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Music news, bold reviews and unexpected extras emailed direct to you
Music
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From White Chicks to Isn’t It Romantic, how the song came to represent cosy unoriginality -
Singer smiles and thanks judge as jury acquits him after two and a half hours’ deliberation
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3 out of 5 stars.
Live review Dido – featherlight hitmaker cranks up the turmoil
3 out of 5 stars.The singer cuts through the heavy emotional weather of her new songs with the crystalline tone that characterised her breakthrough hits -
In this exclusive article, Elton John writes about his extraordinary life and why he finally decided to give the Rocketman biopic the green light -
Festivalgoers fainted as they queued three hours and others reportedly trampled at barriers
Festivals
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Whether you go full on feral at Glastonbury or chomp on churros at a one-day dad-fest, there’s a festival for you -
From skipping bad meat to guzzling Guinness, the MC and foodie reveals the rules of festival consumption -
The camping veteran is here to pick out the essentials, from bumbags to waterproofs -
The comic and actor reflects on the good, bad and ugly portable toilets of her past
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The Swedish pop star on her favourite authors, new music and old hangouts -
As Live Through This turns 25, the band discuss the trauma and pop tactics that charged its release – as well as their comeback -
After Wild Beasts split, singer Hayden Thorpe was left in a ‘strange, cryogenic state’. But a new solo album helped him let go of the past -
When Aditya Chakrabortty received an email from a PR for the techno group, he fired off a reply and forgot about it. Then it ended up as the chorus to their latest track
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2 out of 5 stars.
Spice Girls Nostalgia, branding and bad British values
2 out of 5 stars.The Poshless group give the fans what they want, but union jacks and product placement can’t cover a lack of material -
4 out of 5 stars.
Kitty Empire's artist of the week The Raconteurs – maximum rock’n’roll
4 out of 5 stars.Former White Stripes frontman Jack White and his re-energised Raconteurs have a guitar-wielding blast -
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3 out of 5 stars.
Jack Savoretti Smouldering pop doesn't quite catch fire
3 out of 5 stars. -
3 out of 5 stars.
Michael Bublé Moving, hard-won hits from cheeky crooner
3 out of 5 stars. -
2 out of 5 stars.
Sting & Shaggy Pop-reggae odd couple are far from boombastic
2 out of 5 stars.
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4 out of 5 stars.
Alexis Petridis's album of the week Cate Le Bon: Reward – a mind unravelling in Cumbria
4 out of 5 stars.Lovely, airy, occasionally rocking songs are underpinned by off-kilter lyrics and seeping isolation on Le Bon’s remarkable album -
3 out of 5 stars.
Flying Lotus Flamagra – cosmic voyager's cartoonish cinematic vision
3 out of 5 stars.Boasting collabs with everyone from David Lynch to Tierra Whack, it sounds as if FlyLo has written a film soundtrack on his sixth album -
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Amyl and the Sniffers Turning pub rock bravado into punk mayhem
3 out of 5 stars. -
Youssou N’Dour History – the Senegalese superstar returns
4 out of 5 stars. -
Flying Lotus Flamagra – stuck in a cosmic time-warp
2 out of 5 stars.
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To honour the passing of Pete Shelley, we revisit Dave Simpson's feature on 40 years since the Manchester band’s first release reshaped pop music with one of the first ever independent releases
sleevenotesemail
In focus
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With its pastel colours and fluffy clouds, Swift’s video feels out of step with the online shift back to reality -
3 out of 5 stars.
Pink Pink: Hurts 2B Human review – grown-up Pink is as underdog as ever
3 out of 5 stars.The singer’s eighth album reflects on love, loss and maturity, but it seems to tread familiar ground -
The Canadian rapper’s speech was cut off, further damaging the standing of the ceremony in the hip-hop community, despite championing more women
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Her songs are streamed in the millions and her music is beloved by Janet Jackson. But who is HER, the songwriter who hides her identity with a pair of sunglasses?
By genre
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4 out of 5 stars.
Indie BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend review – electric Stormzy opens two days of non-stop pop
4 out of 5 stars.Billie Eilish draws the crowds, Miley Cyrus rejects her previous personas and Slowthai steals the day -
Musician says in memoir the pair dated, but Portman disputes account, saying ‘my recollection is a much older man being creepy with me’ -
3 out of 5 stars.
Hip-hop Steve Lacy: Apollo XXI review – blissful LA funk and hip-hop
3 out of 5 stars.(3qtr)
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4 out of 5 stars.
R&B Mariah Carey review – gold-plated pop diva cements her legacy
4 out of 5 stars.With her classic hits front and centre, Carey showcases her vocal range and camp persona with some incredible, playful performances
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2 out of 5 stars.
(Warp) -
‘A lot of bullies were homophobic, so I wanted to irritate them by putting on a female voice’
You may have missed
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The service has compiled 28 tracks to encourage voting in the European elections. It’s prosaic, familiar – and quietly revelatory -
Bernard MacMahon, director of roots music series American Epic, will helm film exploring band’s explosive early years -
Reel-to-reel tape featuring three unreleased songs expected to sell for more than £10,000
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The Melbourne punk band’s no-holds-barred approach feels refreshingly uncontrived -
After 20 years of soundtracking human heartbreak, the legendary US rockers talk about depression, infighting – and playing live while Paris burns -
Sound system toaster, DJ and selector, known for his understated delivery and immaculate dress died in Kingston
Most viewed
Festivals BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend – electric Stormzy opens two days of non-stop pop
4 out of 5 stars.All Points East Blockbuster festival makes a muted return