Backstage at The Jazz Cafe on a two month tour of their biggest venues across Canada and Europe, the six members of The Free Label have squeezed themselves into a stuffy green room, stage ready. Before we saw them live in London, read our interview with the band.

There’s a sense of optimism across February’s Monthly Picks. The sun is out! Finally... kind of… And whether it’s hinted in Sombr’s yearning or Lykke Li’s strings, or released freely in Jordan Rakei and Pigeon’s romantic declerations, hope and blossom both seem in bud.

When founding member James Morgan decided to concentrate the key players from his Ritzy-based jazz jam session, the bones of Queenstown Collective were formed. TOPNOTE spoke to drummer James and saxophonist James Akers about the release of the band’s debut EP, ‘Grapefruit’.

Following off the back of last year’s March record ‘RUSHMERE’, Mumford & Sons are back with another. ‘Prizefighter’ doesn’t exactly sound like a band ‘going for it’... more a victory lap of a winning formula. Read TOPNOTE’s review of the new album.

Released today, Yungblud’s second installment of the Number 1 album ‘Idols’ is an expression of self-discovery that expands on the themes of its predecessor with a fresher outlook. Read our review of the new tracklist for ‘Idols II’ below.

‘Burning Castles’ is a record about empires crumbling, both the worlds we find ourselves in and the walls we invent in our minds. Lucia & The Best Boys’ debut is TOPNOTE’s first album spotlight of 2026.

With a psych-garage sound and a suave, sexy 70s aesthetic, Demob Happy are a well-oiled indie machine humming with the confidence and self-assuredness that comes with experience. In the lead up to the release of new album, ‘The Grown-Ups Are Talking’, TOPNOTE spoke to Marcantonio about the band’s latest release.

January isn’t the most energetic month of the year and it’s one we can easily spend waiting to end. But this lot have pulled us through, with bouncy jazz, buzzing club-ready pop, and full-throttle rock to keep us moving. We’re beginning our monthly highlights with 2026 songs, only.

In the spirit of Independent Venue Week, World News embarked on a mini UK tour, stopping on Friday night at KOLA in Portsmouth. Named one of our emerging artists for 2026, TOPNOTE hopped on a train to see what they had in store. Read our review of the set.

Only The Poets have featured on BBC Introducing, supported Louis Tomlinson and Lewis Capaldi, and played festival slots at Reading and Lollapalooza. The only thing missing was an album. Read our review of ‘And I’d Do It Again’, plus a look at the release journey that’s just as novel.

The second of two sold-out nights at Brixton Academy, US artist and producer Dijon’s live set was a textural experiment in sound from an exceptionally talented, innovative craftsman. Unfortunately, his audience wasn’t always invested in his experiments. Read our full review.

Hot off an enormous 2025, Westside Cowboy are gearing up for an even bigger 2026, starting with the release of sophomore EP, ‘So Much Country ‘Till We Get There’. Read The Groove’s thoughts on the latest release from one of the UK’s most hyped new indie bands.

Harry Styles has just announced his next album, ‘Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally’, sending the internet into a yellow-knit frenzy. To get us all prepared for HS4, we’re going back through the singer’s solo albums, counting down his best singles, covers, and hidden gems to date.

We’ve got 16 exciting bands, duos, and solo musicians to share on our Emerging Artist List, whether they’re on the cusp of a big break, or someone who should be on your radar as we move through the year. Find out who they are, and why TOPNOTE believes 2026 is going to be a grand old year for these musicians.

In 2026, we must stop belittling fangirls and fan communities as nothing more than manipulatable pawns, and acknowledge their very real power and influence over the music industry. For our first article of the year, TOPNOTE is spotlighting fans.