music
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Goofing out with Joanna Newsome, an endurance event with Blur, and the fear and the fury of Jerry Lee Lewis … meeting the stars held unknown highlights for our writers this year
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James Murphy will re-form LCD Soundsystem for a slot at the Californian festival, according to the New York Times
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‘Lemmy was Motörhead. We won’t be doing any more tours or anything,’ says the late rock star’s bandmate
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Presents to recognition to devotion, RR’s Fuel wraps up a global playlist of multiple perspectives and emotions inspired by last week’s gift of a topic
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Continuing our series on some of the best music of 2015, here is our critic’s pick of the year’s best jazz tracks – from a new sax star to a hip-hop interpreter
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Candid talk about psychological illness, from Brian Harvey’s industry takedown to the Amy Winehouse documentary, dismantled stereotypes about depression in a year of refreshing openness
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Agent confirms death of Jersey-born musician, who had pan-European hit with Infinity, as rave culture increasingly invaded the charts in 1990
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Bradbury, the multi-instrumentalist and key component of the 2 Tone sound, was drumming ‘powerhouse’ who played with the Specials for more than four decades
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Axl Rose and Slash have reportedly agreed to headline Coachella festival in 2016, their first performance together since 1993
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Slaves crown a spectacular year with a charming, spirited performance in front of their biggest audience yet
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Royal Opera’s Eugene Onegin is musically enthralling, not least thanks to Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the title role
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From the thrill of Brittany Howard’s alter ego to joy on the Wirral, our critics pick some of this year’s under-the-radar releases
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Lyrics about employment drudgery rage and brood over walls of glacial electronics that recall Joy Division and Bauhaus
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From acoustically enhanced pizza to his adoration of hotels and disdain for celibacy, here’s the late metal star’s life in quotes, courtesy of Rock’s Backpages
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From Wales to Cambodia, from impromptu choirs to high-end hi-fi, our writers recall the moments music really hit home this year
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video
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One album to hear Sparks' The Island Years
Alexis PetridisAlexis Petridis finds himself in a state of delighted bafflement revisiting Ron and Russell Mael’s albums from the mid-1970s -
Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody reinterpreted by a duet from the English National Ballet, a string quartet from the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity Boys Choir
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Alexis Petridis recommends skilful lyricist Hayman’s third album this year
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Alexis Petridis argues that it’s worth dipping into their back catalogue to discover some of the New York group’s history
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The California garage rock hero Ty Segall might be the most prolific musician working today, but there’s no sign of his well of inspiration running dry.
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Pop singer Madonna calls fans ‘diva bitches’, at a concert in Manchester, for complaining she was an hour late on stage
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She is the biggest pop star in the world, who doesn't have fans so much as disciples. But has Lady Gaga's Jesus complex gone too far? Simon Hattenstone finds out
interviews
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The band who made one of 2015’s best albums are committed to being serious – but also to having fun. The Montrealers talk about ‘disrupting bureaucracy’, challenging their fans and spotting an Arctic Monkey at one of their gigs
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He has outsold Beyoncé and played to bigger crowds than Take That. He also lives in D’Artagnan’s castle and has his very own orchestra. An audience with André Rieu, the violin superstar nicknamed King of the Waltz
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From a broken foot in January the only way was up, and Florence soared with a hit new album, No 1 in America, headlining Glastonbury…
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Once a key member of the infamous Odd Future collective, how did the internet star end up living with her parents and abstaining from drugs, sex and swearing?
quizzes
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From twinkling rings to chunky chains – and the odd sparkling figurine hanging from a pendant – how well do you know these rappers’ signature jewels?
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With the rocktastic festivals taking place this weekend, it’s time to see how much you know about their history
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There’s more to boybands than One Direction. But do you know how many members Menudo had? Or in which paper Lou Pearlman advertised for the members of Backstreet Boys?
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We’ve cut out the faces of 12 axemen with distinctive guitars, so you have to identify the guitarist from their instrument …
in pictures
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From breakdancers at block parties to table dancers in Ibiza, Lost in Music is the definitive document of club culture – a photography archive that unites legends from behind the lens and behind the decks. Get ready for a rewind
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There were wigs and fake beards all around in Mexico City as the city attempted a world record for the most people dressed as the Beatles
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Guardian photojournalist Sarah Lee was granted exclusive access to the set of Coldplay’s groundbreaking, Mat Whitecross-directed music video at the Imaginarium, a digital motion capture studio set up by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish in London
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A new book entitled Rock Stars Cars details the vehicles of some of the most revered musicians in rock, rap and pop history - take a look at some of its highlights
you may have missed
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When our correspondent was abruptly summoned to an audience with the legendary artist in his Minneapolis studios, he had no idea what to expect. Certainly not being asked to duet on Sign o’ the Times ...
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Why did these two men hang around Huddersfield railway station asking young people what they did today? Electronic duo Darkstar explain their most daring LP yet
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In 1969, Rolling Stone shocked the world with an issue about the rock ‘supergroupie’. A new book tells all
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At 71, the Rolling Stones legend is proud of his cartoon image as a rock outlaw. He’s back now with his first solo album in 23 years. But some days, the wildman reputation feels like a ball and chain – he just wants to visit an art gallery or water the garden
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Atlanta’s Young Thug is the gender-fluid, surrealist rapper who’s being anointed as hip-hop’s next titan. Don’t know what to make of him? You’re not the only one
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Back in Hong Kong, where they recorded their album The Magic Whip, Damon, Graham, Alex and Dave talk about falling out and making up, the state of British pop music and why 90s Britpop was a wasted opportunity
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Amy being alive meant there was hope for my heroin-addicted younger sister. When the singer died, my world caved in. What chance did we have now?
popular
Rick Ross ‘I ain’t trying to keep up with the trends’