Top Ten Albums of 2025

Though 2025 had its fair share of misfires and disappointments, a few high points rose out of the gloom to stand tall and proud. Musical highlights that made the year than bit brighter and more wondrous. Records that resonated in the back of my mind, that sparked an inferno of excitement in my veins right from first pressing play, that kept me coming back time and again for another helping. It’s time for this year’s Listmas celebrations to reach their grand crescendo as take a look back at the very best albums of the past twelve months. Continue reading

Belwood Music Awards 2024

You join us for a very special 10th anniversary edition of our annual Belwood Music Awards. As of today the site has championing music for a whole decade, with 2024 being our most record breaking year yet! The most heartfelt of thanks to everyone that has supported the site over the years, from all the gifted artists creating the music we cover to our regular readers doing their bit to support up and coming talent. There’s much to raise a glass to today – to 10 years of Belwood, to the new year, and to the best musical moments of 2024. Continue reading

Top Ten EPs of 2024

While our Listmas celebrations as a whole aim to reflect on what the past year has given us, our annual EP list is often more about looking forward into the years ahead. It’s about the promise heard in these collections, and the excitement they instil in us for what the road ahead may have in store from the acts which crafted them. Listening to a great EP often feels like a fateful first meeting, hearing your next favourite artist before you even realise it. Perhaps your next fav is just waiting to be discovered in this very list, so let’s dive right in to the best EPs that 2024 had to offer. Continue reading

Live Review: Bon Iver, Leeds Arena, 19th Nov 2022

When I was younger I definitely went to a lot more gigs completely on a whim. Heading off to see a band just because I could, just because they were there! Cramming concerts into already busy schedules without a thought for repercussions. Picking up tickets for gigs without it ever entering into my head how I plan on getting there and back. I’d like to think I’m older and wiser… but I’m still terribly forgetful when it comes to the logistics of getting to gigs. I’ll admit however that these days my gig going schedule has a lot more purpose – ticking off the list of acts I wanna see before I die, prioritising certain tours to better the chances of hearing my favourite tracks etc. But you need to do something in a spur of the moment every now and then, right? And seeing Bon Iver was one of my best “heat of the moment” gig experiences. Continue reading

Best Albums of the 2010s (#25-1)

albums2As we move into the second half of our deep dive into the finest records of the past ten years, things certainly haven’t gotten any easier. At many times this list became a real battle between head and heart; between the records with a profound personal connection and those that hold great influence and importance in the wider scheme of things. After much soul searching we’ve struck upon the right balance between the two for our final look at the best albums of the decade. (If you missed part one, you can check it out here) Continue reading