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It’s pay weekend (for most of us), and the lure of a night out to soothe our souls after a week of corporate monotony is calling. Will it be sinking one too many Neck Oils on that same pavement beside the pub around the corner from the office? Cocktails with the girlies at the usual? A few tinnies in the living room before ‘seeing where the night takes you’?
We know it’s all too easy to fall into habits of sticking to what you know when it comes to nights out. But – despite what the headlines might have you think – London nightlife is thriving, and new stuff is actually popping up all the time. There’s something for everyone in this city, at all price ranges: jazz, amapiano, jungle and baile funk nights, cinema all-nighters, lesbian supper clubs, 30+ hour raves, sex parties, audiophile listening sessions, galleries, late-night saunas, spoken-word events, supper clubs, niche karaoke, jam sessions, moonlit plays. You just need to know where to look, and our all-new list of the 50 best nights out in the city in 2025 is a good place to start.
Coming in at number one in the list was Pop Never Dies, the alt-pop party that jumps between The Lexington in King’s Cross and The Waiting Room pub in Stokey. Pop music has had something of a renaissance in the last year, and a genre that has previously been snubbed for being cheesy or tacky is now genuienly cool. With artist-specific nights and a happy-go-lucky atmosphere, Pop Never Dies is a deserved number one – it even saw Charli xcx make a surprise appearance last year, as part of her ‘Brat’ album promo.
Writer India Lawrence wrote about the night: ‘We are officially in the era of the pop girlie, and it’s only right that London’s nightlife should reflect this. Whether you worship at the altar of Chappell Roan, think Sabrina Carpenter reigns supreme, or spent all summer chasing the Brat lifestyle, Pop Never Dies will have something for you. This is a night of balls-to-the-wall, scream-your-heart-out bangers from the alt-pop world: Clairo, MUNA, Ariana Grande, Rina Sawayama, the list goes on. It may be pop, but don’t expect a night of cheesy Top 40 tunes.’
Elsewhere on the list, we have queer art rave Riposte at number two, which takes over mega clubs like The Cause and Electrowerkz with its themed dress code nights packed with performances and super-speed techno. Church of Sound comes in at three, the ‘hidden gem’ bringing some of the best live funk, jazz and soul sounds to an upper Clapton church. North London legendary bowling alley Rowans took the fourth spot, while the epic queer-focussed Sunday day party, unFOLD, came in at number five.
Check out the full list here and start planning your next night out now.
Plus: the 40 best nightclubs in London for 2025.
A major new live music and events space is opening in Shoreditch this weekend.
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