Sufjan Stevens’ ambitious “50 States Project” produced only  Michigan  and  Illinois  before he abandoned the idea, admitting it was more of a joke than a real plan. Despite its incompletion, the myth of the project endures, adding to the fascination surrounding his work. The two albums that do exist remain landmark achievements, inviting listeners to imagine the many states that never came to be. The Mic's Ben Dale reports. Sufjan Stevens , 2005 Over 20 years ago, a young S

When Radiohead released Kid A  in October 2000, it marked one of the most radical artistic pivots in modern popular music. Abandoning the guitar-driven sound that had defined their rise through the 1990s, the band retreated into a fragmented world of electronic textures, cryptic composition methods, and deliberate opacity. Max Durno writes on the making, the release and the wake of Radiohead's seminal project, 25 years after its release. It’s April 1998. Radiohead had just c

Fifteen years on, Speak Now  stands as one of Taylor Swift’s most ambitious and self-written albums, blending country, pop, and pop-punk influences. It marked her artistic independence and lyrical maturity, even if it’s now an underrated gem in her discography. The Mic's Aimee Goldblum Reports Speak Now Album Cover, Taylor Swift 15 years on from its original release, Taylor Swift’s Speak Now is still one of her most ambitious projects to date – no mean feat, considering he

A decade on, Carly Rae Jepsen’s  Emotion  remains a pop masterclass, blending 80s-inspired synths with heartfelt, unfiltered emotion. Initially overlooked, the album has become a cult favorite, celebrated for its joy, vulnerability, and meticulously crafted hooks. More than a collection of songs, it proves that sincerity and pure pop craftsmanship endure. The Mic's Ben Dale reports. Emotion (Carly Rae Jepsen) album cover, photographed Matthew Welch Following her 2011 hit Cal

Oasis introduced the world to (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?  in April 1995 with the song Some Might Say.  The band’s classic guitar sound signalled to the world that Oasis were back. Noel Gallagher has often mused that it is his favourite Oasis song; the British public agreed, and Some Might Say  was launched to the top of the charts making it the band’s first number one single. It was clear from this moment that the Manchester band were on the brink of becoming cultural

“ Brother, brother, brother . There’s far too many of you dying .”— Marvin Gaye The Original Cover of What's Going On You know, I can admit that I am young. Far more juvenile than juvenile can account for. Be that as it may, the consequence of love, the consequence of song, has bred a sense akin to knowledge but far more softer. The likes of love, song and dance have shaped in me what we might have regarded as inscrutable — what I am desperately endeavouring to convey, as car

For almost as long as Gorillaz have existed, a deep concern for the happenings of the world surrounding the band at any particular moment...

Sufjan Stevens' album turns the cosmic dread present in a society plagued by COVID into a proclamative pop album. This album is a guide...

This article explores a few of the 12 reinterpretations from ‘ Take a Picture ’ (1968) by American singer Margo Guryan. These tracks are...

Four and a half years ago, my life was altered when I listened to Manic Street Preachers’ first album, The Holy Bible , for the first...

In April 1989, Pixies pulled their second album Doolittle right from their back pocket and offered it up to the world. The music...

In 1983, under the guise of The The, Matt Johnson burst onto the scene with a richly ambiguous offering of pop like no other. Soul Mining...

On the 20th of February 1984, The Smiths released their first of what was to be four iconic studio albums. This debut set out with clear...

To The 5 Boroughs, Beastie Boys celebrated sixth studio album remains a seminal album in every old school hip-hop aficionado’s...

In 2003, Belle and Sebastian released their LP Dear Catastrophe Waitress, entering into a new era of self confidence. It contains the...

10 years since its initial release, Arctic Monkeys’ 5th full-length LP ‘AM’ remains as iconic and popular as ever, Jay Kirby reviews this...

A cleverly crafted album that contains both an air of laid-back coolness and dynamism, the group’s polylithic sound defined their place...

Jay Kirby takes a look back at As The Palaces Burn's on it's 20th anniversary. As The Palaces Burn sits in a precarious position in Lamb...

It can often be difficult to describe why something moves you emotionally: how can you explain why a song makes you dance and sing, or...

Ten years after its release, Tabitha Smith explores I Love You. and its legacy of teen angst in indie pop music. The rise of soft grunge...