Album of the Month - February 2026
Tyler Ballgame - For The First Time, Again Rough Trade Records Songs built around joy and heartbreak with a dusty soul feel, Tyler Ballgame steps out…
Rough Trade Essential: Iconic Album Covers
"Sometimes a simple creative photography trick paired with a band's creative vision can bring about an instantly recognisable classic of its genre and…
Ranked: Joni Mitchell's Greatest Albums
"Music and words have always been how we make sense of experiences. My travelogue’s chapters, and my family's, are punctuated and articulated…
On The Rise: Girl Group
"We were pissed off at not being included when the boys went to the studio." Meet the Liverpool-based indie-pop outfit challenging tired narratives.…
On The Rise: The Itch
Pop with a pulse and purpose. London alt-pop duo The Itch understand that euphoria and discontent can share the same sonic space. Simon Tyrie and Georgia…
Dolly Parton's 20 Greatest Songs
"So to all the fools out there who never took her seriously, 'this dumb blonde ain’t nobody’s fool'. Remember, Dolly always…
Rough Trade Turns 50
Rough Trade announces 50th anniversary plans for 2026, including Limited Edition vinyl releases, Rough Trade Club: Essential, a new year-long vinyl subscription and Exclusive live events.…
Album of the Month - January 2026
Dry Cleaning - Secret Love 4AD A cooly observational and oddly intimate portrait of modern life, reintroducing the South London quartet's steadfast, singular style…
2025 Roundup: Bestsellers and Hot Tips for 2026
Breakthrough debuts, Gen Z indie icons, hyperpop's next wave, anticipated soundtracks and long-teased follow-ups. We round up the biggest releases of the past year…
A Rough Guide To: Contemporary Irish Alternative Music
"Nobel prize-winning poets and writers, world-conquering rock bands, and artists who seemingly invented genres of music, and all that was just in the last 100…
Album of the Month - December 2025
Infinite Coles - SweetFace Killah Don't Sleep Powered by the unapologetic energy of ballroom culture and queer expression, SweetFace Killah is the arrival of…
The Best Songs of 2025
"Oooooh, this feels illegal." Our year, wrapped. Amongst our appreciation for full-length statements, there will always be those singular songs which have just as…
Compilations and Reissues of the Year 2025
"From conception to release this record was born from unwavering passion, deep seated respect, and irrepressible love...a celebration of (so-called) misspent youth, big dreamers…
Albums of the Year 2025
"What makes our Album of the Year so special is that their vision is entirely their own. In the seven years since we first got…
In Conversation with caroline
“Streaming services and YouTube have their own problems, but I think their existence means that there are far more crossovers between musicians who perhaps wouldn'…