Each week, 8 new releases are selected to go head to head, with one weekly winner which will then go up against future weekly winners later in the year at the end of each quarter of the year, and then again at the end of the year to determine the ultimate winner of 2026.

Our 2025 winner is still to be decided! Vote in Quarter Final 4 now.

Last week's results:

Ladytron - Caught in the Blink of an Eye [4]

Artemas - time alone w u [3]

Seafret - Signal Fire [2]

Cavetown (feat. chloe moriondo) - Sailboat [1]

James Marriott - California Rain [1]

Joji - LOVE YOU LESS [1]

Kula Shaker - Lucky Number [1]

mgk - times of my life [0]

Total votes: 13

Here are this week's contenders:

A$AP Rocky - Punk Rocky

Dry Cleaning - Joy

Mandy, Indiana - Cursive

The Molotovs - Get A Life

Morrissey - Make-up is a Lie

Mumford & Sons - The Banjo Song

The Twilight Sad - DESIGNED TO LOSE

Zach Bryan - Plastic Cigarette

2026 Indie/Rock/Alt Track of the Week Winners

Week 1: Ladytron - Caught in the Blink of an Eye

Oops I didn't get around to voting in time but would've chosen Ladytron anyway, so yay!

It'll take a lot to beat that Mandy, Indiana song for me this week but, out of fairness, I'll come back to this when I've heard everything 😇

My personal rankings for Week 2;

1. The Twilight Sad – DESIGNED TO LOSE

2. The Molotovs – Get A Life

3. Mumford & Sons – The Banjo Song

4. Mandy, Indiana – Cursive

5. A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky

6. Dry Cleaning – Joy

7. Morrissey – Make-up is a Lie

8. Zach Bryan – Plastic Cigarette

'Cursive' has been owning my week and will likely own the month at this point

More votes please!

I demand you retroactively add my vote for Cavetown for week 1 xx

Will try to be more timely this week x

1. Dry Cleaning

2. Mandy, Indiana

3. Twilight Sad

4. - 7 - Meh

8. Morrissey

Evened things up with a vote for Asap Rocky!

Heard everything now so voted and caused a three-way tie with my vote for Mandy, Indiana

Also voted for Mandy, Indiana who are now in the lead!

Last day to vote!

Great to see Mandy,Indiana and Twilight Sad inclusions here! Gave my vote to the former, but regardless those two are my favourites here by a fair distance

1 The Twilight Sad

2 Dry Cleaning

3 Zach Bryan

4 Mandy, Indiana

5 A$AP Rocky

6 Morrissey

7 The Molotovs

8 Mumford & Sons

I'm not sure I'd ever heard anything by The Twilight Sad before this era but I've loved both of their recent singles so looking forward to the new album! I listened to the Dry Cleaning album today, 'Joy' was quite a standout song with its jangly britpop-y sound (although my highlight of the album was the run of album tracks 'Blood' / 'Evil Evil Idiot' / 'Rocks'). Also need to get to the new Zach album but this song is a good first taste of it (not exactly a departure from the sound of previous material but if it ain't broke etc.) I think I've slightly ruined the Mandy, Indiana song for myself by forever associating it with 'Dancing Lasha Tumbai' in my head but it is a banger nonetheless xx and the Rocky song is definitely an interesting direction for him to go in, thought it took a while to get going and may well be one that grows on me with more listens but positive on it overall.

The Morrissey song... I can see why it's provoked some strong negative reactions lol but I do actually quite like the trip-hop vibe of the verses, it's let down by the damp squib of a chorus though (that and the unshakeable ick of it being a Morrissey song in current year but I am trying to be fair). The Molotovs are the latest in a long line of decent enough new indie bands that WhoOdyssey seems to have willed into existence, they could have potential but this song was just ok. Mumford & Sons track is a snooze unforch.