Latest music features

<p>American dreaming: George Harrison, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and Paul McCartney arrive at New York’s JFK airport in December 1963</p>

In Focus

The Beatles took America in 1964 – but it was the beginning of the end

A new documentary, ‘Beatles ’64’, revisits the breathless, exhausting first days of the Fab Four’s American invasion, rescuing a nation in mourning over the assassination of JFK. Teenagers scream, conservatives riot and the band’s lives were about to change forever. Stevie Chick meets the film’s producers

<p>From straight-up bratty bangers to an elegiac return from a much-loved mop-haired goth rocker, 2024 had it all </p>

The Countdown

The best albums of 2024, ranked

<p>You’ve got a friend in him: The songwriter’s musings on racism, poverty and the American struggle have resonated through the years </p>

In Focus

Randy Newman’s scathing satire of America has never been more relevant

<p>Kim Deal: ‘I look back at that and think, maybe they should’ve let me flounder – could that be better for addicts?’ </p>

Interview

Kim Deal: ‘It’s nice I lasted long enough to contemplate the past’

Interviews

<p>“I was definitely a “Perks of Being a Wallflower”-style individual’ </p>

Interview

The Dare: ‘People want to return to a dirtier, less fashionable era’

<p>Joan Armatrading: ‘I still get the same thrill, writing a song from beginning to end. It’s quite a thing, you know?’</p>

Interview

Joan Armatrading: ‘I love gossip – but my private life is off limits’

<p>Art Garfunkel (right) with his son, Art Garfunkel Jr</p>

Interview

Art Garfunkel: ‘I’m in the mood to work with Paul Simon again’

<p>Warmduscher’s Ben Romans Hopcraft: ‘None of us are rich, we’re still struggling every day’</p>

Interview

Meet Warmduscher, the UK’s most eccentric band

On Trend

Music Box

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

The Mysterines perform ‘The Last Dance’ for Music Box

Rita Ora performs new single ‘Ask And You Shall Receive’

New Sensations

<p>Scottish band Brògeal: ‘We feel very strongly about our country and its culture'</p>

New Sensations

Scottish band Brògeal: ‘It’d be a cop-out to copy English bands’

<p>Jalen Ngonda: ‘Love is the most human thing to talk about'</p>

New Sensations

Singer Jalen Ngonda: ‘I don’t want to write something I can’t feel’

<p>Fat Dog are the latest band to burst out of the south London post-punk scene</p>

New Sensations

Fat Dog: ‘Fans have tattoos of us now. My mum said they’re not well’

Reviews

Albums this week: Kim Deal; Joan Armatrading; Michael Kiwanuka

The Breeders frontwoman brings her trademark attention to detail to a superb debut solo album full of surprises

<p>He cleans up: the drummer-turned-troubadour goes from Waits-style grit to swaying easy listening on the new record </p>

If Mahashmashana is an elegy for Father John Misty, it’s a great one

On his sixth record, the alter ego of Josh Tillman finds himself swilling around queasy questions of mortality and self-obsession

Live music

Charli XCX brings her brazen, bass-heavy Brat Summer to Manchester

Bob Dylan, folk-rock’s finest songwriter, seems to exist beyond music

<p>Elton John joins Dua Lipa on stage at the Royal Albert Hall</p>

Dua Lipa’s strange Royal Albert Hall show shouldn’t work – but it does

<p>David Gilmour performs as part of his six-night residency at the Royal Albert Hall in London, October 2024</p>

David Gilmour’s Royal Albert Hall residency is momentous and moving

Retrospectives

playback

Nirvana’s Unplugged show is hallowed now but it almost never happened

in focus

Inside the turbulent journey to The Cure’s first album in 16 years

The bizarre history of the ‘final gig’, from Oasis to Pink Floyd

Playback

The hidden chapter of Joni Mitchell that shows her risk-taking side

News