We like to pride ourselves on our love of all kinds of music here at Audio North and we genuinely think 2024 has been one of the truly great years for music, with so many albums released making it into our all-time best-of lists.
Described by many as the year ‘proper pop came back’, guitar music found its feet again and where contemporary electronic music enjoyed another strong spell in the mainstream spotlight, we’ve been like a pig in proverbial you know what in terms of finding new artists and favourite tunes.
With Audio North still in its infancy as TheManc Audio page enveloped our fellow audiophiles over at The Hoot and The Sheff to cover as much regional music as possible back in July, we intend to make 2025 our biggest year yet, so it’s a good job we had such a prolific 12 months of music to launch off.
Let’s look back on how we got here, shall we?
The best albums of the year, according to Audio North
Romance by Fontaines D.C. – EmJ
The Dublin group have taken their evolving sound to new heights with Romance: a forty-minute exploration of post-punk and shoegaze which marks a striking departure from their previous album, Skinty Fia.
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It’s gripping from start to finish; the album opens with the titular track ‘Romance’, leading listeners on an emotional journey with the Lana Del Rey-inspired tune, ‘In The Modern World’, before closing with on a high with the nostalgia-infused belter, ‘Favourite’.
Oftentimes, music – especially any music that falls vaguely under the rock umbrella – takes itself a bit too seriously, which is why I have been so utterly obsessed with Gary by Blossoms this year. Even the name is silly.
With songs inspired by a fibreglass gorilla, flares and 42s nightclub, this is indie music to shake your tail feather to, and it’s been my soundtrack to long drives, long shifts and just about everything else in 2024.
Add to that a strange sense of pride I feel to be watching a bunch of local lads hit such a wave of success (as if I had anything to do with it beyond a couple of dozen ticket sales), and Gary is easily my record of the year.
Próxima Parada have always tried to put introspection at the forefront of their music and this latest album is no different. Even their name translates to ‘next stop’ in Spanish.
A mix of laid-back indie tunes mixed with elements of spoken word make for a beautiful album perfect for self-reflection.
‘Anybody Can Sing’ is my personal highlight on the album, making my tram rides into work feel like a much more healing journey than most other commutes.
Picking one album as my favourite of the year is far too hard, so I’ve tried to narrow it down a bit.
I wanted to choose something different (hopefully) to the others on the list, and one that I genuinely listened to, front to back, a lot this year – and this ticks both those boxes.
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I also have a thing for 10-track albums, don’t ask why, I just do, and this ticks that box as well. Oh, and I’m a bit of a sucker for a concept album and a beat switch, so that’s yet another box ticked. Ended up being a fairly obvious choice after all because, as we all know, Billie is bloody brilliant.
Midas by Wunderhorse – Danny
It’s actually quite hard to verbalise just how much this album has come to mean for me personally but I’ll give it a go. Was already a Wunderhorse fan after seeing them support Sam Fender at Castlefield Bowl back in 2022 and quickly fell in love with their debut, Cub, but Midas has become a full-on obsession.
I typically try to avoid hyperbole but this is up there with the best guitar-driven album to come out of the country in god knows how long and Jacob Slater’s lyricism has genuinely changed my life by tapping into a mix of emotions that, as I’ve already mentioned, are hard to put into words – he somehow manages it.
There’s everything from grunge, post-punk, shoegaze and super digestible indie to stripped-back acoustic ballads on this record; ‘Arizona’ might just be their magnum opus and the whole project led to the single greatest gig of my life back in October.
It’s also been a joy watching them get bigger and bigger, people discovering their first-ever single ‘Teal’ and going on to turn it into a viral TikTok hit. You know that feeling of pure, communal and totally unselfish joy of getting your mate into a band? Yeah… that. Watch this pace, they’re going to be massive.
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In case you need a reminder of what happened last time…
Rumour has it @MancAcademy still hasn’t recovered. 😅
The Secret of Us is the perfect bedroom girlie-pop record. Period.
Not a bad track on the album; each song is honest, organic and melancholic. Comfortably one of if not my absolute favourite albums of 2024 and perfectly relatable for all with topics such as heartbreak, love and personal growth.
Cannot wait to see where her career takes her next.
The Chicago airy-toned vocalist dropped her second studio album in 2024 and also paid Manchester a visit for the second time in November too. The R&B songstress’ latest record has it all, from some easy-listening favourites such as ‘Candy’ to the call-and-response classic, ‘Love Me Not’.
A huge highlight is the narrative track ‘One Wish’ which doubles as a heartfelt collaboration with Childish Gambino that has some of the most addictive guitar twangs ever.
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I’ve definitely spent many ‘Days’ listening to this record and will continue to do so well into next year – and most likely forever.
“I’m not a bitch, I’m just bitchy” – Charli XCX. Saturday, 7 June was not only the day the best album ever to bless our ears was released but the start of BRAT summer – a summer we will all never forget. Charli XCX shaped the whole year by being unapologetically ‘bratty’ and I will forever be here for it.
She encouraged everyone to interpret ‘BRAT’ differently; whether it was rocking up to the club with smudged mascara or just being generally bold, however you wanted to celebrate BRAT was allowed.
I’ve always been a huge Charli fan. CRASH is an album I still frequently listen to (possibly too often), so when number six was on the way I was gassed. From top to bottom, this album is absolutely phenomenal. With club bangers like ‘360’ and ‘Von Dutch’, Charli brought back the real meaning of dance-pop tunes.
If BRAT wasn’t enough Charli then went on to release a second collaborative version called Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still BRAT, where she collaborated with creators on every single track. I could go on forever but this is your sign to queue up both albums at top volume. BRAT summer, autumn, winter and spring — amen.
The debut album from Leeds legends English Teacher bagged them the coveted Mercury Music Prize in 2024 and I must have fantastic taste because it’s been the soundtrack to my life ever since it was released.
The post-punk four-piece blend inventive lyricism with twisted vocals, and their Northern charm really shines through.
My favourite track is the smash single ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’ is a certified banger and one that I will never skip every time it pops up on my Spotify.
Credit: Universal/Press Image (via Spotify)
Wicked: The Soundtrack by Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and more – Kris
I have only just discovered Wicked and now I’m fully obsessed. The music, the songs, the FEELINGS – it’s all just sensational.
Even if you don’t like musicals you can’t help but love it and, of course, we encourage you to go along and see the original theatre production as well as the movie adaptation.
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The only downside is it’s now seriously messing with my Spotify algorithm…
Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter – Amy
Being a radio girl myself, I have to admit I’m not usually a full album listener, but when you think of the biggest songs in 2024, you’d be mad to say Sabrina Carpenter isn’t up there.
From ‘Espresso’ and ‘Please Please Please’ to ‘Taste’, ‘Juno’ and more, this year is the one that saw the Short n’ Sweet pop princess completely take over – and I will always find myself singing along to them all, you can’t say you won’t find yourself swaying along too.
Sabrina Carpenter’s latest album is 100% one of if not, THE best album of 2024.
Inhale / Exhale by Rüfüs Du Sol – Will
It was a tough choice but I think I have my answer.
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Their music is unreal and always reminds me of summer – real on-the-beach vibes. Can’t wait to go see them at Manchester Academy 2 next year and witness the beauty of ‘Innerbloom’ live.
Sensational.
Early Twenties by Cat Burns – Belvie
Cat Burns‘ Early Twenties is my pick for album of the year 2024. Saw her at Boardmasters and she was absolutely brilliant.
Every time she comes on it just reminds me of being in a field, in the sun with a gin and tonic and just enjoying those festival vibes.
She’s even got a great gospelly cover of ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ too.
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to | November 2025
Danny Jones
Well, well, well – it’s nearly the end of the year, and we’re on to our second-to-last round of local music artists based in and around Greater Manchester that are getting us excited for this year.
2025 has been ‘the year’ of many bands, some of whom are still well and truly riding the wave of popularity from the previous calendar, to be honest. But it’s also been unreal for new releases and ones to watch.
Never more so than here in our region, as we Mancunians – whether through birth, relocation or eventual adoption (if you love this place, it’ll love you back) – remain the most prolific musical hub in the UK, perhaps on the planet.
Squirm at our sincerity/perceived hyperbole all you want; we mean it, and we have five more artist suggestions for you to prove it. Let’s get stuck in.
Greater Manchester music you need to check out
1. TTSSFU
We’re kicking things off in Wigan this month: the first of our monthly artist picks is the curiously named TTSSFU, which is the stage name of 21-year-old native, Tasmin Stephens. The guitarist for fellow local band, Duvet, this new project has quickly caught our attention for all the right reasons.
It’s been labelled as DIY shoegaze, and while we don’t disagree with the description one bit – even the fairly melancholic, introspective, longing, ‘tragic youth’ content of the lyrics sort of fit that mould – but it doesn’t quite do the heavily textured sonics and techniques justice.
While singles like ‘Forever’ feel more like a familiar indie-girl alt-pop track (it actually made us think of Hazel English meets Soccer Mommy, specifically), that’s one note in the wide wall of sound she builds in her recent release, Blown. We’d suggest ‘Call U Back’ and ‘Being Young’ as stops two and three.
Now, if it’s more of those shoegazey influences that you want, Pins have been going at it since 2011 and arguably feel a little less abstract/more subtle in their approach, but they still deserve way more credit for the nevertheless impressive and experimental work they’ve been doing in the genre for over a decade.
Hot Slick, which dropped during the pandemic, was their most electronic and quite literally digital outing to date, and while admittedly not our favourite, it did show they had plenty of room and keenness to push in different directions, and it looks like it could be paying off at the start of this next chapter.
They returned this past September with their newest single, ‘I’ll Be Yours’, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed diving back into their world and seeing what else they have in their locker. That mini-marching drum on its own has gotten stuck in our heads, but we still love listening to ‘LUVU4LYF’ and their tune with the one and only Iggy Pop. Yes, really…
There’s always something fascinating about musicians who’ve actually been around for donkey’s years but have never made little more than a relatively small catalogue, especially when they’re this good. Proud Mary should tell you everything you need to know from their name alone, but it comes in spades.
A Manchester-born blues and folk rock band formed in 1998, we’ll confess we never stray too far from their self-titled debut – which is now approaching its 25th anniversary and is delightful from start to finish – but there is still a very rich albeit short discography to be enjoyed here.
If you’re just looking for the most well-known tracks, you can’t go wrong with ‘Very Best Friend’, but we also like a couple from their last album, Songs From Catalina, like ‘Space and Places’, and ‘Hats Off’ could trick anyone into thinking it was classic bluegrass straight from Kentucky – only it’s Manc.
Never gets old this one.
4. pyncher
Our penultimate pick for November’s artists of the month is the promising alternative quartet, pyncher. We’d heard smatterings of them throughout this year, but having finally now sat with their debut album, Every Town Needs A Stranger, we’ve fallen headlong into a full-on love affair.
Starting out as another underground post-punk outfit looking to make their mark in an increasingly saturated sect of the current British alt-rock scene, it’s their punchy, straightforward but satisfyingly jangly, irreverent style that not only puts us in mind of contemporaries like Seb Lowe, but has totally won us over.
The swagger feels VERY rock and roll, the vocal delivery almost feels like it takes the piss out of polished singing, and as for recommendations, ‘Back to the Country’ is the perfect introduction to their sound; ‘Dirty Feet’ almost starts like an alternative guitar-driven skat and feels very post-modern, and ‘Steely Dan’ might be our most replayed song of the last few weeks full stop.
5. Still Blank
Lastly, we’re pleased to report that the Spotify algorithm properly did its job this time by suggesting not only related groups/similar-sounding acts on the artist’s radio, but actually giving us one that we became so quickly enamoured with that we dove right down deep into the rabbit hole.
We’re talking about Still Blank, whose unique blend of laid-back yet soulful vocals, layered guitars and pedals, with drowny ambience, nods to everything from The Durutti Column and Radiohead – ‘Arpeggi’, specifically – to early New Order and more, it’s a dreamy, synth-soaked mix we can’t get enough of.
Set up by multi-talented Jordy from Hawaii and guitarist Ben, who’s from right here in 0161, we could genuinely and wholeheartedly recommend every song on their debut record for a different reason. The more we listen to it, the more we struggle to land on any real semblance of our favourites; it’s nigh on impossible because.
Along with pyncher, this might be one of the most perfect debuts we’ve had the good fortune of coming across in god knows how long. For once, we’ll save you the lengthy, verbose descriptions – just listen to it and prepare to have little else in your ears for the foreseeable.
We hope you enjoyed this latest round-up of Greater Manchester music, both new and old, and you can rest assured we’ll be back again for one final edition for 2025 at the same time next month.
And, as always, please do give us your own suggestions in the comments, as we’re always on the lookout for exciting talents worthy of making the monthly Audio North list.
You can see who we picked out last month down below.
Evanescence announce biggest-ever Manchester gig
Danny Jones
Noughties rock chart regulars Evanescence have just revealed their biggest-ever date in Manchester, set to make their Co-op Live debut next year.
Famous for the go-to karaoke crowd pleaser and ever-anthemic ‘Bring Me To Life’, the American band, which began way back in 1994, are still going strong over three decades in.
With lead singer and keyboardist Amy Lee herself not only known for her incredible vocals, but a solo career that has seen her develop a fervent cult following of her own, they’ve remained a familiar name in the US and global rock scene ever since their 2003 debut album, Fallen.
Now well and truly veterans of the genre and the live touring circuit, Evanescence are returning to the UK for an extensive leg on the European tour, including their first Manchester gig since 2018. This is how they teased the announcement earlier this week:
The Arkansas-formed five-piece has seen multiple different lineup configurations over the years, with co-founder and renowned songwriter Ben Moody leaving right after that aforementioned first record, but they still nevertheless incredible live sets.
For instance, the last time they came to town was for their ‘Synthesis Live’ tour at the O2 Apollo, which saw them reimagine some of their biggest hits with a full orchestra and new electronic elements.
In truth, many come to see them live for Lee alone, but with contemporary pop-rock artist Poppy and alternative alt-rock rapper k.flay (real name Kristine Meredith Flaherty) joining them on the road, there’s all the more reason for even the most casual fans to come along for the ride.
This time around, though, British members of the ‘EvClub’ will have just four domestic opportunities to see them here at home, with us here in Manchester being joined only by Birmingham and London, as well as over in Leeds.
Our resident rock queen over at The Hootwill be buzzing. You know who you are…
They transformed the rock landscape with their blend of metal & symphonic, piano-driven melodies.https://t.co/9ynwATVg2B@coopuk members get first in line for tickets. Co-op Member Presale: 10:00 3 Dec General Sale: 10:00 5 Dec pic.twitter.com/ufEbjNLMK9
Thu, Oct 1 Barcelona, Spain – Palau Olimpic Badalona
Fri, Oct 2 Madrid, Spain – Palacio Vistalegre^
Sun, Oct 4 Lisbon, Portugal – MEO Arena^
As always with the leading indoor entertainment arena, official Co-op members can get in line first for early access from 10am this Wednesday, 3 December, whereas general sale will go live at the same time the following Friday (5 Dec).
The group has also partnered with PLUS1so that £1 from every ticket sold will support organisations providing humanitarian aid and medical relief to those in need around the world. Class.
You can get ready to grab your tickets for the first-ever Evanescence show at Co-op Live in Manchester next autumn right HERE.
Danny Jones -
27th December 2024 
