My album adventure for 2025 got off to a roaring start last week, although it’s not until week two that I’ve managed to nab an album actually released this year. The rules of the game (for those who haven’t been paying attention) are that the ’new’ album is from this year or the last, whilst the ‘old’ album has the rest of human history to be selected from. Two albums a week for 50 weeks of the year, hooray!

With 2025 off to a slow-ish start, I’ve been looking ahead at what there is to look forward to and have highlighted below five artists that I can’t wait to hear from again.

1. Manic Street Preachers - Critical Thinking

I’m a late Manics convert but think Resistence is Futile is legendary. The follow up a couple of years ago had some highlights although didn’t quite live up to the heights of RIF for me. I’m curious what they have in store for us next.

2. Olly Alexander - Polari

It’s fair to say the Eurovision debacle didn’t do Olly any favours, but you can’t argue the guy knows how to write a song. Whether it’s as Years & Years or his own name, I’m always interested in the next release.

3. Inhaler - Open Wide

I wasn’t looking for a new rock band in my life, but Inhaler snuck in there in 2021 with a cracking debut album. The second was good if not as great, so I’m hoping third time’s a charm from the Irish boys.

4. Rizzle Kicks - Competition is for Losers

I’m not actually sure if I’m looking forward to this or not. I LOVE a couple of the songs from Roaring 20s, and their appearance on Olly Murs’ Heart Skips a Beat made him cool for all of about 30 seconds. But it’s been 12 years since that album so this upcoming one is something of an unknown!

5. Sam Fender - People Watching

I’ve highly rated the previous two Fender albums, although noted every time how much he is trying to emulate Bruce Springsteen. Will this upcoming album, expected towards the end of February, be more of the same?

I’ve probably gone a bit too soon suggesting this is the five albums to look forward to through the whole of 2025, as I think it only covers January and February, and there are bound to be some other big names announcing their records (or dropping surprise albums) as we go along. But this is where I’m starting and I think it’s a good selection to get things underway.