Sidetracked with Annie and Nick

BBC Sounds
  • 4.9 (38)
  • MUSIC COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

  1. 2D AGO

    LCD Soundsystem Nostalgia, Lily Allen Gig Review, and Praise for SNL UK

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio. SONGS LCD 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 - Yeah The Rapture - House of Jealous Lovers The Killers - Mr. Brightside Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out Scissor Sisters - Comfortably Numb Geese - Trinidad Hot Hot Heat - Bandages ALBUMS LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem Robyn - Sexistential RAYE - This Music May Contain Hope Elmiene – sounds for someone Courtney Barnett - Creature of Habit The Killers - Hot Fuss Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters Green Day - American Idiot Kasabian - Kasabian Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & The Lash

    46 min

  2. MAR 19

    David Byrne wows, Rosalía is hard to miss, Jack Harlow sings neo-soul and Annie and Nick sing opera

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 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

    56 min

  3. MAR 12

    Harry Styles is quite good, Compilation albums are back, and Timothée Chalamet is wrong

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 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

    48 min

  4. MAR 5

    Sidetracked reviews the BRITs, Rihanna’s ‘Night in the Life’, and Homer Simpson as a pop girlie

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 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

    53 min

  5. FEB 26

    A British Music Revival, Lana Del Rey, and Album Clubs

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 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

    43 min

  6. FEB 19

    Sidetracked with Jessie Ware

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 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

    49 min

  7. FEB 12

    Harry Styles Texts Back, Bad Bunny Jeopardy, and Quantifying Culture

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 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

    38 min

  8. FEB 5

    Bad Bunny, Music on TV, and the timelessness of Sweet Caroline

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk 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

    46 min
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4.9
out of 5
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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.

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