Natalie Brooks
Natalie came up through Norwich's tight-knit DIY scene, where bands book their own tours and press their own records, and that self-made spirit shaped how she thinks about music. She champions the acts working outside the mainstream. She writes about independent music and the culture around it.
The Best The Black Pearl Soundtrack Artists to Know
The Black Pearl score was created at Remote Control Productions under Hans Zimmer's supervision. Here is who did what.
A Beginner's Guide to Hardstyle
Hardstyle is a Dutch-rooted electronic genre built on massive kicks, tempos around 140–150 BPM and a festival culture unlike anything else. Here's how to get started.
Essential Breakcore Albums Explained
Breakcore grew up on 12-inches and tape trades, not albums. Still, a few full-lengths genuinely earned essential status — here they are, explained.
The Best Deathcore Artists to Know
These are the artists who built deathcore and those currently defining it — from the MySpace-era bands who established the template to the acts pushing it in new directions today.
A Beginner's Guide to Gospel Music
Gospel grew up in churches and living rooms, built by people singing because they meant it. Here is what it actually is, and how to start listening.
Reggaeton for Newcomers: Where to Start
A low-pressure starting guide for anyone new to reggaeton — no Spanish, no history and no prior knowledge required, just a sensible listening order.
Deep House for Newcomers: Where to Start
You don't need a record collection to get into deep house — just two tracks, some patience, and a healthy scepticism about streaming playlists.
Essential Americana Albums Explained
Not a chart, just the records that keep getting handed down between fans and musicians because they still hold up on a tenth listen.
Enka Subgenres, Explained
Enka has real internal variety — folk-influenced streams, regional flavours, modern pop fusion and cross-cultural branches. Here's how the different strands break down.
The Complete Guide to 100 Billboard Top Songs
The 100 Billboard top songs represents the definitive measure of chart success in American popular music. Discover what drives songs up the charts and how streaming changed everything.
The Complete Guide to Uk Rock Singles Chart
The UK rock singles chart represents Britain's most important barometer for contemporary rock music success, tracking which songs resonate most powerfully with audiences.
A Beginner's Guide to Indie Rock
There's no single sound hiding behind the label. Here's what the term actually means, and how the genre's neighbours differ from it.
Ragtime for Newcomers: Where to Start
No music degree required. A warm, honest on-ramp to ragtime: three pieces to start with, what to listen for, and where to find real recordings.
A Beginner's Guide to Punk Rock
Punk rock explained without the jargon — what it is, where it came from, and what to listen for first.
A Beginner's Guide to Classic Rock
What the term classic rock really covers, where the sound came from, and the names, strands and records worth knowing before you dig deeper.
The Complete Guide to British Singles Chart History
The British singles chart has tracked which records dominated the UK for nearly seven decades, revealing musical tastes and cultural shifts through decades of chart battles.
Essential Country Music Albums Explained
From Hank Williams compilations to Golden Hour — the essential albums across every era of the genre, with a note on what each represents and what to listen for.
Essential Idm Music Albums Explained
The IDM canon is built around a relatively small set of albums that any serious engagement with the genre should cover. This guide explains what makes each one significant.
Essential Prog Rock Albums Explained
No filler, no hype — just the prog rock albums that genuinely changed what a rock record could be, explained one by one.
The Best Chillout Artists to Know
No single sound, no single artist — here are the essential names in chillout, organised by what each one actually brought to it.
New Wave Subgenres, Explained
The genre tag covers too much ground on its own. Here's what actually separates synth-pop from new romantic from the darker, colder stuff.
A Beginner's Guide to Pop Punk
Punk's speed and directness married to pop's gift for a hook — here's what actually makes pop punk tick, and where it sits next to emo.
What Natalie Brooks covers
Blues Brothers
Blues Brothers-inspired instruments and gear for soulful, band-led performances, from rehearsal rooms to live stages.
Blues Harmonica
The blues harmonica is a portable reed instrument prized for expressive bends, raw tone and classic roots style.
Classic Rock
Classic rock covers enduring guitar-led songs, albums and artists that shaped modern rock culture.
Country Music
Country music combines storytelling lyrics, melodic hooks and acoustic-led band arrangements.
1 topic
Hard Rock
Hard rock delivers loud riffs, strong drums and big choruses for powerful live and studio rock.
Heavy Metal
Heavy metal combines powerful riffs, heavy drums and dramatic vocals for a loud, precise rock sound.
2 topics
K Pop
Polished, performance-led pop with global influence, slick production and strong visual identity.
1 topic
Punk Rock
Punk rock delivers fast tempos, bold riffs and an uncompromising live feel. Discover dependable gear for loud, immediate...
