The original ‘I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it’ album artwork.

‘I like it when you sleep...’ has upheld itself as a 80’s-style pop  masterpiece, combining upbeat and head-bopping rhythms with profound lyricism. After the success of their self-titled album, nobody expected them to be able to produce something  as high-ranking – but this wasn’t the case for The 1975. They went on to top the charts with their critically acclaimed works ‘A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships’ and ‘Notes On A Conditional Form‘, both of which are regarded as their most globally successful compilations. Despite their later albums producing several iconic hits, ‘I like it when you sleep…‘ is still recognised as one of their finest works.

The album truly solidified the group’s foundation in the modern indie soundscape and moulded many other since-successful artists in their journeys to fame. Through 17 tracks, the album’s optimistic and upbeat sound duels with themes of self-reflection and self-indulgence. Matt Healy’s lyrics are honest and provocative, he alludes to addiction, fame, modern love and modern heartbreak all whilst listeners bop along to a catchy hook in the song.

Though a nod to them, the album seems to subtly mock what we know to be some of the greatest love songs and power ballads of the 80s.  There’s a challenging for honesty and truth in The 1975’s lyrics. They answer to this with popular tracks ‘The Sound’, ‘UGH!’ and ‘Love Me’ which portray conversations had about identity in fame meaning and the pressure of enduring it despite how appealing it may seem. The album spawned 7 singles total including the former, and rapidly became a commercial success. Topping the UK charts, ‘I like it when you sleep…‘ received a 2017 Grammy Award nomination and ranked #1 in Top 10 Albums of 2016 in DIY and NME, as well as sitting comfortably in a Top #10 spot in over fifteen other worldwide renowned music publications.

A look at the reissue, including a baby pink vinyl pressing and cards.

To celebrate its 10 year anniversary, Dirty Hit have released a limited edition vinyl repress of the album. Housed in a six-panel triple gatefold packaging, the special edition set features alternative album artwork, 17 exclusive 12″x12″ art cards inspired by each track, and of course two vinyls in the iconic baby pink shade. The vinyl released today and is available to order right now. Fans can listen to ‘I like it when you sleep…‘ for the very first time all over again – an endless reminisce to the height of the 2016 indie music scene.

See the track list you know and love now converted to vinyl below:

A1. The 1975
A2. Love Me
A3. Ugh!
A4. A Change of Heart
A5. She’s American
B1. If I Believe You
B2. Please Be Naked
B3. Lostmyhead
B4. The Ballad of Me and My Brain
C1. Somebody Else
C2. Loving Someone
C3. I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it
C4. The Sound
D1. This Must Be My Dream
D2. Paris
D3. Nana
D4. She Lays Down

Grab this super exclusive pressing before it’s too late! Check out the pressing and shipping information here.

Record Store Day UK have scheduled their 19th edition of the event for Saturday April 18. The initiative, first kick-started in the US in 2007, has been running in the UK since the first official event on April 19 2008, with the aim of celebrating and promoting physical media formats, primarily vinyl, and the vendors that sell them.

The UK version of Record Store Day (RSD) will endorse over 280 independent record stores across the length and breadth of the country, hoping to drive up customer footfall and assert vinyls, cassettes and CDs as viable media formats. In order to dissuade shoppers from using online platforms like Amazon, they partner with artists to develop limited-run releases and reprints, only made available to their collaborating high street stores.

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While this year’s participating artists have yet to be revealed, RSD’s UK website lists their exclusive members and their products from 2025. Their official ambassador for last year’s event was English singer Sam Fender, who released a special EP titled ‘Me And The Dog’, featuring two new singles. He followed in the footsteps of legendary artists like Dave Grohl, of Foo Fighters and Nirvana fame, Oasis’s Noel Gallagher, and Sir Elton John, as well as more recent stars like Taylor Swift and The 1975.

Last year’s haul of special editions included an extremely wide range of music. Many of the artists listed are no longer with us, with the likes of David Bowie, Marc Bolan’s group T. Rex, and Prince, whose posthumous reissues have the potential to become valuable collectibles. Elsewhere, the event drew the input of many current trendsetters, with Charli XCX bringing LP ‘Number One Angel’ and single ‘Guess’ featuring Billie Eillish, Taylor Swift adding a 7-inch version of her single ‘Fortnight, and Gorillaz donating ‘Demon Days Live From The Apollo Theater’, which celebrated 20 years since the original album debuted.

RSD also seeks to partner with brands who align with their mission statement, and this year’s main sponsor is BBC Radio 6 Music, the BBC’s station with the strongest focus on celebrating and promoting music. As well as this, they use the occasion to support various charities and non-profit organisations, with RSD 2026 joining with War Child, an international charity which endeavours to aid and protect children who have been victims of conflict.

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War Child’s Head of Music, Rich Clarke, who oversees their fundraising projects with musicians, said “We’re honoured to the be the official charity partner and to use that platform to give vital support by children affected by conflict around the world.”

Market statistics seem to show significant positive trends in regards to physical media sales in the UK. Indeed, the British Phonographic Industry found that vinyl sales had increased by 1.4 per cent between 2024 and 2025, racking up 7.4 million units sold. With Record Store Day set to bring another year of new incentive for in-person sales, this could be a very big year for our artists and wholesalers.

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Celebrating Marr, as well as local record stores, a plaque for the 61-year old has been unveiled at one of the musician’s regular haunts. Located in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, and just a short walk from Afflecks Palace, Piccadilly Records became one of the most important record stores in the country in the post-punk boom that came out of the North West, and has been Marr’s record store of choice for almost 50 years.  

The former Smiths guitarist used the opportunity to highlight just how important independent record shops are, saying, “Going out to a record store, it’s a nice pastime. It’s a part of the culture; if they were to completely disappear, the high street or the city centre would be a much worse off place. There’s something about the presence of a record store. It’s a magical thing. I’ve known the staff in Piccadilly Records for 20 years…this plaque is a very nice thing to be associated with.”

@recordstoreday Announcing @Johnny Marr Official as the official Record Store Legend 2025 This award was presented to Johnny Marr at his favourite indie record shop #PiccadillyRecords by @Record Store Day US and Record Store Day UK for both his influence on music and his unwavering support of indie record shops worldwide. “There’s something about the presence of a record store. It’s a magical thing. I’ve known the staff in Picadilly Records for 20 years…this plaque is a very nice thing to be associated with.’’ – Johnny Marr Marr has consistently championed record stores worldwide across multiple album campaigns and will be celebrating #RecordStoreDay ♬ original sound – Record Store Day UK

Andy McQueen, who has worked at Piccadilly Records for over 30 years, said, “Johnny Marr is our favourite living artist, and his music has soundtracked our lives for over forty years. To be associated with him in this beautiful way; well, the pleasure, the privilege is ours.” Speaking to Mancunian Matters in 2015, McQueen described Record Store Day as “brilliant, saying “It brings in a whole new load of customers. I love the spirit of the day.”

Marr will be one of over 400 artists to be participating in this year’s Record Store Day offerings, releasing an exclusive orange double LP called ‘Look Out Live!’. The album will be a live record, recorded at his Hammersmith Apollo show in 2024, and will be released alongside the countless other records on 12 April. According to the Record Store Day website, the album “encapsulates the magic of the culmination of his 2024 Spirit Power tour”, and features tracks from across his impressive 40 year career. Those include ‘This Charming Man’, ‘Getting Away With It’, and ‘Armatopia’. The full track listing can be found here.

2025 won’t be Marr’s first collaboration with the celebratory event, having previously participated in 2015 with his single, ‘I Feel You’, in 2022 with Vince Clarke’s remix of Marr’s ‘Spirit Power and Soul’, as well as various releases from The Smiths and Electronic.

In February, MXDWN UK previewed Record Store Day 2025, highlighting the most sought after records of this year’s edition. Among them are Taylor Swift’s ‘Fortnight’, an Oasis greatest hits compilation titled ‘Times Flies’, two Charlie xcx records, including her collaboration with Billie Eilish, ‘Guess’, and Sam Fender’s EP, ‘Me and the Dog’.

The Oasis Time Flies Record Store Day UK reissue has landed! We even opened one up to show it off a bit. Available in store from 8am Saturday 12th April, first come, first served!@recordstoredayuk.bsky.social

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— Bear Tree Records (@beartreerecords.bsky.social) 2 April 2025 at 20:05

 For Marr, this isn’t just another trophy in a cabinet full of awards, it is recognition for being part of a wave that has seen the record store revived. In 2024, vinyl sales accounted for £196 million of physical sales, compared to £126 million in CD sales. Considering Marr’s place in post-punk history, Piccadilly Records is a fitting home for his plaque.

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Operating on the Macmerry Industrial Estate in Tranent, East Lothian, Seabass Vinyl – set up by husband and wife duo, Dave and Dominique Harvey – provides full packaging and artwork services, test pressings, stamper discs, and mastering, in addition to standard pressing runs. The pressing-plant aims to make “meaningful contributions” through its initiatives, co-operating alongside the Sound of Young Scotland Award to “positively impact the Scottish music industry.

The ambitious firm produces its own on-site energy and uses a bio vinyl product made from cooking oil by the Dutch business, Plastchem. This method can reduce carbon footprint of vinyl pressings by up to 90% compared to traditional PVC. Additionally, recycled off-cuts from previous pressings are repurposed, further minimising waste. Most recently, Canadian DJ BLOND:ISH has paved the way in promoting the use of bio material in vinyl production, debuting her sophomore record ‘Never Walk Alone’ (2025) on used cooking oil pressings via BioVinyl.

In conversation with Resident Advisor, Dominique Harvey commented, “Being carbon neutral-certified is a major milestone for us. We’re the first pressing plant in the UK to achieve this and, we think, in the world. It’s important for our customers that we minimise our environmental impact while manufacturing records of the highest quality.”  Last November, the Vinyl Record Manufacturer’s Association and the Vinyl Alliance released a report examining the industry’s carbon footprint. Their findings revealed that producing a 140g vinyl record generates roughly 1kg of CO2e – comparable to the emissions from a single pint of cow’s milk. 

 

 

 

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This equates to the  significant impact that the record industry has on climate change, when all things are considered – including distribution. The organisations behind the research also highlighted vinyl’s longevity, noting that it deteriorates slowly and seldom ends up in landfills. When properly cared for, records can remain playable for generations, preserving both music and material far beyond the lifespan of many other media formats. 

As awareness grows, so does the demand for more sustainable vinyl solutions. A 2024 study by the UK’s largest physical music production broker, Key Production, revealed that 77% of music fans would be willing to pay a premium for records with minimal environmental impact. 

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Seabass Vinyl’s mission expands upon an international approach to sustainable record production. In 2021, Netherlands-based Green Vinyl partnered with UK not-for-profit label Needs on a compilation album ‘NEEDS009’ using environmentally-friendly technologies. 

More information on record sustainability can be found on Seabass Vinyl’s official website. 

‘Whatever’ is 30
To mark the occasion, a limited-edition, numbered Pink and Blue Splatter 7” including remastered audio has been announced!
The vinyl includes B-side ‘(It’s Good) To Be Free’.
Released February 21st 2025, pre-order nowhttps://t.co/3YS19llGrb pic.twitter.com/59NBS9Ihy4

— Oasis (@oasis) December 19, 2024

‘Whatever’ was originally released on December 19, 1994, as a stand-alone single between the albums ‘Definitely Maybe‘ and ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?‘. The song spent 51 weeks on the singles chart, longer than any other Oasis song. It was written by Noel Gallagher, the band’s primary songwriter. The song is about freedom and individuality, encapsulated in the line, “I’m free to be whatever I, whatever I choose”. It is notable for its optimistic lyrics and orchestral arrangement, which was a departure from the band’s typical guitar-driven sound.

‘(It’s Good) To Be Free’ offers an intimate counterpoint to the grand, anthemic style of ‘Whatever’. Musically, it is raw with an acoustic-driven sound complemented by subtle electric guitar and harmonica parts. The minimal production gives it a reflective, stripped-back vibe. Together, they showcase the duality of Noel Gallagher’s songwriting, the ability to be both deeply reflective and universally resonant.

Oasis was an iconic British rock band, formed in Manchester in 1991. Known for their role in defining the Britpop movement of the 1990s. Oasis disbanded in 2009 after a heated altercation between Liam and Noel Gallagher. The brothers’ tumultuous relationship had long been a subject of public fascination, contributing to the band’s breakup. Oasis is celebrated not only for their music but also for their raw charisma, bold attitude, and enduring influence on rock and pop culture.

To further celebrate the milestone, the official video for ‘Whatever’ has been newly upgraded to 4K quality, with remastered audio.

The band has previously commemorated the 30th anniversary of their debut album, ‘Definitely Maybe‘, with a deluxe reissue released on August 30, 2024. This special edition features remastered tracks alongside previously unheard recordings, including sessions from Monnow Valley and outtakes from Sawmills Studios. Notably, it includes an alternative version of ‘Sad Song’ with Liam Gallagher on vocals. In conjunction with this reissue, Oasis announced a reunion tour, ‘Oasis Live ’25’, marking their first UK and Ireland shows in 16 years.

The tour is set to begin in Cardiff on July 4-5, 2025, followed by performances in Manchester, London, Edinburgh, and concluding in Dublin on August 16-17. Tickets became available on August 31, 2024, and due to high demand, additional dates and international shows have been added. This reunion has generated significant excitement among fans, eager to experience the band’s classic hits live once more.

Pre-orders for the anniversary vinyl of ‘Whatever’ are currently available through various retailers. However, some outlets have already sold out due to high demand. Tickets for the ‘Oasis Live ’25’ tour can be found on Ticketmaster.

At the same time last year physical album sales growth was negative at -0.3% and the whole of 2023 saw sales down 1.1% overall. If growth of physical records remains positive this year it will mean that 2024 will be the first year physical music sales have increased since 2004 when we saw a huge shift towards digital music and streaming. 2004 saw 163.4 million units being sold, showing how this trend towards streaming and digital music over the last two decades has affected physical music sales.

The overall consumption of music based on Album Equivalent Sales which combines all physical, digital and streaming, saw an increase of 9.8% in the first six months of the year rising to 98,548,427 units. Consumption of streaming equivalent albums alone increased by 11% to 87,974,752 units showing how streaming is still dominant within the market.

The vinyl boom of recent years has not yet been enough to drag the sales of physical albums into positive growth as the sale of CDs, which is still the dominant format in terms of units, has been seeing huge declines. However, this is on course to change in 2024 and this could be as a result of the emergence of vinyl collectors as well as initiatives such as Record Store Day, HMV Vinyl Week and National Album Day.

According to the half year figures Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ leads the way in physical sales so far this year with 254,241 units sold which has been a significant contribution to the increased physical album sales. As well as this, the other albums to make up the top 5 of physical album sales were ‘Swing Fever’ by Rod Stewart & Jools Holland with 48,540 sales, Liam Gallagher & John Squire’s self-titled album with 46,982, Billie Eilish’s ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft’ with 45, 434 sales and The Last Dinner Party’s debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ with 42,352.

Vinyl was the driving force in the increase of physical sales in the first six months with sales of vinyl albums increasing 12.4% to 3,052,498 units. The growth of vinyl sales was up 13.3% in the second quarter of the year. CD sales were down 1.5% to 4,911,845 units in the first half of the year which, although shows a decline in sales, it actually marks a significant slowing of the decline of CD sales compared to recent years which has contributed to physical sales overall growth in the first six months of 2024. This could also potentially mean that there will be a CD revival as the decline in sales was even slower in the second quarter of the year at just 0.8%.

The growing interest in copies of physical music is also shown in the figures for the sales of singles with seven-inch vinyl sales being at their highest point in 15 years.

The sale of 5.9 million units this year is the highest amount of vinyl records sold in a single year in the UK since 1990. This past week, with the aid of Christmas sales, set yet another record with 250,000 records being sold in the UK, the highest amount for any week since the start of the 21st century.

The immense popularity of vinyl sales this year can positively be attributed to a number of artists, not least American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who has a staggering three albums in the top 10 biggest-selling records this year. Swift, unsurprisingly then perhaps, also claimed the honour of being the artist behind the year’s best-selling album. Her LP 1989 (Taylor’s Version), a re-recording of Swift’s fifth album, 1989, originally released in 2014, sold 78,767 units. The other Swift albums that made the top 10 list include the other album she re-recorded this year, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and her latest original studio LP Midnights.

The Rolling Stones album Hackney Diamonds, released in October this year, came second in the top 10 list and is followed closely by Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Other albums to feature in the list include Blur’s latest LP The Ballad of Darren, Fleetwood Mac classic Rumours, Pink Floyd’s iconic The Dark Side of the Moon, and Lewis Capaldi’s Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent.

Commenting on the recent surge in popularity of vinyl records, BPI chief executive Dr Jo Twist OBE said, “Led by vinyl, the resurgence of physical product underlines the resilience of the UK music market at a time when streaming consumption continues to hit record levels.

She continued, “Whilst LP sales have now been on an upward path for the past 16 years, it is encouraging to see a stabilisation in demand for CD, as well as new generations of music fans falling in love with the cassette. It is giving people more choice than ever in how they enjoy their favourite music.”

The resurgence in popularity of the vinyl record is a trend not likely to slow down anytime soon, despite streaming services dominating the airwaves. The pleasure of physically owning an LP and adding it to a colourful and diverse collection are among the reasons for buying records, as American anti-folk singer-songwriter Jeffrey Lewis eloquently illustrates in his 2019 single ‘LPs‘. Watch the music video below:

Our first album Take Off Your Colours was released 15 years ago this Friday.

We wanted to do a proper release to vinyl of this album for years and now that we as a band finally own the rights to do so, we are releasing a limited vinyl pressing with some new merch! pic.twitter.com/nnV19hllHp

— You Me At Six (@youmeatsix) October 4, 2023

The pop-punk masterpiece, as some would refer to it, made the band a household name upon its release and shot the band to stardom, as well as earned You Me At Six critical praise and commercial success. Now, the band have expressed their delight in being able to please their fans after years spent clamouring for a re-release of the album. The band have recently acquired the rights back to their debut record and are excited to give Take Off Your Colours the celebration they feel it deserves.

Frontman Josh Franceschi said of the re-issue, “we’re very excited to celebrate the 15th anniversary of our debut album with this very special limited edition vinyl. We finally own the rights to this album again, which is an amazing feeling for us, and so we’re finally able to answer the calls from fans to re-issue the album on vinyl and release it directly to them. It won’t be available in shops. This is such a special album for us and we know it’s special to so many fans too”.

Franceschi and guitarist Max Helyer, during an interview with Kerrang Magazine nostalgically looked back to the time of writing and recording the album and reminisced that they were attempting to accomplish what very few UK based artists were doing in those days. Franceschi said, “There were no UK bands doing what the US scene had going on. [Labels] like Fueled By Ramen, the Warped Tour, Drive-Thru Records. There wasn’t really a UK band flying that flag at that particular moment in time. All our mates were playing in hardcore bands and we like hardcore music, but we also liked songs with melodies and with a pop sensibility to it. We were like, ‘If we do that, maybe we’ll stand out more.'”

Helyer added, “When you’re 15, up to 18, you’re kind of adapting and learning your craft. There was no pressure. It was like, ‘Let’s make music for fun and stuff we get kicks out of.’ Realistically, we didn’t expect the response to some of the songs that we wrote at that time. Save It For The Bedroom was the song that shot us out into a bigger audience.”

You Me At Six just released their seventh studio album Truth Decay in August . You can purchase it here.

Butchart has owned Sound It Out Records since 1998, and in that time he has provided old and new vinyl, CD’s and music memorabilia to a large audience of music lovers. Sadly, after his passing in June, Tom Butchart’s wife Clare and the rest of the Sound It Out team have decided to close the shop, which was the last remaining record shop in the area of Teesside, Stockton-on-Tees.

On August 22nd, Clare Butchart released the following statement:

In addition to this, the Sound It Out staff issued a statement thanking the customers, saying that Sound It Out was “more than just a record shop”. They also took the time to thank Tom for the opportunity to work at Sound It Out and be “part of this music community legacy”.

Sound It Out Records stocked and sold music spanning from the 1950’s to present day, and featured a large variety of genres including Punk, Metal, Jazz, Techno, Hip Hop, Funk and much more. The store also provided a space for local DJ’s, as well as supporting local bands and artists by stocking music from all levels of release.

In 2010, Sound It Out Records was the subject of a documentary by Jeanie Finlay. The documentary focuses on how the market for independent music stores has been declining over recent years, and how Tom Butchart and his team strive to stay relevant and successful throughout this shift in how people get their music in today’s society. Finlay grew up only a few miles away from Sound It Out, and beautifully captures how the store is defying the odds and remaining successful through their stance and reputation in their local community.

You can watch the trailer for Jeanie Finlay’s documentary here.

Sound It Out Records have announced they will be using Vectis Auctions, a local auctioneering company, to sell the Sound It Out Records Collection in the coming months. Due to the large quantity of items to be sold, the collection will be sold over multiple auctions. You can find out more about the auctions of the Sound It Out Records Collection on the Vectis Auctions website, and Sound It Out’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Sound It Out Records has made a huge impact on the community of Teesside and has welcomed customers from far and wide, many of which left glowing reviews on their website. It is clear that Tom Butchart had a strong passion for music, as well as the people who entered his store, and through this, his legacy will remain.

The 12-inch vinyl was listed for sale on eBay, with bids reaching £7,100 before its removal from the website. The listing received over 80 bids, with tracks now having been shared online without permission.

Speaking to The Sun, an unnamed source commented, “It is unclear how someone got hold of this vinyl but they shouldn’t sell it. The contents should never have been made public and it is unfair to the group to have these unfinished songs shared, as it is against their wishes.”

Fans are guessing that the tracks may have been scrapped from the album titled Forever, released in 2000. The newly leaked tracks do not feature Geri Halliwell, also known as Ginger Spice, who controversially left the group in 1998.

The previously unheard songs include “Woman”, “Too Hot” and “Go Go Go”, with these not being the first tracks that The Spice Girls have seen released without their permission.

In December 2022, a track provokingly titled “C. U. Next Tuesday” was uploaded online following a security breach, with band member Mel C (also known as Sporty Spice) commenting, “C.U. Next Tuesday was never used because it’s a pile of shit. It would be a big rip-off if Virgin put it on a greatest hits album now.”

Another unnamed source spoke to The Sun regarding this track, saying, “The Spice Girls are all at a very different place in their lives now than they were when this song was first written as a tongue-in-cheek track in the Nineties. It is obviously a bit embarrassing given the cringeworthy title, as they wouldn’t use the c-word in their own lives.”

The source continued, “It is a bit of a mystery how on earth it has got out but they aren’t going to dwell on it. The group have other projects they are looking forward to in 2023 so are focusing on them and hoping this song — which they were never particularly fond of — is forgotten.”

The group (minus Victoria Beckham a.k.a Posh Spice) reunited for a sell-out stadium tour back in 2019, with fans eagerly awaiting their next moves.

It was rumoured that the band would reunite for Glastonbury Festival, however Mel C said in January that those plans “no longer fit the girls.”

Mel C has given fans hope for a full-blown reunion in the future though, with this one including Victoria Beckham, who hasn’t performed with The Spice Girls since the 2012 London Olympics.

Speaking to NME, Mel C shared, “Of course we had incredible stadium shows in 2019. And you know, there’s definitely a bit of fomo for [Beckham], so I’m a big optimist. We were all at Geri’s 50th a couple of months back and Victoria was the first one on the dance floor requesting Spice Girls songs,” ultimately giving the fans hope that they’ll be able to spice up their lives soon.