![Wolf Alice become the guitar heroes of 2015: SPOILER ALERT - Wolf Alice's debut album My Love Is Cool is absolutely marvellous. Like, a real game-changer. A blast of fresh ideas and youthful grunge exuberance, it's perfect for summer. If there's any justice, they'll become at least as big as Royal Blood. Festival season is theirs for the taking.]()
Wolf Alice become the guitar heroes of 2015: SPOILER ALERT - Wolf Alice's debut album My Love Is Cool is absolutely marvellous. Like, a real game-changer. A blast of fresh ideas and youthful grunge exuberance, it's perfect for summer. If there's any justice, they'll become at least as big as Royal Blood. Festival season is theirs for the taking.
![Muse get heavy: Just in case you've been living in a cave throughout 2015, you may not have heard that Muse are back with Drones - their hardest, darkest and heaviest album in years. Anticipation is high to see if they can reach their Origin Of Symmetry era-level of riff-fuelled insanity. The defining moments of truth will surely come at Download Festival - one of the few festivals they've yet to headline, and one of their last remaining challenges.]()
Muse get heavy: Just in case you've been living in a cave throughout 2015, you may not have heard that Muse are back with Drones - their hardest, darkest and heaviest album in years. Anticipation is high to see if they can reach their Origin Of Symmetry era-level of riff-fuelled insanity. The defining moments of truth will surely come at Download Festival - one of the few festivals they've yet to headline, and one of their last remaining challenges.
![Brandon Flowers becomes an icon on his own terms: Yup, his solo debut Flamingo was fine and all, but the stuff we've heard from The Desired Effect so far is among the finest work of his career. We reckon this summer could see him finally find true greatness outside of The Killers.]()
Brandon Flowers becomes an icon on his own terms: Yup, his solo debut Flamingo was fine and all, but the stuff we've heard from The Desired Effect so far is among the finest work of his career. We reckon this summer could see him finally find true greatness outside of The Killers.
![The epic live return of Foo Fighters: We're struggling to think of a stadium that Foo Fighters aren't playing this summer. With all of that, plus Glastonbury, it's going to be nigh-on impossible to miss Dave Grohl and co in the coming months.]()
The epic live return of Foo Fighters: We're struggling to think of a stadium that Foo Fighters aren't playing this summer. With all of that, plus Glastonbury, it's going to be nigh-on impossible to miss Dave Grohl and co in the coming months.
![The Libertines bring Albion back: Not only are they finally headlining Reading & Leeds, but they're currently finishing up the one we thought we'd never see - that long-awaited album No.3. With the drugs and the shambles behind them, here's looking to summer to see if Pete, Carl and co can finally enjoy the champagne years they've so long deserved.]()
The Libertines bring Albion back: Not only are they finally headlining Reading & Leeds, but they're currently finishing up the one we thought we'd never see - that long-awaited album No.3. With the drugs and the shambles behind them, here's looking to summer to see if Pete, Carl and co can finally enjoy the champagne years they've so long deserved.
![Kanye takes on Glastonbury: The most controversial headline booking since Hova. Yeezus has certainly split opinion as to whether or not he deserves or fits his place atop the bill at the Pyramid Stage. We think he'll smash it, but it certainly remains music's biggest talking point of 2015 as to whether or not he'll make history or just rant his way into oblivion.]()
Kanye takes on Glastonbury: The most controversial headline booking since Hova. Yeezus has certainly split opinion as to whether or not he deserves or fits his place atop the bill at the Pyramid Stage. We think he'll smash it, but it certainly remains music's biggest talking point of 2015 as to whether or not he'll make history or just rant his way into oblivion.
![Florence explodes: From what we're heard so far How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is the most ambitious work of her career, and we'd safely say that its release and huge slot at Glastonbury will be her true crowning moment - marking her as an arena act and soon-to-be festival headliner. Even with a broken foot...]()
Florence explodes: From what we're heard so far How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is the most ambitious work of her career, and we'd safely say that its release and huge slot at Glastonbury will be her true crowning moment - marking her as an arena act and soon-to-be festival headliner. Even with a broken foot...
![FFS drop the weirdest album of the year: We pretty madly in love with the debut album from Sparks and Franz Ferdinand, FFS. Call it weird, call it arty, call it flamboyant, it's all of those things and more - just don't call them a 'supergroup'. What they've done here is take the most extreme corners of their personality and create an entirely new band. This town ain't big enough for the both of us? Not any more.]()
FFS drop the weirdest album of the year: We pretty madly in love with the debut album from Sparks and Franz Ferdinand, FFS. Call it weird, call it arty, call it flamboyant, it's all of those things and more - just don't call them a 'supergroup'. What they've done here is take the most extreme corners of their personality and create an entirely new band. This town ain't big enough for the both of us? Not any more.
![Kendrick seizes the throne: To Pimp A Butterfly is one of the most crucial and forward-thinking hip-hop albums of recent times. Watch as he ascends to his rightful place at the very top of his game when he dominates Wireless and Reading & Leeds.]()
Kendrick seizes the throne: To Pimp A Butterfly is one of the most crucial and forward-thinking hip-hop albums of recent times. Watch as he ascends to his rightful place at the very top of his game when he dominates Wireless and Reading & Leeds.
![Will we see Adele again? We've been dogged by rumours of the 'Rolling In The Deep' star's third LP for longer than we care to remember, but now reports say it's likely to drop in September - suggesting new material should be our way by summer. All of her albums have been named after her age, and there was a time when it was said to be called '25'. She's 26 now, don't keep us waiting until 27 please.]()
Will we see Adele again? We've been dogged by rumours of the 'Rolling In The Deep' star's third LP for longer than we care to remember, but now reports say it's likely to drop in September - suggesting new material should be our way by summer. All of her albums have been named after her age, and there was a time when it was said to be called '25'. She's 26 now, don't keep us waiting until 27 please.
![Manic Street Preachers bring The Holy Bible home: 'Fearless, relentless, monumental and essential - this was their finest hour'. That was how we described the Manics' life-changing Holy Bible shows at The Roundhouse last year. Imagine the sense of history as they play the seminal LP in all of its vitriolic majesty at Cardiff Castle in June.]()
Manic Street Preachers bring The Holy Bible home: 'Fearless, relentless, monumental and essential - this was their finest hour'. That was how we described the Manics' life-changing Holy Bible shows at The Roundhouse last year. Imagine the sense of history as they play the seminal LP in all of its vitriolic majesty at Cardiff Castle in June.
![Will The Strokes prove worth the wait? The 'Last Nite' NYC indie pin-ups are back for a run of world festival shows including Primavera Sound and British Summer TIme in London's Hyde Park. But why? Surely they must still have something to prove to return after all this time? Will they have new material, and can they still set the room on fire?]()
Will The Strokes prove worth the wait? The 'Last Nite' NYC indie pin-ups are back for a run of world festival shows including Primavera Sound and British Summer TIme in London's Hyde Park. But why? Surely they must still have something to prove to return after all this time? Will they have new material, and can they still set the room on fire?
![The world falls in love with Leon Bridges: Sheer class in the form of 1960s soul, blues and ever-ascending gospel, this chap could have come about in any age and been no considered no less great. Luckily for us, 2015 belongs to him. His debut Coming Home is released on 23 June, and will certainly soundtrack those lingering sunny afternoons, and beyond. He's certain to be a highlight at Latitude among others.]()
The world falls in love with Leon Bridges: Sheer class in the form of 1960s soul, blues and ever-ascending gospel, this chap could have come about in any age and been no considered no less great. Luckily for us, 2015 belongs to him. His debut Coming Home is released on 23 June, and will certainly soundtrack those lingering sunny afternoons, and beyond. He's certain to be a highlight at Latitude among others.
![Alt-J prove themselves worthy festival headliners: They're up there with giants Portishead and Noel Gallagher in topping the bill at Latitude - in the same spot that Foals filled a few years ago, paving the way for them to one day ascend to headlining the likes of Reading and Glasto.]()
Alt-J prove themselves worthy festival headliners: They're up there with giants Portishead and Noel Gallagher in topping the bill at Latitude - in the same spot that Foals filled a few years ago, paving the way for them to one day ascend to headlining the likes of Reading and Glasto.
![Frank Ocean's new record: The follow-up to 2012's Channel Orange is coming in July, can he maintain his flawless run?]()
Frank Ocean's new record: The follow-up to 2012's Channel Orange is coming in July, can he maintain his flawless run?
![Years & Years become the new kings of pop: True, we said the same thing last summer and since then they've caught the heart of the mainstream with their slick and loveable electro-pop after being named the BBC Sound Of 2015, but now is their chance to become exactly that. Their debut LP Communion drops in June and is as close to a perfect summer soundtrack as we can imagine, so let this be the season of Years & Years. Chart domination awaits.]()
Years & Years become the new kings of pop: True, we said the same thing last summer and since then they've caught the heart of the mainstream with their slick and loveable electro-pop after being named the BBC Sound Of 2015, but now is their chance to become exactly that. Their debut LP Communion drops in June and is as close to a perfect summer soundtrack as we can imagine, so let this be the season of Years & Years. Chart domination awaits.
![Blur whip us into frenzy: 'It's an album of reconciliation - both with the band's past and with each other' - our words in reviewing their refreshing return to form on new album The Magic Whip. Think Tank and 13 sounded like a band on the brink, while Magic Whip sounds like a band back at the peak of their powers - expect their shows at Hyde Park and the Isle Of Wight to be no different.]()
Blur whip us into frenzy: 'It's an album of reconciliation - both with the band's past and with each other' - our words in reviewing their refreshing return to form on new album The Magic Whip. Think Tank and 13 sounded like a band on the brink, while Magic Whip sounds like a band back at the peak of their powers - expect their shows at Hyde Park and the Isle Of Wight to be no different.
