ANNIVERSARY

BOB DYLAN’S DEFIANT VOICE IN HEARTBROKEN AMERICA

A NEW REVIEW OF THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’

17 January 2026

THE DAY OF John F. Kennedy's assassination, Bob Dylan likely watched the news reports come in on television — the grainy images from Dallas, Texas flickering across the 22-year-old’s crestfallen face. CONTINUE READING >>

THE WEEKLY MIX

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ALBUM REVIEW

The Demise Of Planet X

Sleaford Mods

Following a change to their creative relationship, this is not only Sleaford Mods’ most ambitious album to date, it is their best.

10 January 2025

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RANKING

Best albums of 2025

Including the genres Americana, Britpop, singer-songwriter and R&B, and circling the globe from Australia to the Isle of Wight, here is State of Sound’s top 10 albums of 2025.

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LIVE REVIEW

Robyn Hitchcock: Blissful transcendence in East London

Suffused with its inter-war ghosts from its days as a Savoy cinema, the EartH theatre turned out to be the perfect setting for Hitchcock’s music. One year on, revisit our review of his transcendent live show.

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PLAYLIST

Britpop Acoustic

With Pulp releasing their first new album in 24 years and Oasis playing their first live shows in 16, Britpop is back. So we have put together a playlist of great Britpop songs, without the electricity.

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PLAYLIST

‘That don't make it junk’: The best of Leonard Cohen’s deep cuts

We take a deep dive into Laughing Len’s back catalogue and come up with some barnacled treasures.

INTERVIEW

Sleaford Mods: ‘The new album is gonna go over people's heads a little bit’

On the eve of the release of their new album, Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson tells us about the pressure of success, letting his ego go and how Abbey Road Studios is like a knitwear factory.

FEATURES

Interviews, opinions, rankings, playlists

THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Soul Alphabet

The January Collection

Soul Alphabet is a playlist of ambient music whose sounds and textures lean into structure and melody: a perfect way to cleanse your palate for the year ahead.

17 January 2026

‘People rate Gravity in their favourite records. There was trepidation’

INTERVIEW

Balloon talks about making their first LP, decades after their sublime debut.

INTERVIEW

The Red Tack: David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs changed everything

The Red Tack on dancing to the rhythm of the washing machine, infiltrating the Boston scene during the time of Dinosaur Jr. and Throwing Muses, and how Diamond Dogs changed his life.

MORE FEATURES

SACRED 7

The 7 albums, songs and riffs which changed artists’ lives

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RECORD COLLECTORS

Chris Coleman: 7 records I’d save in a fire

Chris Campbell on the record his mother left on his bed when he was a child, the record which always reminds him of his late brother and how his dog got on the cover of one of his favourites.

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RECORD COLLECTORS

Norman Maslov: 7 records I’d save in a fire

One of YouTube’s most popular record collectors, Norman ‘Mazzy’ Maslov explains the thrill of collecting in the 1960s, how it felt to grow up with the Beatles and why the Kinks always remind him of cheerleaders.

PLAYLISTS

Lovingly curated song collections

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THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Soul Alphabet: The January collection

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THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Tangled: The December collection

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THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Postcard: The November collection

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THE MONTHLY MIXTAPE

Chrome: The October collection

PET SHOP BOYS

‘All the love we hide’: The forgotten lyrics to one of Pet Shop Boys’ greatest songs

On the 40th anniversary of its original release, we explore the forgotten coda to Pet Shop Boys’ single ‘Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)’ and discover a haunting footnote to the story of 1980s Britain.

by David Rea

15 November 2025

ESSAYS

Cultural connections, historical perspectives

1960s MUSIC

‘It took a unique kind of courage’: how Son House beat the odds to make a masterpiece

On the 60th anniversary of its original release, we look at how Son House made Father of Folk Blues for white America.

By David Rea

18 October 2025

Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney in Scotland looking into the distance with a dog,

THE BEATLES

How the Beatles regenerated after the split

Around the time of the break up, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison moved closer to the countryside. We look at how their new homes impacted their album artwork and wonder how far they influenced their solo music.

ESSAY

How the Jam invented Britpop’s ethos

Critics couldn't take the Jam seriously at first, claiming they were just a bunch of gimmicks. But their ‘hail your heroes’ ethos was entirely authentic, setting the blueprint for Britpop two decades later.

NICK DRAKE

THE REMAKING OF NICK DRAKE: Is the complex artist finally stepping out from behind the ‘doomed genius’?

The new box set The Making of Five Leaves Left illuminates a focused and forthright artist at his genesis, and further undermines the idea he was an isolated, haunted romantic.

by David Rea

25 October 2025

REVIEWS

Independent opinion, informed criticism

ALBUM REVIEW

Sad and Beautiful World

Mavis Staples

In acknowledging the world’s sadness and beauty on this deeply felt album, Mavis Staples somehow finds hope too.

by David Rea

4 November 2025

Emerge, Return

The Bookshop Band

The Resurrection Game

Emma Swift

All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade

Robyn Hitchcock at the EartH theatre in London.

THE WEEKLY MIX

SACRED 7

PLAYLISTS

ESSAYS

MOST POPULAR

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