Read on for the Hot Press quotes of the year:

“We’re missing a little bit of that rock mentality. Everything is so groomed.” ~ Maggie Rogers

“We’d meet with old friends for dinner, and someone’d say, ‘Here, you lads are gonna pick this one up now! Sure you’re rolling in it!’” ~ Wild Youth’s Dave Whelan

“There’s so much negativity. People are looking for a release. And there’s catharsis in angular, aggressive music.” ~ Idles’ Mark Bowen

“We treat The Cure like normal people. They don’t always get that and I think they appreciate it.” ~ James Graham of The Twilight Sad

“Taking things too seriously is one reason why some young artists have issues with anxiety.” ~ Lewis Capaldi

Sigrid @ 3Arena 22/11/19
www.peterohanlonphotography/Hotpress.com

“I’m surrounded by strong females. My mom is strong, so is my sister.” ~ Sigrid

“It’s not about how you present the message, it’s what the message is.” ~ Jafaris

“I’m a particularly horny man.” ~ Picture This’ Ryan Hennessy

“It’s very unusual to have 100,000s of people following me on social media.” ~ Years & Years’ Olly Alexander

“I was with Anthony and the Johnsons at the time, and Glen Hansard and The National, a bunch of music that Martin was really digging, and I think he was looking for a way to bridge those worlds a little bit.” ~ Thomas Bartlett on joining The Gloaming

“Being Zambian-Irish, for me, means that I’ve got so many lenses to see the world.” ~ Denise Chaila

“I’d love to hang out with Ringo more. I wonder if he texts. Do people over 60 text?” ~ Jenny Lewis

“The moment I gave up alcohol for good was when my girlfriend said, ‘I’m pregnant’.” ~ Walking On Cars’ Pa Sheehy

“It’s an interesting time for Irish acts, in every field, but especially hip-hop because that was so shunned for a while.” ~ Maverick Sabre

“It was as if Samuel Beckett made records.” ~ Gavin Friday pays tribute to the late Scott Walker

“The Electric Ballroom is the biggest room we have played to date – it was crazy!” ~ The Murder Capital’s James McGovern on supporting Idles in London

The Murder Capital at Button Factory, Dublin. Friday 16th of August 2019. Copyright Grayce Leonard.

“There’s something in the bloody water in Knockroe, Maganey, I reckon!” ~ Mani on his Kildare roots

“California these days is actually way more defined by weed than cocaine, if anything.” ~ Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig

“The thing we remember the most about Dolores is the craic we had. She’d be sat on the bus ripping the piss out of you.” ~ The Cranberries’ Fergal Lawler

“We’re trying to rekindle a sense of culture that’s dying away, due to gentrification and materialism and an influx of corporations.” ~ Fontaines DC’s Grian Chatten

Fontaines DC at Vicar Street, Dublin 7.12.2019 Copyright Colm Kelly.

“The music industry in the ‘80s was horrible. You had heavy metal – the worst depiction of women ever.” ~ Corin Tucker

“Kids can be cruel to each other, especially teenagers. I can’t even comprehend what it would be like right now with the internet.” ~ Kodaline’s Steve Garrigan

“The calibre of music coming out of Derry – for such a small place – is impressive.” ~ Soak

“Our melodies can be euphoric, but the lyrics are a lot darker.” ~ Whenyoung’s Aoife Power

whenyoung at Electric Picnic 2019. Copyright hotpress.com / Andre Aravena

“I stuck my hand in and got spiked twice by this royally fucked-off hedgehog.” ~ Pete Doherty on the unlikely reason for cancelling the first night of the Puta Madres tour

“It’s a hell of a time to be part of the Northern Irish music industry.” ~ Gary Lightbody

“I’ve learnt more about being a good, kind, brave man from records than I have the bible.” ~ Matt Berninger

“We just want to get youse horny, that’s what we want.” ~ Versatile

“The vultures of society are waiting for you to drop, so they can take the pieces.” ~ Fangclub’s Steven King

“We’ve built a career on being awkward weirdos.” ~ Bastille’s Dan Smith

Bastille @ Indiependence 2019 Day 1

“I remember telling The Edge at the end of filming that I used to listen to ‘Mysterious Ways’ on my headphones in high school before I went to bed.” ~ Jack White

“I’m just like any other teenager. I just have a different job.” ~ Billie Eilish

“Art is so important for the world, especially in times like these.” ~ Dermot Kennedy

“The third thing I really require is no drama whatsoever. I’ve got enough drama right now just turning on the fucking TV.” ~ Steve Van Zandt

“We still think of ourselves as students and heading to India, there’s a lot to learn.” ~ Bono on U2 playing India

You can read the complete article in one brilliant sweep in the Hot Press Annual – in which we distill the highlights and low-points of the year, across 132 vital, beautifully designed pages. Starring heroes of the year Fontaines D.C. on the front we cover Music, Culture, Sport, Film, Politics, the Environment and much, much more. Buy this superb publication direct from Hot Press here.