#sophie and sian

[turningsaintsintotheseax]

Dear streaming services and broadcast channels; sapphic representation is important too…

When I think back to my baby gay days, there are a lot of difficult memories, heartbreak, rejection, and lonely moments. However, some of my happier moments, those glimmers of feeling safe and normal in a world that so often made me feel the opposite, came from media representation. Back in 2010 there wasn’t anywhere near the level of sapphic media representation that there is now, but there was enough.

I was more blessed than those born just a few years before me. I have a friend who is just five years older than me, and for her there was one sapphic media representation she could relate to- just one.

Coronation Street’s Sophie and Sian and Skins’ Naomi and Emily were my saving Grace. It might seem extreme, but I would sometimes count the hours down to be home from school to watch either of these. I’d spent six hours wanting to crawl inside a hole and feeling that I was carrying a secret that everyone secretly knew and hated me for. Yet I could go home and immerse myself into someone’s else’s relationship that made mine feel so much more normal. I don’t doubt that media representation saved my life in more ways than one, and for that I have so much to thank broadcasters for. However there is a hidden dark side to sapphic representation on TV.

While no one can deny that sapphic and wlw media representation has become much more common over time. The bizzare trends that seem to curse sapphic characters are ongoing.

Let’s start with the original trend, referred to as #buryyourgays and essentially outlining the frequency at which lesbian and bisexual characters were killed off in popular tv shows. As of February 2023, a grand total of 225 (and counting) wlw TV show characters had been killed off. I’m not going to list them all, because no one has time to read that, but I will outline the ones that hit hard (for me).

Tara - Buffy The Vampire Slayer (2002)

Tosh - Torchwood (2008)

Sarah Barnes - Hollyoaks (2009)

Cat - Lip Service (2012)

Maya - Pretty Little Liars (2012)

Naomi - Skins (2013)

Emily - Teen Wolf (2013)

Catriona - Doctors (2014)

Maddie Heath - Coronation Street (2015)

Lexa - The 100 (2016)

Nora and Mary Louise - The Vampire Diaries (2016)

Poussey - Orange is the New Black (2016)

Rana Habeeb- Coronation Street (2019)

Tina Carter - Eastenders (2020)

I mean, the list goes on…

And the impact is huge. When you are a lost and lonely youth, these characters do become your saving grace and sense of normality. As I previously mentioned, Skins had the biggest impact on my life and were actually praised by the sapphic community for appearing to break the #buryyourgays trend. So what did they do? Brought Naomi back in a one off spin off series. To kill her off. Tragically. Come on now!

British soaps. I’m a big fan. It’s a guilty pleasure! The soaps have a huge platform to spread awareness and inclusivity, and let’s be fair, they often do. However the trend remains prominent. Eastenders killed off it’s longest running lesbian character in the last couple of years. Coronation Street killed off one half of two of the three lesbian couples to be featured and Hollyoaks killed off Sarah Barnes way back in the day and are currently stabbing us all in the heart with Juliet’s upcoming death.

The British soaps are getting somewhere with their representation of male gay characters, which is good. I mean, it would be nice for it to be all communities but perhaps this means it’s coming. In fact, over its 38 years worth of episodes, Eastenders has cast an impressive 20 male gay and bisexual main characters. Compared to just 10 female lesbian and bisexual characters.

Thankfully, we have seen the #buryyourgays trend slowly come to a steady halt in the last couple of years. But there has to be a replacement hashtag right? Correct! Introducing #cancelyourgays….

In some ways this new trend is worse! I mean, it certainly boils my blood more. It has a whole new feeling of injustice about it and there is an even clearer line between the treatment of male gay shows compared to sapphic shows. Obviously straight shows are still miles ahead, I don’t expect to catch them up, but a little bit of mileage would be nice!

So now that we are in the times of streaming media, the sector saw a whole new opportunity to start cancelling shows and breaking hearts. I was a loyal Netflix fan but to say I am cross with them now, is an understatement.

Let’s start with Netflix, as I do feel they are the worst. I’m not going to list every sapphic show they have ever cancelled, it would simply take me too long. But let’s talk about the main tradegies

First kill - oh my heart. What was not to love about this show? It’s probably the hardest hit for me. Vampires, gouls, monster killers, themes of Romeo and Juliet throughout, Sarah Catherine Hook, and a lesbian couple as the leads where ‘coming out’ is not the storyline and their sexuality just happily exists in the background. It had everything in place for a huge following right? Yes! But Netflix has treated us to cancelling the show just two months after series one premiered! Netflix said it was due to a low completion rate. I haven’t seen the figures so I can’t say this isn’t accurate, but considering First Kill stormed into the top 10 within hours of it’s premiere and reached number 3 worldwide, only falling behind the huge peaky blinders and stranger things, you’d think that the figures couldn’t have been the problem. Considering the teenage hit Heart-stopper was renewed for a further two seasons despite having half the views of First Kill! Good job Heart-stopper chose to have Charlie and Nick as it’s lead and not Tara and Darcy, or it could have been a different story. Let’s not forget that First Kill’s show runner has also spoken about the lack of advertising Netflix gave to First Kill, almost like they didn’t want it to blow up.

Warrior nun - another hugely popular show. This one managed to get renewed for a season two but was cancelled shortly after the second season premiered. Netflix said it was due to viewing figures and production costs, but then again it always is…

The society - was cancelled after the first season, this time due to Covid. I mean, there is legitimacy to this as the second season was due to start filming in late 2020 but if you look deeper, Netflix absolutely did not cancel all of their series due in 2020. In fact, what was the other show to take the hit at the same time as The Society? It was I’m Not Okay With This, which is next on the list.

I’m not okay with this - what a great premise for a show! A mix of coming to terms with sexuality and the development of super powers! This show was a HUGE hit and fans thought the renewal for a season two was as secure as it could possibly be. But no. Due to ‘Covid’ Netflix cancelled it after season one. Definitely couldn’t blame views for this one’s cancellation. I Am Not Okay With This ranks at the 89.6th percentile in the Drama genre. This means I Am Not Okay With This has higher demand than 89.6% of all Drama titles in the United States. It almost doesn’t make sense? Hmm.

A Typical - I personally thought this one was absolutely safe. The sapphic storyline was by no means the main plot of the show. It focused on the life of an autistic teenager dealing with school, friends and girlfriends. But his sister had her own sapphic storyline going on in the background and the wlw community were utterly invested! In fairness to Netflix, this one got four seasons which is unheard of and is believed to have been cancelled after season four due to it coming to a natural end.

Teenage bounty hunters - cancelled after season one. Frustrating so many fans, mainly due to the fact that it ended on a huge cliffhanger! Covid was blamed here too but fans bit back with evidence that advertising was lacking it and the show got lost in the weight of all the other Netflix shows. I mean, the executive producer was Jenji Kohan who brought us Orange Is The New Black, so you’d have thought that Netflix would have been pumping it to everyone’s home screens!

Glow - 15 Emmy nominations and three wins weren’t enough to save season four of GlOW from cancellation. In fact, it was renewed for a fourth season and Netflix reversed the decision due to, you guessed it, Covid! Producers claimed that it was too tricky to film the close proximity scenes. Yet somehow they did manage to do this in every other covid time show that continued…

Gypsy - one of the quickest Netflix cancellations ever. The show had only just premiered when the plug was pulled for a season two. Most of the blame went to viewing figures. Fun fact- the dedicated fans were still battling and protesting for a season two well over a year after it’s cancellation.

Dare me - season one flew into the top 10 in 30 countries. Enough to secure a second season? Of course not. There were rumours that other streaming services were interested in picking it up for a season two, but this never happened.

Netflix are serial offenders, there is no doubting this. But it’s not just them. I can’t go as in depth with these, as I don’t want to write a whole essay, so i’m going to pick the one stand out example of each. Let’s move on to Amazon Prime and another of my heartbreaks…

The Wilds - I loved everything about this show. The diversity, the powerful female leads, the complete mix of Lost and Pretty Little Liars, there was so much to love! Gender was actually the main theme of the show but the wlw storyline between Toni and Shelby was a huge fan favourite. The Wilds returned for a season two and ended on another big cliffhanger, this and the fact that the fan base was HUGE caused fans to feel secure about a season three. But shortly after season two ended, Amazon cancelled the show. They blamed a lack of views in season two however, The Wilds ranks at the 92.7th percentile in the Drama genre. This means The Wilds has higher demand than 92.7% of all Drama titles in the United States. The reaction on the internet was crazy. After all this time, the fans continue to petition and argue for a season three.

HBO next..

Gentleman Jack - this one was a huge shocker. The period drama got two seasons and was beloved to it’s fans, gaining a hugely impressive 92% critics score and 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. I believe that neither HBO or BBC confirmed the reason for the cancellation but it is rumoured that it had to do with the length of time between the two seasons due to the pandemic, which could have led to a loss of viewers. Somehow, I doubt this.

Let’s not forget others worth mentioning..

Batwoman

Legacies

Legends of tomorrow

Charmed

A league of their own

Generation

Willow

and many many more…

Are the streaming services even aware of this pattern? Who knows. But the theme is there, in black and white. And as a sapphic female who has thankfully come out the other side of the years of self hatred, blame, isolation, and rejection, I am pleading with the streaming services to take note of this message

Dear streaming services and broadcast channels; sapphic representation is important too. Not just important but refreshing, a saving grace, a brief moment of normality, a resource, a source of education, and most important could literally save someone’s life.



[prettyfacesprettywords]

I’ll always be obsessed with them.

[booksandwords]

The Library of Unrequited Love by Sophie Divry. Translated by Siân Reynolds

Read time: 3 Days Rating: 4/5

The quote: Actually, modern history can be summed up in three major events that altered our view of the world for good: the French Revolution, the bloodbath of the Great War, and the invention of the contraceptive pill.

I really recommend reading this in one sitting if you can. The librarian's perspective and take on the library changes throughout. From the glossy paraprofessional to near brutal honesty that will hit home for many in the industry. That said it is accessible to the non-librarian and to a lesser extent the casual reader but the topic is definitely pointed with lots of references and comments about the systems and policies of libraries. For the casual reader, the unusual writing style and some of the librarian’s opinions could be quite confronting.

But I do think this is worth reading even if just for the style. The whole book is a one-way conversation (a combination of a monologue and soliloquy) that takes place over 2 hours in the morning as the library is preparing to open. It is quite unlike anything I have ever read before. The one-way conversation with no breaks and many, many topic changes takes some serious getting used to as you read.

Just some of the topics covered by Divry in her book through her librarian protagonist. Dewey and his system, a bit of French history, a bit of library history, the library hierarchy, the type of person who never that never comes into the library, censorship is its softest form, the forcing of class onto readers and the traditional reserve shelves. As someone trained in the industry it all hit so close to home. Like reserve shelves are just awful, they are great for saving space but they are so intimidating for readers. The classics debate is horrendous but I am firmly of the opinion that let people read what they want and eventually that will likely include some classics. Forcing them upon readers just alienates them from reading period. I just enjoyed the Frend history section I’ve never looked at French history much. All the Dewey info is brilliant I couldn’t get over how well executed that was.

It feels like there are words from the reader we don't know. The librarian responds to unknown statements at times. But it's si effective because there is enough feedback to guess what was said. There is a smart reading choice to provide little to no background on the readers’ character, though there is some implication that they are on the younger side and are definitely a regular. After I reread the blurb we do know he is male. It is worth remembering the book is a translation of Divry’s French original. I’m guessing the gender comes through in French via the grammatical gender it uses.

The unrequited love of the title feels like it is twofold. The librarians’ non-relationship with Martin is told so well. The reader is drip-fed information and it all really only comes together at the end. There also seems to be something of an unrequited love for the library itself which more than seeps through by the end. She just wants to be acknowledged and respected by colleagues and patrons alike.

There really isn’t much more I can say about this other than to say it was an experience and I’m so glad I read it. It took weeks of waiting to get my hands on it (due to covid related issues) but the wait was worth it. Think this is a rather unique experience, particularly for those in the industry.

[thebeesareback]

Where to find multiple people from Taskmaster outside of the show

Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned: David Baddiel, Frank Skinner

Big Fat Quiz of the Year/Big Fat Quiz of Everything: Mawaan Rizwan, Judi Love, Noel Fielding, Dara O'Briain, Sarah Millican, Jo Brand, Romesh Ranganathan, Asim Chaudhry, Rose Matafeo, Mel Giedroyc

The Cleaner: Greg Davis, Asim Chaudhry, Sian Gibson

Cuckoo: Greg Davis, Asim Chaudhry

Doctor Who: Mawaan Rizwan, Ardal O'Hanlon

The Inbetweeners: Greg Davis, Joe Thomas, Susan Wokoma

Eight out of Ten Cats/ Eight out of 10 Cats does Countdown: Josh Widdicombe, Roisin Conaty, Romesh Ranganathan, Katherine Ryan, Richard Osman, Joe Wilkinson, Paul Chowdhry, Rob Beckett, Sara Pascoe, Lolly Adefope, Aisling Bea, Nish Kumar, Alice Levine, Liza Tarbuck, Jessica Knappett, Phil Wang, David Baddiel, Rose Matafeo, Daisy May Cooper, Johnny Vegas, Lee Mack, Morgana Robinson, Chris Ramsey, Judi Love, Sophie Duker, Fern Brady, John Kearns, Sam Campbell

Frankie Boyle's New World Order: Frankie Boyle, Sara Pascoe, Nish Kumar, Desiree Burch, Fern Brady

Feel Good: Mae Martin, Charlotte Ritchie

Fresh Meat: Joe Thomas, Charlotte Ritchie, Rob Beckett

Ghosts: Lolly Adefope, Charlotte Ritchie, Jessica Knappett, Katy Wix, Bridget Christie, Keill Smith-Bynoe

The Great British Bakeoff: Rob Beckett, James Acastar, Sue Perkins, Mel Gierdroyc

Hypothetical: James Acaster, Josh Widdicombe, Roisin Conaty, Liza Tarbuck, Phil Wang, Lou Sanders, Rose Matafeo, Guz Khan, Victoria Cohen Mitchell, Judi Love, Dara O'Briain

Have I Got News for You: Roisin Conaty, Dave Gorman, Mel Giedroyc, Nish Kumar, Alice Levine, Liza Tarbuck, Phil Wang, Jo Brand, Richard Herring, Desiree Burch, Munya Chawawa, Sarah Millican, Ivo Graham, Julian Clary, Lucy Beaumont

Off Menu Podcast: James Acaster (host), Ed Gamble (host), Greg Davis, Nish Kumar, Alex Horne, Dara O'Briain, Katherine Ryan, Joe Thomas, Joe Lycett, Lolly Adefope, Bob Mortimer, Jamali Maddix, Morgana Robinson, Bridget Christie, John Kearns, Keill Smith-Bynoe, Mae Martin

Outnumbered: Hugh Dennis, Katy Wix, Lee Mack

Late Night Lycett: Joe Lycett (host), Katherine Ryan, Daisy May Cooper

The Last Leg: Josh Widdicombe (host), Romesh Ranganathan, Lolly Adefope, Jessica Knappett, Johnny Vegas, Sophie Duker, Lucy Beaumont, Jo Brand, Frank Skinner, Joe Thomas, Katherine Ryan, Greg Davis, Russell Howard, Roisin Conaty, Aisling Bea, Joe Lycett, Victoria Cohen Mitchell, James Acaster, Sally Phillips, Nish Kumar, Alex Horne, Kerry Godliman, Phil Wang, Jamali Maddix, Guz Khan, Desiree Burch, Munya Chawawa, Susan Wokoma, Rose Matafeo, Kiell Smith-Bynoe

Miranda: Joe Wilkinson, Mel Giedroyc, Sally Phillips, Liza Tarbuck, Katy Wix

Mock the Week: Dara O'Briain (host), Hugh Dennis (every episode), Frankie Boyle, Josh Widdicombe, Romesh Ranganathan, Katherine Ryan, Al Murray, Mark Watson, Nish Kumar, Kerry Godliman, Rhod Gilbert, Ed Gamble, Desiree Burch, Chris Ramsey, Sophie Duker, Sarah Millican, Ivo Graham

Man Down: Roisin Connarty, Greg Davis, Mike Wozniak

Not Going Out: Lee Mack, Hugh Dennis, Tim Vine, Katy Wix

Parenting Hell: Josh Widdicombe (host), Rob Beckett (host)

Paul Sinhar's TV Showdown: Paul Sinhar (host), Rob Beckett

QI: Romesh Ranganathan, Katherine Ryan, Richard Osman, Dave Gorman, Sara Pascoe, Hugh Dennis, Lolly Adefope, Aisling Bea, Mark Watson, Nish Kumar, Tim Vine, David Baddiel, Jo Brand, Rose Matafeo, Johnny Vegas, Alan Davis, Desiree Burch, Victoria Cohen Mitchell, Bridget Christie, Dara O'Briain, Ivo Graham, Jenny Eclair, Julian Clary, Sue Perkins

Quickly Kevin, Will He Score?: Josh Widdicombe (host) (busy guy), Ivo Graham

Rob and Romesh vs...: Romesh Ranganathan (host), Rob Becket (host)

Russell Howard's Good News: Russell Howard (host) (obviously), Roisin Conaty, Romesh Ranganathan, Doc Brown, Joe Wilkinson, Aisling Bea, Iain Sterling, Lou Sanders, Ed Gamble, Chris Ramsey

The Russell Howard Hour: Russell Howard (host) (obviously), Paul Chowdhry, Jessica Knappett, Lou Sanders, Desiree Burch

Would I Lie to You: Richard Osman, Bob Mortimer, Phil Wang, Rhod Gilbert, Joe Thomas, Lou Sanders, Sian Gibson, Jo Brand, Katherine Parkinson, Lee Mack, Sarah Kendall, Desiree Burch, Ardal O'Hanlon, Judi Love, Munya Chawawa, Sarah Millican, Lucy Beaumont

Very Modern Quests: Alice Levine, Greg James, Joe Lycett, Phil Wang

Enjoy!

[ghostbird-7]

Categories of taskmaster contestant

Old and could not give a fuck if they were paid (and they are), delightful- Jo Brand, Alan Davies, Hugh Dennis, Richard Herring, Julian Clary, Frank Skinner, Frankie Boyle

Young foppish man who is inexplicably and hilariously into it-Ian Sterling, Ed Gamble, Chris Ramsey

Oddly capable and also I’m super gay- Sophie Duker, Bridget Christie, Aisling Bea, Mae Martin

Makes you feel delightfully like you’re on acid- Lucy Beaumont, Sam Campbell, Bridget Christie, Bob Mortimer, Mike Wozniak, Fern Brady

Young whippersnapper who’s having an absolute ball of a time- Alice Levine, Lenny Rush, Lou Sanders, Sian Gibson, Rob Beckett, Sara Pascoe, Joey Lycett, Lilly Adefope, Katherine Ryan

Lost their fucking minds- Rhod Gilbert, Joe Wilkinson, Liza Tarbuck, Daisy May Cooper, Katherine Parkinson, John Kearns

[maladaptvs]

i ranked my favorite tm series 1-15 and although i am incredibly unreliable, here it is

8 (iain, joe, lou, paul, sian)

13 (ardal, chris, bridget, judy, sophie)

10 (johnny, daisy, katherine, mawaan, richard)

1 (frank, josh, roisin, romesh, tim)

15 (frankie, ivo, jenny, kiell, mae)

14 (dara, fern, john, munya, sarah)

11 (charlotte, jamali, lee, mike, sarah)

6 (alice, asim, lisa, russel, tim)

4 (hugh, joe, lolly, mel, noel)

5 (aisling, bob, mark, nish, sally)

2 (doc, joe, jon, katherine, richard)

9 (david, ed, jo, katy, rose)

7 (james, jess, kerry, rhod, phil)

3 (al, dave, paul, rob, sara)

12 (alan, desiree, guz, morgana, victoria)

[globefan]

Titus Andronicus photos (part 1), (c) Camilla Greenwell

Daneka Etchells as Lucius in Titus Andronicus (2023). Mei Mei MacLeod as Chiron, Georgia-Mae Myers as Alarbus and Mia Selway as Demetrius in Titus Andronicus (2023). Katy Stephens as Titus in Titus Andronicus (2023). Kibong Tanji as Aaron and Kirsten Foster as Tamora in Titus Andronicus (2023). Sophie Russell as Marcus and Katy Stephens as Titus in Titus Andronicus (2023) Lucy McCormick as Saturninus and Kirsten Foster as Tamora in Titus Andronicus (2023). The company in Titus Andronicus (2023).

Creatives Assistant Director: Indiana Lown-Collins Co-Designer: Rosie Elnile Co-Designer: Grace Venning Composer: Jasmin Kent Rodgman Costume Supervisor: Sian Harris Director: Jude Christian Globe Associate – Movement: Glynn MacDonald Head of Voice: Tess Dignan Lighting Designer: Ali Hunter Seasonal Voice Coach: Katherine Heath Song Writers: Liv Morris and George Heyworth

Musicians: Francesca Ter-Berg Fred Thomas Uchenna Ngwe Hilary Belsey

[isabellaofparma]

top 5 soap ships ik robron, shannis and daisyryan are there somewhere who else ?

Oh, are they. 😁 I also watched most or some of the Kana, Chryed and Ballum storylines. (And Sophie/Sian, but I don't remember much of that. There was jilting at the altar, I think.) I feel like I'm forgetting something, which I will be very ashamed of later lol Oh I liked Carol/David in Classic EE!

[s-k-y-w-a-l-k-e-r]

Ranking Every Taskmaster Contestant*

Just a list I’ve worked on for the last few years in my drafts and never published, because why would anyone bother to do this without write-ups or statistics, without ever being asked to do it in the first place? But, it’s time to just get it out there.

Basically I judged this on: were they fun to watch, did they bring a character to the show I enjoyed, did they seem to enjoy it themselves, or did they seem to care at all? 

I noticed a few patterns. My least favorite seem to be the women who showed up and didn’t really have any familiarity with the show or any interest in competing. Just up from there is a grouping of hapless middle-aged men who I felt weird watching as they failed. 

On the other hand, if they were too competitive, I didn’t appreciate that, either. I feel bad putting Ed Gamble down at #20—I listen to him on two podcasts, but he was way too aggressively competitive in Taskmaster. It’s also part of why Iain Sterling, who otherwise would’ve had a higher spot on the list just by nature of being Scottish, but he really made an ass of himself throughout Series 8. 

Bias is probably the reason my #1 is my #1. A major theme of many of my top favorites seems to be that they are lanky, smart-dumbass types. 

I know there are several people will disagree with me on. Would love to hear what y’all think! 

Anyway, here it is, updated through season 14.

James Acaster 

Jessica Knappett

Liza Tarbuck

Mike Wozniak

Sarah Kendall

Sara Pascoe

Sally Phillips

Morgana Robinson

Rose Matafeo

Noel Fielding 

Bob Mortimer 

Joe Lycett

Joe Thomas

Fern Brady

Nish Kumar 

Sian Gibson

Romesh Ranganathan

Charlotte Richie

Desiree Burch

Ed Gamble

Sophie Duker

Sarah Millican

Aisling Bea

Asim Chaudhry

Lolly Adefope

Phil Wang 

Dara Ó Briain

Mawaan Rizwan

Chris Ramsey

Russell Howard

Bridget Christie

Katy Wix

Jamali Maddix

Rob Beckett

Josh Widdicombe

Munya Chawawa

Kerry Godliman

Doc Brown

Dave Gorman

Ardal O’Hanlon

Alice Levine

Alan Davies

Paul Sinha

Guz Khan

Al Murray

Jon Richardson

Victoria Coren Mitchell

Iain Sterling

Rhod Gilbert

Richard Osman

Frank Skinner

Hugh Dennis

Mark Watson

David Baddiel

Katherine Ryan

Lou Sanders

Richard Herring

Tim Key

Lee Mack

Joe Wilkinson

Paul Chowdhry

Mel Giedroyc

Johnny Vegas

John Kearns

Tim Vine

Catherine Parkinson

Judi Love

Roisin Canaty

Jo Brand

Daisy May Cooper

*Does not include New Year Treats or any international versions. I’ve only watched Taskmaster UK, I swear someday I’ll get to NZ and Australia! (I have tried Finland but it didn’t stick for whatever reason.)

[cyarskj1899]

The 50 best songs of 2022

NME5th December 2022

“Bloody hell, it’s nearly Christmas? Well that year just flew by didn’t it?” Hell no. We’d usually be aghast at the fleeting nature at the passage of time at this point in the calendar – especially in the past few quiet years – but 2022 was anything but short. Even festival season already feels like an age ago; but hey, at least we had one. RIP to the COVID buzzkill years, may we never see their like again.

You were out there in the fields with your arms around your mates, in the venues with the pints flying through the air, and in the clubs with your feet suspiciously stuck to the floor. Sure there’s a lot of ongoing shithousery afoot, but when you look back to 2022 you’ll remember getting back to doing what you love and the tunes that helped you do it. Just like you, so many songs were larger than life and raring to get out and be heard. Here’s a definitive list of the 50 best songs that truly made our year. Enjoy….

Andrew Trendell, News Editor

Words by: Alex Flood, Ali Shutler, Andy Brown, Andrew Trendell, Ben Jolley, Derrick Tan, El Hunt, Ella Kemp, Erica Campbell, Gemma Samways, Hannah Mylrea, Hollie Geraghty, Jake Tucker, Jenessa Williams, Karen Gwee, Kyann-Sian Williams, Max Pilley, Nick Levine, Rhian Daly, Sam Moore, Sophie Williams, Thomas Smith and Will Richards

50. Jamie xx – ‘Let’s Do It Again’

Marking his first new solo release in two years, Jamie xx’sApril return coincided with the very start of the first proper post-lockdown summer. Recalling the transcendent highs of his 2015 album ‘In Colour’ and built around an uplifting vocal sample from Bobby Barnes’ soul belter ‘Super High On Your Love’, the dopamine-filled ‘Let’s Do It Again’ became an ecstatic singalong 2022 festival anthem. Welcome back to partying. BJ

Best bit: The clever way that Jamie winds the track back down to a near-silence four-and-half-minutes in, only for each sonic element to be layered up again: building up the claps, drums, twinkling keys and soaring synths before one final euphoric release. You love to see it.

49. Tomorrow X Together – ‘Thursday’s Child Has Far To Go’

This bright, bouncy bop – performed by Tomorrow X Together’s synth-pop unit Soobin, Beomgyu and Taehyun – uplifted spirits with its straightforward, feel-good melodies. The trio exuded positivity and optimism for the future following an emotional break-up, with Beomgyu’s “today’s hashtag: ‘Break up’ / Then paste ‘glow up’ next to it” line proving a stroke of genius. DT

Best bit: Soobin’s breathy post-chorus mantra “I won’t cry again” feels like a reassuring invisible hug.

48. The Killers – ‘Boy’

Brandon Flowers told NME in the summer that this gem provided “the impetus” for The Killers’ 2021 folky triumph‘Pressure Machine’, but was left off the album due to its new wave shimmer. For a leftover, it bangs: ‘Boy’ is The Killers at their sweet, synthy and streetwise best, strutting from the gutter to the dancefloor. AT

Best bit: That little nod to Erasure’s ‘A Little Respect’. Cheeky cheeky!

47. Angel Olsen – ‘All The Good Times’

Olsen’s sixth album ‘Big Time’was written amid a turbulent, tragic time: during its production, the US musician came out to and then lost both her parents in quick succession. Laced with grief and hope for new love, the record’s opening track was as epic and emotional as they come. TS

Best bit: The song’s finale, where Olsen’s gentle strum is joined by a swelling horn section that ratchets up the emotion.

46. TSHA – ‘Giving Up’

A highlight of the Ninja Tune-signee’s debut album ‘Capricorn Sun’, ‘Giving Up’ was TSHA at her very peak. A fizzing drum’n’bass beat paved the way for Mafro’s warped vocal line to run wild and free. A song equally suitable for the club, home listening and summer BBQs, it proved TSHA’s ability as a producer with wide-ranging appeal. WR

Best bit: When that delightful, joyous synth line comes in at the one-minute mark.

45. Foals – ‘2am’

‘Back to basics’ songs can often be seen as a negative regression for artists, but on ‘2am’ and their seventh album ‘Life Is Yours’,Foals simply returned to what they do best. Written in the depths of a lockdown winter, this ecstatic indie hit pined for human connection and getting sloshed with friends again. This summer, its wish came beautifully true. WR

Best bit: Frontman Yannis Philippakis’ vocals belting out as his most enthused in years.

44. LE SSERAFIM – ‘Impurities’

LE SSERAFIM got their band name from an anagram of the phrase “I’m fearless” – so it’s not surprising that they understand that confidence can be drawn from all manner of places. On this cool, ethereal electro R&B song, co-written by member Huh Yunjin, they calmly declared that one’s flaws are actually glorious testaments to life. You’ll be similarly convinced by the track’s sassy hook: “Impurities, show you my impurities.” DT

Best bit: The hypnotic falsetto harmonies – one from Chaewon and Kazuha, another from Yunjin and Sakura – in the pre-chorus.

43. Sunmi – Heart Burn’

Sunmi’s best songs are undeniably the co-productions she’s made with frequent collaborator FRANTS (‘Narcissism’, ‘Tail’). But the ex-Wonder Girl’s dreamy ‘Heart Burn’ – reminiscent of ’70s Fleetwood Mac – ventured out of that comfort zone to rank among her best releases yet. Its flirty lyrics (“I am getting hot, oh, my!”), delivered in her raspy vocal style, matched the growing blaze of a midsummer romance. DT

Best bit: Those heavy-handed guitar strums after the bridge that lead us to the track’s fiery climax.

42. Liam Gallagher – ‘Everything’s Electric’

“Underneath the red sun, everything’s electric,” Liam Gallagher sings on the bold centrepiece of his excellent third solo album, ‘C’mon You Know’. The track certainly lived up to that big declaration, sizzling with classic arms-aloft anthemics and a chorus that was simultaneously simple and life-affirmingly massive. If there were any lingering doubts left about LG’s solo prowess, this song blasted them all away once and for all. RD

Best bit: The helicopter-whirring opening riff that signals that the king of British rock’n’roll is back – and he means serious business.

41. Beabadoobee – ‘The Perfect Pair’

So much of Beabadoobee’scareer has been built on the idea of ripping up the pop rulebook and simply doing what the hell she wants – sugar-sweet vocals would sit alongside screeching guitars to speak to a younger generation that feels stifled. But ‘The Perfect Pair’ changed everything again: a holiday-inflected croon and sighing strings made the backbone of one of Bea’s most restrained tracks yet; a break-up song that accepted defeat and just swayed in abandon. Beautiful. EK

Best bit: The cinematic outro where strings take over and Bea just lets the melody do its thing.

40. Yungblud – ‘The Funeral’

Donny punk tearaway Yungbludstruggled with the worldwide attention that followed his second album ‘Weird!’. But rather than bow to other people’s expectations, he fought back with his defiant self-titled follow-up; its swaggering emo opener ‘The Funeral’ his confident mission statement. Flickering between self-hatred and self-love, this flamboyant rager twisted uncertainty into a jubilant celebration, backed by the sort of guitars that would make The Smiths’ Johnny Marrjealous. AS

Best bit: The Gen-Z motivational speech: “But do you hate yourself? Well, that’s alright. Do you love yourself? Well, that’s alright.”

39. Fontaines D.C. – ‘I Love You’

In a twist no-one saw coming, the most exhilarating love song of 2022 was inspired by a country rather than a person. Billed as Fontaines D.C.’s “first overtly political song”, this swirling post-punk epic saw frontman Grian Chatten interrogate his status as an Irishman based in England, laying bare a perpetual tug-of-war between guilt and pride. Impassioned and deeply affecting, Chatten’s performance here grew steadily in intensity throughout. GS

Best bit: The knockout-punch of the final chorus, which climaxes with Chatten howling: “I had to be the fucking man.”

38. GloRilla and Cardi B – ‘Tomorrow 2’

GloRilla’s immense talent was clear to see on her July single ‘Tomorrow’ – so much so that the Memphis artist quickly earned a fan in rap superstar Cardi B, who hopped on the September remix ‘Tomorrow 2’. The latter was a belter: the duo demonstrated their respective lyrical prowess over sparse, piano-led accompaniment. Best of all, it provided an early glimpse at rap’s next massive star more than keeping up with one of the reigning champs. HM

Best bit: GloRilla’s stellar put-down: “Can’t say your name up in my songs, might not fuck with you tomorrow.” Can’t say she didn’t warn you!

37. Måneskin – ‘The Loneliest’

After winning Eurovision 2021 with the hammering ‘Zitti e Buoni’, the new saviours of rock’n’roll kept the party going with such stadium-sized anthems as ‘Mammamia’ and ‘Supermodel’. Then came ‘The Loneliest’, a brooding ballad that saw the Italian four-piece trade fiery excess for heartbreaking emotion. Despite the restraint that was plastered across Måneskin’s first English language slow jam, ‘The Loneliest’ still bristled with excitement as the rockstars let another side of them shine. AS

Best bit: That guitar solo: let them Italians wail.

36. Gorillaz – ‘New Gold’

In the midst of this year’s scorcher of a summer, Gorillazappeared like a mirage to deliver another legendary collaboration. ‘New Gold’ served up a deliciously psychedelic hook from Tame Impala, while The Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown – who Gorillaz fans recognised from his explosive verse on ‘Dirty Harry’ – spun a bouncy tale of a vain society in freefall. 2022’s best weather may be long behind us, but ‘New Gold’ was a warm ray of sunshine to remember it by.AB

Best bit: Bootie Brown’s second verse, which is packed with throwbacks to ‘Demon Days’.

35. Fred again.. – ‘Danielle (smile on my face)’

Built around a sample of 070 Shake’s 2019 single ‘Nice To Have’ – a tune that Fred Gibson said he “literally listened to every day last year… everywhere, all the time” – ‘Danielle (smile on my face)’ is a classic Fred again.. creation. Emotive lyrics (“Fuck what they say, I’m safe in your arms / And if I die in your arms, there’ll be a smile on my face”), wobbly, bass-driven synths and bombastic beats united as one to form one of 2022’s most tear-jerking bangers. SM

Best bit: When the synths and beats crackle back into life, sparking one last rave in the track’s ecstatic final minute.

34. Wunderhorse – ‘Leader of The Pack’

2022’s best rock song? Wunderhorse, AKA Cornwall-based Pistol actor Jacob Slater, put up a very good fight with the brooding, snarling ‘Leader Of The Pack’. Chugging guitars, crashing drums and gang chorus vocals turned every listen into a rock’n’roll hoedown, with Slater having written the song “as a means of getting even”. Mission accomplished, surely. SM

Best bit: That crunching opening riff: beat that, 2023.

33. Tove Lo – ‘No One Dies From Love’

Tove Lo’s fifth album ‘Dirt Femme’ was packed full of effervescent earworms, but none more so than its jubilant opener ‘No One Dies From Love’. Written when she “was having the fear of ‘What if this love that I have ends?’”, the Swede spun that relatable vulnerability over squelchy synths, driving beats and ‘80s drums. The result? Very real emotions coupled with a sugar-rush instrumental. HM

Best bit: The euphoric, layered vocals that open the first chorus, where Tove belts out: “No one dies from love / Guess I’ll be the first.”

32. FLO – ‘Cardboard Box’

If there was ever any doubt about the current state of UK R&B, then the country’s next best girl band quickly put those suspicions to bed in 2022 with their glistening debut single. A flawlessly synchronised and perfectly-poised track about cutting off a toxic relationship, the London trio’s harmonies and satin-smooth melodies served as a glossy throwback to the golden age of early-00s female empowerment (see: Destiny’s Child and Sugababes). A flow like this is no fluke. HG

Best bit: The sassy bridge that makes you want to waggle a finger and pack up your own cardboard box: “I’ma put your jeans next to the dreams that you sold me.”

31. Piri and Tommy – ‘On & On’

The drum’n’bass-loving Manchester duo are now making scene-leading pop-meets-dance music to soundtrack the kind of wild nights out they used to enjoy as clubbers. “Big night, lost my weed but the beat goes on,” Piri serenely sang while impressively keeping pace with the unrelenting Tommy-produced drums that helped ‘On & On’ truly zip along. SM

Best bit: Piri’s “on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on” will be stuck in your head forever. Sorry!

30. IVE – ‘Love Dive’

Looking back on K-pop in 2022, it’s been the year of rookie girl groups punching far above their weight. Case in point: IVE and their sophisticated seduction anthem ‘Love Dive’. This slice of alluring electro-pop reels you back in again and again, whether it’s to savour the confident, flirtatious lyrics and gorgeous backing melodies, or to pick up on all the sonic flourishes studding the production like diamonds in the rough. KG

Best bit: Wonyoung’s line “Narcissistic, my god, I love it” – knowingly cheeky and delicious every time.

29. The 1975 – ‘Part Of The Band’

Distortion, ambient noise, stream of conscious neurosis, and Matty Healy spilling out the melodic interrogations, “Am I ironically woke? The butt of my joke? Or am I just some post-coke, average, skinny bloke?” this track had it all. ‘Part Of The Band’’sstrong suit was that it’s quieter and more subtle than many of their tracks, but it’s still quintessentially The 1975. With dry, wry millennial humour and apt observations standing, the result will always reward a careful listener. EC

Best bit: The cheeky line, “I like my men like I like my coffee / Full of soy milk and so sweet, it won’t offend anybody“. Same.

28. Bring Me The Horizon – ‘Strangers’

From the moment Bring Medropped ‘Strangers’ during a DJ set at their curated Malta Weekender festival, it became a modern day emo anthem. From the melodramatic opening lines (“Maybe I’ll just be fucked up forever”) through to the snarling angst and a gooey spirit of community that rages throughout. Get together, get low and feel the high. AS

Best bit: That ‘90s nostalgia dragged into 2022

27. Oliver Sim – ‘Hideous’

“I’m ugly…” sang Oliver Sim on the opening moments of ‘Hideous’, his immediately recognisable deep vocal finding a new home outside of The xxfor the first time. An intensely beautiful song that tears the sting out of shame, its subject matter is deeply personal, and rooted in the singer’s HIV-positive status. Here, Sim found freedom in “radical honesty” and power in baring every part of himself – even the aspects that he said feel hideous and hidden. EH

Best bit: The transcendent moment that Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beats bursts as an ethereal guardian angel.

26. New Jeans – ‘Hype Boy’

In a time where lots of pop groups feel like they’re chasing the same sounds, styles and attitudes, K-pop rookies NewJeans’ debut provided a refreshing change of pace. ‘Hype Boy’, their second release, was the jewel in their crown – its flashes of ‘90s R&B melded with modern pop production an immediately addictive combination, and a chorus so cool and catchy you had no choice but to join the rising four-piece in longing for their “hype boy”. RD

Best bit: Any time the girls sing “take him to the sky-y-y-y-y-y”, an instant skyrocketing high.

25. Omar Apollo – ‘Evergreen’

In October, pop music’s best-kept secret finally broke into the mainstream: Omar Apolloscored his first-ever chart hit with ‘Evergreen’, a ballad of crisp, measured guitar and purposefully subtle drum patterns. This quietly scathing breakup tune built up to a lover walking away and refusing to allow their turned back to become the relationship’s final scene – a change in perspective that became its own kind of revelation. SW

Best bit: Clearly, Apollo wanted an ex to feel the sheer magnitude of his pain. “You didn’t deserve me at all”, he belts out on the bridge, his delivery reaching a near-scream. You tell ‘em, king!

24. Arctic Monkeys – ‘Body Paint’

Let’s be honest, every song onArctic Monkeys’ triumphant seventh record ‘The Car’ might have made this list – but that wouldn’t be fair, would it? We’ll take Alex Turner’s velvet-smooth croon and the accompanying killer chorus on this track anyday. “My teeth are beating and my knees are weak,” he sings in falsetto as ‘Body Paint’ builds to its utterly euphoric ELO-esque orchestral pop breakdown. Same, Alex. Same. AF

Best bit: The anthemic outro, featuring squealing guitars and the repeated refrain: “There’s still a trace of body paint / On your legs and on your arms and on your face.”

23. My Chemical Romance – ‘The Foundations of Decay’

With ‘The Foundations of Decay’, My Chemical Romance’sfiery comeback exceeded every current or ageing emo kid’s wildest dreams. The six-minute triumph starts off as a simmering ballad to atrophy, with a subdued Gerard Waysinging a of a man “tired with age” and ravaged by time – yet when the track finally explodes in rousing choruses, thundering guitar riffs and a gut-punch breakdown, it proves the legendary band was anything but. AB

Best bit: The first explosive chorus – a shot of pure catharsis for fans who waited nine years for that moment.

22. Florence and The Machine – ‘King’

There’s power in how Florence Welch stood tall and fearless in the face of the patriarchy on ‘King’. She has always strung lyrics together like armour, but this remarkable track felt designed to protect herself from the expectation that she should compromise her career in order to raise children. She narrated her experience, and reclaimed it – a revolt against the very idea of doing what you’re told. SW

Best bit: When Welch breaks into an almighty roar; you can picture her throwing out her arms and letting her hair flutter out in the wind alongside a phenomenal, gale-force vocal.

21. WILLOW – ‘Hover Like A Goddess’

Fresh from helping kickstart a pop-punk revival with 2021’s ‘lately i feel EVERYTHING’, the lead single to follow-up record ‘COPINGMECHANISM’ saw Willow trading angst for romance. Driven by an excitable energy, this urgent garage-punk banger celebrated the fact that “every woman deserves to be worshipped”. ‘Hover Like A Goddess’ may channel Bloc Party and The Strokes, but it saw Willow cut party-starting rock’n’roll with her own unique vision. AS

Best bit: Willow embracing the art of a good “oh-ohhh, oh-ohhh”.

20. Beyoncé – ‘Break My Soul’

The first glimpse we got of Beyoncé’s seventh album ‘Renaissance’, ‘Break My Soul’ was a tantalising taster of slick production, massive hooks and beats made straight for the dancefloor. With dual samples of Big Freedia’s ‘Explode’ and Robin S.‘s ’90s classic ‘Show Me Love’, and packed with lyrics that preach self-confidence and joy, ‘Break My Soul’ landed as a modern house classic. HM

Best bit: The sample of Big Freedia’s ‘Explode’, that instructs you to “release ya job… release the stress“. Who are we to disagree?

19. Rosalía – ‘Chicken Teriyaki’

The purity, simplicity, silliness and badassery of this cut from the stellar ‘Motomami’ is a testament to Rosalia’s knack for a hook and a good time. We don’t know what the Spanish pop sensation is singing about and frankly, it doesn’t matter. Throw your phrase book away and let this chugging beast of Latin spirit and reggaeton rhythms consume you. AT

Best bit: Telling your friends that you’re now fluent in Spanish and fiesta

18. Griff & Sigrid – ‘Head On Fire’

Teased via a series of cryptic videos posted on social media, this chart-ready team-up between two of music’s most exciting young talents was as rock-solid as their friendship. When they performed the tune at the BandLab NME Awards 2022 in March, it made for a standout moment – and a triumphant victory lap round one of the country’s greatest gig venues. More, please! AF

Best bit: A short pause for breath before launching into that joyful chorus. Set your watch for a good time.

17. Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’

The lead single from Swift’s 10th album ‘Midnights’, ‘Anti-Hero’ proved a self-deprecating anthem. Delivering tongue-in-cheek lines over Jack Antonoff’s production (the chorus opener “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me” has spawned scores of memes), the songwriter extraordinaire has done what she does best: turn painfully relatable experiences into a stone-cold banger. HM

Best bit: Love it or hate it, it’s got to be the line that got everyone talking: “Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby/And I’m a monster on the hill“…same?

16. Phoenix – ‘Tonight’

As much as the band’s seventh album ‘Alpha Zulu’ pushed the indie-pop masters’ sound forward, its standout moment happened to be a dabble in nostalgia. The deliciously catchy bassline and chorus would have nestled in nicely on their 2009 breakthrough album ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’, as frontman Thomas Mars and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig wistfully duet. TS

Best bit: The band told NMEthey’ve always felt a synchronicity with Vampire Weekend, and consider them transatlantic cousins. The song’s middle-eight, where Koenig and Mars trade lines, finds the pair in perfect harmony.

15. Doechii – ‘Persuasive’

The latest signing to the star-making Top Dawg Entertainment, Doechii has opted for a meticulous, patient roll-out where so many other artists rush to ride their early momentum. She already feels like a fully-formed artist bursting with complex visual ideas and diverse musical directions. To be fair, every track feels standout – but the house-tinged ‘Persuasive’ just about nabs the top spot. No wonderSZA jumped aboard for the equally addictive remix. EH

Best bit: When soulful brass gradually creeps into the ether two-thirds of the way through, steadily building up the biggest drop. That, and the abundant air-horns.

14. Kendrick Lamar – ‘N95’

A highlight of ‘Mr Morale & The Big Steppers’, here’s Kendrick Lamar delivering an anti-pop gem with a message to “take off” the fakery and stop looking for external validation. In a lesson to other rappers, Lamar spits for morals rather than boasting over distorted, growling 808s and trap synths. With a dextrous flow and words you can’t ignore, this is why Kendrick is king. KSW

Best bit: In the refrain, the explosive “Bitch…” before the whining response “…you’re outta pocket” makes for a perfect wake-up call.

13. Wet Leg – ‘Angelica’

Indie’s silliest and most fun new gang took us into the highs and lows, dangers and consequences of getting pickled at a house party in one of the standout tracks of their phenomenal debut album. With spiralling riffs, ray-gun sound effects, and a multi-layered central mantra of “good times all the time”, ‘Angelica’ cemented Wet Leg’s place as our new favourite relatable party pals. RD

Best bit: The delectably eye-rolled lines “I don’t wanna follow you on the ‘gram / I don’t wanna listen to your band.”

12. Maggie Rogers – ‘That’s Where I Am’

Coloured with optimism, this track was fuelled by the sense of autonomy that defined Maggie Rogers’ comeback this year. With new production credits and a Harvard Divinity School degree to her name, Rogers created a wild symphony of rebirth on ‘That’s Where I Am’, as she sang of a blossoming love atop ripples of distortion and gleaming keys. It was the sound of Rogers feeling something shift inside of her, and wondering where this new, beautiful thing even came from. SW

Best bit: The giddy relish of the way Rogers delivers the bridge – “You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted / All I ever really wanted was you” – channelling a feeling far beyond her own understanding.

11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Wolf’

“Hunger, connection, and wildness” were the words YYY’sKaren O used to describe ‘Wolf’ – a climbing, synth-laden track that keeps its lyrics sparse, embodying the primal nature of not only punk but the track itself. “I’m lost and I’m lonely / I hunger for you only / Don’t leave me now, don’t break the spell,” warned O in a sinister tone, right before the instrumental drop and powerful chorus. It’s a bold glance at the primitive side of human nature from a band able to hold the weight of a song this big. EC

Best bit: O gently singing, “In heaven lost my taste for hello / taste for hell”, before a full orchestra kicks in with urgent strings. Powerful stuff.

10. Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Plan B’

While serving ‘90s New York style hip-hop raunchiness, Megreminded the world of her immaculate lyricism with this declaration of self-love. Teaching women to “love yourself ‘cause this shit can get ugly / That’s why it’s ‘Fuck n****s, get money,’” this is confidence manifest. Just like Lil Kim and Foxy Brown, she stepped into her sex appeal without relying on it to prove naysayers wrong. One-dimensional? Get a grip. This is everything. ‘Plan B’ is Megan Thee Stallion delivering a layered and positive lesson for life. KSW

Best bit: All the candid, empowering quips in a masterclass from Meg.

9. Charli XCX – ‘Beg For You’

A collab between two of the UK pop’s finest, ‘Beg For You’ was always going to be something special. However, chuck in a killer sample – lifted from September’s 2005 hit ‘Cry For You’ – and you’ve got magic on your hands. Rina’s vocals and harmonies feel so essential, you pine for more of her on Charli’sfifth album ‘Crash’, but that’s what you get from top maestros on top of their game. ‘Beg For You’ may have dropped in January, but it was a clear and bold proclamation from Charli and Rina that 2022 would be their year. JT

Best bit: The September sample truly makes the song, but everything comes together for the first chorus.

8. Jockstrap – ‘Concrete Over Water’

‘Concrete Over Water’ presented the Jockstrap musical blueprint in miniature: the poise of Georgia Ellery’s pristine, ravishing vocals, torn asunder by the anarchic hand of producer Taylor Skye. The song sings of the impossible beauty of a bridge-top romantic rendezvous, but Skye scorches the scene with a mutant synth army of math-rock screeches and warped atmospherics. Were Ellery and Skye competing for supremacy? Nah, in this fight we all win. MP

Best bit: Ellery sings “I wanna be there” before the elegiac beauty of the opening caves to hyper-processed mania

7. Steve Lacy – ‘Bad Habit’

Steve Lacy’s first US Number One single felt long overdue. ‘Bad Habit’, taken from the 24-year-old LA artist’s second solo album ‘Gemini Rights’, was the song that propelled the Internet and Kendrick Lamar collaborator to the big time; no doubt aided on its journey to the very top by its massive popularity on TikTok. Showcasing Lacy’s impressive vocal range, his nifty way around a guitar and his tattoo-worthy lyrics (“You can’t surprise a Gemini”), the single has unsurprisingly become Lacy’s biggest hit to date. After all, some bad habits are just too good to kick. SM

Best bit: “It’s biscuits, it’s gravy, babe” – the most delicious lyric of the year?

6. Rina Sawayama – ‘This Hell’

Sawayama is one of the smartest pop stars we have, and ‘This Hell’ is her wittiest and most undeniable tune yet. Who else would think to eviscerate the anti-queer rhetoric spouted by extreme religious groups with a spangly country banger inspired by Shania Twain? Rina, that’s who! And with a belter that’s tongue-in-cheek and subversive, but also outrageously good fun. NL

Best bit: “Get in line, pass the wine, bitch / We’re going straight to hell!”

5. Arctic Monkeys – ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’

After the space-age dabblings on 2018’s ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’, Arctic Monkeys returned to Earth on the heavenly and lush launch single from seventh album ‘The Car’. Known for being cheeky in his early work to escapist in his latter days, Alex Turner came across as truly earnest, open, romantic and human for the first time on this slow-dance waltzing beauty. “Don’t get emotional, that ain’t like you,” croons the frontman, inviting us in. It’s the Monkeys, Jim, but not as you know them. AT

Best bit: “So do you wanna walk me to the caaaa-aaaar?” You drive on ahead, Alex – we’ll float there.

4. Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – ‘B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)’

The summer’s ultimate rave anthem. First released in early June with modest ambitions, it soon became a hit as welcome blaring out of stadium PAs and spicing up ITV2 montages as it did in the festival fields and clubs. By early September, the ‘90s-indebted hit had climbed to Number One in the UK Singles Charts, capping off a spectacular rise. TS

Best bit: The opening melody, a delightfully simple and catchy hook that floats all the way to the song’s conclusion.

3. Harry Styles – ‘As It Was’

It’s hard not to tumble into the vast emotional depths of ‘As It Was’ and look beyond everything else that made this song such a triumph. Change is a constant beneath the track’s heart-raising BPM and twinkling melodies: here, Harry Styles’empathetic songwriting saw him fight for stability amid breakups and personal upheavals, finding strength in a renewed relationship with himself. It’s a quietly beautiful thing, then, that it became his biggest hit to date, proving that opening yourself up to the world doesn’t always have to be a risk. SW

Best bit: So much of the feeling is in the instrumental: some peppy guitar lines, and the crescendo of tubular bells, less of a breakdown than the sound of a heart skipping a beat.

2. Paramore – ‘This Is Why’

After five years, Paramore slid back in with a groove so heavy, swaggering and sleazy, any talk of hiatus was immediately forgotten (not that they’d care, as Hayley Williams croons sweetly at the start, “if you have an opinion / maybe you should shove it”). Her voice is equally exhausted and exhilarated, leaning into its full power as guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro somehow manage to play tight and loose simultaneously. With its slow crawling synth and cymbals eventually erupting into a full funk fest, ‘This Is Why’ gave us just what we wanted: an innovative pop-punk moment from a band already responsible for so many. EC

Best bit: Williams repeating “One step beyond your door / Might as well have been a free fall” meditatively before crashing back in with an echoing “And I’m floating like a cannonball”. Chills.

1. Beyoncé – ‘Cuff It’

Beyoncé is of course no stranger to creating enduring anthems. From ‘90s R&B belters with Destiny’s Child (‘Independent Woman’, ‘Say My Name’ to ‘00s earworms (‘Crazy In Love’, ‘Irreplaceable’), powerhouse ballads (‘Halo’), to the poignant and political (‘Formation’), the superstar is responsible for smashes eternally etched into the public pshyche than most artists could even dare to dream of. And in 2022, ‘Cuff It’ joined these ranks.

Taken from Beyoncé’s brilliant seventh album ‘Renaissance’, this funk-laden earworm is a triumph. With a Grammy nomination (for Best R&B Song) and a viral TikTok dance, it should be a government mandated requirement for this celebration of letting loose, falling in love and “gettin’ fucked up” to be played at least once on all future nights out. Keir Starmer, shove this in your manifesto.

With a bridge bigger than the Golden Gate, slinky strings, NSFW saucy lyrics, and the disco flare that a Nile Rodgersassist always brings, ‘Cuff It’ is total ecstasy and an unexpected gift to the pop canon of all time, let alone 2022. HM

Best bit: The first time we get that joyous post-chorus and Beyoncé sings: “Bet you you’ll see far / Bet you you’ll see stars.” Floor-filling euphoria.

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[ulkaralakbarova]

Emma Woodhouse is a congenial young lady who delights in meddling in other people’s affairs. She is perpetually trying to unite men and women who are utterly wrong for each other. Despite her interest in romance, Emma is clueless about her own feelings, and her relationship with gentle Mr. Knightly. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Emma Woodhouse: Gwyneth Paltrow Harriet Smith: Toni Collette Mr. Elton: Alan Cumming Frank Churchill: Ewan McGregor Mr. Knightley: Jeremy Northam Mrs. Weston: Greta Scacchi Mrs. Elton: Juliet Stevenson Jane Fairfax: Polly Walker Miss Bates: Sophie Thompson Mr. Woodhouse: Denys Hawthorne Mr. Weston: James Cosmo Mrs. Bates: Phyllida Law Mrs. Goddard: Kathleen Byron Robert Martin: Edward Woodall John Knightley: Brian Capron Isabella: Karen Westwood Miss Martin: Rebecca Craig Mrs. Cole: Angela Down Mr. Cole: John Franklyn-Robbins Bates’ Maid: Ruth Jones Dancer (uncredited): Lee Boardman Film Crew: Set Decoration: Totty Whately Producer: Patrick Cassavetti Production Design: Michael Howells Director of Photography: Ian Wilson Casting: Mary Selway Novel: Jane Austen Screenplay: Douglas McGrath Casting: Sarah Trevis Art Direction: Joshua Meath-Baker Costume Design: Ruth Myers Editor: Lesley Walker Executive Producer: Bob Weinstein Executive Producer: Harvey Weinstein Producer: Steven Haft Executive Producer: Donna Gigliotti Art Direction: Sam Riley Thanks: Giorgio Armani Script Supervisor: Jean Bourne Makeup Department Head: Tina Earnshaw Assistant Costume Designer: Morgan Elliott Original Music Composer: Rachel Portman Hair Department Head: Simon Thompson Makeup Department Head: Susie Adams Property Master: Danny Euston Unit Publicist: Sara Keene Associate Producer: Donna Grey Sound Mixer: Chris Munro Still Photographer: David Appleby Production Coordinator: Fran Triefus Assistant Costume Designer: Sharon Long Dialogue Editor: Derek Holding Gaffer: Norman Smith Supervising Sound Editor: Colin Miller Location Manager: Bill Darby Assistant Editor: Jeremy Hume Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Paul Carr Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Robert Farr Choreographer: Sue Lefton Grip: Richard Broome Assistant Hairstylist: Kay Georgiou Assistant Makeup Artist: Sian Grigg Second Assistant Director: Alison Begg Third Assistant Director: Russell Channon Third Assistant Director: Caleb Menges First Assistant Director: Davina Nicholson Construction Manager: Andrew Golding Scenic Artist: Jason Line Scenic Artist: Stephen Scott Assistant Sound Editor: Geoff R. Brown Foley Artist: Lionel Selwyn Foley Artist: Jason Swanscott Clapper Loader: James Bloom Electrician: David Bruce Electrician: Mark ‘Rocky’ Evans Electrician: Wayne Leach Focus Puller: Roz Naylor Electrician: Ricky Pattenden Wardrobe Supervisor: Michael O’Connor Negative Cutter: Sylvia Wheeler Production Accountant: Kevin Trehy Movie Reviews: Peter McGinn: This is a fine production of the Jane Austen novel, though it is not among my top two favorite adaptations. Not for any serious problems, but rather due to minor decisions that were made in the script. I expected to see more of Emma’s visit to Miss Bates, for example, after she is shamed into repenting her treatment of the silly woman. Other than that I enjoyed the movie well enough. The acting and the script were consistently good except for those moments I mentioned, and I would probably be willing to watch it again someday. Filipe Manuel Neto: **A futile and silly Emma to be taken seriously, but entertaining and has some good moments.** Jane Austen is one of the great writers in the English language and her work has been fertile ground for adaptations and reinterpretations in theatre, television and cinema. From trash to luxury, there’s no shortage of options, and each one stands out for one reason or another. This film was inspired by one of the author’s novels about a charismatic and dreamy young woman who takes pleasure in gathering acquaintances and friends, and playing matchmaker. The problem is that, deep down, she herself feels lonely and doesn’t really see a man capable of making h...

[justmanic03]

since soaps have a huuuggeeeelllyyyy terrible track record of ruining lesbian couples all the way back to Sophie and Sian, then there was Kate and Rana, so I swear if anything happens to Suki and Eve there will be hell to pay on my end (in the form of me making a whole ass blog post about it lmao)

[daneycott-filmmaker]

Textual Relationship | Official Short Film from Textual Relationship on Vimeo.

It's a match made in heaven when Uniquetalent_33 (Sarah Langrish-Smith) and DarkDemon92 (David Frias-Robles) meet each other online. They instantly hit it off but when the time does come to meet it becomes painfully clear that their physical connection doesn't quite live up to their online one...

As featured in Digital Filmmaker Magazine (issue 38) TEXTUAL RELATIONSHIP is an award winning short film based on the Descent Theatre play of the same name by Tom Glover and directed by Syd Heather.

AWARDS

WINNER: FILM OF THE NIGHT - Limelight Film Awards 2017 WINNER: BEST COMEDY - Limelight Film Awards 2017 WINNER: BEST ACTOR - Rob Knox Film Festival 2016 WINNER: BEST FILM - South Shorts Film Festival 2016 WINNER: VIDEO OF THE WEEK [WEEK 49] - Awardeo.tv

NOMINATED: BEST FOREIGN SHORT FILM (COMEDY) - Best of NFMLA Awards 2017 NOMINATED: BEST FILM - Camelot International Film Festival 2016

OFFICIAL FESTIVAL SELECTION

BFI Future Film Festival Garden State Film Festival Fling! Film Festival Shorts of the South Rob Knox Film Festival New Cross & Deptford Film Festival New Filmmakers Los Angeles (in association with BRITWEEK) Cambridge Strawberry Shorts Film Festival Screen Social The Monthly Film Festival South Shorts Film Festival Camelot International Film Festival

STARRING David Frias-Robles | @Davefriasrobles | spotlight.com/4775-7831-6989 Sarah Langrish-Smith | @SkLangrish | spotlight.com/3311-0198-3857

Director | Syd Heather (@syd_heather) Producers | Syd Heather & Daniel Eycott (@Danny_Eycott) Writers | Tom Glover & Syd Heather Production Manager | Paul Jones 1st Assistant Director | Ami Ferriera Director of Photography | Daniel Salter Gaffer | Matt Bailey Original Music and Composition | Richard D. Taylor Editor | Alex Harffey Production Designer & MUA | Charlene Hudson Set Dresser | Bianca Martin Sound Designer | Rachael Tarr Boom Operators | Sian Buckland & Lee Burns Sound Mixer | Daniel S. Smith Foley Artist | George Baker Sound Assistants | Phillip Sparkes & Eleni Mylona Visual Effects | Amanda Brent & Valentin Vaklinov Colourist | Sungok Kim Timelapse Photography | Iustin Filip-Mucenic Production Assistants | Sian Buckland and Beth Funnell Promotional Materials | Rosalind Gregoire Graphic Design | Sophie Brown Additional Graphics | Alex Stewart

[katefitwithkatebridgeman]

Since Jan 2020, your payment to Sweaty Mama Stroud and Cirencester, £1 has donated to Rushton Dog Rescue.

A MASSIVE THANK YOU to all the Mamas who renewed, our Monthly Mamas and new signed up.

THANK YOU FOR SAVING DOGS FROM MEAT TRADE.

Our Sep 2023 🐕 donation to Rushton Dog Rescue 🌺

On behalf of Rushton Dog Rescue and the 🐾, they Woof Woof their thanks to you. ❤️

Alexia Thompson

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You can make donation again via -

PayPal - http://paypal.me/RushtonDogRescue

Bank details-

Name- Rushton dog rescue

Account number- 65399196

Sort code- 08 92 99

[kurtlukiraz]

Yeni dizi, eve dönen ve yeme bozukluğundan kurtulan 16 yaşındaki Mia'nın (Sophie Wilde) hayatının altıncı formu olan kasırgaya geri dönmesini konu alıyor.Dizinin baş yapımcısı Sian McWilliams'a göre dizi, yeme bozukluğuyla yaşamayı gerçekçi bir şekilde tasvir etmesi nedeniyle sosyal medyada övgüyle karşılandı ve dizide yaygın olan konunun dahil edilmesi büyük bir özenle yapıldı.Everything Now ekibinin ekranda Mia'nın anoreksisiyle mücadeleye nasıl yaklaştığı hakkında sadece RadioTimes.com'a konuşan McWilliams şunları söyledi: "Bu sürekli bir konuşmaydı ve sanırım diziyi yapmak için çekilen çoğumuzun kendi deneyimleri vardı, ama hatta Bunu kendimiz deneyimlemiş olsak da, yine de büyük bir özen gösterme sorumluluğu hissettik ve çeşitli farklı deneyime sahip uzmanlarla, aktivist insanlarla, bu deneyimi bizzat yaşamış ve şimdi bunun hakkında konuşan insanlarla çalıştık."Ve ayrıca resmin tamamını görebilmek için madalyonun diğer tarafındaki insanlar, doktorlar, psikiyatristler."Bilgilerinizi girerek şunları kabul etmiş olursunuz: Şartlar ve koşullar Ve Gizlilik Politikası. Aboneliğinizi istediğiniz zaman iptal edebilirsiniz.McWilliams şöyle devam etti: "Fakat bence hepimiz için en büyük şey, içsel yolculuğu göstermesiydi. Yeme bozukluklarıyla ilgili en büyük yanılgılardan biri, bunun fiziksel bir görünüş meselesi olduğu gerçeğidir ve eğer bunu doğru anlarsanız, Mutlu olacağız."Yeme bozukluğu olan ve aynada kendine bakıp 'Evet, başardım' diyen biriyle hiç tanışmadım. Bu yüzden geri dönüşlerde bile onun fiziksel olarak diğerlerinden farklı göründüğünü göstermek istemedik. makyaj konusunda yaptığımızdan, saç büyümesi ve tırnaklarının hasar görmesi gibi olaylardan daha çok."Bu, 'Bunun bir akıl sağlığı bozukluğu olduğu gerçeğini nasıl tasvir edebiliriz?' ile ilgiliydi, beyninizle ilgili. Bu, orada olup bitenlerle ilgili. Ve bence dış ses, bunun gerçekten önemli bir parçasıydı. asıl odak noktamız onun beyazperdede nasıl göründüğünden ziyade psikolojik yolculuğu konu almak."Buna benzer daha fazlaWill rolünde Noah Thomas, Mia rolünde Sophie Wilde, Becca rolünde Lauryn Ajufo ve Cameron rolünde Harry Cadby yer alıyor. Sol Yaka / NetflixDizi, uzun süren iyileşme sürecinin ardından eve dönen Mia'nın her şeyin değiştiğini ve arkadaşlarının onsuz yola devam ettiğini bulmasını konu alıyor. Bu yüzden, hayatı ve tamamen kaçırdığını hissettiği tüm kısımları kucaklamak için bir yapılacaklar listesi oluşturuyor ve kendini partilere, flörtlere ve çok daha fazlasına akıtıyor.Devamını oku: Dizi, Netflix'te henüz dün (5 Ekim Perşembe) yayınlanmış olmasına rağmen izleyiciler üzerinde kısa sürede bir etki yarattı.Hayranlar (yakın zamanda X olarak yeniden markalanan) Twitter'da gençlik yılları ve yeme bozukluklarıyla ilgili kişisel mücadeleleri hakkında kendi anekdotlarını paylaştılar.Bir hayran yazdı: "Şimdi Her Şey, yeme bozukluğum ve vücut dismorfisim hakkındaki birçok eski duyguyu gündeme getirdi. Ayrıca anoreksiya hakkındaki düşüncelerimin tamamen yanlış olduğunu da gösterdi."Başka bir hayran da benzer bir duyguyu paylaştı: yazı: "Her Şeyi Şimdi İzlemeye Başlıyorum... Fragmandaki yeme bozukluğunun iyileşmesi, bir dizi içinde gördüğüm en iyi tasvir gibi görünüyordu. Geri kalanının nasıl olduğunu (ve ne kadar duygusallaştığımı) görmek ilgimi çekti."Sekiz bölümlük dizi, Ripley Parker tarafından yaratıldı ve Mia rolünde Wilde tarafından yönetiliyor. Wilde'ın oyuncu kadrosuna Becca rolünde Lauryn Ajufo, Will rolünde Noah Thomas, Cameron rolünde Harry Cadby ve Alison rolünde Niamh McCormack gibi isimler katılıyor.Yeme bozukluğundan etkilenen herkes, Beat'i ziyaret ederek veya 0808 801 0677 numaralı hayır kurumunun yardım hattını arayarak yardım ve destek bulabilir.Şimdi Her Şey Netflix'te izlenebiliyor. Netflix'e ayda 4,99 £'dan başlayan fiyatlarla kaydolun. Netflix ayrıca Sky Glass ve Virgin Media Stream'de de mevcuttur.Drama kapsamımıza daha fazla göz atın veya neler olduğunu öğrenmek için TV Rehberimizi ve Yayın Rehberimizi ziyaret edin.Radio Times dergisini bugün deneyin ve yalnızca 10 £ karşılığında 10 sayıya sahip olun, AYRICA evinize teslim edilen 10 £ John Lewis and Partners kuponu da alın - hemen abone olun. TV'nin en büyük yıldızlarından daha fazlası için The Radio Times Podcast'ini dinleyin.

[gundemburadadedim]

Yeni dizi, eve dönen ve yeme bozukluğundan kurtulan 16 yaşındaki Mia'nın (Sophie Wilde) hayatının altıncı formu olan kasırgaya geri dönmesini konu alıyor.Dizinin baş yapımcısı Sian McWilliams'a göre dizi, yeme bozukluğuyla yaşamayı gerçekçi bir şekilde tasvir etmesi nedeniyle sosyal medyada övgüyle karşılandı ve dizide yaygın olan konunun dahil edilmesi büyük bir özenle yapıldı.Everything Now ekibinin ekranda Mia'nın anoreksisiyle mücadeleye nasıl yaklaştığı hakkında sadece RadioTimes.com'a konuşan McWilliams şunları söyledi: "Bu sürekli bir konuşmaydı ve sanırım diziyi yapmak için çekilen çoğumuzun kendi deneyimleri vardı, ama hatta Bunu kendimiz deneyimlemiş olsak da, yine de büyük bir özen gösterme sorumluluğu hissettik ve çeşitli farklı deneyime sahip uzmanlarla, aktivist insanlarla, bu deneyimi bizzat yaşamış ve şimdi bunun hakkında konuşan insanlarla çalıştık."Ve ayrıca resmin tamamını görebilmek için madalyonun diğer tarafındaki insanlar, doktorlar, psikiyatristler."Bilgilerinizi girerek şunları kabul etmiş olursunuz: Şartlar ve koşullar Ve Gizlilik Politikası. Aboneliğinizi istediğiniz zaman iptal edebilirsiniz.McWilliams şöyle devam etti: "Fakat bence hepimiz için en büyük şey, içsel yolculuğu göstermesiydi. Yeme bozukluklarıyla ilgili en büyük yanılgılardan biri, bunun fiziksel bir görünüş meselesi olduğu gerçeğidir ve eğer bunu doğru anlarsanız, Mutlu olacağız."Yeme bozukluğu olan ve aynada kendine bakıp 'Evet, başardım' diyen biriyle hiç tanışmadım. Bu yüzden geri dönüşlerde bile onun fiziksel olarak diğerlerinden farklı göründüğünü göstermek istemedik. makyaj konusunda yaptığımızdan, saç büyümesi ve tırnaklarının hasar görmesi gibi olaylardan daha çok."Bu, 'Bunun bir akıl sağlığı bozukluğu olduğu gerçeğini nasıl tasvir edebiliriz?' ile ilgiliydi, beyninizle ilgili. Bu, orada olup bitenlerle ilgili. Ve bence dış ses, bunun gerçekten önemli bir parçasıydı. asıl odak noktamız onun beyazperdede nasıl göründüğünden ziyade psikolojik yolculuğu konu almak."Buna benzer daha fazlaWill rolünde Noah Thomas, Mia rolünde Sophie Wilde, Becca rolünde Lauryn Ajufo ve Cameron rolünde Harry Cadby yer alıyor. Sol Yaka / NetflixDizi, uzun süren iyileşme sürecinin ardından eve dönen Mia'nın her şeyin değiştiğini ve arkadaşlarının onsuz yola devam ettiğini bulmasını konu alıyor. Bu yüzden, hayatı ve tamamen kaçırdığını hissettiği tüm kısımları kucaklamak için bir yapılacaklar listesi oluşturuyor ve kendini partilere, flörtlere ve çok daha fazlasına akıtıyor.Devamını oku: Dizi, Netflix'te henüz dün (5 Ekim Perşembe) yayınlanmış olmasına rağmen izleyiciler üzerinde kısa sürede bir etki yarattı.Hayranlar (yakın zamanda X olarak yeniden markalanan) Twitter'da gençlik yılları ve yeme bozukluklarıyla ilgili kişisel mücadeleleri hakkında kendi anekdotlarını paylaştılar.Bir hayran yazdı: "Şimdi Her Şey, yeme bozukluğum ve vücut dismorfisim hakkındaki birçok eski duyguyu gündeme getirdi. Ayrıca anoreksiya hakkındaki düşüncelerimin tamamen yanlış olduğunu da gösterdi."Başka bir hayran da benzer bir duyguyu paylaştı: yazı: "Her Şeyi Şimdi İzlemeye Başlıyorum... Fragmandaki yeme bozukluğunun iyileşmesi, bir dizi içinde gördüğüm en iyi tasvir gibi görünüyordu. Geri kalanının nasıl olduğunu (ve ne kadar duygusallaştığımı) görmek ilgimi çekti."Sekiz bölümlük dizi, Ripley Parker tarafından yaratıldı ve Mia rolünde Wilde tarafından yönetiliyor. Wilde'ın oyuncu kadrosuna Becca rolünde Lauryn Ajufo, Will rolünde Noah Thomas, Cameron rolünde Harry Cadby ve Alison rolünde Niamh McCormack gibi isimler katılıyor.Yeme bozukluğundan etkilenen herkes, Beat'i ziyaret ederek veya 0808 801 0677 numaralı hayır kurumunun yardım hattını arayarak yardım ve destek bulabilir.Şimdi Her Şey Netflix'te izlenebiliyor. Netflix'e ayda 4,99 £'dan başlayan fiyatlarla kaydolun. Netflix ayrıca Sky Glass ve Virgin Media Stream'de de mevcuttur.Drama kapsamımıza daha fazla göz atın veya neler olduğunu öğrenmek için TV Rehberimizi ve Yayın Rehberimizi ziyaret edin.Radio Times dergisini bugün deneyin ve yalnızca 10 £ karşılığında 10 sayıya sahip olun, AYRICA evinize teslim edilen 10 £ John Lewis and Partners kuponu da alın - hemen abone olun. TV'nin en büyük yıldızlarından daha fazlası için The Radio Times Podcast'ini dinleyin.