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. 3D AGO

    Harry Styles values community, Robyn’s purpose, and is Bruno Mars a hypnotist?

    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$AP Rocky is braggadocious in the best ways, and in an unlikely twist, Annie has found herself drawn to a Bruno Mars song. Plus, Annie and Nick celebrate a big change for Sidetracked. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk HOMEWORK Watch the following music videos: Talk To Me by Robyn; I Just Might by Bruno Mars, and Helicopter by A$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

    44 min

  2. JAN 8

    A$AP Rocky, Remix Etiquette, and Gen Z discover Prince

    In the first week of 2026, Annie and Nick have different thoughts about the new A$AP Rocky single, Gen Z are discovering Prince thanks to Stranger Things, and EsDeeKid has told The Chainsmokers exactly what he thinks of their 4 Raws remix. Elsewhere, Stormzy has used social media to express his thoughts about...social media and revealed how he's grown as an artist and as a person. Plus, Jill Scott is finally back with new music, vinyl is expensive, and Annie and Nick get sidetracked by hedgehogs. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk HOMEWORK: Watch Prince performing “Purple Rain” at 2007’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, and listen to Mandy, Indiana’s “Cursive” SONGS FAUZIA – The Way Mandy, Indiana – URGH Mandy, Indiana – Magazine Mandy, Indiana – Cursive A$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 Raws Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World ALBUMS 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 Hill Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra – Promises FKA twigs – Eusexua

    44 min

  3. JAN 1

    Rihanna Rumours, Oasis at Knebworth, and AI transparency

    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 sidetracked@bbc.co.uk

    29 min

  4. 12/18/2025

    Lily Allen’s brutal honesty, Oasis forever, and the 2025 zeitgeist

    Annie and Nick review the standout moments from the past 12 months. From the Oasis tour to Lily Allen’s culture shifting album release, 2025 has been a major year for UK artists, and who could forget the impact of moments such as: an awkward secret being revealed at a Coldplay concert, Katy Perry going to space, and CMAT playing Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage for the first time. Plus, Annie and Nick attempt the impossible task of choosing just one album and song of the year each. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk SONGS Taylor Swift – So High School PinkPantheress – Illegal HAIM – Relationships Lola Young – Messy Cameron Winter - Nausicaä (Love Will Be Revealed) ELIZA – Anyone Else Ave Maria Jacon Alon – Liquid Gold 25 CMAT – The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station Blood Orange - Mind Loaded ALBUMS Patti Smith – Horses Björk – Cornucopia Mavis Staples – Sad and Beautiful World Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl Charli XCX – brat Lily Allen – West End Girl Rosalía - LUX CMAT – Euro-Country Cameron Winter – Heavy Metal Dave - The Boy Who Played the Harp Blood Orange – Essex Honey Geese – Getting Killed Chronixx - Exile

    42 min

  5. 12/11/2025

    Sidetracked by Christmas ‘25

    Zadie Smith and Beth Ditto join Annie and Nick for the annual Sidetracked Christmas gathering, recorded at an Irish pub in North London. They share nostalgia, gossip and gifts, and decide what makes a song a Christmas song – declaring which ones are truly the greatest. Plus, Annie, Nick, Zadie and Beth choose their musical highlights of the year. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16 WhatsApp 079700 82700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk SONGS Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You Judy Garland – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Darling Love – Winter Wonderland Labi Siffre – Bless the Telephone Pulp – Common People Lola Young – Messy Herman’s Hermits - I'm Henry the VIII, I Am Dolly Parton – Hard Candy Christmas ALBUMS Blood Orange – Essex Honey Rosalía - LUX Mavis Staples – Sad And Beautiful World Pulp - More Van Morrison - Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast Marcel Dadi – Dadi’s Folk Ray Conniff – We Wish You a Merry Christmas Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra - Christmas With Bert Kaempfert T.S. Eliot – The Poems of T.S. Eliot

    1 hr

  6. 12/04/2025

    Olivia Dean’s Wins, Cameron Winter, and Reading 2.0

    After successfully challenging Ticketmaster over the price of resold tickets on the platform, Olivia Dean has inspired Annie and Nick to ask: should more artists stand up for their fans? Also in Olivia Dean news, she and Lola Young are the only UK artists to make it into Spotify’s Top 10 UK Song or Artist lists for 2025. Yes, Wrapped is out but does anyone care about other people’s listening habits? Plus, Jorja Smith’s team are seeking royalties from an AI track which many people believed to be hers, Björk is using proceeds from a song she made with Rosalía and Sega Bodega to take the Icelandic state to court, and the Reading/Leeds line up is one of its best ever. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk SONGS Alex Warren - Ordinary Gracie Abrams - That’s So True Lola Young - Messy Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club Billie Eilish - BIRDS OF A FEATHER Ravyn Lenae – Love Me Not sombr - back to friends Gigi Perez – Sailor Song Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars - Die With A Smile Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe! Björk, Sega Bodega, Rosalía - Oral HAVEN – I Run ALBUMS Cameron Winter – Heavy Metal F.S.Blumm & Nils Frahm – Handling Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’Sweet Alex Warren - You'll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1) KPop Demon Hunters Cast - KPop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving Charli XCX – brat Fontaines D.C. - Romance Sega Bodega – I Created The Universe So That Life Could Create a Language So Complex, Just To Say How Much I Love You ANNIE'S DINGLE LIST: Michael D. Higgins Dove Ellis Dermot Kennedy Sorcha Richardson Chalk The Scratch

    39 min

  7. 11/27/2025

    Beyoncé’s Next Record, Timothée Chalamet Conspiracies, and Stupid Popstars

    Is Timothée Chalamet secretly a Scouse drill rapper named EsDeeKid? Annie and Nick investigate this conspiracy and all available evidence for and against it. Elsewhere, Beyoncé has let herself be seen in public, which can only mean one thing: something is about to be announced. Plus, Charli XCX has analysed the realities of being a pop star in a recent essay, which raises the question: is the life of a popstar inherently stupid? And Annie and Nick pay tribute to two music greats, Gary “Mani” Mounfield and Jimmy Cliff, and discuss how songs can allow artists to live forever. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk SONGS JT – Girls Gone Wild Shygirl/JT/Sega Botega – Slime Oasis – Live Forever Jimmy Cliff – You Can Get It If You Really Want Jimmy Cliff – Wonderful World, Beautiful People Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now Jimmy Cliff – The Harder They Come Charli XCX – Von dutch Rosalía - Berghain ALBUMS Rosalía - LUX Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska Beyoncé - Renaissance Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter The GQ journalist who investigated whether Timothée is EsDeeKid is Josiah Gogarty.

    45 min

  8. 11/20/2025

    Choosing Gigs Over Sex, Billie Eilish vs Elon Musk, and Lily Allen Smokes

    After an eye-opening survey by Live Nation, Annie and Nick discuss why more people would choose to go to a concert rather than have sex – and whether the both of those things belong in the same category. Otherwise this week, Nick attended a fashion show with Beth Ditto, and spotted a familiar face on the catwalk; and Annie was mesmerised by a Mulatu Astatke show. Plus, Lorde played the O2 and two listeners have strong opinions about it, CMAT is making people cry at her gigs, and BBC Introducing has been criticised for playing an “AI Artist” And Billie Eilish is taking on Elon Musk for not giving away his riches, but before they can decide who’s winning this feud, Annie and Nick need to work out how many billions are in a trillion. Get in touch with Annie and Nick! If you’re over 16, WhatsApp on 07970082700 or email sidetracked@bbc.co.uk SONGS Mark Morrison – Return of the Mack Mulatu Astatke - Tezeta Rosalía- Berghain Robyn – Dopamine Charli XCX – Chains of Love Hercules & Love Affair – Someone Else is Calling ALBUMS Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu Plays Mulatu Rosalía - LUX Lily Allen - West End Girl

    45 min
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4.9
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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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