Less than five months after his successful headline performance on the Other Stage at Glastonbury, London rap artist Loyle Carner brought the essence of his fourth studio album ‘Hopefully!’ to the renowned O2 Academy Brixton for a sold-out four-night run, featuring support from talents like Rejjie Snow, Navy Blue, Léa Sen, and Brian Nasty. Carner’s debut album ‘Yesterday’s Gone’ was released in 2017, and his ascent to fame has been both remarkable and steady since then. His latest album primarily addresses themes of family, showcasing his vulnerability and humility on tracks like ‘About Time’ and ‘Feel at Home’—where he candidly discusses the challenges of managing fatherhood alongside fame and a busy touring schedule. True to his musical style, the overarching themes remain those of love, hope, and gratitude. He opens the homecoming performance with ‘all i need’—one of the lead singles from the new album that expresses a desire for peace amid life's challenges. As he and the band take the stage, they are greeted with loud, ecstatic cheers that resonate throughout the hour and a half that follows. The excitement momentarily subsides during the transitions between songs, during which Carner expresses his gratitude to the audience, his band, and the venue staff in his signature heartfelt way. After starting the set with several tracks from ‘Hopefully!’, the crowd's audible joy at the familiar saxophone riff from his 2017 hit ‘Ain’t Nothing Changed’ proved that interest in his earlier work remains strong, despite the influx of new fans he has gained with each album release. This was further confirmed during his performance of ‘Damselfly’, where the entire audience joyfully sang along to Tom Misch’s catchy hook. At one point, a woman fainted in the crowd. Upon noticing, Carner took a moment to pause the show to check on her and thanked the audience for their composure. Once the situation was under control, he encouraged everyone to take a few deep breaths and expressed appreciation for the venue’s security team for their swift response. “This place gets a bad reputation, but it’s a beautiful, special place, man!” he said to the audience, referring to the venue's negative publicity following the tragic events at a sold-out Asake concert in December 2022 where two fans lost their lives due to an unauthorized entry attempt. Carner dedicated ‘Homerton’ to the NHS and then welcomed American rapper and professional skateboarder Navy Blue for a soulful performance of ‘Purpose’. The crowd cheerfully filled in for Jorja Smith on the ethereal chorus of ‘Loose Ends’—one of five tracks from Carner’s second album ‘Not Waving, But Drowning’ included in the set. Similar to his earlier Glastonbury show, Carner's careful arrangement of the performance created a relaxed, contemplative, and immersive experience of jazz-infused hip-hop over the hour and a half. However, it was regrettable to see some of his earlier upbeat tracks, like ‘No CD’ and ‘The Isle of Arran’, not included. The band also enhanced the performance by delivering some exceptionally cool solos, particularly from Portuguese guitarist Raquel Martins, who recently released her debut album ‘LONDON, WHEN ARE U GONNA FEEL LIKE HOME?’ in May, and who also supported Carner during his warm-up shows at KOKO in Camden last month. Words: Fin Harrison Photography: Rory Barnes Join us on WeAre8, as we delve into global cultural events. Follow Clash Magazine HERE to navigate through clubs, concerts, interviews, and photo shoots with us. Get exclusive backstage glimpses and insights as the fun unfolds.

      Viagra Boys have been awarded Album of The Year 2025 by Rough Trade shops.

      The independent retail chain is known for kicking off list season, and their roundup of the year's must-have releases always sparks conversation.

      Rough Trade shops are at their strongest, with notable locations like Rough Trade West expanding alongside branches across the UK and into North America.

      This year's top spot goes to Viagra Boys, whose album ‘viagr aboys’ marks their first release under their own label, Shrimptech Enterprises.

      To celebrate the achievement, here is the official announcement from Shrimptech Enterprises AB;

      Viagra Boys (and/or associated shell companies) would like to express our deepest appreciation to Rough Trade for honoring ‘viagr aboys’ with Album Of The Year 2025™.

      Sales through all Rough Trade locations and online have been exceptional since its release on April 25, leading to a significant increase in Shrimptech Enterprises AB stock during the second and third quarters of the fiscal year.

      Both Shrimptech Enterprises AB and Viagra Boys wish to sincerely thank Rough Trade and all the individuals who purchased the album, helping us avoid potential bankruptcy from misguided investments in the equine medicine industry and several pending copyright lawsuits. Special Records and dubious merchandise will be awarded to you in due course.

      Best regards,

      Shrimptech Enterprises AB Corporate Relations Division

      The Top 30 list is now available online and showcases a diverse selection. Oklou’s impressive ‘Choke Enough’ takes second place, followed by Pulp’s comeback album ‘More’ in third; Cameron Winter’s ‘Heavy Metal’ is fourth, and Turnstile’s significant ‘Never Enough’ is fifth.

      Lawrence Montgomery, Managing Director of Rough Trade, remarks:

      “Rough Trade has had a strong year in 2025, characterized by consistent growth in all markets and the successful expansion of our global presence. A highlight was the opening of Rough Trade Below in New York City, a dedicated retail and live performance space located beneath our Rockefeller Center store. This venue has quickly become a key part of the city’s independent music scene, enhancing our mission to connect artists and fans directly.”

      “This year, Rough Trade hosted over 1,500 live events worldwide, ranging from intimate in-store performances to major album launches and international tours. Vinyl sales increased by more than 20% year-on-year, underscoring the lasting and growing appeal of physical music culture. It all revolves around what we value most: community, curation, and discovering music together.”

      Emily Waller, Global Head of Brand and Content, adds:

      “What makes Viagra Boys unique is their completely original vision. Over the past seven years since we first supported them, they have consistently remained true to that authentic path, demonstrating a commitment to their music and fans that is both rare and essential. For this, our Rough Trade community has shown them their appreciation time and again. In 2025, it earns them the title.”

      You can find the complete list HERE.

Less than five months after his successful headline performance on the Other Stage at Glastonbury, London rap artist Loyle Carner brought the essence of his fourth studio album ‘Hopefully!’ to the renowned O2 Academy Brixton for a sold-out four-night run, featuring support from talents like Rejjie Snow, Navy Blue, Léa Sen, and Brian Nasty. Carner’s debut album ‘Yesterday’s Gone’ was released in 2017, and his ascent to fame has been both remarkable and steady since then. His latest album primarily addresses themes of family, showcasing his vulnerability and humility on tracks like ‘About Time’ and ‘Feel at Home’—where he candidly discusses the challenges of managing fatherhood alongside fame and a busy touring schedule. True to his musical style, the overarching themes remain those of love, hope, and gratitude. He opens the homecoming performance with ‘all i need’—one of the lead singles from the new album that expresses a desire for peace amid life's challenges. As he and the band take the stage, they are greeted with loud, ecstatic cheers that resonate throughout the hour and a half that follows. The excitement momentarily subsides during the transitions between songs, during which Carner expresses his gratitude to the audience, his band, and the venue staff in his signature heartfelt way. After starting the set with several tracks from ‘Hopefully!’, the crowd's audible joy at the familiar saxophone riff from his 2017 hit ‘Ain’t Nothing Changed’ proved that interest in his earlier work remains strong, despite the influx of new fans he has gained with each album release. This was further confirmed during his performance of ‘Damselfly’, where the entire audience joyfully sang along to Tom Misch’s catchy hook. At one point, a woman fainted in the crowd. Upon noticing, Carner took a moment to pause the show to check on her and thanked the audience for their composure. Once the situation was under control, he encouraged everyone to take a few deep breaths and expressed appreciation for the venue’s security team for their swift response. “This place gets a bad reputation, but it’s a beautiful, special place, man!” he said to the audience, referring to the venue's negative publicity following the tragic events at a sold-out Asake concert in December 2022 where two fans lost their lives due to an unauthorized entry attempt. Carner dedicated ‘Homerton’ to the NHS and then welcomed American rapper and professional skateboarder Navy Blue for a soulful performance of ‘Purpose’. The crowd cheerfully filled in for Jorja Smith on the ethereal chorus of ‘Loose Ends’—one of five tracks from Carner’s second album ‘Not Waving, But Drowning’ included in the set. Similar to his earlier Glastonbury show, Carner's careful arrangement of the performance created a relaxed, contemplative, and immersive experience of jazz-infused hip-hop over the hour and a half. However, it was regrettable to see some of his earlier upbeat tracks, like ‘No CD’ and ‘The Isle of Arran’, not included. The band also enhanced the performance by delivering some exceptionally cool solos, particularly from Portuguese guitarist Raquel Martins, who recently released her debut album ‘LONDON, WHEN ARE U GONNA FEEL LIKE HOME?’ in May, and who also supported Carner during his warm-up shows at KOKO in Camden last month. Words: Fin Harrison Photography: Rory Barnes Join us on WeAre8, as we delve into global cultural events. Follow Clash Magazine HERE to navigate through clubs, concerts, interviews, and photo shoots with us. Get exclusive backstage glimpses and insights as the fun unfolds.

Viagra Boys have been awarded Rough Trade's Album of the Year for 2025. The independent retail chain often kicks off the list season, and

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