The Human League review – immaculate electro pop as radiant now as it was 40 years ago
Philip Oakey’s voice remains rich and pristine and sets the tone for an evening of timeless era-defining tunes
Sam Fender review – cathartic songs delivered with passion and a humble presence
Even when the entire crowd of 23,000 are bellowing his ‘whoah-oh-ohs’, understated Fender quips ‘got some singers here, haven’t we?’ as if performing in a local boozer
In silence, Paul Kelly finds the beauty in the joy and heartache of our everyday lives
The Australian songwriter always wants to say less. One might imagine that the ultimate Paul Kelly song says nothing at all, and therefore says everything
Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips: ‘It was insane. We all could have died’
The frontman talks about sharing a joint with Paul McCartney, a gig in Texas that almost went very wrong and his gruesome party trick
Band Aid 40 enters UK Top 10 as Christmas No 1 race hots up
More than half of this week’s Top 40 is Christmas-themed, as classics by Wham! and Mariah Carey eye a potential No 1 position
Five of the best music books of 2024
From stories of queer artists reshaping the pop landscape to an insider’s view of Tupac and Biggie, the highlights of a tuneful year
Japanese singer and actor Miho Nakayama dies aged 54
After making her name with J-pop hits, the performer went on to win acclaim for film roles including Love Letter
It’s Spotify Wrapped season: a reminder of how incredibly dull streaming services have made us
I had long Covid and Spotify was my solace – until I realised the algorithm had killed off all my curiosity about music, says writer Jochan Embley
The 20 best songs of 2024
Here are the year’s most outstanding tracks – from Fontaines DC to Beyoncé via Kendrick Lamar – as voted for by 26 Guardian music writers
K-pop idol Rosé of Blackpink fame grew up in Australia – but she could never have made it big here
Asian Australian musicians are finding massive success overseas but receive little acclaim or recognition back home. Why?
Chappell Roan, Hozier and Travis Scott to headline Reading and Leeds for first time
Bring Me the Horizon, the Sheffield metal band who headlined the festival in 2022, complete the lineup
Tall tales, campfire singalongs and Oldham slang: the White Stripes’ 20 best songs – ranked!
As Meg White turns 50, we select the ‘sibling’ duo’s finest tracks, from garage rockers to childlike rhymes and de facto sports anthems
I’m seeing the Killers play for the 10th time. How did it end up like this?
Little did I know when Hot Fuss came out in 2004 that I’d be obsessed with this band for the next 20 years, and they’d soundtrack my life
War’s Lonnie Jordan: ‘We don’t shoot bullets; we shoot rhythms’
The frontman of one of the great groundbreaking rock-funk-soul acts of the 60s and 70s talks about politics, peace and their influence on rap music
Tori Amos on trauma, Trump and Neil Gaiman: ‘It’s a heartbreaking grief’
The musician is back with a live album and as passionate as ever. She discusses fans, failure, muses, misogyny – and why she won’t tolerate bad behaviour