LWM Awards 2025 - The Winners
Here we go then, the arbitrary
awarding of ‘winner’ status to a select few artists. In all seriousness, it has
been another outstanding year for new music, and I want to thank every artist,
band, label and PR for sending me so much music that I’m never without
something new to listen to. It has been a challenging year on a personal level
so having this blog as a place of sanctuary and joy has been a life saver. And
thanks to you, dear reader, I don’t know who you are or where you are, but I
see the stats on the number of site visitors, and it is humbling. Anyway,
enough with my ramblings, let’s get down to business, shall we?
Best Band (UK) 2025 Winner
Witch Fever – The Mancunian
outfit won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but that was never the intention. The
intense, angry, and often overwhelming sound that these four musicians make is
undoubtedly impressive but also vitally important in a musical landscape where
mediocrity and mass appeal are, seemingly, the goal for many.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – October Drift
2023 Winner – Chappaqua Wrestling
2022 Winner – Wooze
2021 Winner – Pattern Pusher
2020 Winner – Erotic Secrets of Pompeii
2019 Winner – Dinosaur Pile-Up
2018 Winner – Black Futures
2017 Winner – Rews
2016 Winner – Narcs / Berries
2015 Winner – Allusondrugs
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Best Band (South West) 2025 Winner
3 Days of Wonder – They might
only be at the start of the career, but these young Devon lads are already
making waves in their local scene and further afield. This is your sign to get
on board in the early days and say you’ve been a fan since the start.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Bailey Tomkinson & the Locals
2023 Winner - Tors
2022 Winner – Colour TV
2021 Winner – Long For The Coast
2020 Winner – Moriaty
2019 Winner – Pattern Pusher
2018 Winner – The Velvet Hands
2017 Winner – The Malthusian Trap
2016 Winner – Wildwood Kin
2015 Winner – Lost Dawn / Sound of the Sirens
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Best Band (International) 2025 Winner
Calva Louise (Venezuela,
France & New Zealand) – Multi-national, multi-lingual and
multi-talented trio Calva Louise provide a sense of ambition and grandiosity in
their blistering rock music that is sadly absent from many releases these days.
This makes them crusaders in the genre but also the kind of band that will
straddle different styles for years to come.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Bicurious (Republic of Ireland)
2023 Winner – NOBRO (Canada)
2022 Winner – M(h)aol (Republic of Ireland)
2021 Winner – Monowhales (Canada)
2020 Winner – Larkin Poe (USA)
2019 Winner – Fontaines D.C. (Republic of Ireland)
2018 Winner – The Nectars (USA)
2017 Winner – Parekh & Singh (India)
2016 Winner – The Watanabes (Japan)
2015 Winner – Failure Machine (USA)
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Best Solo Male (UK) 2025 Winner
Louis Dunford – North London’s finest brought out a banger of an album at the start of the year and played some big live shows as well. Not to mention that one of his songs has become a terrace anthem for his beloved Arsenal. Some lad.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Jake Isaac
2023 Winner - Granfalloon
2022 Winner – Joe Hicks
2021 Winner – Mrley
2020 Winner – Riaz Ahmad
2019 Winner – Xam Volo
2018 Winner – Joshua Kyeot
2017 Winner – Jamie Lenman
2016 Winner – Jake Morley
2015 Winner – Cosmo Sheldrake
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Best Solo Male (South West) 2025 Winner
Jon Fazal – Plymouth based Jon Fazal some quietly released a beautiful album in 2025 and played a series of intimate as well as more ambitious shows. He has the voice, song writing ability, and deftness of touch to outgrow his Westcountry surrounds but for now, at least, he is king of the South West.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Boss Cass
2023 Winner– Paul Armer
2022 Winner – Andy Quick
2021 Winner – Jamie Yost
2020 Winner – Ollie Dixon
2019 Winner – Samantics
2018 Winner – Matthew Gordon Price
2017 Winner – Gozer Goodspeed/Martyn Crocker
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Best Solo Male (International) 2025 Winner
Madisine (Italy) – the mononymous
Italian talent really grabbed my attention with his take on brooding grunge
this year as a series of excellent singles and superb album sealed his
reputation as one of the hottest new talents in Europe with the potential to go
further.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Who Shot Scott (Australia)
2023 Winner – Ben Harper (USA)
2022 Winner – Fantastic Negrito (USA)
2021 Winner – Yves Paquet (Belgium)
2020 Winner – Jacknife Lee (Republic of Ireland)
2019 Winner – Duckwrth (USA)
2018 Winner – Simon Lynge (Greenland)
2017 Winner – Noah Gundersen (USA)
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Best Solo Female (UK) 2025 Winner
Better Joy – Manchester solo artist Better Joy has
made a strong play for our attention in 2025 with a stylish EP that still has plenty
of grit and heart while her live shows and singles have captured hearts and
imaginations in equal measure.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Poppy Adjuha
2023 Winner - Mega
2022 Winner – Nina Nesbitt
2021 Winner – Penfriend
2020 Winner – Tina Boonstra
2019 Winner – Lauran Hibberd
2018 Winner – Pip Hall
2017 Winner – Poppy Ackroyd
2016 Winner – Joanna Cooke / Lulu James
2015 Winner – Malka
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Best Solo Female (South West) 2025 Winner
Saff Juno – The Exeter
singer songwriter has made big strides in 2025 with an excellent EP and live shows
scattered throughout the year. There’s a lot more to come from an artist that
has range, subtlety and talent to spare so make a note to catch up with her in
2026 if you haven’t already.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner - Rue
2023 Winner – Mae Karthauser
2022 Winner – Sounds Like Lily
2021 Winner – Maisy Grace
2020 Winner – Yazzy
2019 Winner – Rise
2018 Winner – Joanna Cooke
2017 Winner – Rosie the Crow
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Best Solo Female (International) 2025 Winner
Kate Prendergast (Ireland) / Mango In Euphoria (France) - For the first time since 2021, I've had to share this award in what was an incredibly strong field. Irish singer-songwriter Kate Prendergast has a mastery of delicate song writing that belies her tender years and I sincerely hope she continues on her journey of creative exploration. Meanwhile, French force of nature Mango In Euphoria is a whirlwind of spiky pop attitude and eyeliner that is impossible (and potentially dangerous) to ignore. Therefore, in equal measure, Sláinte and Santé to you both.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Angelica Garcia (USA)
2023 Winner – Bludnymph (Canada)
2022 Winner – Jaguar Jonze (Australia)
2021 Winners – Chaii (New Zealand)/UPSAHL (USA)
2020 Winner – Madison Beer (USA)
2019 Winners – Tami Neilson (Canada/Australia)/Mavis Staples
(USA)
2018 Winner – Grace Inspace (USA)
2017 Winner – Deqn Sue (USA)
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Best Single 2025 Winner
Mother Vulture ‘Slow Down’ / Thundermoon ‘The Spirit, The Law’ - I have increasingly found this a difficult category to find a winner in, largely due to my eclectic tastes. Do I choose a song that speaks for the year politically, something that captures the mood of 2025 or just a straight up bop? Well, I've had to share the winner this year between the visceral intensity of Mother Vulture's epic rock blast, 'Slow Down', and the simmering club banger 'The Spirit, The Law' from Edinburgh's alt-pop trio Thundermoon. Both excellent tracks and who wouldn't watch a movie based around the futuristic crime fighting duo of Mother Vulture & Thundermoon? I smell a collaboration...
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Mantaraybryn ‘No Economy’/Rubberband Girl
‘Star In A Reasonably Priced Car’
2023 Winner – The Derevolutions ‘Cheetah’
2022 Winner – Joe Hicks ‘Mirror Mirror’
2021 Winner – Fickle Friends ‘Love You To Death’
2020 Winner – The Clockworks ‘Enough Is Never Enough’
2019 Winner – Ferris & Sylvester ‘I Dare You’ /
Bicuruious ‘I Don’t Do Drugs, I Just Sweat A Lot’
2018 Winner – X Ambassadors ‘Joyful’
2017 Winner – She Makes War ‘I Want My Country Back’ / Moses
‘King Size’
2016 Winner – Mowbeck ‘Vaseline’ / Childcare ‘Cinema
Club’
2015 Winner – Azu Yeche ‘Lagos’
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Best EP 2025 Winner
Bethany Weimers ‘The Story I Breathe’ – This one of those records that really catches you off guard, stops you in your tracks, and completely smashes your expectations into smithereens. Beautiful song writing performed with real range, heart, and delicate touch that is hard to find these days.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Poppyshow ‘Trials & Tribulations’
2023 Winner - Maimuna Memon ‘More Than I Bargained For’ /
Saint Levant ‘From Gaza With Love’
2022 Winner – Nobro ‘Love Your Truth Shred Some Gnar’
2021 Winner – Wooze ‘Get Me To A Nunnery’
2020 Winner – Tina Boonstra ‘City of Doubt’
2019 Winner – Sick Joy ‘Them Days’
2018 Winner – Jones ‘New York’
2017 Winner – Mux ‘Can You See Who?’
2016 Winner – Joanna Cooke ‘Wound Up’ / Bare Hunter ‘Dry
Rot’
2015 Winner – Alex Gregory ‘Critical Perfection
EP’
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Best Album 2025 Winner
Louis Dunford ‘Be Lucky’ –
This record has been on heavy (and I mean heavy) rotation in my house
this year. And my car. And anywhere else I can play music, frankly. Stories,
melodies, beats and a real sense that there is a heart behind everything this
young man does. Phenomenal.
Previous Winners
2024 Winners – The Derevolutions ‘Reinvent the Wheel’/Big
Special ‘Postindustrial Hometown Blues’
2023 Winners - Chappaqua Wrestling ‘Plus Ultra’ / Corinne
Bailey Rae ‘Black Rainbow’
2022 Winner – Jamie Lenman ‘The Atheist’
2021 Winners – Zuzu ‘Queensway Tunnel’/UPSAHL ‘Lady
Jesus’
2020 Winners – Nana Adjoa ‘Big Dreaming Ants’/Moriaty ‘The
Die Is Cast’
2019 Winners – William the Conqueror ‘Bleeding on the
Soundtrack’ / X Ambassadors ‘Orion’
2018 Winners – The Nectars ‘Sci-Fi Television’ / Henge
‘Attention! Earth’
2017 Winners – Noah Gundersen ‘White Noise’ / Rews
‘Pyro’
2016 Winners – Narcs ‘A Thinking Animal’ / Jake Morley ‘The
Manual
2015 Winners – Lost Dawn / Malka
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Best Video 2025 Winner
Wille & the Bandits ‘Trouble
Round The Bend’ – I absolutely love the commitment from Wille and the
Bandits (and their crew) to making a video that sees them performing an anti-water
pollution anthem in, shall we say, less than clean British coastal waters. No
CGI, no AI, and no BS – just a band committed to their music and their message.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Disgusting Sister ‘Killing It’
2023 Winner – Malka ‘What You Get Out’
2022 Winner – Wooze ‘Huge Axeman’
2021 Winner – Middle Kids ‘Questions’
2020 Winner – Spang Sisters ‘Eddie Murphy’
2019 Winner – Penguin Café ‘Chapter’
2018 Winner – Calva Louise ‘Tug of War’ / LibraLibra
‘Tongues’
2017 Winner – Vei ‘Rolling on You Romeo’
2016 Winner – Michelle O Faith ‘Lemonade’
2015 Winner – Husky ‘I’m Not Coming Back’
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Best Live Show 2025 Winner
Reef @ O2 Academy, Bristol
– Seeing one of my favourite bands perform one of my favourite albums in full
was always going to be a hard act to beat. Such is the power of music that I was
transported back to my teenage years even though the dominant hair colour in
the venue was grey.
Previous Winners
2024 Winners – Moriaty + Boss Cass + Mutant Menace @ the
Junction, Plymouth
2023 Winners – Jamie Lenman + Blank Atlas + Moosehead @ the
Junction, Plymouth
2022 Winner – Bicurious @ the Underground, Plymouth
2021 Winner – Bailey Tomkinson @ Panda Fest, Lanivet
2020 Winner – Wille Edwards & Andy Quick @ the Village
Hall, Downderry
2019 Winner – Shihad @ the Thekla, Bristol
2018 Winner – Looe Saves the Day Festival, Looe
2017 Winner – Wildwood Kin @ The Brook Inn, Plymouth
2016 Winner – Blogtober 2016 feat. Berries/Pattern
Pusher/Seaker/Jamie Yost/Rosa Belle
2015 Winner – Tankus the Henge @ Looe Music Festival
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Best Name 2025 Winner
Twat Union – However you
interpret this collective’s name, it works. The music is great, and the lyrics
are sharp as well, so this is far more than a novelty attention grabbing exercise.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Man/Woman/Chainsaw
2023 Winner – All Day Breakfast Café
2022 Winner – Robocobra Quartet
2021 Winner – Mandrake Handshake
2020 Winner – Death By Unga Bunga
2019 Winner – Those Fucking Snowflakes
2018 Winner – Have You Ever Seen the Jane Fonda Aerobic
VHS?
2017 Winner – Playboy Manbaby
2016 Winner – Yes Babez! / Taco Hell / Queen of Jeans
2015 Winner – Get Inuit / Rangleklods
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Best Debut 2025 Winner
Saiphon ‘New Man’ – It’s
been a breakout year for the Sussex band with a seriously impressive debut
album being the crowning moment. The future of British rock is in excellent
hands with this lot.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – Rubberband Girl ‘Profiterole Vision’
2023 Winner – Maisy Grace ‘Based On A True Story’
2022 Winners – Peaness ‘World Full Of Worry’/The Assist
‘Council Pop’
2021 Winner – DEJA ‘Intro EP’
2020 Winner – Nana Adjoa ‘Big Dreaming Ants’
2019 Winner – Gazel ‘Gazel’s Book of Souls’
2018 Winner – Georgia Fearn ‘Perfect on Paper’
2017 Winner – Black Futures ‘Karma, Ya Dig?’
201 Winner – Berries ‘Siren’
2015 Winner – Vanessa Forero ‘Heaven Knows’
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Best Year 2025 Winner
Luvcat – if the Luvcat camp sat down at the start of
2025 and planned out their year, I think even they would have been classed as
optimistic to imagine the year that unfolded. Superb singles, an impressive
debut album and more live shows than you could shake a bejewelled stick at. I
have a sneaking suspicion there will be more to come in 2026.
Previous Winners
2024 Winners – Loose Articles/Lambrini Girls
2023 Winner – Big Special
2022 Winners – Peaness/The Assist
2021 Winner - Cherym
2020 Winner – Lack of Afro
2019 Winner – Deux Furiesues
2018 Winner - Idles
2017 Winner - Cassels
2016 Winner – Wildwood Kin
2015 Winner – Sound of the Sirens
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Best PR 2025 Winner
Memphia Music Management– 2025 has been
a stellar year for the Bristol based Memphia Music Management with releases from the likes of
Emily Breeze, Krooked Tongue, Oswald Slain and Pollyanna Blue all being so
brilliant that they all got shortlisted in these very awards. Kudos to you guys
for your hard work in championing new talent from Bristol and beyond.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – DediKATed PR
2023 Winner – Big Mouth Publicity
2022 Winner – Stay Golden PR
2021 Winner – Wall of Sound PR
2020 Winner – Sonic PR
2019 Winner – Prescription PR
2018 Winner – Fine Company
2017 Winner – Cannonball PR
2016 Winner – Wilful Publicity
2015 Winner – Hannah Gould Music PR
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Best Label 2025 Winner
Mascot Label Group – With huge releases from Calva Louise and Dinosaur Pile-Up to their name in 2025 and a roster full of both legends and emerging talent, MLG have certainly cemented their place as a label you can trust.
Previous Winners
2024 Winner – SO Recordings
2023 Winner – RCA Records
2022 Winner - Jalapeno Records
2021 Winner – Tantrum Records
2020 Winner – Alcopop! Records
2019 Winner – Say Something Records
2018 Winner – Integrity Records
2017 Winner – Cooking Vinyl
2016 Winner – Superfan 99
2015 Winner – Clue Records