As the time for ringing in the new year draws ever closer, let’s take a moment for one last glance back at the past twelve months. The music that most defined our 2022, that provided the soundtrack of our summer and kept us company on the long winter nights. Without further ado, here are our awards for the most noteworthy releases of the year. Continue reading
Time for the big one; the best albums of the year. Reflecting honestly on the biggest releases of the past twelve months, I can’t help but feel that 2022 was an off year for albums. More so than any year in the blog’s history, it felt like there was an abundance of albums that either missed the mark or just flat out failed to spark excitement. They’re not what we’re for however, and if anything they merely helped make the most brilliant records of the year seem to shine all the brighter. Here are the albums that broke the mould, that met and exceeded expectations, and provided the standout musical delights of the past year. Continue reading
Time now for what always proves to be our most hotly contested list each year. EPs are such an important creative tool for new artists especially, and there’s such a wealth of them out there that we barely scratch the surface of them with the few that fit in our Spotlight! series. In a way this feels like the most important list of the season as it gives us chance to shine a light on releases that we don’t otherwise get the opportunity to talk about. Great things often come in small packages, and here are our picks for the EPs that left the biggest impressions in 2022. Continue reading
As we leave the most vibrant visuals of 2022 behind us, it’s now time to dive right in to the best music to grace our ears this past year. The songs that soundtracked our ups and downs; that we belted out at the top of our lungs, that we took comfort and refuge in while they played on repeat, that took pride of place in our playlists and became an almost constant companion. Here are the songs that best capture this past year for us: Continue reading
Our Listmas celebrations continue as we dive in to some of the best music videos of the past twelve months. Much like our album covers list, it’s an opportunity to show some appreciation for all the hard work that goes into making the accompanying visuals that help turn music releases into a real feast for the senses. Whether a pitch perfect pairing for a specific song, or a work of art in its own right that transcends the music, these are our picks for the best videos of the year. Continue reading
Another year comes to a close, one that has seen a return to normality after the pandemic years, alongside fresh hardships that we’ve all done our best to endure. Through all those ups and downs, each euphoric release and every downtrodden daydream of better things, we’ve been able to count on great art being our constant companion. That’s right, list season is upon us once again; a chance to reflect on all the beauty of the past twelve months. Our Listmas celebrations begin as ever with a look at the year’s most endearing and attention grabbing artwork. Continue reading
Before we come together to usher in the new year, it’s time for one last look back in the rear-view mirror at 2021. It’s a year that has both flown by and felt like a lifetime all at once. The ongoing pandemic dragging its feet has left us feeling more tired and weary than ever, but a few rays of sun have managed to break through the clouds in the past twelve months. We’ve seen a return of live music, alongside some stunning releases to cling on to when times got hard. Here are some of the moments that most defined our 2021. Continue reading
With the hours ticking away until we usher in the new year, it’s finally time to take a look back at the finest albums released in the past twelve months. 2021 is a year that left a lot of us feeling tired, confused and frustrated; reflected I think in what feels like a rather lacklustre roster of new releases compared to the past few years. While not quite the hotly contested category it normally is, there were still some absolutely spellbinding albums vying for the top spot. Here are the ten records that burned brightest, touched our hearts, and breathed the most life into this past year. Continue reading
Delving into a given year’s finest EPs often feels like gazing into a crystal ball for a brief glimpse of the future. It’s with releases such as these that many up and coming artists first make their mark on the world and become the name on people’s lips. It’s often here that the brightest stars of tomorrow are forged, and so this list in particular is one of our favourite ways to sing the praises of the wealth of talented new artists on the scene, alongside outstanding projects from old favourites. Continue reading
Hitting the mid-way point in this year’s list season, and it’s time to leave the industry’s most stunning visuals behind and dive headfirst into the music that most delighted our ears in 2021. The tracks that had us hitting repeat; the most anthemic singalong choruses, the most memorable earworm melodies, and the biggest bops that had us up and dancing. Here’s Belwood’s most loved songs of the past twelve months. Continue reading
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