Let's brew a pot o' tea and discover the best of British music!

Words | Zoë Radas, Bryget Chrisfield, Alex Burgess, Jacqui Picone

Wham!, The Singles: Echoes from the Edge of Heaven (2023)

As one of the most beloved pop acts of all time, Wham!'s recent singles collection is one die-hards have been waiting for; this massive compilation celebrates 40 years of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley's songwriting prowess, including remixes of Last Christmas and Freedom, and a stunning a capella version of 1985's number one smash I'm Your Man.

Nothing But Thieves, Dead Club City (2023)

Dead Club City is the latest daring project from this Essex five-piece; each time the record turns a corner, we're sent down a fresh sonic detour, thoughtfully guided. While nothing unusual for this troupe – who over the years have continually tinkered with and refined their measured blend of electro-fied indie rock – the experimentation feels a leap more ambitious here.

Robbie Williams, XXV (2022)

The phrase “Let me entertain you” came across as a manic plea on Robbie Williams’ debut solo album. But here – as the opener of a generous collection of orchestra- and choir-augmented hits from the English superstar’s extensive catalogue, to celebrate 25 years in the biz – it’s more like a distinguished suggestion from the now mature (but still electric) artist. XXV is a genuine rediscovery from the guy who's all about reworking his material.

Harry Styles, Harry's House (2022)

Harry’s House – which arrived in 2022, three eventful years after 2019’s Fine Line – draws us deeply into the domicile of Harry Styles’ world. Though there are parties in some rooms, the English pop phenom spends just as much time meandering through his abode’s more contemplative spaces. This album presents life in beautiful, unabashed motion and offers a reminder that there’s always more to be lived.

Queen, Greatest Hits (1981)

If you keep an eye on JB's vinyl chart, you'll know that a week without spying Queen's Greatest Hits somewhere within the top 10 is rarer than the tooth of a hen. And that's because, of course, you can drop the needle anywhere at all on this consummate collection and find yourself in sonic bliss. Last year, Greatest Hits spent its 1,000th week on the UK albums chart – long may Freddie reign!

The Cure, Greatest Hits (2001)

Behind that magical cover art of Robert Smith wielding fallen stars lies the English goth-new-wave act's most superb songs, from across albums Japanese Whispers ('83), Disintegration ('89), The Head on the Door ('85), and more. Dropping in 2001, the record was released to fulfill the conditions of the band's contract with longtime label Fiction Records, though Smith insisted on one condition to its release: that he choose the tracklisting himself.

Amy Winehouse, Back to Black (2006)

When speaking to her soon-to-be producer Mark Ronson before recording Back to Black in 2005, Amy Winehouse used examples from pop and soul girl bands from the '60s – like The Ronettes, and particularly The Shangri-Las – to explain the sound she was seeking. She directly channeled the savvy style of a time when seven-inches ruled the roost, and her vision – along with Ronson's R'n'B-licked production and co-writing knack – saw Back to Black emerge at once timeless and incredibly modern.

The Police, Greatest Hits (1992)

The Police's punk 'n' reggae-stung catalogue is on full display in all of its effortlessly cool glory on this Greatest Hits compilation, which takes listeners on a journey through Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, Don't Stand So Close to Me, Every Breath You Take, Walking on the Moon, and the song with arguably the most beautiful verses in all of pop history: the incomparable Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.

Adele, 25 (2015)

Few albums of the '10s were anticipated with quite as much frothing and trembling as 25, Adele's follow-up to the record which broke her worldwide (2011's 21). “Hello, it's me,” came the vocalist's celestial greeting on impeccably chosen lead single Hello; what follows showed listeners that Adele had matched her life's watershed moments of motherhood and quarter-life crisis with a distinct musical evolution, though her knack for heart-mincing melodies hadn't been left behind.

The 1975, Being Funny in a Foreign Language (2022)

On The 1975’s fifth record, the Cheshire four-piece present meandering and hazy melodies, clipped guitars, and wailing saxophones. They're all supported by lead singer Matty Healy’s half-murmured, half-shouted lyrical work, which is – as always – shamelessly self-reflective. The 1975’s ability to make a record feel like a free-flowing rehearsal accidentally caught on tape is firmly on display here.

Oasis, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)

Did you know that Oasis's second studio album was the best-selling record of the '90s? Yes, the entire decade. It's not surprising when you look back at the stellar tracklist, full of the sauntering, bratty Britpop which the Gallagher brothers captain so well: Wonderwall, Don't Look Back in Anger, Roll with It, Some Might Say, She's Electric, Morning Glory, and Champagne Supernova are all here for you to enjoy.

Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

The Great Gig in the Sky, Money, and Us and Them rolling out in that specific sequence – take that! The wow-factor of Pink Floyd’s eighth album is undeniable, and it's listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-charting album in history. After topping the Billboard Top 200, Pink Floyd’s psychedelic meditation on insanity remained in the chart for 740 straight weeks – that’s around 14 years!

King Crimson, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)

As far as debuts go, you rarely get something as immediately influential as King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King. The progrockers' astonishing melding of rock with classical, jazz and symphonic elements grabbed listeners by the hair, including Pete Townshend of The Who, who considered it “an uncanny masterpiece.”

Arctic Monkeys, AM (2013)

“It sounds like a Dr Dre beat, but we've given it an Ike Turner bowl cut and sent it galloping across the desert on a Stratocaster” – no journo could possibly top Arctic Monkeys’ debonair frontman Alex Turner’s own description of his band’s chart-topping fifth album, AM. Its opener and sexy second single Do I Wanna Know? (D.I.W.K) was the band’s first to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, effectively breaking Arctic Monkeys Stateside.

The Beatles, Abbey Road (1969)

The Beatles' 11th studio record – the last LP the Fab Four would release while still publicly together – is now a few years past its Nifty Fifty anniversary. It's revered for the band's then-radical decision to use Moog synthesizer amongst the record's blues and pop-rock sounds, which sent many purist critics into hysterics, though fans loved it; Abbey Road hit number one around the world and has reached multi-platinum status in numerous countries.

Adele, 30 (2021)

The artist so nice, we feature her twice! When the eagle landed – and by ’eagle’, we mean the sublime triumph that was Adele’s fourth album, 30 – we learned that "divorce, babes, divorce" was the driving force behind the artist's newest collection of belters. Led by single Easy on Me – a beautiful ballad with a goosebump-inducing shift about halfway through – the record’s sounds were also inspired by motherhood and the unblinking eye of the ever-present media, and we fell even further for this generation-defining star.

Lewis Capaldi, Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent (2023)

Suffering through the external and internal strains of a life in searing spotlight, Lewis Capaldi still manages to retain his uncrushable wit and unflappable knack for sculpting some of the most endearing (and enduring) pop gems out. His heavenly voice and humble vision make Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent one of the great modern pop albums.

Florence + the Machine, Lungs (2009)

If you weren't moved when you clocked Florence Welch's mindblowing style on Kiss with a Fist, Dog Days Are Over or You've Got the Love – all from the singer-songwriter's aptly-named debut album Lungs – you'd have to have been pulseless. Lungs announced the arrival of an utterly original new voice and won Welch a Brit Award for Album of the Year.

The Rolling Stones, Forty Licks (2002)

There's no getting away from the fact Forty Licks delivers musical excellence on a silver platter. This 40-year career-spanning double compilation album displays the peerless cool of Mick and co., with not a lemon to be seen amongst its 40 huge tracks. With the now-trio on the verge of releasing their 24th (!) UK album Hackney Diamonds, now's a stellar time to get up-to-scratch on the Stones' historic material.

The Smiths, The Queen Is Dead (1986)

The provocatively-titled third album from The Smiths was jointly produced by frontman Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, and arrived just one year after the seminal Meat Is Murder. It contains two of the most superlative songs ever recorded: There Is a Light That Never Goes Out and The Boy with the Thorn in His Side.

Coldplay, Ghost Stories (2014)

Chris Martin and his bandmates got spooky with sixth album Ghost Stories, produced in part by guests Avicii, Timbaland, and electronica royalty Jon Hopkins. Described by Martin as a "journey into learning about unconditional love", Ghost Stories' synths and electronics made for some truly celestial beauty, and the record went to number one in over 100 countries.

David Bowie, Let's Dance (1983)

The co-producing flair provided by Chic's Nile Rodgers – along with, off course, the undeniable talent of a newly bleach-blond David Bowie himself – sent Let's Dance on a chart-tearing trajectory upon its release. It established Bowie as a major superstar, entering the UK albums chart at number one, and became EMI's fastest-selling record since The Beatles' 1967 smash Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia: The Moonnlight Edition (2020)

The strangely paradoxical title of Dua Lipa's second album was inspired by the artist's aim of creating a sound which encompassed both modern dance-pop and the electronic disco LPs she loved growing up. Lipa's bold move was a success, sending Future Nostalgia to number one in several countries and earning the emerging star a Grammy and a Brit Award. The Moonlight Edition takes the whole thing up a level with eight new tracks and