'Evenfall', his genre-defying debut album.
By Felicity Newton
Public Image Ltd, Dry Cleaning and The Moonlandingz are going to play Rockaway Beach festival at Butlin's in 2026
Post-punk legends Public Image Ltd will headline the 2026 Rockaway Beach festival at Butlin's Bognor Regis alongside Dry Cleaning and others.
By Sam Taylor
February 2025
All stories
9 years of 'i like it when you sleep...': Revisit our 2016 interview with Matty Healy of The 1975
As their landmark second full-length 'i like it when you sleep...' turns nine years old today (Wednesday 26th February), we're republishing our December 2016 Album of the Year cover feature with Matty Healy of The 1975.
By Ali Shutler
As It Is: From farewell plans to fresh beginnings, pop-punk's prodigal sons return
After nearly calling it quits, As It Is reunite their classic lineup to reimagine their debut album with help from friends old and new.
By Jack Press
Growing Up Punk: Viagra Boys have learnt to love the quieter life
From stealing bikes to selling out Sweden's biggest venue, Sebastian Murphy and co. show that maturity doesn't mean losing your edge.
By Jake Hawkes
Deep Sea Diver, finding freedom through failure: "Art means embracing imperfections and messiness"
After scrapping an entire album's worth of recordings, Jessica Dobson emerged with Deep Sea Diver's most fearless and vital work yet - and a coveted spot on Sub Pop's roster.
By Felicity Newton
From bedroom productions to festival stages, Dublin artist Annie-Dog's refreshingly authentic approach is winning hearts
With her breakthrough EP ‘15’, bedroom producer-turned-cosmic pop architect Annie-Dog is rewriting the rules of artistic intuition one synchronicity at a time.
By Felicity Newton
The Driver Era have shared two new singles, 'Don't Take the Night' and 'Can't Believe She Got Away'
Alt-pop duo The Driver Era release two new singles ahead of their fourth album 'Obsession', following fan-voted release strategy.
By Felicity Newton
January 2025
All stories
L.S. Dunes: “The universe tells you what it is and what it needs to be”
L.S. Dunes may have started as an experiment in remote collaboration, but their second album ‘Violet’ finds the supergroup operating at the peak of their collective powers.
By Alexander Bradley
Manic Street Preachers: "Muzzling young people only leads to bitterness"
Three decades in, and Wales' most vital band return with 'Critical Thinking', an album that turns their legendary scrutiny inward
By Martyn Young
Victoria Canal's quest for meaning: from pop anthems to piano confessionals
Between nihilist abandon and deep introspection, Victoria Canal’s debut album ‘Slowly, It Dawns’ captures the beautiful confusion of finding yourself.
By Martyn Young
How sister duo ALT BLK ERA turned late-night creativity and personal battles into a defiant debut album
From MOBO nominations to crowd surfers at 2000trees, this sister duo are crafting their success story on their own nocturnal schedule.
By Sam Taylor
Fuck the algorithm: How FKA twigs' 'Eusexua' is sabotaging the system
As AI threatens to sanitise pop music, FKA twigs' 'Eusexua' stands as a defiant manifesto for human chaos, physical connection and algorithmic rebellion.
By Dork
Up-and-coming alt-popster Marti Perramon has released a trust-themed new single, 'Truck'
Spanish-born Marti Perramon explores trust issues and personal vulnerability in his new alt-pop single 'Truck', released via Polydor Records.
By Sam Taylor
