As culture becomes even more fleeting, we can see you want to grab onto history. The 2025 top spot goes to our interview with Blur drummer Dave Rowntree on his photographs of the Britpop band’s rise to fame, documenting the mundanities of their pre-fame youth – like nap times and rollercoaster riding. You always wanted to know what lies behind iconic images, like those from Dennis Morris who documented the early careers of Bob Marley and the Sex Pistols. But it’s not just these star-studded stories you yearn for. Lots of clicks prove you wanted to zoom out and understand subcultures like skating, rave culture, and sci-fi-infused sports photography.
Also popular this year were close-up intimacies. Vivian Wan superimposed illustration over her family photo album, Adam Lin created an affectionate offering in his documentation of domestic masculinity and Max Lancaster looked into the hauntingly beautiful scenes of life on a ship container crew. You also loved to slow down, reading about the carefully crafted work of still life photographers and collector Sam Nicklin, and you took a moment to appreciate community, with Jake Green’s tribute to football team Leyton Orient along with Sophie Green’s explorations of British national identity.