Vinyl Castle Announces Winners of The Castle Awards

Vinyl Castle Announces Winners of The Castle Awards: Yungblud Sweeps the Board in People's Choice Vote

LONDON, 17 March 2026 — Vinyl Castle has officially announced the winners of the inaugural Castle Awards, determined entirely by a comprehensive survey of over 10,000 passionate members. Designed to celebrate the very best in music across multiple genres and formats, the awards stand as a true people's choice event, reflecting the authentic tastes and listening habits of dedicated record collectors across the country.

Rather than relying on industry panels or critics, The Castle Awards placed the voting power directly into the hands of the fans. The overwhelming response from the Vinyl Castle community highlights the enduring passion for physical music and showcases the platform as a premier hub for music lovers to discover, discuss, and celebrate their favourite artists.

Yungblud emerged as the undisputed standout of the event, capturing the voice of the community to secure the highly coveted Vinyl Castle Community Choice: Artist of the Year. The artist's dominance continued across the board, also taking home the titles for Best British Artist and Best Rock / Pop Release for the acclaimed album Idols.

The visual element of physical music remains as important as ever to the Vinyl Castle community, with Wet Leg claiming the prize for Best Album Artwork for their release, Moisturizer. The awards also celebrated the rich history and continuous evolution of various genres. The Best Jazz Album category highlighted a deep appreciation for complex compositions, while contemporary R&B and Rap were championed through strong support for artists like Coco Jones.

Classic releases and meticulously crafted physical editions also received major recognition. Black Sabbath took home the award for Most Iconic Reissue of the Year for Paranoid, proving that foundational heavy metal continues to resonate strongly with modern collectors. Additionally, David Bowie secured the Best Box Set or Special Edition for the Rock 'n' Roll Star! Box Set, and Radiohead's OK Computer was crowned the Best Top Seller of the Year.

The incredible engagement from over 10,000 voters cements The Castle Awards as a definitive reflection of what real fans are spinning on their turntables today. Vinyl Castle extends its gratitude to every member who participated in shaping this celebration of musical excellence.

Results in Full

Best Album Artwork of 2025

• Wet Leg – Moisturizer (Winner, 26.47%)

• Wolf Alice – The Clearing (23.53%)

• The Last Dinner Party – From the Pyre (17.65%)

• Tyler The Creator - CHROMAKOPIA (14.71%)

• Japanese Breakfast – “For Melancholy Brunettes (Sad Women)” (10.29%)

• Little Simz – Lotus (7.35%)

Best Rock / Pop Release of 2025

• Yungblud – Idols (Winner, 28.57%)

• Wet Leg – Moisturizer (25.97%)

• Deftones – Private Music (18.18%)

• Yellowcard – Better Days (15.58%)

• Bon Ivor – Sable Fable (7.79%)

• Black Lips - Season of the Peach (3.90%)

Best Jazz Album of 2025

• Anthony Braxton – Quartet (England) 1985 (Winner, 24.56%)

• Mary Halvorson – About Ghosts (24.56%)

• Joshua Redman – Words Fall Short (22.81%)

• Linda May Han Oh – Strange Heavens (15.79%)

• Michael Wollny Trio – Living Ghosts (7.02%)

• Nels Cline - Consentrik Quartet (5.26%)

Best R&B, Rap Album of 2025

• Coco Jones - Why Not More? (Winner, 24.14%)

• Durand Jones & The Indications – Flowers (20.69%)

• Chase Shakur – Wonderlove (18.97%)

• Lady Wray - Cover Girl (15.52%)

• Durand Bernarr - BLOOM (12.07%)

• Q Parker - Evolution of Romance: Volume One (8.62%)

Best British Artist of 2025

• Yungblud (Winner, 30.67%)

• Raye (24.00%)

• Olivia Dean (16.00%)

• Sam Fender (14.67%)

• Lola Young (8.00%)

• Ed Sheeran (6.67%)

Most Iconic Reissue of the Year

• Black Sabbath – Paranoid (Winner, 30.77%)

• The Beatles, 'Anthology Collection' (18.46%)

• David Bowie, 'I Can't Give Everything Away (2002 - 2016)' (16.92%)

• Patti Smith, 'Horses (50th Anniversary)' (15.38%)

• Bruce Springsteen, ‘Tracks II: The Lost Albums’ (9.23%)

• Miles Davis – Dark Magus & Black Beauty (9.23%)

Best Debut Album

• Addison Rae - Addison (Winner, 40.35%)

• Labrina Girls – Who Let The Dogs Out (26.32%)

• Heartworms – Glutton For Punishment (12.28%)

• Annahstasia - Tether (7.02%)

• Oklou – Choke Enough (7.02%)

• Rose Gray – Louder, Please (7.02%)

Best Box Set or Special Edition

• David Bowie – Rock ’n’ Roll Star! Box Set (Winner, 26.56%)

• Prince – Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe (25.00%)

• The Who – Quadrophenia Super Deluxe (18.75%)

• The Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds (Deluxe Vinyl Box) (14.06%)

• Bruce Springsteen – Tracks II: The Lost Albums (10.94%)

• Bob Dylan – Through The Open Window (4.69%)

Best Top Seller of the Year

• Radiohead – OK Computer (Winner, 33.33%)

• Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (19.05%)

• The Smiths – The Queen is Dead (19.05%)

• Lana Del Rey – Born to Die (19.05%)

• Taylor Swift – Evermore (14.29%)

• Bon Ivor - For Emma, Forever Ago (0%)

Vinyl Castle Community Choice: Artist of the Year

• Yungblud (Winner, 35.38%)

• Bad Bunny (18.46%)

• Kendrick Lamar (16.92%)

• Taylor Swift (13.85%)

• Tyler, The Creator (9.23%)

• Kanye West (6.15%)

About Vinyl Castle

Vinyl Castle is a leading destination for physical music enthusiasts, offering an expansive catalogue of vinyl records and CDs that span every genre and era. Built around a thriving community of dedicated collectors and everyday music fans, the platform is committed to keeping the culture of physical music ownership alive and accessible.

Media Contact:
Malachi Simons
mal.simons@vinylcastle.com