Beyond the Grooves Awards 2025
What a year for the sonic landscape. From the return of the Gallagher brothers to the cinematic rise of new soul icons, 2025 has been a masterclass in musical evolution. Here are the heroes who defined the last 12 months.
British Male
Winner: Sam Fender. Sam didn’t just release an album; he captured the national psyche. With the arrival of 'People Watching', he graduated from the UK’s answer to Springsteen to a singular rock icon. His 2025 tour, culminating in those historic, record-breaking nights at St. James’ Park where he played 'Seventeen Going Under' to a sea of 50,000, proved that raw, honest songwriting is still the most powerful currency we have.
The Shortlist (Nominees):
Dave: 2025 was the year Dave went "global auteur" with the release of his third studio album, 'The Boy Who Played the Harp'. This deeply introspective record, featuring tracks like 'Chapter 16', 'History', and 'Raindance', solidified his status as the most vital storyteller in British rap. Exploring themes of faith and destiny, it marked a bold, muted shift in his sound that resonated worldwide.
Finnlay K: The dark horse of the category. Finnlay’s rise has been meteoric, punctuated by the massive success of his 'All In Your Mind' EP. Singles like the infectious 'Cherry' and the vulnerable 'Burning Out' showcased his indie-soul sensibilities and nostalgic influences, earning him a dedicated audience and a breakout year on the UK touring circuit.
British Female:
Winner: Florence + The Machine Fifteen years after 'Lungs', Florence Welch returned for the 'Symphony of Lungs' at the BBC Proms, a performance so ethereal it felt like a religious experience. This year also saw the arrival of her sixth studio album, 'Everybody Scream', a "witchy" and visceral record born from a period of healing and creative fury.
Whether she was performing 'Dog Days Are Over' with a full orchestra or leading the primal charge of her new title track 'Everybody Scream', she remains the high priestess of British pop-rock, commanding the stage with more power than ever.
The Shortlist (Nominees):
Ellie Rowsell: Whether leading cultural initiatives as a National Album Day ambassador or fronting Wolf Alice, Ellie remains the undisputed "coolest person in the room." Over the last year, we’ve watched her grow into a formidable arena commander as the band stepped onto the UK's biggest stages, including a career-defining night at the O2. On their newest album, 'The Clearing', Ellie led the band into a lush, '70s-inspired soundscape, blending Fleetwood Mac-style grooves with her signature haunting vocals on tracks like 'Bloom Baby Bloom'.
Charli XCX: 2025 was the year "Brat Summer" became a forever thing. After dominating the cultural conversation, Charli swept the ceremony, picking up five awards, including Songwriter of the Year. Between the viral mania of 'Apple' and her historic headline set at Glastonbury 2025, she has redefined what it means to be a British pop icon.
British Group:
Winner: Oasis The 'Oasis Live ‘25' reunion wasn't just a tour; it was a total cultural takeover. Selling out massive runs at Wembley Stadium and Heaton Park, the Gallagher brothers proved that their chemistry and their fans' loyalty are untouchable. Hearing 'Live Forever' and 'Slide Away' in a stadium again reclaimed their throne as the definitive British rock band. The atmosphere was electric, a cross-generational pilgrimage that felt less like a series of concerts and more like a national celebration.
The Shortlist (Nominees):
Wolf Alice: 2025 marked their true "Arena Era." In support of their fourth album 'The Clearing', the band embarked on a massive UK arena tour, including a landmark night at London’s O2 Arena. Their transition into stadium-sized rock icons has been seamless. Watching Ellie Rowsell command a room of 20,000 felt like witnessing the crowning of indie royalty; between the feral, grunge-fueled energy of 'Giant Peach' and the celestial, widescreen beauty of 'Bloom Baby Bloom', they proved they have the sonic scale to fill these massive rooms.
Pulp: Jarvis Cocker led the 'You Deserve More' tour, but the highlight was their "secret" Pyramid Stage headline set at Glastonbury. Billed under the alias 'Patchwork', they delivered a masterclass in showmanship, mixing material from 'More' led by the self-reflective anthem 'Spike Island' with the timeless tracks from the bands 90s heyday 'Common People' and 'Disco 2000'
The Royston Club: The Wrexham boys have had a flawless 12 months. Their sophomore album 'Songs for the Spine' became a Top 5 hit, culminating in an emotional homecoming that solidified them as leaders of the new indie vanguard.
The Clause: Birmingham’s finest finally dropped their debut album 'Victim of a Casual Thing'. They’ve spent the year moving from packed festival tents to their own massive headline shows, including a huge show at Birmingham's O2 Academy, fueled by the energy of singles like 'Nothing Is As It Seems'.
British Breakthrough
Winner: Olivia Dean Olivia’s 2025 has been a "pinch-me" year. Beyond her sophomore masterpiece 'The Art of Loving', her collaboration with Sam Fender on the 'Rein Me In' duet became a definitive moment of the year, bringing a stunning female perspective to his stadium anthem. She has transitioned into a world-class soul star with effortless grace. Her ability to blend timeless Motown warmth with modern indie-pop sensibilities reached a new peak with 'So Easy (To Fall in Love)', a track that perfectly captures her sun-drenched, honeyed vocals. Whether she’s commanding a festival main stage or harmonising in a sold-out arena, Olivia possesses a rare, magnetic charm that makes every performance feel deeply personal.
The Shortlist (Nominees):
Fat Dog: The wildest live show of the year. Their blend of dance-punk and "cowboy-techno" chaos, led by the frantic 'King of the Slugs', has made them the most talked-about band on the circuit.
Keo: Bringing heavy, shoegaze-infused grit back to the mainstream with their 'Siren' EP, Keo has carved out a space for the outsiders in 2025. Between the crunching distortion of 'I Lied, Amber' and the cathartic release of 'Thorn', they have made themselves the essential "ones to watch" for 2026.
International Artist
Winner: Tame Impala Kevin Parker takes the prize after a year that saw him redefine his sound yet again. 2025 was the year of 'Deadbeat', a raw and gritty record that swapped his polished psych-pop for the hypnotic, club-heavy pulses of the Western Australia rave scene. Driven by the massive success of the cheeky, electro-disco banger 'Dracula', Kevin proved he is still the ultimate architect of modern sound. The album reaches its emotional peak on 'Piece of Heaven', a gorgeous synth-pop masterclass, and the sprawling seven-minute acid-house epic 'End of Summer'. After winning an ARIA for the project and launching a global arena tour, his influence on the sonic landscape remains unmatched.
The Shortlist (Nominees):
CMAT The "Euro-Country" Queen had a stellar year. Her third album, 'EURO-COUNTRY', was a work of genius, blending Nashville heartbreak with high-camp pop. On the sprawling title track 'Euro Country', Ciara delivers a poignant love letter and critique of her home country, Ireland, mapping out the unique tension of belonging to a small island while possessing global pop ambitions. Tracks like 'The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station' proved her ability to turn everyday observation into surrealist art.
Chappell Roan The 'Midwest Princess' had a historic run, transforming the Main Stage at Reading and Leeds into a pink-cowboy-hat-filled pop pilgrimage. Her sets were legendary, cementing anthems like 'Good Luck, Babe!' and 'HOT TO GO!' as the defining sounds of the summer. After a year of record-breaking festival crowds and a visual aesthetic that redefined pop stardom in 2025, she has become an undeniable force in the industry.
International Group
Winner: Geese The New York outfit took an experimental leap with their third album, 'Getting Killed'. Blending '70s art-rock with modern energy on the volatile opener 'Trinidad' and the rapid, militant grooves of '100 Horses', they are currently the most exciting band on earth. The record is anchored by the blinding luminescence of 'Taxes', a track built on a polyrhythmic intro that explodes into a cathartic rock anthem.
The Shortlist (Nominees):
Fontaines D.C.: The Irish giants hit a new career peak this summer with a string of massive outdoor shows, most notably their headline set at Finsbury Park for 45,000 fans. This, alongside huge dates at Wythenshawe Park and Cardiff Castle, solidified their transition into the stadium tier. With the release of 'Romance' and the heavy, hip-hop-inflected anthem 'Starburster', they have managed to scale up their sound without losing an ounce of their poetic, gritty soul.
HAIM: After a five-year wait, the sisters returned with 'I Quit', a record that radiates raw energy and a sun-drenched, '70s rock swirl. Their world tour reminded everyone that nobody nails a harmony, or a bass face, quite like the Haim sisters. While they lean into a new, self-assured sophistication on tracks like 'Relationships', their live performances of 'The Steps' remain the gold standard for high-energy sibling chemistry.
Inhaler: 2025 was the year Inhaler mastered "Alternative Pop" with their third album, 'Open Wide'. Stepping out of their comfort zone with producer Kid Harpoon, the band delivered a guitar-driven pop masterclass. The title track 'Open Wide' and the soaring lead single 'Your House' have become staples of their widescreen rock sets as they continue to conquer the world’s biggest stages.
Album of the Year
Winner: Sam Fender – People Watching. There was no competition. 'People Watching' is a towering achievement that finds Sam Fender questioning the very themes of nostalgia and regional identity that made him a star. It is a grey, grit-flecked portrait of modern Britain, exploring everything from closing grassroots venues to the cost-of-living crisis, all while delivering the most anthemic choruses of his career. It isn't just an album; it’s a cultural document.
The Shortlist (Nominees):
Inhaler – Open Wide: A sleek, evolved record that saw the Dublin four-piece finding their mojo. Produced by Kid Harpoon, it moves beyond simple indie-rock into "guitar-driven pop odyssey" territory, blending techno rhythms with Nick Cave-esque depths on tracks like the haunting 'Even Though'.
Wolf Alice – The Clearing: A confident, celebratory return that traded the chaos of youth for the self-assurance of a band in their prime. Moving from the explosive 'Bloom Baby Bloom' to the 70s-soft-rock warmth of 'Safe In The World', it proved Wolf Alice are the most versatile band in the country.
Sleep Token – Even in Arcadia: A record of staggering ambition and cinematic production. While Vessel’s songwriting leaned into electronic and trap-heavy pulses, the "Polyphia-style" technicality of 'Gethsemane' and the blackened fury of 'Infinite Baths' kept the "metal" crowd on their toes.
Pulp – More: Their first album in 24 years was the rarest of reunion records: one with something new to say. Jarvis Cocker traded the "cuckoldry and class rage" of the 90s for profound reflections on middle-age, divorce, and the Farmer's Market, all set to Gallic chanson and disco rhythms.
Haim – I Quit: A messy, brilliant breakup album that saw the sisters reclaiming their space. Featuring a genius sample of George Michael’s 'Freedom! '90', the record rakes over the coals of toxicity with garage-blues grit and what might be the best pop song they’ve ever written: 'Relationships'.
The Royston Club – Songs for the Spine: A purposeful second record that side-stepped the "sophomore slump" by leaning into emotional complexity. From the grungy pulse of 'The Patch Where Nothing Grows' to the stark beauty of 'The Ballad of Glen Campbell', they proved they are ready for the big stages.
The Clause – Victim of a Casual Thing: A debut full of 60s blues influence and 90s attitude. Tracks like the disco-tinged 'Tell Me What You Want' and the chaotic 'White Life Line' (which channels Favourite Worst Nightmare era Arctic Monkeys) make this an essential indie-rock statement.
Geese – Getting Killed: An unpredictable, shamanic masterpiece that NME correctly crowned a "hurricane in a bottle." It successfully reconciled the "banal with the apocalyptic," moving from the unhinged yells of 'Trinidad' to the "religiously ecstatic" swagger of 'Taxes'.
The Soundtrack of 2025
The awards are only half the story. To hear the music that defined these wins—from the stadium-sized anthems of Sam Fender to the visceral, '70s-infused return of Wolf Alice, and the sleek alternative pop of Inhaler, check out my definitive Top 15 Songs of the Year.
Discover how Geese became the ultimate late-night discovery, how one of my favourite bands of all time staged a flawless return to form, and how The Royston Club side-stepped "second album syndrome" with a record that feels both purposeful and assured.
Read the Top 15 Songs of 2025 here