Capturing the essence of his debut album The Panic Years, Bradley Simpson selects 10Trax that embody the highs and lows of being in your '20s and the formative moments that make you the person you are.

'You Only Live Once' by The Strokes

The soundtrack for pretending you’re fine when you’re five coffees deep and questioning life. I love songs that have this feeling on the surface that contradicts the meaning in the lyrics, where it's upbeat but there’s a "fake it to you make it" sentiment underneath.

'Iron Sky' by Paolo Nutini

I think “the panic years” for me include a lot of introspection, growing up and questioning everything around you. This song captures that feeling of not getting caught up in the noise and focusing on the things that matter.

'I Wanna Get Better' by Bleachers

I love this song so much, it captures that angst of being in a bad place and ultimately getting to a tipping point of frustration and wanting to get better. It’s so good. I also love when songs come to you at a time when you really need them, this was the exact song I needed to hear when I first heard it.

'Trouble' by Cage The Elephant

“Trouble on my left, trouble on my right”. this song captures that quiet dread of not knowing if you’re going forward or just treading water.

'doomsday' by Lizzy McAlpine

Lizzy is such a fantastic lyricist and writer, I’m a huge fan, she seems to talk about personal experiences in such a relatable and universal way. I like how ‘doomsday’ talks about that lack of control over a situation, in the context of a relationship, but I think that feeling is a bit of a constant throughout your "panic years".

'Cornerstone' by Arctic Monkeys

This feels like the heartbreak that everyone goes through in their '20s, looking for that person in every room or every person. Hoping that you can relive it or extend that feeling for a moment.

'Shine A Little Light' by The Black Keys

Looking for a way out through someone or something, that feels like a theme throughout “the panic years”. I also love this being set against The Black Keys's distorted, riff driven music which feels quite empowering.

'Oxford Comma' by Vampire Weekend

It’s got that snarky wit that creeps in when you start questioning what actually matters in life. There’s definitely a bit of panic hiding amongst the polish - when you realise clever lines aren’t enough to stop the feeling that you’re supposed to be doing more.

'Maybe I’m Lonely' by Rachel Chinouriri

“Maybe I’m falling for the feeling of falling for you”, I love that line and I think it’s a conversation a lot of people have in their own head. It feels like your twenties are the time where you’re figuring yourself out, and within that is understanding your own emotions when there’s so much unknown. It’s about learning to trust yourself and go with your gut.

'No Other Way' by Paolo Nutini

I’m throwing in two Paolo songs 'cause they were both big songs for me. This one talks about being away from home and about touring, “life’s a ball on the road in these four wheels, but something about the whole thing doesn’t feel real.” When I was away touring a lot I think I went through those exact feelings and it was nice to hear a song that touched on it. But in this moments of panic I think everyone can relate to just wanting to get back to a safe space.